Freedom in Christianity

Christianity (meaning, the way of life in which an individual believes in and acts according to the will of God and life of Jesus as written in The Bible) is mis-perceived as a binding servitude according to the rules, laws, regulations, and commandments as dictated by the writers of the text. Many people believe that Christianity consists of “do this” and “don’t do this.” People seem to believe that once a Christian acts or thinks in opposition to these do’s and dont’s, they’ve somehow lost their standing. In other words, it appears to me that many people (Christian and otherwise) believe that falling in line with the “do this” and “don’t do this” is actually Christianity in and of itself. Of course, they go on to add many things to that, such as “all Christians are hypocrites, liars, fakes, judgmental idiots.” Let’s not forget about “those Christians always talk about love, but I don’t see it!”

Of the latter end of that paragraph I say this: so then, that makes us all Christians, doesn’t it?

Now, for the rest of it. Let me tell you what I’ve experienced since the onset of my Christian life.

I am not enslaved by God. I am not enslaved by His commandents. I am not enslaved by my church. I am not enslaved by my Christian friends. I am not enslaved by The Bible.

I am aware of God. I am aware of His commandments. I am aware of my church. I am aware of my Christian friends. I am aware of the Bible.

Now, that first awareness (the awareness of God) has grown exponentially since my rebirth. I’ve come to know His will better. I’ve come to know His character better. I’ve come to better understand the what’s and why’s of His Word. As I’ve come to understand Him more, I’ve come to desire to spend more time with Him. I’ve come to desire to communicate more with Him. I’ve come to desire to please Him. As a result of this desire, I long to understand Him even more.

Before I began building a relationship with God, I was only aware of what I knew in the natural state of my environment (that is, what I perceived on a daily basis). I am still quite aware of the natural state of my environment. In fact, I now have the ability to perceive the natural state, along with its relation to its supernatural state (that is, its relation to God).

Now, how does this influence my freedom (or lack thereof)? It serves to expand it! My God is not in the business of robotics! If I so choose, I can very well act regardless of God’s will. Does that mean it’s right? Of course not! Just as if I were not a Christian and I murdered someone, that would not be right! Does that mean that I would then be a slave to the religion of “Murdering-is-Wrong-anity?”

Well, that just sounds silly.

It is.

The point is, through the experience of the Christian rebirth, one does not loose freedom. One simply gains the freedom to choose whether or not to obey God’s will. You’ve still got all that freedom you had before.

Again, what is freedom but the ability to choose? Does not freedom then expand as more choices are made known to you?

I say without any reserve or hesitation that I have become and will continue to become exponentially more free as I build my relationship with God.

You literally have nothing to lose by gaining Christ, but that which you choose to abandon in favor of Him. It is entirely up to you.