Chapter 12 The Freedom of the Children of God

Christ has set us free No one is perfect. Everyone struggles with sin. Video: By God’s grace Faith adds a new layer to what we mean when we talk about freedom. Christian freedom is relational—it is grounded in our relationship with God, or more specifically, God’s relationship with us We have said in previous chapters that our relationship with God is the most important aspect of ourselves. In this chapter we will explore how this relationship is also the highest expression of our freedom.

Learning Goals To explain St. Paul’s concept of freedom as described in his letter to the Romans To understand that freedom and God’s grace are connected and integral to living the good life. To identify evidence of God’s grace in the Gospel by examining the parables of Jesus and other Gospel stories, and to relate God’s message to what we have learned about moral living.

Key Terms Grace: The gift of God’s life and love at the center of our existence through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the source of our life, through whom we become free and capable to love. Freedom (according to St. Paul): Freedom is the love of God and the life of Christ dwelling in us through the Spirit. The desire for freedom is the Spirit’s desire in us that we want to be free. This freedom is life lived in the love of God. Truth: Jesus is the Truth, Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus dwells within us. The grace of God moves us toward the truth and the truth sets us free.

Key Terms Conversion: A radical transformation of the person, a turning around. At the intellectual level, it takes place as an awareness and openness to truth and true knowing. At the moral level, it takes place when I recognize myself as free and responsible. At a religious level, it takes place where my preoccupation with myself is taken over by the love of God and love for others. Legalism: Literal interpretation of the law, and attitude that something is right because it is commanded to be so. Pelagianism: An erroneous teaching that proposed that our ultimate happiness is due to our own efforts and good works, and not due to God’s graciousness.

St. Paul’s Understanding of Freedom -Freedom does not start with me. It is a gift! -This gift implied 2 things: freedom from something (death, sin, life according to the flesh) and freedom for something (what have I been set free for?) -His conversion is all about a new freedom that arises from his encounter with Christ. -Christ is the pivotal point for Paul’s understanding of freedom: a freedom for fullness of life in Christ -In Christ, we know ourselves to be free

Paul’s Letter to the Romans: Chapter 8 (Key Ideas) For Paul, a dramatic historical change has taken place in the world because of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. By sending Jesus into the world, God shows a desire to make things right. God enters into human life to set us free (from what?). We see God’s power and love in Jesus. Those who believe in what God did in Jesus are “in Christ Jesus”. They are set free, or right. Whatever was enslaving them has lost its hold and is replaced with the Holy Spirit.

If the Spirit leads us in life, we are children of God, and enjoy the freedom of God. The Spirit gives us a share in the life of Christ. At this point, nothing controls us any longer, except our faith and trust in God’s action in us. The Spirit’s action in us will help overcome our distrust, fear, and inability to go beyond our ego. The freedom for which Christ died is what all of creation has thirsted for. This perfect freedom is not yet complete, but it’s fullness is yet to come. The Spirit is presented as an advocate or defended who pleads our case to God.

What then do we make of our present experience where suffering and death still have their power? Paul finds in the death and resurrection of Jesus an expression of God’s desire for people. The same power with which Jesus rose from the dead is now active in our lives. In faith and in hope we call upon this power. The Spirit helps us in our weakness and allows us to live in hope. Thus, the love of God for us is the basis for our confidence in life. God is a God who is for us, not against us.

God’s initiative in our freedom Expressed in 6 ways:  Freedom from the law: It was not the law (as presented in the Torah) that made people free, but rather obedient faith in Jesus Christ  “The Freedom we have in Jesus Christ” (Galatains 2.4): Christ revealed that the origin of life and freedom lay in God’s self-emptying love. What we need more than anything is faith in the love of God.  The indwelling Spirit: Our freedom is primarily and exclusively due to the action of the Holy Spirit. It is a fully gifted freedom.

4) What to do then with the laws, precepts, moral norms, rules, and principles?: The law alone does not give people the power to be righteous. All the laws and commandments and our striving for good are powerless without God’s grace living within us. 5) Legalism: Essentially, ethical and moral value does not come from mere obedience, but from something being right or wrong. Ex. Jeremiah speaks of a law not written on stone tablets, imposed from the outside, but written on human hearts. 6) “The truth will set you free” (John 8.32): We cannot experience conversion or the freedom it brings truly to be ourselves unless we confront the truth about ourselves first. We are sinners.

Pope Francis 19 September 2013: Exclusive Interview with Pope Francis “A Big Heart Open to God” In the interview, Pope Francis declares: “I am a sinner”

The Bishop’s Candlesticks How is the bishop a witness of grace? How does this grace make Valjean free?

Gospel Activity Get into organized groups of 5 or 6 Each group will receive a parable or Gospel story. Read it together. Task: Summarize the story in 3-4 sentences. What is the key message that Jesus is trying to convey to us? Identify and record elements of God’s grace in the story. How is His grace present? How does it work to benefit us? In what way does the grace of God encourage or inhibit our freedom? Use examples. Look beyond the literal interpretation of the stories. When finished, each group will present their parable/story to the class.