What is freedom?

We recently visited our daughter and her family. Then I read the sentence in an article: "Freedom is not the absence of constraints, but the ability to do without out of love for one's neighbor" (Factum 4/09/49). Freedom is more than the absence of constraints!

We've already heard some sermons on freedom, or have already studied this topic myself. The special thing about this statement for me, however, is that freedom is associated with renunciation. Just as we imagine freedom in general, it has nothing to do with renunciation. On the contrary, bondage is equated with renunciation. We feel limited in our freedom when we are constantly ordered by constraints.

This sounds like something in everyday life:

- You have to get up now, it's almost seven o'clock!
- This absolutely has to be done now!
- Made the same mistake again and haven't learned anything yet?
- You can't run away now, you have a commitment!

We see this pattern very clearly from the discussion Jesus had with the Jews. Now Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him:

JOH 8,31–36 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They replied, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never served anyone as slaves. How can you say, ‘You will be set free’?” Jesus answered them, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son remains in it forever. So if the Son has set you free, you will be free indeed.” (Johannes 8,31–36).

When Jesus began to speak of freedom, his listeners immediately drew a line to the situation of a servant or a slave. A slave is the opposite of freedom, so to speak. He has to give up a lot, he is very limited. But Jesus distracts his listeners from their image of freedom. The Jews thought that they had always been free, and at the time of Jesus they were a land occupied by the Romans and had often been under foreign rule before and even in slavery.

So what Jesus meant by freedom was something quite different from what the audience understood. Slavery has some similarities to sin. He who sins is a servant of sin. Those who want to live in freedom must be freed from the burden of sin. In this direction, Jesus sees freedom. Freedom is something that comes from Jesus, what he enables, what he conveys, what he achieves. The conclusion would be that Jesus himself embodies the freedom that he is absolutely free. You can not give freedom if you are not free yourself. So if we better understand the nature of Jesus, we will also understand freedom better. A striking passage shows us what the fundamental nature of Jesus was and is.

"Let this mind dwell in all of you, just as it was in Christ Jesus; for although he was in the likeness of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be forcibly possessed; rather, he emptied himself (of his glory) by taking the form of a servant, by becoming fully human, and by being found in bodily condition as a man" (Philippians 2:5-7).

A prominent feature of Jesus' character was his renunciation of his divine status. He "emptied himself" of his glory, voluntarily renouncing this power and honor. He discarded this precious possession and that is what qualified him to be the Redeemer, one who solves, who liberates, who makes freedom possible, who can help others to be free. This renunciation of a privilege is a very essential characteristic of freedom. I needed to delve deeper into this fact. Two examples from Paul helped me.

"Do you not know that all the runners in the race run, but only one receives the prize? Run, then, in such a way as to win it! Everyone who wants to compete in the contest exercises self-restraint in everything—they to receive a crown that will not last, but we to receive one that will last forever." (1. Korinther 9,24–25).

A runner has set a goal and wants to achieve it. We are also involved in this run and a waiver is necessary. (The translation of Hoffnung für alle speaks of renunciation in this passage) It is not just a matter of little renunciation, but of “abstinence in all relationships”. Just as Jesus renounced a lot in order to be able to pass on freedom, we are also called to renounce a lot so that we too can pass on freedom. We have been called to a new path of life that leads to an imperishable crown that endures forever; to a glory that will never end or pass away. The second example is closely related to the first. It is described in the same chapter.

"Am I not a free man? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen our Lord Jesus? Are you not my work in the Lord? Do we apostles not have the right to eat and drink?" (1. Korinther 9, 1 and 4).

Here Paul describes himself as a free man! He describes himself as someone who has seen Jesus, as someone who acts on behalf of this deliverer and who also has clearly visible results to show. And in the following verses he describes a right, a privilege that he, like all other apostles and preachers, has, namely that he earns a living by preaching the gospel, that he is entitled to an income from it. (Verse 14) But Paul renounced this privilege. By doing without, he created a space for himself, so he felt free and could call himself a free person. This decision made him more independent. He carried out this regulation with all congregations with the exception of the congregation in Philippi. He allowed this community to take care of his physical well-being. In this section, however, we find a passage that seems a bit strange.

