Liberty - 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

Paul makes the connection between the Lord and the spirit that is able to take away the “veil” from the heart. Interestingly, he notes “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” Liberty or freedom is a really complicated and complex concept because universal laws are still in place and take effect, regardless of our acceptance of the. If we had true liberty, we could choose both our actions and the consequences, but that’s not the case, we can only choose our actions, and the consequences are what follows regardless. So if we can only choose our own actions, then how would liberty be defined? How would we know that we were experiencing liberty?

 

We all live in this imperfect, mortal world where we experience pain and suffering and difficulties, some to a horrific extent. We didn’t choose these circumstances, but we have to deal with them, and really the only aspect of our lives that we can control are our thoughts and behaviors. So if we aren’t talking about literal physical liberty, which none of us have because we are limited in this mortal world, then what kind of liberty is Paul talking about? What would be some characteristics of someone who is liberated? And liberated from what? I would consider anything negative to be enslaving, because it modifies your ability to see truth clearly, to make wise choices, and to function as a person. If we can only control our own thoughts and actions, then thoughts of worthlessness, despair, anxiety, and self-loathing are enslaving. They take away our motivation for happiness and plunge us into a world of sheer panic that removes all ability to pursue anything positive.

 

On the other hand, anything positive opens us to possibilities that we other wise would have rejected. It’s been a couple of hours since I started this post and I’ve been thinking a lot in that time about the concept of negativity = slavery and positivity = freedom. We can’t control many of our circumstances, in fact, much of this life is dealing with disappointment and frustration because those things are going to happen to us all the time. We can’t choose where we are born, and we can’t choose the vast majority of the things that happen to us. For instance, we might be born to abusive parents, we might be born poor, we might have a learning disability that makes education difficult. We might be born during an economic downturn and not able to find a job that pays enough to sustain us. We might not be able to have children, we might have too many children, we might get divorced, our spouse may die, or one or both of us might become disabled.

 

How can one be free when all of these variables are possible in life and often play out? Is the concept of the liberty that Paul talks about reserved only for those born in charmed circumstances? No, he makes no equivocation when he says “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” He doesn’t clarify to say that only applies if we meet certain requirements, it’s true for everyone. Paul said it best, the Spirit = liberty. So if we are able to live in a manner where we can have the Spirit, then we are free. But free from what? Free from sin for one, free from addiction, free from anger, hatred, bitterness.

 

The opposite of this would be without the Spirit = slavery. Slavery to what? Addictions, anger, hatred, and bitterness. It’s really interesting that these emotions are strong enough to make us captives. Let’s take a look at Abinadi as an example. He was physically chained up in front of king Noah, and he didn’t want to die, but he was not afraid, he was able to accept his circumstances with confidence in God’s plan for him. Whereas Noah, sitting at the head of an entire kingdom, feared that Abinadi would make the people turn on him, afraid the Lamanites would come attack his people, afraid to have people around him with dissenting opinions. Who had more options? Abinadi, who could live or die and still have the same feelings of peace, or Noah who could literally not even stand to hear someone else’s opinion? This is where we can see that the concept of liberty, freedom, and slavery is not just talking about political constructs of labor but abstract ideas that concern our personal potential and state of being.

 

Another way to equate liberty to the Spirit is through keeping the commandments. We’ve talked extensively about the two different ways that the commandments can be viewed, either as a way for a mean God to keep you from having fun, or as a way for a loving God to protect you. The article on this chapter on gospeldoctrine.com quote President Gordon B. Hinckley as teaching, “The gospel is not a philosophy or repression, as so many regard it. It is a plan of freedom that gives disciple to appetite and direction to behavior. Its fruits are sweet and its rewards are liberal.” If we do an experiment where we compare our feelings to when we are keeping the commandments vs. when we are not, I know that I personally am so much happier when I’m keeping the commandments. I have more perspective, I’m able to deal with disappointments better, I’m able to be hopeful for the future. When I am not keeping the commandments, I experience a constant panic, and it’s so unpleasant that I won’t stray away from the gospel again. I’m not perfect, but I’m trying.

 

With the Spirit of the Lord with us, Paul says we “are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” I liken this to the phrase in the sacrament prayer saying that we will take his name upon us. Taking his name upon up and changing into his image are similar metaphors indicating the process by which we work to grow spiritually and become more like Christ. The IM writes, “The word ‘changed’ in 2 Corinthians 3:18 is the same word translated as ‘transfigured’ in Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2 and as ‘transformed’ in Romans 12:2. It indicates a dramatic, fundamental transformation- a metamorphosis. The Spirit is the means by which God gradually transforms us into glorious beings like Him. Alma similarly taught that when we are spiritually born of God, we receive His image in our countenances.”

We might be the same body and the same spirit, but as we trying to become more Christ-like, who we are changes. Not just our short term behaviors, but our long term, deep rooted hopes, dreams, attitudes, thoughts, and actions. This has absolutely happened to me, and I know that I’ve told this story before, but it was a point when I realized that I was a completely different person through Christ. My best friend from high school and I used to tell all kinds of perverted jokes, and when she came over to my house several years later, she told one and I was disgusted. It wasn’t funny, it was vulgar and I was embarrassed in front of my family. This is when I realized that this wasn’t who I was anymore. The IM continues, “The phrase ‘glory to glory’ could also be translated ‘with increasing glory’ or ‘to higher degrees of glory,’ thus suggesting man’s potential to gradually become like Heavenly Father. Furthermore, when we become the children of Christ we begin to take on the image countenance, and characteristics of our spiritual Father, Jesus Christ.”