True & Counterfeit Freedom

According to Dr. Hutchings, counterfeit freedom comes from a “religious spirit in the church and a spirit of rebellion, particularly in the American culture” (p. 112). There are three fundamental distinctions: The absence of boundaries, frustrating habits, and the lack of true identity.

True freedom does not abolish boundaries; rather, to be truly free is to be inside the boundaries set by God. In the beginning, when God created the world, He set boundaries for all things. These boundaries define the functions of creations. God separated light and dark, day and night, set boundaries to the waters, and placed man amid Eden with a perimeter and a gate (Gen 3:24). Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (Jn 8:36). The governing principle of freedom is the authority of Christ to set us free; we must therefore be in the boundary of His dominion to indeed be free. Counterfeit freedom eliminates boundaries and breaks free from God’s authority. Those who live in counterfeit freedom are not under God’s boundary; they do what is right in their own eyes (Judges 17:6; 21:25; Prov 21:2; 12:15). Peter warns the believers to “not using [their] liberty for a cloke of maliciousness” (1Pet 2:16).

Counterfeit freedom tries to get rid of frustrating habits. “We get focused on treating the symptoms of what is happening with us instead of dealing with the root cause” (p. 115). A person with perfect habits is not necessarily free; on the contrary, the weight of maintaining that façade is burdensome. Jesus said, “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also” (Mt 23:26). When we try to prevent the manifestations of our inner wickedness, our futile attempts contort us into hypocritical Pharisees. True freedom comes only when Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9; Ps 51:2). Only God can purify and sanctify from the inside, “Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you” (Eze 36:25; cf. Ps 51:7; Jer 33:8).

Blaming circumstances and then trying to sever from them reveals a lack of proper self-awareness. Counterfeit freedom lacks accountability leading to a lack of faith and obedience to the Lord. James 1:23-24 says, “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” “Freedom is the ability to respond fully to God” (p. 117). The Jews heard Jesus say that He would set them free. Still, they refused to believe. They responded that they “were never in bondage” (John 8:33), true freedom comes when we trust Jesus and come to Him as a child yearning for the love of the Savior.