For a month I have watched in horror as the January 6th committee has shared the evidence of that day when thousands chose to abuse their freedoms to attack the freedom and rights of others.
For nearly 250 years Americans have disagreed, yet respected the liberties of other people in this country. Freedom isn’t the right to attack others or force them to behave as we want. Thus, we see the danger of freedom; it can be good or bad.
The first abuse of freedom in the Bible occurred in the garden after God placed Adam and Eve there and gave them the liberty to eat freely from any tree they wanted except for one. What happened next is why we are each born a sinner (Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:19).
One chapter later they freely chose to listen to Satan and abuse their freedom like puppets (Genesis 3:1-5). This story shows us how easy it is to walk away from God when Satan tempts us with what we want, Satan always attacks the truth of God.
For six years of my life, I listened to Satan and chose to abuse my liberties, I know the voice of the deceiver and I know God loves me too much to leave me just as I am. I chose to live my life how I wanted, doing what I wanted—it took my accident to break every chain of my selfish liberties!
Patrick Henry professed. “Give me liberty or give me death”, but for the believer, death is when we’re free at last (Philippians 1:21). Webster defines liberty as, “The power to do as one pleases, freedom from physical restraint, the power of choice, freedom from arbitrary control, a right.”
In America, we cling to our freedoms, in our Constitution our liberties are accepted as fundamental rights and each American has them. This is the Catch-22 of liberty comes into play, while we each have our liberties, we must honor and respect the liberties of others. It isn’t possible to do whatever we want. We are bound by a constitution that gives others rights also, the whole 9. If we are bound, then how are any of us free to do as we please?
Each American citizen, those who are given life within the boundaries of the United States, are guaranteed their individual liberties under the Constitution and no one person, party, or institution has the right to violate the liberties of another American, not even if we don’t like or agree with it.
We are seeing this today in many ways. Not just in the unjust insurrection that occurred on January 6, 2021, which was a clear violation of the rights of the majority who exercised their right to vote, regardless of what one power-hungry dictator believes, he does not have the liberty to violate the rights of other Americans.
This has become the evil of the conservative party—Retrumplicans do not honor the liberties of those who believe differently. The conservative view of liberty has become an extremist and unchristian abuse of power. Jesus told His disciples to deny themselves daily and to put others first, not their selfish desires (Matthew 16:24). Our Lord even refused to use His right as the Son of God to avoid the cross or to attack His accusers, that’s my King Who laid His life down for others.
If Jesus didn’t cling to His rights to give us victory (Philippians 2:6-11;) then when we put ourselves first, we are acting the opposite of Him. Jesus’ view on liberty is contrary to that of this world. We are never more like Christ than when we put others first; even before our comfort and selfish desires, like Christian martyrs have.
A.W. Tozer notes, “There is within the human heart a tough fibrous root of fallen life whose nature is to possess, always to possess. It covets ‘things’ with a deep and fierce passion. The pronouns ‘my’ and ‘mine’ look innocent enough in print, but their constant and universal use is significant. They express the real nature of the old Adamic man better than 1000 volumes of theology could do.”
Many conservatives cling to the right to bear arms, which gives them the ability to take the lives of other people if necessary—so much for that “Faith over fear movement.” We cannot have it both ways, just when it suits “our” agendas. It’s either liberty for all or liberty for none! Nothing but the blood of Jesus saves us from ourselves.
More recently, we see the abuse of liberties in the debate of Roe V Wade. As per the Constitution, babies have constitutional rights also, regardless of what parents want.
To deny the liberties of babies, because one abused their liberty to procreate, is beyond hypocrisy, it is immoral, unethical, sick, and clearly un-American and at its core is selfishness, to the extent of taking the life of another American.
The Bible is clear that selfishness is sin and all sin separates us from God, regardless of what it is (Psalm 119:36, Philippians 2:4; Romans 6:23, 1 John 3:4.) Anyone who teaches differently denies over 2000 years of Christian doctrine.
Within the small community I live in, there are vile and repugnant heretics who believe that God accepts some sins over others, they are holding onto the chains of the sins they choose to accept.
The Apostle Paul warned believers to avoid these heretics at all costs (Romans 16:17-18, Galatians 1:9; 2:4, Titus 3:10). Paul knew if we listen to the false hope of Satan, we will be easily led astray just like Adam and Eve were in the garden (Ephesians 4:14, 1 Timothy 4:1).
Peter states these heretics are not in the light and will be assigned places in hell with the Angels who have fallen (2 Peter 2:3-4). The Bible is clear all sin separates us from God. True conservatives understand when it comes to sin, we don’t have those liberties!
2 Comments
I like your quote from A.W. Tozer. I also think Christians in America are holding too tightly to the things of the world – like the rights given in our Constitution – instead of focusing on doing the will of our Father.
We Christian have so much to repent for and things we need to change. Thanks for sharing