Pastor Patrick’s Perspective: October 2025
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 ESV
I’ve been thinking about our freedom in Christ. It is a great gift to be free from the bondage of sin. This freedom is God’s gift through the Jesus Christ, for it is by his death and resurrection that you and I are counted as righteousness and given true freedom.
One of Luther’s more famous books, On the Freedom of the Christian, goes on to explain for what we have been freed. “A Christian is an utterly free man, lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is an utterly dutiful man, servant of all, subject to all.” In other words, believers have been freed from the impossible burden of earning God’s favor through works of the Law. Instead, we are freed to serve those who need our works. We can use our skills for our neighbor’s sake. This might mean feeding the poor and hungry, or it might mean being a good farmer so the neighbor can buy produce. But justification is God’s gift. This return to the biblical understanding of our relation before God and the world played a key role in the Reformation.
Yet I notice that many American Protestants get this backwards. They teach that we chose God, and then He tells us every detail of how to live our lives. Last month I wrote about the problems of deciding rather than being passive before God. (If you missed it, it is on the website.) Equally devastating is robbing believers of their freedom. This theft takes a pious tone. It says that before you do anything, God needs you to pray to determine his will. “If you only pray hard enough God will tell you what to do.” Oh, at times God reveals specific callings to his people—such as to Abraham, but more often he gives us freedom.
In college, I knew a man who dated a lady for over six years. Before I lost track of them, they were still dating because they didn’t know if it was God’s will for them to marry. What a burden! This attitude replaces freedom will Law. And the Law doesn’t bring peace or certainty.
Likewise, being burdened to decide for God expects too much of us poor sinners. For this reason, Jesus Christ did what we could not. In coming and dying, he frees us from the bondage of sin, that by faith we may have true freedom in him.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:36 ESV
For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. Galatians 5:13 ESV
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32 ESV
© Patrick K Welton