Freedom and Liberty

Biblical Concept: Freedom and Liberty

Vocabulary (Greek)

evleu,qeroj / eleutheros - literally = to be loosed = freedom, liberty

Observation: Humans are born with a volition, but no human is born free. Humans have a nature to sin, parents, family, and a culture; all of which impact human freedom. Humans need to be spiritually loosed.

Summary from the following Freedom and Liberty Bible passages:

Freedom and liberty is: In the God of the Bible, in the Son, a Messiah, salvation through belief in Jesus Christ, spiritual truths, God’s Biblical words, from religion, from idolatry, from ignorance, from sin, eventual loosing from our nature to sin, to improve, balanced, spiritual priority, loosed from life’s lust, living in Christ, through God’s Word, responsible, a blessing, Millennial blessings, a new heavens and earth.

Free

^NASExodus 21:2 "If you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years; but on the seventh he shall go out as a free man without payment.

⁵ "But if the slave plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife and my children; I will not go out as a free man,'

⁷ "And if a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do.

²⁶ "And if a man strikes the eye of his male or female slave, and destroys it, he shall let him go free on account of his eye.

²⁷ "And if he knocks out a tooth of his male or female slave, he shall let him go free on account of his tooth.

^NASDeuteronomy 15:12 "If your kinsman, a Hebrew man or woman, is sold to you, then he shall serve you six years, but in the seventh year you shall set him free.

¹³ "And when you set him free, you shall not send him away empty-handed.

¹⁸ "It shall not seem hard to you when you set him free, for he has given you six years with double the service of a hired man; so the LORD your God will bless you in whatever you do.

^NASPsalm 102:20 To hear the groaning of the prisoner; To set free those who were doomed to death; (Millennial blessing: set free.)

^NASPsalm 146:7 Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free. (Read this eternal Psalm of freedom.)

^NASJeremiah 25:29 "For behold, I am beginning to work calamity in this city which is called by My name, and shall you be completely free from punishment? You will not be free from punishment; for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth," declares the LORD of hosts.' (Not free from Tribulation judgment.)

^NASLuke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are downtrodden, (Messianic Mission: Freedom--beauty.)

^NASJohn 8:32 and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (See vv. 30-32. God’s word leads to truth leads to freedom—beauty. See verse 36 below.)

³³ They answered Him, "We are Abraham's offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You shall become free '?" (Ignorance.)

³⁶ "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. (Freedom from sin, see verse 34.)

^NASActs 15:29 that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell." (Free yourself from religious idolatry.)

^NASRomans 5:15 But the free gift is not like the transgression. For if by the transgression of the one the many died, much more did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abound to the many. (Christ: the free gift of eternal salvation.)

¹⁶ And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned; for on the one hand the judgment arose from one transgression resulting in condemnation, but on the other hand the free gift arose from many transgressions resulting in justification.

^NASRomans 6:20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. (Unbelievers: slaves of sin not righteousness—not free.)

²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Christ: the free gift of eternal salvation.)

^NAS Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? (Death = freedom from your nature to sin.)

^NASRomans 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. (In Christ = free to improve.)

²¹ that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (The freedom of a new heavens and new earth.)

^NAS1 Corinthians 7:21 Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. (Human freedom—beauty.)

²² For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave. (Human freedom—balance.)

^NAS1 Corinthians 9:19 ¹⁹ For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. (Freedom versus spiritual priority.)

^NAS1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. (In Spirit, in Christ is more important than human freedom.)

^NASGalatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (In Christ is more important than human freedom.)

^NASGalatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Freedom in Christ versus religious practices.)

^NASEphesians 6:8 knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. (In Christ is more important than human freedom.) (In Christ is more important than social circumstance.)

^NAS1 Timothy 3:3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, uncontentious, free from the love of money. (Spiritual Overseers: Be free from controlling details of life.)

^NAS1 Timothy 5:22 Do not lay hands upon anyone too hastily and thus share responsibility for the sins of others; keep yourself free from sin. (Attitude of improvement.)

^NASPhilemon 1:14 but without your consent I did not want to do anything, that your goodness should not be as it were by compulsion, but of your own free will. (Free will—beauty.)

^NASHebrews 13:5 Let your character be free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," (Be free from the controlling details of life.)

^NAS1 Peter 2:16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. (Human freedom—balance.) (Eternal security balance.)

