Guest r3alchild Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 One thing christians state about their faith is that they are free in christ. This I believe comes from this verse in john. John 8:36 So if the Son sets you free,you will be free indeed. But are christians free indeed, what are they actually free from and is this freedom they have only reserved for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhim Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 The idea being espoused here is probably the same as in Romans. All men are slave to something. You can either be free from Christ and a slave to sin, or free from sin and a servant of Christ. This gospel seems to say that slavery to Jesus is the only true freedom there is. It's an empty promise in my opinion, but I think that's what the text means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LifeCycle Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Free from what exactly? Christians have all the same problems non-Christians do... And then some. It's just more religious-speak that sounds good but means nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Well, I didn't look very close, but this language would most likely tend to make sense some 2000 years ago since it was a slave culture. The only question is what system of slavery is it referring to? By that I mean Roman or Jewish? If Jewish it would be likely you're going to be freed anyhow (the big "if" here is if the rules laid out in the bible are accurate and if they actually followed them by having Jubilee's and so on...there's little evidence they practiced what they preached). If Roman then you wouldn't actually be freed but a freedman and while nearly free it's not quite the same (still better than nothing though). Throughout the stories the word "lord" is that which means a master/slave relationship so I would say, whatever the case, you're not free as in free to do whatever you like however you like. You've just traded owners. The idea is one is nicer and more beneficial than the other. The thing is people still sin. They apparently keep leaving their new master for their old one. In any slave culture this is punished harshly (which is why they would understand not serving two masters). Runaways aren't wanted or tolerated well. But it keeps happening for some reason. It works if you accept xianity makes you "perfect" (xians don't sin anymore). Then xians don't sin and this isn't an issue (not true). However, if you think that "sin" is some harsh, and horrible, master. Why go back once paid for? It's not easy to explain if you're a happy, "free," slave. Then the concept of a "lost sheep" or "prodigal son" makes more sense. mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 The word "free" was probably used in the NT in the same way politicians use language today: They tell their constituents the opposite of what is true if it suits their nefarious purposes. Like Obama is a muslim or he is not a US citizen, for example. The "Big Lie". bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeker001 Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 "War is Peace Ignorance is Strength Freedom is Slavery" 1984, George Orwell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest r3alchild Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 "War is Peace Ignorance is Strength Freedom is Slavery" 1984, George Orwell When you put christianity in those terms, how can one not be wary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeker001 Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 "War is Peace Ignorance is Strength Freedom is Slavery" 1984, George Orwell When you put christianity in those terms, how can one not be wary. Reading this topic brought that thought to mind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest r3alchild Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 "War is Peace Ignorance is Strength Freedom is Slavery" 1984, George Orwell When you put christianity in those terms, how can one not be wary. Reading this topic brought that thought to mind I did not know that and thats very insightfull and thought provoking, something that comes by freedom and not slavery to christ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeker001 Posted May 10, 2013 Share Posted May 10, 2013 War is Peace: The crusades and religious war. Christianity is supposed to be a religion of peace, why the need to make war and not love? Ignorance is Strength:They are content staying in their bubble, gathering strength and reassurance from their follow Christians and bible. But how many take the time to step outside the bubble and look critically at their own beliefs? How many are willing to actually listen and think about the objections of the unbeliever instead of writing it off as nonsense. To most, their Truth is the only Truth and they are content with that and shut down contradictory knowledge. Slavery is Freedom We can only find freedom from sin through Christ by becoming a slave to him. And yet we are all still slaves to our sin (re: human nature) and a slave to Christ. We must also follow our leaders and never question what we're told. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
◊ crazyguy123 ◊ Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 But the Christians are really not free at all. From my perspective, a person who becomes a Christian from having no religion at all has given up on freedom. If a person goes to Christianity from another religion or vice versa, they have traded their ball and chain for another ball and chain. According to the Bible, people are enslaved to sin and Christ is supposed to free them from sin, but they never actually become free because they need to turn away and become a slave to Jesus. In that case, a Christian is just trading one ball and chain for another, but never becoming free. But then there is the whole thing about Christians remaining enslaved to sin instead of becoming free like they were supposed to, so they end up more restrained than before. Then they end up with their sin holding them back, causing them to hate themselves, but they also have Jesus holding them down and telling them to hate themselves and turn to him for being under the control of sin... That sounds like a bad deal. Being a slave to one master sounds bad enough, but being enslaved to two masters who hate each other, at the same time, would be absolutely terrible and that is what happens to Christians. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positivist Posted May 13, 2013 Share Posted May 13, 2013 But are christians free indeed, what are they actually free from and is this freedom they have only reserved for them. Why, they are free to be slaves to Christ. Yup, makes total sense. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RipVanWinkle Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Seeker001: I read 1984 in the early 60's. When I read it I didn't know it would become a classic. I think I should read it again. bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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