The Best Kind of Freedom
For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 NLT
If you haven’t noticed lately there is more and more effort worldwide to take away social and religious freedoms. An example would be the fundamentalist Islamic rule in many countries that attack any faith that is different from Islam, and especially Christianity. This robber of freedom would also include attacking the basic human rights of women who must bow down to it. Then there are the freedoms that are under attack in this country. It has become very socially insensitive to worship freely, to pray publically, and to oppose any issues that the Bible has stated is sinful behavior. While there is a big deal made about protecting the first amendment rights of pornographers, the vile and profane lyrics of music artist and producers, and giving free license to the entertainment industry to push the limits on profanity and sexually explicit scenes, there is no tolerance given to those who oppose it.
When did it happen that the freedom of the Church and other decent people was taken from us to oppose the invasion of our rights to not want to hear and see such offensive behavior? What happened to our freedom to not be tolerated for what we believe, but instead be told that we are ignorant or intolerant because we disagree with a political or social agenda that gives free license to such degradation? Does everyone get a fair shot at freedom in this country, or in those nations that seek to control and destroy western civilization, and Christians? Good questions huh? I hope you have the answers, for I’m thinking those freedoms are being slowly taken away, and our world is headed for some serious challenges to the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence which states:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed;”
Of special note is that the rights stated above are not granted by a government. Our rights have been endowed by our Creator. Governments, and especially our government, have been established to protect our rights and not allow them to be taken from us. However, if you have a political ruling party in a government that is fundamentally opposed to admitting there is a Creator, then you have a ruling party that doesn't believe our rights have been endowed to us by God. This ruling party would be opposed to those people who would follow the values set forth from the Bible, by branding these people as politically and socially insensitive. What does this produce? It produces a government that tries to become "god" to its people, and endows rights to people who agree with them, and to those who do not, their freedom is removed. This is a case where religious liberty is taken away, and replaced by a false god called “government.”
Then there's the "religious government." If a ruling party in a government permits only religion to exist, and declares its prophet to be the only voice to the people, then religious liberty is taken by this government and replaced with a false god that requires mandatory obedience to the religion. There is no religious freedom in this type of government With our worldwide observations, which includes our own nation, we can see the effort being made to stamp out freedom of religion, and replace it with non-religious cultures void of God. There are groups and governments around this world that are systematically trying to remove God from our cultures, and then become a god to their people and be perceived as such. For this reason religious liberty, and especially Christianity is under attack. But why is Christianity the biggest target?
Christianity has been under attack around the world because it represents freedom, and the best kind of freedom. Christianity not only offers freedom for women, for men, for slaves, for the oppressed, for the disenfranchised, for the imprisoned, but most assuredly to a lost and dying world that has no hope otherwise. What God granted to mankind by His grace through Jesus Christ, is liberation from the bondage of sin, the chokehold of legalism, and the chains of tyrannical rulers who would try to take away the freedom of our choice, our voice, and the expression of our faith. But I've got some bad news for them. With true believers and followers of Christ, they will find that what they attempt is impossible. You see no institution or government or political movement or any kind of social reform can take from us what God has graciously granted to us. Though ruthless groups and tyrannical leaders may take our lives, our property, and our civil liberties, they can never take from us the freedom Christ has bought and paid for us. They didn’t give it to us, and they can’t take it from us. Our freedom is held secure by the Sovereign God of the Universe, and He has no equal.
My recommendation for those leaders and governments and groups who would come against Christianity would be to be very careful with what you attempt. You are dealing with God’s family. You are coming against His Church, the Royal Priesthood , who are also called sons and daughters of Almighty God. You may do your best, and use all of the available resources you can gather to scheme, to manipulate, to buy, and to come against God’s family. But remember this: God's family depends on Jesus Christ and His resources to accomplish what He wants for our lives and His Church. We will be satisfied with what He permits, and for the time being you may get your way. But in the end, we will all see how it turns out. You can be very sure that you will want to be on the right side of this conflict. What you may obtain with your efforts in this world will be enjoyed only for your lifetime, but then you will meet our God you profane, and His children you have persecuted. When it is all said and done, what we will be given by the God that we serve will last for us an eternity, and this is why our freedom can never be taken away. But in the end your freedom will be removed, and it will also last for an eternity. I think we have the better deal.