Who doesn’t want to be free? It’s a question I’ve asked myself many times. Sometimes, especially here in this country, we take freedom for granted. But truly, who in their right mind desires to be a slave? Freedom and independence are core principles woven deeply into our history and values. Yet, I wonder—do we really understand what it means to be free?

Today, I want to explore with you the biblical definition of freedom, so that together, we can grasp what true freedom really is. 

Freedom: From What?

Jesus said in John 8:36, 

"If the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed." Such powerful words! But it begs the question—free from what?

In Jesus’ time, the immediate thought for many was freedom from the Romans. The Jewish people had been under foreign rule for centuries—Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and now the Romans, who had occupied their land for nearly a hundred years. The disciples, like many others, longed for political freedom, hoping Jesus would restore Israel’s kingdom and free them from oppression.

However, even after Jesus’ resurrection, when the disciples asked, “Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6), they did not yet understand the true nature of the freedom Jesus came to bring.

The Spirit of Prophecy tells us:

The government under which Jesus lived was corrupt and oppressive. On every hand were abuses, extortion, intolerance, and cruelty. Yet Jesus made no civil reforms, attacked no national abuses, nor condemned the enemies of the nation. He did not interfere with earthly governments, not because He was indifferent, but because the remedy lies not in human or external measures. The cure must reach the individual and regenerate the heart.

Jesus’ mission was not political freedom, but spiritual freedom—freedom that begins within the heart. It cannot be imposed externally.

Freedom Beyond Politics: Freedom from Sin

If the disciples only longed for political freedom, would they ever be free from sin? If we only desire relief from external struggles, will we ever address the shackles binding our hearts?

Today, living in a freer society, we may not clamor as they did for political freedom, but I believe we still misunderstand what true freedom is. Many of us confuse freedom with the absence of restrictions or authority, yet God’s freedom is something far deeper.

Did you know you are a citizen of God’s kingdom? In Romans 6:16, Paul teaches us:

“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”

Because of Adam and Eve’s choice to listen to Lucifer, humanity became enslaved to sin. The Bible is clear—“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Apart from Christ, we are all slaves to sin.

Like the disciples, we often ask God, “When will you restore the kingdom? When will you remove sin, disease, and death?” There is nothing wrong with longing for a world free from pain and suffering. We yearn for a paradise where roses don’t have thorns and life is just and fair.

But in our longing, are we missing the core of Jesus’s mission? Jesus came to save His people from sin. True freedom is not just the removal of external hardship—it is freedom from the power of sin in our lives.

Understanding Our Design: Freedom Is Living as God Intended

Albert Einstein once said, “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” In a similar way, we often misunderstand freedom because we don’t recognize who we were created to be.

Consider the story of Hannibal, the Carthaginian general, who famously attempted to cross the Alps with elephants to surprise the Romans. Elephants, however, are not designed to climb steep mountain ranges, and the attempt was fraught with challenges.

In the same way, you and I were not designed to live in sin. We were designed to live by the principles of God’s kingdom. Just as an eagle is designed to soar high above the earth, we were created as sons and daughters of God—designed for freedom, but freedom that comes from living according to our design.

Let me illustrate this with a simple example from the human body: our shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint, allowing a wide range of motion. But it has limits. If we try to move it beyond its intended range, we cause damage. I learned this the hard way helping my uncle cut down a hard Osage orange tree. I placed my shoulder in a position it was not designed to move, and it has never been the same since.

True freedom isn’t the ability to do anything we want. It is the ability to do what we were designed to do effectively. Spiritually, we were designed to love others and reflect God’s principles. When we turn inward to satisfy only our desires, we limit the freedom God intended for us.

Practicing Freedom: Living in God’s Liberty

Freedom requires practice. Just as our physical bodies need exercise to maintain mobility, so does our spiritual life need regular strengthening. Researchers have found that the ability to get up off the floor easily is a strong predictor of physical independence and longevity. Spiritually, strengthening our relationship with God through His gifts allows us to grow and serve more effectively in His kingdom.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10:

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

We are most free when we do God’s will—when we walk in the good works He has prepared for us.

William Faulkner once wrote, 

"We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it." Freedom is not a static state. Sometimes, like when I recently returned to mountain biking after a break, our bodies resist at first. But with practice and perseverance, freedom grows stronger.

Paul urges us:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

God has given us freedom, but we must use it. We cannot simply accept freedom intellectually—we must live it and help others find it too.

Freedom to Soar

Jesus has made us free from sin’s power. We do not have to yield to our lower natures or destructive thoughts. By responding to the Spirit, we can live as God intended—soaring as His beloved children.

The Bible declares:

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”

When I was young, I loved climbing tall trees to see the world from above the canopy. It gave me a sense of freedom and perspective. Flying above the clouds brings a similar joy—breaking free to endless blue skies and sunshine.

Isaiah 40:30-31 promises:

“Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Do you want to be truly free? Only you can answer that question for yourself. Freedom requires surrender to Jesus. It may seem counterintuitive, but true freedom means connection and authority under God’s kingdom—not detachment or lawlessness.

Just as my arm is free to move because it is connected to my body, we are free because we belong to God’s kingdom. The citizens of God’s kingdom are the freest people in the universe because they live in harmony with His principles.

Choosing Life: The Path to True Freedom

As Moses said in his final words to Israel:

“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live; That thou mayest love the Lord thy God, that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him; for He is thy life, and the length of thy days.”

Choosing life means choosing connection with God. When we obey His principles, we have life—and with life comes freedom.

Is that the freedom you want? Not the worldly kind that often masks rebellion, but true freedom in accordance with God’s will?

We must ask ourselves this daily and practice freedom by surrendering our hearts to God’s guidance.

Conclusion: Freedom Indeed

Imagine what your life could be if you let God work in your heart, shaping and strengthening you. Picture eternity where God’s people live freely as He designed—soaring to incredible heights, learning, growing, and serving for all eternity.

If you allow God to do His good pleasure in you, He will truly make you free. Remember the promise:

“When Jesus has set you free, you are free indeed.”

Amen.