Pastor Rick Warren from Saddleback Church wants to make it clear that the world's definition of freedom differs greatly from how God defines it. For the world, freedom might mean doing whatever people want to do. But for Christians, freedom means to live free from fear.
"The world defines freedom as a life without any restraint — 'I can do anything I want to do and say anything I want to say, without anybody telling me what to do,'" he wrote on his website. "You may burn everybody else, but you get to do it your own way. You can have your freedom, but only by being totally selfish."
However, the Bible says that the only way people can achieve true freedom is through Jesus. John 8:36 says: "If the Son sets you free, then you will be really free."
"Real freedom is freedom from fear, where you're truly free from guilt, from worry, from bitterness, and from death. You're free to quit pretending because you're free to be yourself," explained Warren.
So how exactly can people get rid of those kinds of fears? Warren answered that people can conquer fear when they let God love them, because perfect love drives out all fears, as stated by the Bible verse 1 John 4:18.
"When you realise how much God loves you, you'll begin to live in true freedom. In fact, you worship God when you recognise that 'God is love,'" he said.
Warren then shared another verse that will help people focus on God's love instead of their fears. 1 John 4:16 says: "It is an act of worship to agree that he is a loving, caring, generous God and that we can "rely on the love God has for us."
