In honor of July 4th: “And I’m proud to be an American, where at least I know I’m free!”
Its safe to say that America puts a lot of value in the word freedom. It is what this country was founded on, and it continues to be held in the highest light. Freedom of choice, freedom of speech, freedom of religion…But, is freedom the “answer” to all of life’s troubles? What is freedom, anyways?
I used to define freedom as doing whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. If I felt like doing something, I would do it. Granted, there were times that I would reign in my instincts, but for the most part, this was the mantra of my life. This must be the road to joy and happiness: no one tells you what to do, essentially, you are your own master.
The Bible has a lot to say on this topic. As I was studying the name Adonai, or Master, I came across the verses above. Freedom, as I had previously defined it – self gratification, living for the moment…is, in fact, the antithesis of the path to joy.
Romans 6:
16Do you not know that if you present yourselves(A) to anyone as obedient slaves,[a] you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But(B) thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the(C) standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18and,(D) having been set free from sin,(E) have become slaves of righteousness.
If we are our own master, which we are before Christ intervenes, we are a slave to it. We absolutely cannot get out of the death-giving trap of our instincts, our desires, our attempts to exalt ourselves in this world. Very clearly, this path leads to death. BUT, if we are in Christ, He is now our master, and we, in turn, are slaves to Him, slaves to righteousness and obedience.
At first glance, this gives me a bad taste in my mouth. My nature doesn’t want anyone telling me what I can and can’t do. But, if it is true that I’m in slavery to SOMETHING, I will freely choose slavery to an all-knowing, all-loving, compassionate, overwhelmingly merciful Heavenly Father that desires my good. Slavery to that master is pure joy, pure bliss. I gladly submit myself at His feet, proclaiming “more of You and less of me, GOD!” He is not only worthy to be Lord Adonai, Master as Creator of this earth, but it is a great honor to be His servant and be called His daughter.
Romans 14:
7For(A) none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then,(B) whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. 9For to this end Christ(C) died and lived again, that he might be Lord both(D) of the dead and of the living.
