Perhaps a little more of that particular passage will help with understanding. Jesus claimed to be God and proved his power over death and sin by intentionally dying for the sins of mankind (though he was innocent) and then raising himself from death three days later. The call or claim that he puts on anyone's life when they begin to follow Him is not that of two buddies hanging out together. It is the call of the creator to his creation to a restoral of the proper God/man relationship. So, we serve a king that expects obedience to His sovereign will, yet He loves us dearly and calls us friends. As friends he includes us in his plans rather than just blind obedience to his rules. When a person experiences a new birth in Jesus Christ it is always followed by a desire to obey. Not out of fear but because we love Him and obedience to our Lord is a joyful thing just as disobedience to Him brings us sorrow.(which we do at times just as a child will disobey a parent.) Obedience to Jesus is not what saves a person, trusting in Jesus is. Obedience IS a very strong indicator that a person has asked Jesus to forgive their sins and have submitted their life to Jesus. A person who is really following Jesus Christ will always delight in obeying him....even if that obedience is not perfect at times.
John 3:36 (ESV)
[SUP]36 [/SUP]Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
1 John 5:2-5 (ESV)
[SUP]2 [/SUP]By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.
[SUP]3 [/SUP]For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
[SUP]4 [/SUP]For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world— our faith.
[SUP]5 [/SUP]Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
John 15:8-17 (ESV)
[SUP]8 [/SUP]By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
[SUP]10 [/SUP]If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
[SUP]11 [/SUP]These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
[SUP]12 [/SUP]“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
[SUP]13 [/SUP]Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
[SUP]14 [/SUP]You are my friends if you do what I command you.
[SUP]15 [/SUP]No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
[SUP]16 [/SUP]You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
[SUP]17 [/SUP]These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
Jeremiah, Possibly the freedom that you are asking about is the freedom that Jesus provides. When he brings us into relationship with Him he also sets us free from the bondage of sin and penalty of sin (which is eternal torment as the just payment of a life lived in rebellion to it's Creator). That is true freedom.
Romans 6:20-23 (ESV)
[SUP]20 [/SUP]For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
[SUP]21 [/SUP]But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
[SUP]22 [/SUP]But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.
[SUP]23 [/SUP]For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Hopefully this helps a bit,
Ted
