Many believers celebrate the forgiveness found in Christ, but struggle to understand what it really means to be “free from sin.” Join the conversation in Crosswalk Forums. #FreedomInChrist#SinAndSanctification#GraceAndGrowth#christianforums#crosswalkforums#forums#crosswalk#faithcommunity#faithforums
We all know the verse: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” But what kind of freedom are we talking about? Is it the kind that breaks chains—or just one that covers up the wounds?
Some Christians believe that salvation instantly frees us from the power of sin. Others argue it’s a lifelong process of resisting temptation and growing in grace. But what does real freedom look like day-to-day?
How do you define freedom from sin in your walk with Christ?
Can a believer live in true victory—or are we always going to wrestle with the old nature?
“Forgiveness cleanses the record. Freedom transforms the heart.”
Your question touches on one of the most vital aspects of our discipleship in Christ: the nature of true freedom from sin. The verse in John 8:32—“You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free”—is often quoted, but its depth is sometimes lost when it is disconnected from the larger context of John 8:31–36. Jesus is addressing those who believed in Him but had yet to understand what real discipleship and abiding in His word entails. He clarifies: “Everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34 NASB), and then makes the promise: “If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
So what kind of freedom is this?
Not merely positional, but progressive and participatory.
Romans 6:6–7 tells us that “our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin.” And yet Paul also says, “do not let sin reign in your mortal body” (Romans 6:12), indicating that though the power of sin is broken, it must still be resisted. This shows that freedom in Christ is not simply the absence of sin’s guilt but also the empowering to resist its dominion.
Freedom is not autonomy, but alignment.
Paul says in Romans 6:18: “Having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” True Christian freedom is not license to do as we please, but liberty to do as we ought—walking in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16), living under grace (Romans 6:14), and producing the fruit of holiness (Romans 6:22).
Freedom is lived out daily through surrender, not self-effort.
Galatians 5:1 says, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm.” The ongoing aspect of walking in freedom is tied to abiding in Christ (John 15:4–5), taking every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5), and putting on the new self (Ephesians 4:24). This is not a passive experience—it is a Spirit-enabled cooperation.
Victory is real, even if the battle remains.
1 John 3:9 says that “no one who is born of God practices sin,” not meaning we are sinless, but that we no longer make sin our habitual pattern. The believer may still wrestle (Romans 7), but the trajectory is different. We fight from a place of victory, not toward it. That’s why Paul can say, “Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).
“Forgiveness cleanses the record. Freedom transforms the heart.”
That’s beautifully put. Justification wipes the slate clean, but sanctification writes a new story. The real question becomes not, “Can I stop sinning entirely?” but, “Am I more free today than I was yesterday?” That’s how freedom from sin shows itself day-to-day—in our growth in obedience, love, and the joy of walking closely with our Savior.
To your last question: Can a believer live in true victory?
Yes—but victory doesn’t mean absence of struggle. It means the old nature no longer dictates your identity or destiny. As Romans 8:2 declares: “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.” That freedom is both a legal declaration and a living reality when we walk by faith in the One who triumphed over sin on our behalf.
How Can Christians Find Freedom from Sin Today? | Crosswalk.com