As indicated by the Scriptures, although a Christian may be a slave to an earthly master, he is actually Christ’s freedman, liberated from bondage to sin and death. But having been bought with a price, Jesus’ precious blood, a Christian who is a freeman in a physical sense is a slave of God and of Jesus Christ, obligated to obey their commands. This indicates that for humans freedom is always relative, never absolute. Therefore, from God’s viewpoint, in the Christian congregation there is no difference between slave and freeman. Moreover, the freedom possessed by a Christian does not entitle him to use this as a blind for badness.​—1Co 7:22, 23; Ga 3:28; Heb 2:14, 15; 1Pe 1:18, 19; 2:16.

All others must move and act within the limitations of ability given them and subject themselves to his universal laws. (Isa 45:9; Ro 9:20, 21) For example, consider gravity, and the laws governing chemical reactions, influence of the sun, and growth; the moral laws; the rights and actions of others that influence one’s freedom. The freedom of all of God’s creatures is therefore a relative freedom.

There is a distinction between limited freedom and bondage. Freedom within God-given limitations brings happiness; bondage to creatures, to imperfection, to weaknesses, or to wrong ideologies brings oppression and unhappiness. Freedom is also to be differentiated from self-determination, that is, ignoring God’s laws and determining for oneself what is right and what is wrong. Such leads to encroachments on the rights of others and causes trouble, as can be seen from the effects of the independent, self-willed spirit introduced to Adam and Eve by the Serpent in Eden. (Ge 3:4, 6, 11-19) True freedom is bounded by law, God’s law, which allows full expression of the individual in a proper, upbuilding, and beneficial way, and which recognizes the rights of others, contributing to happiness for all.​—Ps 144:15; Lu 11:28; Jas 1:25.