AUTHOR: Robin Dugall DATE: 3:12:00 PM ----- BODY:

Just a few words on “Freedom” I hear a lot of people talk about freedom these days…especially in America. “Free Speech”, “Free Expression”, “Free Press”, etc. I don’t blame anyone for wanting freedom…it is a gift from God. Unfortunately, many people are confused about freedom. There are two powerful snapshots of freedom in the Bible: one, from Genesis chapters one and two. We see freedom in the Garden but freedom in the context of accountability and responsibility to a Holy God (or in the context of relationship). The other picture is one that we see at the end of the book of Judges where it says, Judges 21:25 “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes”. (NASB) I believe that many people these days when referring to freedom are really making reference to a type of anarchy. “Everyone did what was right in his or her own eyes” is actually the type of freedom that is actually hyped in our culture. It is a type of licentiousness that hides under the guise of true freedom. Many people want to be able to say what they like and do what they like without accountability, community or responsibility. Unfortunately, they forget that what accompanies freedom IS responsibility and accountability. Without those realities, what poses as freedom is nothing but craziness, abuse, murderous words, intolerable actions and moral/ethical lawlessness. When someone says something about their “right” to freedom, many times what they are saying is “I don’t want any guff for what I want to say and/or do”. That is not freedom…it is not freedom in the public realm, private sector…it isn’t freedom in families, relationships, or in the soul. Next time you hear somebody, or even yourself, appealing to freedom, ask yourself what type of freedom they are seeking. Which scriptural picture would it best suit it? I think if you took a look at history, those cultures and societies that practiced freedom from a Judges perspective were soon to fall in moral, ethical and cultural bankruptcy and meltdown. True freedom is only sustained when accompanied by relational accountability, responsibility and honor. Think about that next time you hear somebody wanting Freedom!

-------- COMMENT-AUTHOR: wellis68 COMMENT-DATE:9:46 PM COMMENT-BODY:That's a great perspective. It'll definetly change the way I view freedom. -------- COMMENT-AUTHOR: Chris Monroe COMMENT-DATE:9:46 PM COMMENT-BODY:So glad to see you posting on this, Robin. Popular culture is riddled with the kind of radical individualism that devastates the freedoms God intended for us. The apostle Paul urges us not to use our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh but in order to serve one another. Not a popular notion today, I fear, but one we cannot afford to ignore. -------- COMMENT-AUTHOR: Leo COMMENT-DATE:8:29 AM COMMENT-BODY:This subject was discussed at a Bikers for Christ meeting I went to last week. The idea that we should use our freedom for His glory as simple servents was the main message. After all didn't Christ give up His rights and freedom for us on the cross?
Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.
1 Peter 2:16 --------