Topical Encyclopedia
Definition and Concept Freedom, in the biblical context, is often understood as liberation from sin and the constraints of the law, enabling believers to live in accordance with God's will. It is both a spiritual and moral state, granted through faith in Jesus Christ. The concept of freedom is deeply rooted in the narrative of redemption and salvation, where believers are set free from the bondage of sin and death.
Old Testament Context In the Old Testament, freedom is frequently associated with the deliverance of the Israelites from physical bondage. The Exodus narrative is a foundational account of liberation, where God delivers His people from slavery in Egypt. This event is commemorated in the Passover and serves as a symbol of God's power to free His people.
Leviticus 25:10 speaks of the Year of Jubilee, a time when liberty is proclaimed throughout the land, emphasizing the restoration and return of property and freedom to individuals.
New Testament Context The New Testament expands the concept of freedom to include spiritual liberation through Jesus Christ. In
John 8:36, Jesus declares, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." This freedom is not merely from physical oppression but from the spiritual bondage of sin. The Apostle Paul elaborates on this in
Romans 8:2, stating, "For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death."
Freedom from the Law Paul's epistles frequently address the theme of freedom from the Mosaic Law. In
Galatians 5:1, he exhorts believers, "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery." Here, Paul emphasizes that adherence to the law is not the means to righteousness; rather, it is through faith in Christ that believers experience true freedom.
Freedom and Responsibility While freedom in Christ liberates believers from the law and sin, it also carries a responsibility to live according to the Spirit.
Galatians 5:13 warns, "For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love." This highlights the balance between freedom and moral responsibility, where believers are called to use their freedom to serve others and fulfill the law of love.
Freedom and the Holy Spirit The role of the Holy Spirit is crucial in understanding biblical freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17 states, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." The presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer brings about transformation and empowerment to live a life that reflects God's will, free from the constraints of sin.
Eternal Freedom The ultimate expression of freedom is found in the promise of eternal life.
Revelation 21:4 speaks of a future where "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away." This eternal freedom is the culmination of God's redemptive plan, where believers will experience complete liberation from the effects of sin and death.
Conclusion The biblical concept of freedom is multifaceted, encompassing deliverance from physical, spiritual, and moral bondage. It is a gift from God, realized through faith in Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to live in accordance with God's will and ultimately leading to eternal life.
Topical Bible Verses
Galatians 5:1Stand fast therefore in the liberty with which Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Topicalbible.orgRomans 6:22
But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end everlasting life.
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Romans 6:18
Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness.
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John 8:32
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
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Galatians 5:13
For, brothers, you have been called to liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
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1 Peter 2:16
As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
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Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.
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Easton's Bible Dictionary
The law of Moses pointed out the cases in which the servants of the Hebrews were to receive their freedom (
Exodus 21:2-4, 7, 8;
Leviticus 25:39-42, 47-55;
Deuteronomy 15:12-18). Under the Roman law the "freeman" (ingenuus) was one born free; the "freedman" (libertinus) was a manumitted slave, and had not equal rights with the freeman (
Acts 22:28; Comp.
Acts 16:37-39;
21:39;
22:25;
25:11, 12).
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The state of being free; exemption from the power and control of another; liberty; independence.
2. (n.) Privileges; franchises; immunities.
3. (n.) Exemption from necessity, in choice and action; as, the freedom of the will.
4. (n.) Ease; facility; as, he speaks or acts with freedom.
5. (n.) Frankness; openness; unreservedness.
6. (n.) Improper familiarity; violation of the rules of decorum; license.
7. (n.) Generosity; liberality.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
FREE; FREEDOMSee CHOICE; WILL.
Greek
1657. eleutheria -- liberty, freedom ... liberty,
freedom. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: eleutheria Phonetic
Spelling: (el-yoo-ther-ee'-ah) Short Definition:
freedom, liberty
... 3954. parresia -- freedom of speech, confidence
... freedom of speech, confidence. Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: parresia
Phonetic Spelling: (par-rhay-see'-ah) Short Definition: freedom ...
425. anesis -- a loosening, relaxation
... Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine Transliteration: anesis Phonetic Spelling:
(an'-es-is) Short Definition: relief, remission, indulgence, freedom, rest Definition ...
4174. politeia -- citizenship
... citizenship. From polites ("polity"); citizenship; concretely, a community --
commonwealth, freedom. see GREEK polites. (politeian) -- 1 Occurrence. ...
110. athanasia -- immortality
... Transliteration: athanasia Phonetic Spelling: (ath-an-as-ee'-ah) Short Definition:
immortality Definition: immortality, imperishability, freedom from death. ...
859. aphesis -- dismissal, release, fig. pardon
... deliverance, forgiveness, liberty, remission. From aphiemi; freedom; (figuratively)
pardon -- deliverance, forgiveness, liberty, remission. see GREEK aphiemi. ...
2048. eremos -- solitary, desolate
... 2048 -- properly, an , place; a (deserted) area; (figuratively) a barren, solitary
place that also provides (freedom from disturbance). ...
4267. proginosko -- to know beforehand
... requiring) them" (G. Archer). [See also Jer 18:8-10 on the perfect harmony
of divine sovereignty and human freedom.]. Word Origin from ...
1849. exousia -- power to act, authority
... From exesti (in the sense of ability); privilege, ie (subjectively) force, capacity,
competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery (concretely, magistrate ...
