Liberty 7.16.2026

    Virtually every human person has their own definition of liberty. In each individual’s mind he or she is at the very center of everything. The most popular definition of liberty would go something like this. “I can think, say, and do anything I wish at any time, with absolutely no external restraint.” For most civilized people this doesn’t sound like liberty—it sounds like license. Yet for much of human history these two seeming opposites were more closely related than what we moderns would find comfortable. 

    Last week’s look at life was comparatively easy! Everyone who has life wishes to keep it and maximize it. Yet, even in the third decade of the 21st century the masses of people throughout history who lived without any conception of liberty still dwarfs those who have had liberty. For the human community, defining and delimiting itself, liberty may be the canary in the coal mine that not only didn’t die—it hardly ever lived! 

    Which is why a discussion of liberty that does not begin with and then focus on our universal captivity to sin is liable to miss the point. Consider what Jesus says in John 8.32 

“and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” (John 8:32 ESV)

 He certainly knew that those words resonated differently in the various segments of His audience. Some would have thought themselves already free in mind and conscious, even if they were actual members of the servile class. (Slaves) Others would have been offended. Against well understood “objective history” those contending with Jesus replied to what Jesus said with

“They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”” (John 8:33 ESV)

    Which is just silly—they knew better! Half of the Hebrew Bible is about getting into, though, or out of slavery, exile, or vassalage. It’s not just that it wasn’t true, the boast was hollow and self-serving. They were in an argument, and they were reaching for whatever stick was at hand to win the argument regardless of its truthfulness.  Listening Roman soldiers or Herod’s henchmen overhearing this claim probably chuckled. This doesn’t even consider other listeners who may have had extended family members living in Persia, who had stayed put after the exile ended. 

    You will notice that I am substituting freedom for “liberty” in this discussion. The use of the word “liberty” in the NT is a bit problematic. It is, at least in my favored version, rarely used  and translates several terms from different semantic domains. And when people speak candidly what they really want and they truly mean when they use terms like liberty, is freedom. 

    Even then, too many people do not understand that the real freedom Jesus discusses, the freedom—liberty if you will—that we really need has nothing to do with politics. The real freedom we need, now and always, is freedom from sin. And this salvation that Jesus offers, the salvation grounded in His own person and work is not restricted by nation, state, race, or background. The audience for His gospel expresses this universal need. 

    Jesus’ servant Paul was obviously not present when Jesus spoke the words recorded in John 8.  At that point in his life, however, he surely agreed with the sentiment expressed by those arguing with Jesus. Paul was proud of his racial/religious heritage and considered himself no man’s slave. He was filled with pride and loathing for those far less pure than he. I’m sure that the Saul we first meet—breathing fire and fury against the Church would have agreed against all evidence that he and his people had never been enslaved to anyone. It is interesting that he seizes on this imagery to describe the outcome of this freedom we gain through Jesus…

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23 ESV) 

    

Clearly, this was not the thrust of the founders. This is not what the meant by liberty. Their goal was founding a republic. Their purpose in declaring their “liberty” was freedom from external rule by what had become a foreign power. That freedom, wonderful as it is, is far different in kind and separate in function from the freedom we have in Christ. 

    All residents of this nation are covered by the freedoms guaranteed in our founding documents. Social and political liberty have a limited and parochial reach. Outside of the USA the Constitution may be an admirable statement but it is not foundational. 

     Many of those politically liberated people, free to “live their best life”, are still slaves to sin. The liberty they enjoy may lead to a richer life, but when that life ends the real problem remains. On the other hand, the goal of the Church is to proclaim the liberating gospel of Jesus wherever we may find ourselves, to whoever will listen, accept His offer of freedom, and be transformed. We proclaim that liberty whether here in the land of the free and the home of the brave, or elsewhere in the land of the oppressed political slave. Our goal, our ministry, our purpose, our mandate—our mission. Proclaim the true liberty only available in Jesus.