Finding true freedom in following the Good Shepherd along paths of righteousness

I’ve always thought True Freedom Trust is a provocative title for an organisation. After all freedom is one of those things that everybody regards as positive. My childhood was shaped by images of the Berlin Wall falling amidst joyful celebrations and the hope of all that freedom would bring. And, for many, the joy of the last decades has been a greater sexual freedom, not least the freedom for those who identify as gay to marry.

For an organisation that believes marriage to be between one man and one woman to claim to be an expression of true freedom - that’s pretty bold! And there may be times we doubt it. I don’t know when that is for you. For me it might be about 9.00pm at a wedding reception as I see delighted friends enter a relationship that I don’t have the freedom to enjoy. Or it’s the moments when I’m trying to say no to the images in my mind that I want to fantasise about. At those times the question lurks: am I really enjoying true freedom?

And yet in the end it’s not TFT that is being provocative. It’s Jesus himself. In John 10 he describes himself as the Good Shepherd- the embodiment of Psalm 23. And just two chapters earlier he speaks these words: “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” In context, the freedom that Jesus offers is not a freedom simply to be ourselves. He offers us freedom from sin. 

The rest of the New Testament spells out how that happens, especially in Romans 6. Something profound has happened to the Christian. It’s not simply that we have put our trust in Jesus; we have become united with him. We have died with him and we live with him. Here’s the question that the Christian now asks every morning: “What are Jesus and I going to do together today?” because we are locked together. And Paul says that means we are no longer slaves to sin (v.6) but those who live for righteousness (v.13).

All of that leads me back to the precious imagery of Psalm 23:3. “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.” It’s an image of a good and wise Shepherd leading us forward. And as he plots our journey he is choosing the righteous paths that are ultimately for our good. As you apply the Romans imagery you realise that the Shepherd is not leading from miles ahead of us. He is leading from within us as his Spirit directs us to righteous paths.

So how does that help us when we face the questions about true freedom? It might help to use our imagination a bit so that we can enter into the Psalm. Too often the righteous path might feel drab compared with other more exciting images. But turn your eyes to Jesus for a moment. See his sheer goodness. And then hear him saying, “This is the path we are going to walk on together. It’s not a path of giving in to lusts. But is the best road of all.” It’s as we get those sort of pictures in our mind that we’ll begin to see obedience as a good path, rather than freedom restricting.

In his valuable book on Psalm 23 David Gibson quotes some words from Mark 8 reminding us that as we go along Jesus’ road, we do so carrying a cross. At the heart of discipleship according to our Good Shepherd is a call to say no to things that go to the very heart of ourselves. But that comes with a promise: “Whoever loses their life for me and for the Gospel will save it.”  Those words have become deeply precious to me. There is a loss in embracing the path of righteousness. But in the end, it is worth it for this is the way to life. My guess is that deep down we know that. The times when I’ve indulged the sinful thoughts haven’t in the end felt like freedom. They have felt like slavery. It is the times when I’ve consciously walked the righteous paths that have felt like freedom. And wonderfully, because of the presence of the Good Shepherd in me, that is possible.

So, as I look back at YouTube clips of Berlin in 1989, I can say that their story is to some extent mine. I have true freedom! Freedom to walk with the best Shepherd of all along righteous paths. 

This article was originally published in the Spring 2026 edition of the TFT magazine, Ascend. Click the button below to download your copy.