When we tell someone that we are single, they often add: “Oh, so you are free”. A comment that sometimes makes us roll our eyes. Free? Free of what? Good question! Singles, what does our freedom mean?

Of course, when the people around us say that we are free because we are single, they refer to the small decisions of everyday life. We do not need to ask permission to invite someone over for supper, nor to pass the needs of the other before ours when we want to buy something. In this sense, we are free and even if we would be ready to exchange this freedom for an affectionate embrace, we must also recognize the advantages of this season of our lives and appreciate it. Do not complain all the time. We must know how to appreciate the benefits of each step of life and be satisfied where we are (Philippians 4:11-13).

But when Jesus speaks of freedom, it is not being single that he is talking about. In John 8, He tells the Pharisees that it is not their genealogy that makes them free. As long as we are sinners, as long as we have not given our life to God, we are slaves to the inclinations of our flesh. “Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:34-36 NASB). As long as we do not have a personal relationship with Jesus, our flesh leads us (Galatians 5:19-21).

Obviously, what our flesh desires can look good. The Bible uses the word “passions” to speak of the desires of the flesh! But as a child of God, we know that these momentary pleasures always lead us far from God, far from abundant life. “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death” (Romans 7:5 NASB). Our sins bring us into a moment of pleasure, followed by a moment of regret; a moment of satisfaction, followed by a moment of solitude. It is these roller coasters that God wants us to avoid. He wants his children to always feel confident when they approach Him (Hebrews 10:19-22).

Once we have given our lives to God, that we have recognized Christ as our Lord, we become free from the desires of the flesh. Yes, we will still feel its call, but this time we will have the freedom to choose to follow those desires or follow those of the Spirit of God. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law” (Galatians 5:16-18 NASB). When temptations come into our head, we have the power to say no! We have His Holy Spirit to make us discern that the thoughts and desires that rise up in us are not ours! And so, we can simply refuse them. We are no longer slaves of these desires: we are free! “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17 NASB).

God has freed us from sin by sending us His Son. He also freed us from the pressures of the world. We no longer have to follow the world, its fashions, and traditions (Romans 12:2), because we no longer need their approval. If we are approved of God, we are more than overcomers!

Finally, God has also freed us from our past. What keeps us captive to the past is bitterness and a lack of forgiveness. But God forgave us and gave us His Spirit to help us forgive others. We have His character now, so we have the same power to forgive and thus to free ourselves from our past (Colossians 3:13).

This freedom, we already have it! We received it in our salvation. It was given to us as a heritage when Christ died on the cross. We just have to take possession of it now! God is not going to free us… He already did! It is up to us to walk in this freedom now. If yokes are attached to our neck, it is up to us to undo them (Isaiah 52:2). So, Singles, let’s be bold and walk in our true freedom.

(This article is a summary of our September 29, 2018 conference. You will find the full conference by following this link.)