Return to 2nd Quarter 2023 articles.

FREEDOM!

The theme for this quarter's issue of the Does God Exist? journal is Freedom. Some of my acquaintances have complained that being a Christian is too restrictive. My experience is that being a Christian is the best way possible to experience meaningful freedom. We are not talking about physical freedom, although following God's rules for living is the basis for staying out of physical trouble. In Romans 13:1–5, Paul talks about rulers being ordained of God and says that civil rulers are ministers of God against those who do evil. If we live as God directs us to, we have a better chance of avoiding the loss of our physical freedom.

More important than that is spiritual freedom. In John 8:31–32, Jesus told his disciples that if they continued in him, they would “know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” In John 8:34, he says sinning makes one a slave of sin. In Romans 6:6, Paul continues this discussion by talking about being freed from serving sin. In John 8:13–23, he speaks of sin controlling those who have not been baptized and thus do not have the Holy Spirit's help in dying to sin. In Romans 8:1, Paul speaks of Christians having no condemnation if they walk after the Spirit. Romans 8:2 summarizes this by saying, “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Galatians 5:1 encourages Christians to “Stand fast in the liberty in which Christ has made us free and do not get entangled again in the yoke of bondage.” The true freedom that Christianity offers is described in Romans 5:15–17 as a free gift given by the grace of God. The spiritual freedom God gives all who will accept it is absolutely without strings or cost. It is real and gives us a chance to be truly free. Furthermore, Christianity is a guilt-relieving faith, making it unique among the religious alternatives.

The Does God Exist? ministry is designed to offer evidence that God is real and that he is active in today's world. The freedom we have in Christianity gives evidence for the truth of the Christian message and the validity of the teachings of Jesus Christ.

— Cynthia Clayton

Picture credit:
© Julie Marcussen

Scripture links/references are from BibleGateway.com. Unhighlighted scriptures can be looked up at their website.