Strong's Hebrew
2668. chuphshah -- freedom... 2667, 2668. chuphshah. 2669 .
freedom. Transliteration: chuphshah Phonetic
Spelling: (khoof-shaw') Short Definition:
freedom. Word
... 2669. chophshuth -- freedom, separateness
... chophshuth or chophshith. 2670 . freedom, separateness. Transliteration: chophshuth
or chophshith Phonetic Spelling: (khof-shooth') Short Definition: separate ...
6495. peqach-qoach -- an opening
peqach-qoach. 6494, 6495. peqach-qoach. 6496 . an opening. Transliteration:
peqach-qoach Phonetic Spelling: (pek-akh-ko'-akh) Short Definition: freedom. ...
3574. kosharah -- prosperity
... Word Origin from kasher Definition prosperity NASB Word Usage prosperity (1).
prosperity, freedom. From kasher; prosperity; in plural freedom: see HEBREW kasher ...
7771. showa' -- independent, noble (in station)
... From shava' in the original sense of freedom; a noble, ie Liberal, opulent; also
(as noun in the derived sense) a halloo -- bountiful, crying, rich. ...
7768. shava -- to cry out (for help)
... A primitive root; properly, to be free; but used only causatively and reflexively,
to halloo (for help, ie Freedom from some trouble) -- cry (aloud, out), shout ...
8293. sheruth -- remnant
... Word Origin another form of sharah, qv. remnant From sharah abbreviated; freedom --
remnant. see HEBREW sharah. 8292, 8293. sheruth. 8294 . Strong's Numbers
1865. deror -- a flowing, free run, liberty
... liberty, pure. From an unused root (meaning to move rapidly); freedom; hence,
spontaneity of outflow, and so clear -- liberty, pure. 1864, 1865. deror. 1866 ...
Library
Freedom.
... FREEDOM. ... They desire to be free with another kind of freedom than that with which
God is free; unknowing, they seek a more complete slavery. ...
His Freedom from Sin.
... THE PERSON OF CHRIST. HIS FREEDOM FROM SIN. THE first impression which we
receive from the life of Jesus is that of perfect innocency ...
Freedom in the Truth
... LXXVIII FREEDOM IN THE TRUTH. John viii.32. "The truth ... Freedom on any other
terms is not freedom, it is lawlessness. {196} Indeed ...
The Freedom of the Will is Also the Gift of God, for God Worketh ...
... Chapter 32."The Freedom of the Will is Also the Gift of God, for God Worketh
in Us Both to Will and to Do. And further, should ...
The Freedom of Sons.
... Book XIII. 11. The Freedom of Sons. And this may be put in another way.
There are some who are kings' sons on the earth, and yet ...
The Birthnight of Freedom
... SERMON XII. THE BIRTHNIGHT OF FREEDOM. (Easter Day.) Exodus 12:42. This
is a night to be much observed unto the Lord, for bringing ...
The Progress of Freedom.
... PHILANTHROPIC SUBJECTS. 805. " The Progress of Freedom. 805. PM H. Ware,
Jr. The Progress of Freedom. 1 Oppression shall not ...
Freedom from Care.
... IV. COMFORT. Hymn 55 Freedom from care. John Newton 7,7,7,7. Freedom from care.
While I lived without the Lord,. (If I might be said to live). ...
The Freedom of the City.
... SERMON LVIII. THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY. ... Think of some of the duties laid upon
us as those who have received the freedom of the City. ...
Of the Freedom of Religion in the Worship of God.
... Chap. LIV."Of the Freedom of Religion in the Worship of God. ... But it is
religion alone in which freedom has placed its dwelling. ...
Thesaurus
Freedom (45 Occurrences)... The law of Moses pointed out the cases in which the servants of the Hebrews were
to receive their
freedom (Exodus 21:2-4, 7, 8; Leviticus 25:39-42, 47-55
...Liberty (32 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The state of a free person; exemption from subjection to the will of another
claiming ownership of the person or services; freedom; -- opposed to ...
Purity (16 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) The condition of being pure. 2. (n.) freedom from foreign admixture or
deleterious matter; as, the purity of water, of wine, of drugs, of metals. ...
Bondage (55 Occurrences)
... They were forced to labor on public works, and otherwise, and were denied their
own freedom when the exigencies of state seemed to demand it. ...
Simplicity (12 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Artlessness of mind; freedom from cunning or duplicity; lack of
acuteness and sagacity. 4. (n.) Freedom from artificial ...
Slavery (31 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A condition of subjection or submission characterized by lack of freedom
of action or of will. 3. (n.) The holding of slaves. Int. ...
Freeman (9 Occurrences)
... In 1 Corinthians 7:22 the word is apeleutheros, "a freeman," one who was born a
slave and has received freedom. In this case it refers to spiritual freedom. ...
Freed (32 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV WBS NAS RSV NIV). Romans 6:18 Now, having got your freedom from sin,
ye have become bondmen to righteousness. (Root in DBY YLT NAS). ...
Freely (101 Occurrences)
... In 1 Corinthians 7:22 the word is apeleutheros, "a freeman," one who was born a
slave and has received freedom. In this case it refers to spiritual freedom. ...
Freedman (1 Occurrence)
... In 1 Corinthians 7:22 the word is apeleutheros, "a freeman," one who was born a
slave and has received freedom. In this case it refers to spiritual freedom. ...
Resources
What is the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF)? | GotQuestions.orgHow can we experience true freedom in Christ? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is emotional freedom technique (EFT)? | GotQuestions.orgFreedom: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
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