"For when I preach the message of salvation, I have no reason to boast about it, because I am under a compulsion; a woe would befall me if I do not preach the message of salvation!" (Verse 14).

Paul, as a free man, speaks here of a compulsion, of something he had to do! How was that possible? Has he seen the principle of freedom unclear? I think rather that he wanted to bring us closer to freedom through his example. Let's read further in:

"Because only if I do this of my own free will do I have a (right to) wages; but if I do it involuntarily, it is only a stewardship that I am entrusted with. What is my wage? As the proclaimer of the message of salvation, I offer it free of charge, so that I do not make use of my right to preach the message of salvation, because although I am independent (free) of all people, I have made myself a slave to all of them in order to protect the majority of them but I do all of this for the sake of the salvation message, so that I too can share in it "(1. Korinther 9,17–19 and 23).

Paul was commissioned by God, and he knew perfectly well that he was being committed by God to do so; he had to do it, he could not sneak away in this matter. He saw himself in this task as a steward or administrator without claim to pay. In this situation, however, Paul has gained a free space, he saw despite this compulsion a large room for freedom. He refrained from compensation for his work. He even made himself a servant or slave. He adapted to the circumstances; and the people to whom he proclaimed the gospel. By renouncing compensation, he has been able to reach many more people. The people who heard his message clearly saw that the message was not an end in itself, enrichment or deceit. From the outside, Paul may have looked like someone who has been under constant pressure and obligation. But inside Paul was not bound, he was independent, he was free. How did that happen? Let us return for a moment to the first scripture we have read together.

Jesus answered them, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave does not remain in the house forever, but a son remains in it forever.” (Johannes 8,34-35).

What did Jesus mean by "house" here? What does a house mean to him? A house conveys security. Let us remember Jesus' statement that in his Father's house many rooms are prepared for the children of God. (Johannes 14)Paul knew he was a child of God; he was no longer a slave to sin. In this position, he was safe (sealed?). His renunciation of compensation for his task brought him much closer to God and the security that only God can provide. Paul strongly advocated for this freedom. Renouncing a privilege was important to Paul because in this way he gained divine freedom, which manifested itself in the security he found in God. In his earthly life, Paul experienced this security and repeatedly thanked God for it, expressing it in his letters with the words... "in Christ" pointed out. He knew profoundly that divine freedom was only possible through Jesus' renunciation of his divine state.

A renunciation of love for one's neighbor is the key to the freedom that Jesus meant.

This fact must become clearer to us every day as well. Jesus, the apostles and the first Christians have left us an example. They have seen that their renunciation will draw wide circles. Many people were touched by the renunciation of love for others. They have listened to the message, they have accepted the divine freedom, because they have looked into the future, as Paul put it:

"...that creation itself will be freed from its bondage to decay and will share in the freedom that the children of God will possess in the state of glorification. For we know that all creation still groans in pain as it waits for its new birth. But not only creation, but we ourselves, who already possess the Spirit as the firstfruits, also groan inwardly as we wait for the revelation of our adoption to sonship, that is, the redemption of our lives." (Römer 8,21-23).

God grants his children this freedom. It is a very special share that God's children receive. The renunciation of God's children from charity is more than compensated for by the security, the calm, the serenity that comes from God. If a person lacks this sense of security, then he seeks independence, disembarkation disguised as emancipation. He wants to decide for himself and calls that freedom. How much evil has been born of it. Suffering, distress and emptiness that has arisen from a misunderstanding of freedom.

"Like newborn babies, crave the pure, rational milk (we could call this milk freedom), so that through it you may grow up to salvation, if indeed you have felt that the Lord is good. Come to him, the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him, and like living stones, be built up as a spiritual house (where this security comes into play) to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ!" (1. Petrus 2,2–6).

If we seek divine freedom, we grow in that grace and knowledge.

Finally, I would like to quote two sentences from the article from which I found the inspiration for this sermon: “Freedom is not the absence of constraints, but the ability to do without out of love for one's neighbor. Anyone who defines freedom as the absence of coercion denies people rest in security and programs disappointment.

by Hannes Zaugg