Who Is My Neighbor: Liberty for All in God’s Upside-Down Kingdom (Part 3)

In “Who Is My Neighbor: Liberty for All,” discover how living free in Christ empowers us to build bridges and reflect His upside-down Kingdom.

Celebrating Freedom or Living It?

We have looked at the pain of delayed freedom, the danger of silence, and the power of loving our neighbor like the Good Samaritan.

But today we ask an even more significant question: What does it mean to be truly free in God’s Kingdom?

Jesus didn’t just set us free from sin, He set us free to live differently, to love boldly, and to walk in step with God’s heart for justice, restoration, and unity: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36 ESV).

In God’s upside-down Kingdom, freedom doesn’t mean personal independence. It means radical dependence on Christ—and a willingness to use our liberty for the sake of others.

So how do we move from words to deeds? From celebration to transformation?

Let’s take a closer look.

Freedom in Word vs. Freedom in Deed

Many people celebrate freedom with words or firecrackers, but they still live in bondage to fear, prejudice, or pride.

The apostle James preaches loud and clear about the sin of partiality in James 2.

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. […] Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? (James 2:1, 4–5 ESV).

Real freedom requires action. So here’s our challenge today: Are we using freedom for ourselves, or are we offering it for the sake of our neighbors?

The Good Samaritan’s Freedom

Remember the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25–37? He lived out a kind of freedom that others in the story didn’t.

He wasn’t bound by religious pressure, cultural expectation, or fear of inconvenience.

• The priest and Levite walked away—silently, safely.
• The Samaritan walked toward the need.

He acted with compassion, generosity, and humility. He crossed more than a road—he crossed a dividing line.

He didn’t need permission. He lived with purpose.

That’s the kind of freedom Christ offers—a freedom that makes us brave enough to love without boundaries.

Freedom acts. Freedom loves. Freedom costs something.

How to Live Like You’re Free in Christ

The word freedom is an abstract concept and may be hard to visualize. But here are a few practical ways to really live like you’re free … and how to encourage and respond to others:

• Freedom from sin’s control (Romans 6:14)
• Freedom to walk in purpose (Galatians 5:1)
• Freedom to love sacrificially (Galatians 5:13)
• Freedom to live and love without fear (1 John 4:18)
• Freedom to be transformed (2 Corinthians 3:17)
• Freedom to shine as a witness (Matthew 5:14, 16)

Each of these freedoms empowers us to be better neighbors—agents of reconciliation and representatives of God’s justice.

Liberty for All: A Call to Reconciliation

As we can see from the above verses, freedom in Christ isn’t about claiming all our rights. It’s about lovingly laying them down. Freedom in Christ is about claiming our ministry to reconciliation: “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18 ESV).

Our freedom is not to be used to stir up trouble. It’s to be used to bring people together. We as a church must learn to model unity that honors differences without division. In the words of Jesus: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35 ESV).

Reflection, Respect, and Responsibility

As a Scottish-American, I am proud of my heritage. Shouldn’t others be encouraged to be proud of their heritage as well? I fly my Scottish flag on St. Andrews Day and Robbie Burns Day, and I’ll be happy to tell anyone who asks why those days are significant.

So when your African-American coworker declares that Juneteenth is a special day in his culture, pay attention and be respectful. Ask. Listen. Celebrate.

True freedom means celebrating others and their culture as fully as you celebrate yourself and your family’s heritage—even when their stories look different from yours.

The parable of the Good Samaritan ends with Jesus saying: “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37 ESV). That’s liberty in action.

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Cowritten with Austin Smith.

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