Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.  

                                                                                                            2 Corinthians 3:17 

When we know Jesus, we know God. And when we know Jesus, we know the Spirit of God. This is what Paul is telling us when he says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit…” And wherever we find the Spirit of God, we find liberty!

Spiritual freedom is the very thing for which Christ died. When we place ourselves under the old covenant of the Law and become slaves to the legalistic demands of that Law, we will often find ourselves bitter and burdened, longing to thrive like others that we see around us. But if we belong to Jesus Christ, we have the ability to live in love, joy, and peace because, as believers, we have the Spirit of God living within us. Spiritual freedom should be enjoyed by all who proclaim the name of Jesus. Consider Paul’s declaration: 

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.

                                                                                                               Galatians 5:1 

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free…” This should be the outcry of every Christian. But our living in spiritual freedom will not go unchallenged. We have a spiritual enemy and he would like nothing less than to rob us of the joy that comes from knowing that we have been set free. That is why Paul tells us to, “keep standing firm.” Faith requires a positional standing. We must understand, embrace, and live in the firm, spiritual footing that we have in Jesus Christ. Anything less would be shrinking back from the power of the Gospel. So we stand firm against the enemy’s attempts to steal our assurance. And how does he often attempt to take what is not rightfully his? Our spiritual enemy will use the Law against us, seeking to place us back under it once again. Paul says, “keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” This “yoke” of which he speaks is not sin rather it is the demands of a legalistic, works-based philosophy. But Jesus brought an end to the Law for our righteousness being the culmination of that very Law (Romans 10:4, Matthew 5:17). It is in Him that we find salvation, reconciliation, and redemption. This was the message of the early church. Consider the following: 

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him (Jesus) forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him (Jesus) everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.

                                                                                                                   Acts 13:38-39 

Freedom comes through the Person of Jesus Christ. When we are in a saving relationship with Him, we are forgiven and are no longer condemned with the rest of the world (John 3:18, Romans 8:1). We are indeed free from all things. But not only does Paul tell us that we are forgiven and free in Christ but he also proclaims that this freedom cannot ever be experienced through the Law of Moses. Why? It is because the Law requires our entire devotion and obedience. But none of us have or could ever keep the entire Law in this life (James 2:10). That is why Paul says, “everyone who believes (in Jesus) is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.” Spiritual freedom comes as a result of receiving Christ into our lives, ushering in the presence of God into the very innermost part of our being. It is His presence that brings about love, joy, peace, and freedom. So, as believers, we can proclaim with Paul, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

But there is another avenue from which this spiritual freedom comes. Just as our lives must have the Spirit of God present for us to live in freedom, so too does the study of God’s Word (the Bible) bring about freedom. Consider Jesus’ words: 

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

                                                                                                                     John 8:31-32 

This passage is often translated, “and the truth will set you free.” But the word being used here is best translated “make you free.” This is because Jesus is pointing to a continual action, not a one-time event. If we continue in His word, meaning that we make the study of His word a regular part of our lives, then we will know what is true and what is not. The spiritual growth that comes from this kind of knowledge will then continue to make us free as we grow in the power that it brings. To neglect the study of the word is to open oneself up to the possibility of believing false doctrines and philosophies. The world has much to say about spiritual things and these things are often spoken by people who themselves do not know the Savior. So it is vital that, as believers, we live in the power that the Spirit and the study of the word will bring to our lives.

Jesus finishes His proclamation with a remarkable statement: 

So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. 

                                                                             John 8:36 

When we have been set free by the presence of God in our lives, coming as a result of our surrendering our lives to Christ, we will be made free. And when we experience this spiritual freedom, we will indeed be free!

Spiritual freedom is what the presence of God brings. It is for what Christ died. It is something that cannot be obtained through the Law. And it is the very byproduct of making the study of the truth of scripture a daily part of our lives. May we be a people who embrace everything that we have in Christ and live like the spiritually free people that we truly are!