"Not by force or violence, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.”
(Zechariah 4:6)
The concept of freedom is related to the right to act, according to the individual's free will. In philosophy, the concept of freedom is related to the set of individual rights, the power of the citizen to exercise his will, within the limits of the law. Throughout history, several philosophers have published works on the subject: According to Karl Marx, freedom is a practice related to material goods, according to the interests of individuals. According to René Descartes, freedom is related to people's free will. According to Sartre (1987), “Man is nothing more than what he makes of himself”. Whatever his point of view, the truth is that freedom is related to responsibility.
Taking this discussion to Christianity (Jesus Christ), the Holy Bible establishes the limits of the freedom that Jesus conquered on the Cross. (Galatians 5: 13-14)
Because you, brothers, were marked out to be free; only do not make use of your free condition to give the flesh its chance, but through love be servants one to another. For all the law is made complete in one word, even in this, Have love for your neighbour as for yourself.
(Galatians 5:13-14)
Getting straight to the point: The limit of Christian freedom is love (Galatians 5:13-14). In love our relationships must be conducted. However, for the child of God (John 1:12) to reach this level of freedom, he must keep his spirit in control of the Adoration of God, believing that Jesus is in control of our lives. Crucify the flesh and guard against temptations. It's a process. The result of this process is the transformation of lives, through the action of the Holy Spirit. Below is a reflection on the steps in the process.
“The Pharisees, the religious people of Jesus' time, were guided by the law of Moses. But, Jesus was talking about a spiritual realm whose visibility must reflect his teachings. About the transformation of the understanding and mind, according to an interior process (from the inside out), through the action of the Holy Spirit. The process begins with the confession of faith in Jesus Christ, the only and sufficient Savior, and as the word of God is internalized and reproduced, the transformation takes place. The son of God (John 1:12) being built for the dwelling of God in the Spirit, exposing himself to preaching and teaching in the sound doctrine of the word of God, begins to produce faith in the heart, and has his life transformed into a testimony of the victory of Christ. "
(Extracted from the book, Christology at your Reach, 2010)
The process of transforming lives takes place through love (John 13:34-35), not through force or violence. (Zechariah 4:6)
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
(John 13: 34-35)
We are the righteousness of God, in Christ
Manoel Lúcio da Silva Neto is master in Production Engineering (Media and Knowledge), and author of the book Cristologia ao seu Alcance, 2010.