Set Free ?

[Sudsy]

Scriptures likens us to being in a prison bound in sin before we are born again. Jesus came to set us free of these chains and prison. But scripture also says we have become slaves to righteousness. Described here in Ronans 6:15-18

What then? Shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? By no means! Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart the pattern of teaching that has now claimed your allegiance. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.

This thread is to share what you believe being set free means, in more explicit terms, than just saying 'sin'.

For example, one of my favorite songs sung by Linda Randle says we are free from the fear of tomorrow and we are free from the guilt of our past when we are set free. These are two big areas of freedom in my life, not to say I don't have temptations and can wander into this kind of thinking.

What other types of sin have we been freed from ? Perhaps it is some bad habit or holding a grudge or whatever.

Linda singing one of my favourites -

[Sudsy]

Freed from following the OT law -

Phil. 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

[Sudsy]

I see this does not appear to have any interest so I'll make a last statement if there is no further response -

I believe some Christian groups have replaced being free from OT law requirements to setting up their own set of laws to live by to be part of their group. They might say they are laws/rules based on NT writings but imo, they often wander into extra-biblical applications that are made laws/rules to be part of their group. I question just 'how free' these believers feel in their walk with the Lord. I'm not convinced that church covenants is something promoted in the NT.

[ken_sylvania]

I see this does not appear to have any interest so I'll make a last statement if there is no further response -

I believe some Christian groups have replaced being free from OT law requirements to setting up their own set of laws to live by to be part of their group. They might say they are laws/rules based on NT writings but imo, they often wander into extra-biblical applications that are made laws/rules to be part of their group. I question just 'how free' these believers feel in their walk with the Lord. I'm not convinced that church covenants is something promoted in the NT.

I know that you feel that way, and that you have no interest in being educated differently. I see little value in discussing the topic with you while knowing that you are unwilling to admit that there is actually freedom to be found in living out Jesus' commands in practical, everyday living?

[silentreader]

I see this does not appear to have any interest so I'll make a last statement if there is no further response -

I believe some Christian groups have replaced being free from OT law requirements to setting up their own set of laws to live by to be part of their group. They might say they are laws/rules based on NT writings but imo, they often wander into extra-biblical applications that are made laws/rules to be part of their group. I question just 'how free' these believers feel in their walk with the Lord. I'm not convinced that church covenants is something promoted in the NT.

Mistaking licence for liberty is still bondage.

[Ken]

I see this does not appear to have any interest so I'll make a last statement if there is no further response -

I believe some Christian groups have replaced being free from OT law requirements to setting up their own set of laws to live by to be part of their group. They might say they are laws/rules based on NT writings but imo, they often wander into extra-biblical applications that are made laws/rules to be part of their group. I question just 'how free' these believers feel in their walk with the Lord. I'm not convinced that church covenants is something promoted in the NT.

I think some groups confuse cultural customs with Biblical mandates.

There is nothing wrong with maintaining cultural customs in terms of dress, food, drink and other mores. People everywhere in the world from every single culture do the same exact thing. But some groups are probably too quick to conflate culture with Biblical mandates. One can have perfectly good cultural reasons to do things, one of which being group identity. Without having to find a mandate for it in the Bible.

[Sudsy]

I see this does not appear to have any interest so I'll make a last statement if there is no further response -

I believe some Christian groups have replaced being free from OT law requirements to setting up their own set of laws to live by to be part of their group. They might say they are laws/rules based on NT writings but imo, they often wander into extra-biblical applications that are made laws/rules to be part of their group. I question just 'how free' these believers feel in their walk with the Lord. I'm not convinced that church covenants is something promoted in the NT.

I know that you feel that way, and that you have no interest in being educated differently. I see little value in discussing the topic with you while knowing that you are unwilling to admit that there is actually freedom to be found in living out Jesus' commands in practical, everyday living?

Really you know all that. If you read this carefully I think it reads 'I question' not that 'I know'. But I guess you know what I question.

Anyway, what I was questioning was just how some in certain groups with rules, feel regarding the way they must live out their Christianity. I have heard from some that were in such groups as saying they had to live according to what their group decided what they 'had to be like and do' rather than living by their own convictions and understandings of scripture. It didn't sound to me as really being free to, as you say, be 'living out Jesus' commands in practical, everyday living'. Many of these 'have to' requirements were not what Jesus or any NT writers had explicitly said.

There certainly is freedom in Christ for 'whoever the Son sets free is free indeed'.

Looking at Galatians 5:1 - 'So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law'. In other words, believers ought not let anyone tell them they must follow all of the rules and restrictions of the law of Moses to be right with God. I think the same holds true to being free under the New Covenant. There are all kinds of things added to scripture to describe what everyday living requires, for example, you must drive a black car and things like that. It would seem to me Paul would quickly correct that way of applying sanctification in our world today.

But if you already know that I am locked into what I believe and/or question and 'see little value in discussing the topic' ,then fine, you are free to do so.