Remaining Free

Paul is perplexed. He has heard of a defection among the Christians in Galatia. They have turned away from the true Gospel of grace and forgiveness in Christ Jesus to a false gospel of laws and rules. Paul writes, “I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6-7 ESV). The church in Colossae faced similar problems. In his letter to Colossians, Paul tells us more regarding the nature of this other so-called gospel. He writes, “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, ^‘Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!’ … in accordance with the commandments and teachings of man?” (Colossians 2:20-22). Both churches were facing the temptation to surrender their freedom in Christ. They both returned, once again, to become slaves to the “weak and worthless elementary principles” of the world (Galatians 4:9).

Paul’s remarks remind us that it is one thing to be set free; it is another to remain free. It is one thing to have been set free by Christ; it is another to walk daily in that freedom. Each day we face the temptation to surrender our freedom and to return to our old way of life, even if it means slavery. The writer of Hebrews reminds us that, should we entertain the idea of returning to our old life, there will always be ample opportunity. Writing of those heroes of faith, he writes, “And indeed if they had been thinking of that country which they left, they would have had opportunity to return” (Hebrews 11:15). To this constant temptation to return, Paul gives us a clear admonition: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).

This temptation to return to slavery was not new with Christianity. Perhaps the greatest example from the scriptures of a people willing to surrender their freedom and return to slavery is the story of the nation of Israel fleeing Egypt. God had brought them out of the land of Egypt “with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror and with signs and wonders” (Deuteronomy 26:8). However, not long after their exodus, the people wavered and questioned, “Why is the Lord bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder! Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:3). Faced with the realities of what it meant to live free, the people sought to appoint a leader and return to Egypt!” (Numbers 14:4). The children of Israel were continually looking back to Egypt; continually wondering if all the hardship of the wilderness was worth being free. They were free, but they were not sure they wanted to remain free.

The same temptation faces us today as Christians. When faced with the challenges of living a Christian life, we can easily begin to wonder if it is worth it. However, the truth is that our freedom in Christ is something worth preserving; something worth protecting. So how can one keep the freedom they have been granted and resist the temptations to return once again to slavery? In answering this question, three things come immediately to mind.

The first thing that is necessary to maintaining our freedom in Christ is a willingness to endure hardships. The first-century Jewish historian Josephus writes of the difficulties the Israelites faced in the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt. He reminds his readers how Moses tried to encourage them not to focus on their difficulties but to trust in God’s providential care over their lives. Josephus recalls that Moses taught “that they ought not even now to despair of his [God’s] providence over them; and accordingly he [Moses] exhorted them to continue quiet, and to consider that help [from God] would not come too late, though it come not immediately; … that they ought to reason thus: that God delays to assist them, not because he has no regard to them, but because he will first try their fortitude, and the pleasure they take in their freedom, that he may learn whether you have souls great enough to bear want of food, scarcity of water, on its account or whether you rather love to be slaves, as cattle are slaves to such as own then, and feed then liberally, but only in order to make them more useful in their service.” [1] Josephus understood that sometimes God will test us to see how willing and desirous we are to remain free.

Similarly, Jesus warns us in the parable of the sower and the seed not to be like those who dwell among the rocky places “who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away” (Matthew 13:20-21). Many people will happily receive the word of God and its promise of freedom, but when things get tough, they abandon God and return to their old familiar life. They desire to be set free, but they do not have the fortitude and willingness to continue with God so that they might remain free. They prefer the simple life of sin, though it ultimately leads to captivity and death. Remaining free requires hard work, and only those who are willing to face trials and hardship will continue to know the blessing of being free.

The second thing necessary to remain free is vigilance in watching over our freedom. We must be vigilant against those who would seek to strip us of our freedom and return us to slavery. John Philpot Curran was an eighteenth-century lawyer and an outspoken advocate for civil and political liberty. He writes concerning the vigilance required to maintain our freedoms, “It is the common fate of the indolent [lazy] to see their rights become a prey to the active. The condition upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance, which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime, and the punishment of his guilt.” [2]

Repeatedly the scriptures admonish us to be alert and vigilant in our walks with the Lord. For example, Jesus tells us to “be on your guard, so that your hearts will not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that this day will not come on you suddenly, like a trap; … stay alert at all times, praying that you will have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:34-36). Similarly, Peter warns us to “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. So resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Peter 5:8-9).

If we are to continue to walk in freedom, then we must remain vigilant, especially in prayer. We cannot afford to drift through life, hoping all will turn out well in the end. Many are the snares of life, and unless we are alert and watching, we can easily be snared and drawn back to our old way of life. We must learn how to “walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise” (Ephesians 5:15 NKJV), and that takes vigilance.

Thirdly, if we are to continue to walk free, then we must develop a lifestyle that turns to God for all we need, rather than turning to the world. Alexander Hamilton, in The Federalist Papers, writes of the dangers posed by the continual threat of war and hostilities. He writes, “Safety from external danger is the most powerful director of national conduct. Even the ardent love of liberty will, after a time, give way to its dictates. The violent destruction of life and property incident to war, the continual effort and alarm attendant to a state of continued danger, will compel nations the most attached to liberty to resort for repose and security to institutions which have a tendency to destroy their civil and political rights. To be more safe, they at length become willing to run the risk of being less free.” [3]

When we see danger and threats all around us, we naturally seek protection and safety, even if it means giving up some of our freedom. This was also a real possibility for the early American colonies. If they should face continued internal hostilities, would they sacrifice freedom for a greater sense of security? The same is true for us. When faced with difficulties and persecution, which are part of the Christian walk, it can be tempting to flee and return to our old way of life, even if it means bondage. However, the key to continuing in our freedom is to look to God, not to the world; to trust all the more in God’s love and care for our lives rather than trusting in what the world has to offer.

Paul exhorts us, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:4-7). If external dangers and threats can cause a person to exchange freedom for bondage, then the internal peace of God will guard our hearts and strengthen us that we might continue in the grace and love of Christ. The antidote to the temptation to return to our old way of life is to trust in the Lord and to allow his peace to guard our hearts and minds. By giving the Lord our needs, cares, and concerns in prayer and rejoicing, the peace of God will fortify our hearts, and we will find the strength and courage to continue in God's grace and freedom.

How about you? Where do you see the temptations in your own life to surrender freedom and return to your old way of life? How do you overcome those temptations? I would love to hear your thoughts. You can leave a comment below. Also, if you would like to stay up to date with new content on my site, you can sign up for email updates on my home page. Finally, if you enjoyed this post and found it helpful, please consider sharing it on your social media channels. Your support in this manner would be greatly appreciated.

 [1] Flavius Josephus, “The Antiquities of the Jews,” in The Complete Works, trans. William Whiston (T. Nelson Publishers, 1998), 3.1.5, pg. 93-94.

[2] John Philpot Curran, “Election of Lord Mayor of Dublin, July 10th, 1790,” in The Speeches of the Right Honourable John Philpot Curran, 7th ed., ed. Thomas David (James Duffy and Co., Ltd, 1865), https://archive.org/details/speechesofrighth00curr/page/n3/mode/2up, 105.

[3] Alexander Hamilton et al., The Federalist Papers, ed. Clinton Rossiter, with Charles R. Kessler (Penguin Publishing Group, 2003), no. 8, pg. 61-62.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org