Freedom

^NASIsaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives, And freedom to prisoners; (Savior Messiah.)

^NASActs 24:23 And he gave orders to the centurion for him to be kept in custody and yet have some freedom, and not to prevent any of his friends from ministering to him. (Paul under Roman house arrest.)

^NASRomans 8:21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (The freedom of a new heavens and new earth.)

^NAS1 Corinthians 10:29 I mean not your own conscience, but the other man's; for why is my freedom judged by another's conscience? (Freedom and conscience versus evangelism.)

^NASGalatians 5:1 It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Freedom in Christ versus religious practices.)

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (Human freedom—balance.)

^NAS1 Peter 2:16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. (Human freedom—balance.)

^NAS2 Peter 2:19 promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. (Freedom in Christ versus religious practices.)

Freed

^NASActs 13:39 and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses. (Freedom in Christ versus religious practices.)

^NASRomans 6:7 for he who has died is freed from sin. (Freed to improve.)

¹⁸ and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. (Freed to improve.)

²² But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. (Freed to improve.)

Freeman

Colossians 3:11 -- a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all. (In Christ is more important than human freedom.)

Liberty

^NASPsalm 119:45 And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Thy precepts. (Freedom and liberty through God’s Word.)

^NAS1 Corinthians 8:9 But take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. (Liberty → Protect → Instruct) (Liberty and responsibility.)

^NAS2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (Liberty in the Lord versus religion.)

^NASGalatians 2:4 But it was because of the false brethren who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. (Liberty in the Lord versus religion.)

^NASJames 1:25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. (Law of liberty = God’s Word + application = blessing.)

^NASJames 2:12 So speak and so act, as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty. (Liberty = responsibility.)

A-Z

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(Hyperlinked to above)

Colossians 3:1-11 ¹If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. ³ For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. ⁵ Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. ⁶ For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, ⁷ and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, ¹⁰ and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him ¹¹ -- a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Psalm 146:1-10 ¹Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul! ² I will praise the LORD while I live; I will sing praises to my God while I have my being. ³ Do not trust in princes, In mortal man, in whom there is no salvation. ⁴ His spirit departs, he returns to the earth; In that very day his thoughts perish. ⁵ How blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, Whose hope is in the LORD his God; ⁶ Who made heaven and earth, The sea and all that is in them; Who keeps faith forever; ⁷ Who executes justice for the oppressed; Who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free. ⁸ The LORD opens the eyes of the blind; The LORD raises up those who are bowed down; The LORD loves the righteous; ⁹ The LORD protects the strangers; He supports the fatherless and the widow; But He thwarts the way of the wicked. ¹⁰ The LORD will reign forever, Thy God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

Luke 4:14-30 ¹⁴ And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit; and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. ¹⁵ And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all. ¹⁶ And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. ¹⁷ And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, ¹⁸ "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are downtrodden, ¹⁹ To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." ²⁰ And He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed upon Him. ²¹ And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." ²² And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, "Is this not Joseph's son?" ²³ And He said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your home town as well.'" ²⁴ And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his home town. ²⁵ "But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; ²⁶ and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. ²⁷ "And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." ²⁸ And all in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; ²⁹ and they rose up and cast Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. ³⁰ But passing through their midst, He went His way.

John 8:31-59 ³¹ Jesus therefore was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you abide in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; ³² and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." ³³ They answered Him, "We are Abraham's offspring, and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, 'You shall become free '?" ³⁴ Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. ³⁵ "And the slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. ³⁶ "If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed. ³⁷ "I know that you are Abraham's offspring; yet you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. ³⁸ "I speak the things which I have seen with My Father; therefore you also do the things which you heard from your father." ³⁹ They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you are Abraham's children, do the deeds of Abraham. ⁴⁰ "But as it is, you are seeking to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God; this Abraham did not do. ⁴¹ "You are doing the deeds of your father." They said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God." ⁴² Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me; for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. ⁴³ "Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. ⁴⁴ "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies. ⁴⁵ "But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. ⁴⁶ "Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? ⁴⁷ "He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God." ⁴⁸ The Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" ⁴⁹ Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. ⁵⁰ "But I do not seek My glory; there is One who seeks and judges. ⁵¹ "Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." ⁵² The Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon. Abraham died, and the prophets also; and You say, 'If anyone keeps My word, he shall never taste of death.' ⁵³ "Surely You are not greater than our father Abraham, who died? The prophets died too; whom do You make Yourself out to be?" ⁵⁴ Jesus answered, "If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say, 'He is our God'; ⁵⁵ and you have not come to know Him, but I know Him; and if I say that I do not know Him, I shall be a liar like you, but I do know Him, and keep His word. ⁵⁶ "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad." ⁵⁷ The Jews therefore said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" ⁵⁸ Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am." ⁵⁹ Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid (indicative aorist passive = was hidden) Himself, and went out of the temple.

