I don’t imagine that most people think of freedom as what Jesus won for us in his redemptive action. St. Paul insists that is, in fact, the case. “For freedom Christ set us free.” We think of freedom as being able to do whatever we want. But in the Biblical perspective there are certain urges, impulses, compulsions that keep us from really acting in freedom. For example, you might want to keep everyone happy. If that is your primary motivation, you are not free to confront someone who needs correction. Our faith in Christ frees us from those inner compulsions — even benign ones — so that we are free to follow the will of God wherever it leads, even if it is contrary to our inclinations.
