What Freedom means to me

Only through Christ can we have freedom. Otherwise we are prisoners of our own sinful nature. There is no-one who is without sin, without blame, without wrong thoughts, actions, motives. But we have the ability to have freedom though our Lord and Savior.

John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

2 Corinthians 3:17
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Ephesians 3:12
In Him [Christ] and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Ephesians 3:11-12
This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

Freedom does not mean being able to do whatever you want, but rather having the ability to please the Lord. For in our sinful nature we were separated from God. But thanks to the mercy of Christ Jesus, we are able to enter into the presence of God and please Him. To no longer be a slave to solely our own desires. Freedom means the ability to do more, to be pleasing to God, to turn out back on our sinful natures by taking hold of what Christ has done for us.

Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Hebrews 13:15-16
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. {16} But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Romans 3:23
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Isiah 64: 6
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.

Psalms 147:11
The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him, In those who hope in His mercy.

Psalms 149:4
For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.

Jeremiah 9:23-24
Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the LORD.

Ezekiel 33:11
"Say to them: 'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways!

John 3:16-17
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. {17} "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Romans 3:21- 24
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Our purpose in life is to bring glory and pleasure to the Lord. The only way this is accomplished is by accepting that we cannot, on our own, bring the Lord any glory and so we turn to the Christ Jesus, and through Him and His love we are able to please the Lord.

After all, when God first began the creation of the World, and specifically when He created man and woman. He declared that it was "good". It was pleasing to Him. And then the fall, the sinfulness of humans, caused it to no longer to be good. But through the sacrifice of Christ we are seen through His grace as "good" and pleasing to God once again.