Acts 15:24-31 ²⁴ "Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls, ²⁵ it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, ²⁶ men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁷ "Therefore we have sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will also report the same things by word of mouth. ²⁸ "For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials: ²⁹ that you abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication; if you keep yourselves free from such things, you will do well. Farewell." ³⁰ So, when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. ³¹ And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.

Romans 6:11-23 ¹¹ Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. ¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, ¹³ and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace. ¹⁵ What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? May it never be! ¹⁶ Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? ¹⁷ But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, ¹⁸ and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. ¹⁹ I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification. ²⁰ For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. ²¹ Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. ²² But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. ²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 7:14-25 ¹⁴ For we know that the Law is spiritual; but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. ¹⁵ For that which I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. ¹⁶ But if I do the very thing I do not wish to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that it is good. ¹⁷ So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which indwells me. ¹⁸ For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the wishing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. ¹⁹ For the good that I wish, I do not do; but I practice the very evil that I do not wish. ²⁰ But if I am doing the very thing I do not wish, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. ²¹ I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wishes to do good. ²² For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, ²³ but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind, and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. ²⁴ Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? ²⁵ Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Galatians 5:1-10 ¹It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. ² Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. ³ And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. ⁴ You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. ⁵ For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love. ⁷ You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion did not come from Him who calls you. ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough. ¹⁰ I have confidence in you in the Lord, that you will adopt no other view; but the one who is disturbing you shall bear his judgment, whoever he is.

Psalm 102:12-22 ¹² But Thou, O LORD, dost abide forever; And Thy name to all generations. ¹³ Thou wilt arise and have compassion on Zion; For it is time to be gracious to her, For the appointed time has come. ¹⁴ Surely Thy servants find pleasure in her stones, And feel pity for her dust. ¹⁵ So the nations will fear the name of the LORD, And all the kings of the earth Thy glory. ¹⁶ For the LORD has built up Zion; He has appeared in His glory. ¹⁷ He has regarded the prayer of the destitute, And has not despised their prayer. ¹⁸ This will be written for the generation to come; That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. ¹⁹ For He looked down from His holy height; From heaven the LORD gazed upon the earth, ²⁰ To hear the groaning of the prisoner; To set free those who were doomed to death; ²¹ That men may tell of the name of the LORD in Zion, And His praise in Jerusalem; ²² When the peoples are gathered together, And the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.

Ephesians 6:5-9 ⁵ Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; ⁶ not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. ⁷ With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, ⁸ knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. ⁹ And, masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

Psalm 119:40-52 ⁰ Behold, I long for Thy precepts; Revive me through Thy righteousness. ⁴¹ May Thy lovingkindnesses also come to me, O LORD, Thy salvation according to Thy word; ⁴² So I shall have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Thy word. ⁴³ And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I wait for Thine ordinances. ⁴⁴ So I will keep Thy law continually, Forever and ever. ⁴⁵ And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Thy precepts. ⁴⁶ I will also speak of Thy testimonies before kings, And shall not be ashamed. ⁴⁷ And I shall delight in Thy commandments, Which I love. ⁴⁸ And I shall lift up my hands to Thy commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Thy statutes. ⁴⁹ Remember the word to Thy servant, In which Thou hast made me hope. ⁵⁰ This is my comfort in my affliction, That Thy word has revived me. ⁵¹ The arrogant utterly deride me, Yet I do not turn aside from Thy law. ⁵² I have remembered Thine ordinances from of old, O LORD, And comfort myself.

2 Corinthians 3:14-18 ¹⁴ But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ. ¹⁵ But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart; ¹⁶ but whenever a man turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ¹⁸ But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

James 1:22-27 ²² But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. ²³ For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; ²⁴ for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. ²⁵ But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man shall be blessed in what he does. ²⁶ If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. ²⁷ This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.