[Greek] ἐλευθερία (eleutheria), [Latin] libertas, [Latin] nolite iugare, [French] ne joindre

[Greek] ἐλευθερία (eleutheria), [Latin] libertas, [Latin] nolite iugare, [French] ne joindre: liberty, freedom, freedom from bondage, independence, absence of external restraint; Rom.8:21, 1Cor.10:29, 2Cor.3:17, Gal.2:4, Gal.5:1,13, Jas.1:25, Jas.2:12, 1Pet.2:16, 2Pet.2:19

The Declaration of Independence: painting by John Trumball (1819)

Background information:

Stoic concept of freedom:

1. Philosophical freedom concerns the nature of the individual to his surroundings.
2. In order to attain freedom, one must have knowledge of what one can and cannot control.
3. Stoic philosophy states that the path to happiness comes from accepting the moment as it presents itself.
4. This inward retreat of self-preservation to find liberation from one’s surrounding creates a false sense of freedom.
5. This attitude may lead to a bitterness of despising the things one cannot control.
6. This idea becomes the precursor to the current-day military slogan: “Embrace the suck.”

Stoic quotes from Epictetus:

“Don’t seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will—then your life will flow well.”

“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncomfortable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own.”

Old Testament: This term means liberty, freedom from slavery, freedom from burdens, and freedom from obligation. The Law, God’s claim on all men in written form, brings out the sin of existence.

New Testament: This term means freedom and liberty.

New Testament concept of freedom:

1. Even when one searches (or retreats) inward to control one’s fate, he is not really free.
2. Instead, one loses his true self with control of a deficient outside existence.
3. The only way to come to one’s full self is to surrender one’s will (and power) to an external force (outside this existence). This is God.
4. Man attains self-control by letting himself be controlled by God. God provides a true liberation (freedom) outside this existence.
5. True freedom is freedom from an existence which leads to sin and death. Freedom from sin allows one to live life to the fullest.
6. Jesus states that the truth will set you free. Christ came to free us from the law of sin and death.
7. Freedom to do whatever one wants (or pleases) is not true freedom (autonomy). Those who commit sin can become slaves to sin.
8. John and Paul are the only New Testament writers to extol freedom. Those freed from sin can then becomes slaves of righteousness.

Scripture:

Rom. 8:21: “That creation itself would be set free from slavery to corruption and share in the glorious freedom of the children of God.” (The glory that believers are destined to share with Christ far exceeds the sufferings of the present life. We share in both in the corruption brought about by sin the the future glory that will come.)

2Cor.3:17: “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (Paul alludes to Christ who provides freedom from the ministry of death (Mosaic law) which condemns. With Christ, this veil is removed.)

Gal.2:4: “But because of the false brothers secretly brought in, who slipped in to spy on our freedom that we have in Christ.” (The false brothers were Jewish Christians who held that Gentile Christians must first become Jews through circumcision and observance of the Mosaic Law. Belief in Christ removes these yokes (restrictions.)

Gal.5:1: “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” (Jesus frees us from the yoke of the slavery to sin.)

Gal.5:13: “For you were called for freedom, brothers. But do not use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh; rather, serve one another through love.” (Paul states that we are called to serve through love, not selfishness.)

Jas. 1:25: ” But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but is a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed.” (A DOER of the Word is one who HEARS and ACTS in conformity to it. Conformity of life to the perfect law of true freedom brings happiness to one.)

1Pet.2:16: “Be free, yet without using freedom as a pretext for evil, but as slaves of God.” (True Christian freedom is the result of being servants of God.)

2Pet.2:19: “They promise freedom, though they themselves are slaves of corruption, for a person is a slave of whatever overcomes him.” (One may think or believe that one may have the desire or right to do whatever one wants. However, one may become enslaved or addicted to a sinful activity [behavior].)

Conclusion:

Liberate, liberation, liberty

I focused on the individual and his relationship to his environment. Stoicism is quite an interesting philosophy outside of Christian principles. Stoic philosophy offers a glimpse into the psychological aspect of freedom. The Stoic seeks to understand what he can and cannot control in the world. This essentially means embracing the good and the bad experiences. The Stoic ultimately cannot seek true freedom as he is ultimately influenced by his environment. This Stoic philosophy becomes the forerunner for the current expression “Embrace the suck!” (often found in a military context.)

Man faces his existence filled with sin and death. God (the Trinity) can provide an external freedom from this sinful existence. Man attains full life outside this sinful existence. Christ brings this spirit of life. Therefore, being sinful is like being enslaved by sin. This obviously harkens back to “Thy will be done”. Man attains self-control by letting himself be controlled by God. (This is quite a profoundly ironic and counter-intuitive statement!)

This modern-day notion of freedom (autonomy) can become a form of self-deception and self-rule. The great unfortunate irony is that this freedom (“I can do whatever I want…”) can lead many to being addicted to or being controlled by that sin (Ex. pornography, sex, abortion, drugs, [or pick your own vice], etc). Even in a non-sinful context, this could lead to an excess or overindulgence in other things (food, sweets, materialism, wealth, internet, gaming, and other technological devices, etc). Too much of something can potentially lead to unfortunate results.

To be honest, I never really deeply understood what the phrase “the truth will set you free” meant. Researching this term has helped to increase my very limited psychological understanding of human nature. What a mind blowing and liberating concept! (To be truly free, one must let God take control!!!) #MindBlown  #ReallyFree #GodIsInControl

Update: In this post-Christian world, this freedom also manifests itself through personal expression ( “I can do whatever I want”, sexual inclination, and gender identification). Pride has also become a form of personal expression of debauchery and rebellion against authority, tradition, societal laws and norms, and moral laws.

Pride month: Pride parades unfortunately often result in lewdness, grotesque behavior, and nudity. (And they are very “proud” of their behavior!)

Our nation necessarily continues to be a work in progress. Our nation, although founded by flawed individuals, was built upon by a noble promise as a beacon of freedom, justice, and liberty for all.

“America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will because we destroyed ourselves.”  Abraham Lincoln

Happy July 4th! Please feel free to also reflect on what it means to be really free!