What does it mean to truly be
free and is there anyone who has actually achieved this much
desired state of being? We Americans claim to hold our freedom
as one of our highest priorities but whether we know it or not
we are in fact slaves to many things.
Jesus, the apostle Paul and Martin Luther are certainly among
the elite of Christian theologians. The three of them have a
similar and rather unique understanding of what is meant by freedom
and how we are to make use of it. Luther perhaps summarized it
the best when he wrote in 1520 a treatise titled, "Christian
Liberty." At first glance it looks like he is saying two
entirely opposite things but upon further examination we see
that it is all part of his understanding of Christian freedom.
He writes, "The Christian is the perfectly free lord of
all, subject to none." Christians and non-Christians alike
enjoy that statement and it is what many people practice. However,
there is a second line to Luther's understanding of the
term. "The Christian is the perfectly dutiful servant of
all, subject to all." Not everyone is as happy with this
part of his statement.
We have been set free by God through Jesus Christ in order
that we can freely choose to give our life to God and others
in loving, obedient servanthood. While this may sound nice and
is even something we say we believe we have to ask ourselves
how many of us are really committed to doing it.
This whole matter of freedom as we are using the term in the
context of Christianity should cause us to ask why God acted
to forgive our sins in the first place. God could have just killed
us or allowed us to die. The flood story in Genesis suggests
that at one time God attempted to do precisely that. God could
simply have abandoned us. Many believe that this indeed is what
God has done. I think this is highly unlikely now that God has
had Jesus come to us. Still, there are many people like the character
Jim Carrey plays in the movie, Bruce Almighty,
who believe this is what God has done.
Bruce does not get a job he believes he deserves and then he
blames God for everything that is wrong in his life. He even
goes so far as to taunt God, played by Morgan Freeman, saying
he could do a better job of being God than God does. God finally
responds and puts Bruce in charge of everything giving him all
the godly powers. The only thing Bruce cannot do is take away
people's free will.
At one important point in the movie Bruce and God are talking.
Bruce is asking God what he has to do to get people to love him.
God replies, "If you figure that one out, let me know."
Since God has given us our freedom, we can use it to deny the
existence of God. We can choose to not be in relationship with
God. The only problem with this freedom as God means for it to
be used is that it involves our choosing to love and serve others
including God. The freedom God has provided for us is meant to
enable us to be in relationship with one another as opposed to
living lives of self-indulgence and self-centeredness. The freedom
God provides is meant to allow us to be and do what we are created
to be and do. Paul states this concept very clearly in Galatians
5:13. His reasoning for this is explained in verse 15. If we
do not use our freedom to love one another we will end up consuming
one another which is something we see or hear about almost daily.
It includes individual activity as well as the activity of various
groups of people including even nations that seem determined
to destroy each other. No matter whatever justifications are
cited, can you think of any more bizarre human behavior than
our killing and maiming one another?
This is why Jesus would not participate in or permit such behavior
by his followers. James and John wanted to destroy the Samaritan
villagers who rejected them. Jesus said He had not come for that.
Peter supposedly drew his sword to defend Jesus when Judas betrayed
Him. Jesus told him to put it away.
The freedom we have been given by God is meant to enable us
to create community and to honor and glorify the sanctity of
life. It is not permission to destroy it. The freedom God has
given us is to allow us to make choices to accept God's
gifts that enable us to become holy and ultimately be fully in
the presence of God. The freedom we have been given is to allow
us to worship and serve God as a matter of first priority once
we realize and accept how God treats those who truly belong to
God. The lowliest servant in the Kingdom of God will ultimately
receive greater reward than the most powerful of humans who pursue
the kingdom of flesh. Flesh here is not meant to define our physical
self so much as it refers to the human attempt to live life apart
from the influence of God's Spirit.
So much of what is written in the epistles of the New Testament
has to do with human relationships and how they are to be conducted.
These are instruction letters to the members of the earliest
Christian congregations and communities. They speak about relationships
with spouses, parents, children, neighbors, employers, God and
even enemies. Relationships can be very demanding and most often
require a great deal of effort. When they are restricting, unless
it is for one's safety, they are not functioning as God
intends. Being in relationships and community gives us the opportunity
to be human. They also give us the opportunity to be less than
human.
The difference between these two behaviors has mainly to do
with where we are centered. If we center in self, other humans
can and often do become nothing more than objects whom we wish
to have meet our pleasures. If we center in others, we can easily
become overwhelmed by the demands placed upon us.
The secret to freedom is to be focused or centered in the Spirit
of God which affirms and encourages us on the one hand and guides
and equips us for our relationship with God and others on the
other hand. This is why Paul writes in Galatians 5:26 that we
are, "to live by the Spirit."
Life focused in the Spirit leads to what Paul calls the fruit
of the spirit in Galatians 5:22. It is what the Spirit of God
produces in us when we concentrate our time and energy where
God desires. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control are things found in
spirit-centered people. Imagine the quality of relationships
people with these characteristics enjoy. Imagine the freedom
they experience. It is not freedom to do as they please; it is
an ability to be who they were created to be and to enjoy the
pleasure that comes with it. It is a peace, a wholeness that
the Old Testament writers call shalom. It is being one with God
and others as well as with self even as Jesus prayed we would
be. It is what true freedom encompasses.
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