“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” —2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV)
Throughout history, people have fought for freedom—freedom from oppression, bondage, and injustice. Yet, there is a greater and more profound freedom that will someday soon liberate us eternally from all those things: the freedom found in the Spirit of the Lord.
Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 3:17 come amid a discussion on the old covenant of the Law in contrast to the new covenant of grace through Christ. Under the Mosaic Law, people were bound by regulations that were powerless to save them, but only showed them that they needed saving. As Galatians 3:23–25 explains, “Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law… Now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” Through Christ, we are liberated from the burden of legalism and are invited to live by faith.
Romans 8:1–2 reinforces this truth: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.” Through Christ restrictions are not imposed upon us that lead to guilt; instead, He brings life and freedom.
Sin enslaves. Jesus Himself said, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). Sin holds all of us in chains, keeping hearts captive to desires that separate them from God. But Christ came to break those chains. John 8:36 declares, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” By the grace of God through Christ, we are now empowered to walk in holiness, free from the control of sin.
Galatians 5:16–17 urges believers to “walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” The Spirit gives us the power to resist temptation, leading us toward righteousness rather than slavery to sin.
Our newfound freedom is not to merely release us from sin and law, but to lead us into truth. Jesus described the Holy Spirit as the “Spirit of truth” (John 16:13) who guides believers into a full understanding of God’s will through the Word.
Freedom through the Spirit allows us to live boldly in the truth of God’s Word without fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-control.”
Finally, we’ve been free to worship in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). The veil that once separated people from God has been torn (Matthew 27:51), and now, through Jesus, we can freely enter communion with Him. Our worship is not confined by rituals or locations—it flows from a heart that has been set free.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. It is freedom from the condemnation of the law, the curse of sin, and the rituals and practices of the Old Covenant. This freedom is not a mere license to live as we please—it is the liberty to walk in righteousness, truth, and worship. Through Christ, we experience a life transformed, and it is one that testifies to the glorious freedom found in Him.