Freedom of Choice

From the very beginning, God made humanity free. Adam and Eve were free to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, even though God commanded them not to do so. We see the difference between the freedom God offers, and freedom as too often understood in today’s world. Such freedom roughly corresponds to do what we want, as we want, when we want. But in God’s vision, freedom of choice is centered on God’s desire for us to be the best that we can be.

Gaining the liberty Jesus offers sets us free from the “slavery” of sin. Indeed, as Paul affirms, “For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Gal. 5:1, NRSV). We live in tension between two poles: good and evil, life and death. Being free means to have the choice to bend toward one or the other. Accepting God’s freedom implies a clear turning away from evil and leaning toward what is good.

In using our freedom of choice, how can we know what is good and what is bad? Paul outlines three elements we can consider. First, God’s presence in our hearts is fundamental. The Holy Spirit helps us make the best choices, offering true opportunity to reach our potential, for “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17, NRSV). If the Holy Spirit fills us, we freely orient towards God’s will.

A second critical element is the law of God. We should not consider it as something that imprisons us, nor as a means to gain salvation. Rather, the law helps us know what is good in our relationship with God, with one another, and with ourselves. God’s law is not a goal to achieve, it is a direction to follow, as we love God and others as ourselves (Mark 12:29-31). Paul wrote, “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love” (Gal. 5:13, NIV).

Finally, experience is essential: “test everything; hold fast to what is good; abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:21-22, NRSV). Whether they bring failure or success, we can learn from our experiences. Being filled with the Spirit, following God’s advice as revealed in His law, and learning from life will give us wisdom and understanding to make the best choices for good.