In his book A Scandalous Freedom, Steve Brown provocatively writes:
They lied to you about being a Christian. When you first “joined the club,” they promised you’d be set free. But let’s get honest, you’re not free. In fact, you’re religious, afraid, guilty, and bound. What’s worse, now that you’ve been in the club awhile, you’re stuck pretending you’re better than you are. And worse than that, you prefer the security and rules of your self-imposed boundaries. It’s time for a change. You need Scandalous Freedom.
There is no question in my mind that Steve Brown is correct.
So many Christians are imprisioned by their own consciences. What I think is startling about this is that most don’t even seem to be aware of their spiritual and emotional bondage. In fact, since most people they know are in the same condition, they assume this is the norm, and that THIS is the freedom for which Christ came to set us free! And even more perplexing is that, when faced with the radical nature of the gospel, many seem to prefer this state of existence to the freedom offered and secured by the gospel!
I see it all the time. I do it all the time.
But Steve Brown winsomely, humorously, and profoundly, calls it like it is. And he offers us a path to freedom. It is not a path Steve has blazed. He is one, of many, who has simply labored to uncover the path for us that Jesus laid out. Sadly much of what Jesus paved seems to have been covered over by the garbage of religious tradition and fundamentalism.
Listen Steve Brown’s related podcast series: Scandalous Freedom.
GRACE & PEACE 
Dennis, Lets do get real… Jesus has set us free, is setting us free and continues to set us free!
I know I’m broken and a worm and the older I get the more I realise my sin before a Holy God. My only hope is in Christ period.
Having said that I also know as pointed out in II Cor 5:17-21 (as an example) that we have freedom & the joy of knowing our sin has been covered by the blood of Jesus, seperated as far as the east is from the west and we indeed have Peace with God as a result of the Work and Grace found in Jesus. ( I took a little freedom here to imply, but you know the context)
I think I may understand a little of what Brown is trying to say. I do agree with him to a certain extent. But I do disagree in a sense. Because As True Christians we have no need to be afraid, or pretend anything. It’s all open and bare before a Holy God anyway. And he loves us still….Because of Jesus.
Do I fall into pretense ?, yes, do I sin ? absolutely, Am I afraid ? Sometimes. But i also know Jesus is greater than my heart and knows all things. It’s a matter of preaching the Gospel to ourselves.
If God is for us who can be against us ? Who can seperate us from the Love of God?
Yap, I’m a jerk and a sinner…So Glad Jesus Loves jerks and sinners…even when pretending. We do it all the time don’t we? Even on Sunday Mornings when we greet each other with a I’m fine how about you? yep we are good at pretending, fear, and being bound up. We do need to be real, with God and each other. Because there is joy in the freedom Jesus provides. It’s the only real freedom there is.
God Bless…..
I am not sure how yu are disagreeing with Steve Brown. He is expressing the experience of many – probably most – Christians. Truth: Those Redeemed by Christ have been set free. Reality: Most Christians, perhaps especially conservative Christians, live as if they are still in captivity.
We are frequently in bondage to the opinion of others, if we measure up…
Many live with the fear that in the end God might tell them that their efforts, with all the gifts God has given us, are not good enough…
These are examples of how we functionally doubt that the gospel is as good as it sounds. And, quite frankly, most have never explored the gospel to much depth beyond forgiveness of sin. Thus, most don’t enjoy their freedom because they don’t know what freedom offers.
Your probably alot more right in your comment. I don’t disagree with Brown, just seems to me that if people don’t understand the new life in Christ then how do you call them Christ Followers?
If we say we are set free by Christ but live in bondage to the culture, to our own selves, and to others opnions then we really are not free are we? Then we may not even know Jesus in real ways !