What a powerful word!  It’s a word that is precious and filled with meaning for many.  Yet, it’s a word that is often misunderstood.

To many, freedom is the ability to do what we want to do with no restraints or restrictions.  This definition comes from our culture, but it does not define real freedom, as God defines it.

In the beginning, God placed Adam and Eve in a garden paradise, the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2).  The Biblical record contains only one restrictive command that God gave to the first humans: “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17).

What?  They could eat of every tree of the garden except one?  Wasn’t their freedom therefore limited?  Limited freedom isn’t freedom at all, according to the standards of many today.

Adam and Eve, succumbing to Satan’s temptations, ate the forbidden fruit.  Because of their disobedience, they suffered the consequences: shame, alienation from God, expulsion out of paradise, toil, pain, and death.  Does that sound like freedom?  Or, does it sound more like bondage?

Think about this: When were Adam and Eve most free?  In the Garden of Eden, when they could eat of all the trees except one?  Or after they lost paradise, and were "free" to roam around and eat whatever they wanted?

Wouldn’t you agree that Adam and Eve experienced real freedom (and joy!) when they lived in the Garden and in accordance with God’s will for them?

Real freedom is not found in the ability to live as we want to live with no restrictions.  Real freedom is the opportunity and the ability to live the way God wants us to live.

This truth has been illustrated using a train.  A train is free only so long as it stays on its tracks.  A train that jumps the tracks is “free” of the rails but no longer free in the most important sense of the word.  It's a freed wreck that can't go anywhere.  It is ‘free,’ but no longer truly free.

Seeking to live “free” lives with no restraints brings bondage and destruction because this is the path of sin.

Here’s the Good News: Through Christ we can be truly free – free from the guilt, power, and punishment for sin.

In our recent Vacation Bible School with the theme of “Mission Salvation,” the children were taught the following song about the steps of salvation in Christ:

“Hear, believe, repent, confess, be baptized in the water;
Rise up anew to walk in Christ and live like you oughta.”

To be set free from the bondage of sin and empowered to live life like we “oughta” is real freedom.  As paradoxical as it sounds, real freedom is found only in submitting our lives to Christ, who died on the cross so that we can be set free from sin (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 2:14-15).

"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free… Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:32, 36).

Won’t YOU accept the gift of real freedom in Christ through your trusting obedience?