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July 03, 2006
Freedom
Freedom isn’t free, the now common slogan says, and true freedom isn’t just physical freedom. As we celebrate 130 years of American independence, it is good to remember these principles.
Our freedom has been costly, but the price has been paid, and is being paid daily. That is true spiritually and politically, although humanists and many liberals will deny both.
To the humanist, people are inherently good unless driven toward bad or deprived in some way, and people are naturally free from sinfulness. As Christians, we understand that people are inherently sinful, even depraved, and that freedom from the oppression that comes with sin has to be purchased. Our souls must be purchased, but we have nothing to pay the price. The only currency that God will accept is the blood of the lamb without blemish, the Lamb of God. The price of spiritual freedom is the blood of Christ.
Politically, liberals believe that if we are nice to everyone and meet their needs, everyone will get along and all the people of the world will be free. The price of freedom, they say, is for people to give up their selfishness and be good to each other. The only reason there is war, the liberals say, is because nations such as the United States are selfish bullies that want to impose themselves on others.
Those who understand human nature recognize that we can never give enough away to deal with the evil in the dark hearts of the world (and in our own country). Freedom has to be protected, at times at a heavy price of blood and life.
In our free nation, however, we are surrounded by people who are not free. Walk through the mall and count the people who appear to have free spirits, who demonstrate joy. Turn on the television and watch for people who appreciate a free nation. Consider your family and think about relatives who are free in the midst of the burdens of life.
Freedom is not a physical position as much as it is a spiritual condition. This came to mind again during Sunday services yesterday when a soloist sang the great song “Free,” by Steven Curtis Chapman. One of the joys of my career was working for and achieving an agreement between Chapman and Prison Fellowship—where I was an executive at the time—for Chapman to visit prisons and promote Prison Fellowship’s ministry, and for PF to help support his Heaven in the Real World album and tour (1996). As a result of this agreement and after one of Chapman’s visits to death row, he wrote Free. It reflects the truth you see often among death row inmates—they are free while under the sentence of physical death.
FREE, by Steven Curtis Chapman
The sun was beating down inside the walls of stone and razor wire
As we made our way across the prison yard
I felt my heart begin to race as we drew nearer to the place
Where they say that death is waiting in the dark
The slamming doors of iron echoed through the halls
Where despair holds life within its cruel claws
But then I met a man who's face seemed so strangely out of place
A blinding light of hope was shining in his eyes
And with repentance in his voice he told me of his tragic choice
That led him to this place where he must pay the price
But then his voice grew strong as he began to tell
About the One he said had rescued him from hell, he said...
I'm free, yeah, oh, I have been forgiven
God's love has taken off my chains and given me these wings
And I'm free, yeah, yeah, and the freedom I've been given
Is something that not even death can take away from me
Because I'm free
Jesus set me free
We said a prayed and said goodbye and tears began to fill my eyes
As I stepped back out into the blinding sun
And even as I drove away I found that I could not escape
The way he spoke of what the grace of God had done
I thought about how sin had sentenced us to die
And how God gave His only Son so you and I could say...
And if the Son has set you free,
Oh, if the Son has set you free
Then you are free indeed,
Oh, You are really free
If the Son has set you free,
Oh, if the Son has set you free
Then you are free, really, really free
Oh, we're free, yearh, oh, we have been forgiven
God's grace has broken every chain and given us these wings
And we're free, yeah, yeah, and the freedom we've been given
Is something that not even death can take from you and me
Because we're free, yeah, the freedom we've been given
Is something that not even death can take from you and me
Because we're free, oh, we're free
We are free, we are free
The Son has set us free
If the Son has set you free
You are free indeed
Posted by Jim at July 3, 2006 10:11 AM
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Posted by: Gus at July 3, 2006 01:01 PM
[From Dan Trabue...I'm having trouble posting because of "questionable content," let's see if this works...]
This is a poor explanation of the "liberal" viewpoint. You've set up a strawman.
You said:
"Politically, liberals believe that if we are nice to everyone and meet their needs, everyone will get along and all the people of the world will be free."
This is just ridiculous. While there may be some liberals who believe this (just as there are some conservatives that the best way to keep safe is to kill all our enemies and enemy-sympathizers), it is not the norm.
[I'll end here and see if this much is accepted...]
Posted by: Dan Trabue at July 3, 2006 01:06 PM
[OK, here's a bit more of my original post...]
Politically, most of what you're calling "liberals" think that people are motivated by their own self-interests and we ought to understand that going in to any situation. Generally speaking, the liberal would say, there aren't "evil" people and "good" people. There are people. Flawed humanity with some tendencies toward good but generally who will look after their own perceived best interests.
And I say that based upon hanging out with the folk I hang out and reading the folk that I read, most of whom you'd label "liberal." The myth of the pollyanna liberal is just that - a strawman myth created to debunk an argument that doesn't exist.
Interestingly enough, this perception of people looking after their own perceived best interests is a common tenet in classical conservatism.
Posted by: Dan Trabue at July 3, 2006 01:10 PM
[OK, the final section appears to be the problem. I'll try re-writing it a third time. I can't figure out what in the world is flagging your censor!]
I do agree with your point that, "In our free nation, however, we are surrounded by people who are not free."
We do tend to get ourselves tangled up and held captive by our fear, our consumerism, our lack of understanding.
Let's work to increase the understanding between us all, shall we?
Posted by: Dan Trabue at July 3, 2006 01:17 PM
Did you mean 230 years (instead of 130)? If not, what happened in 1876?
Posted by: bruce at July 5, 2006 03:14 PM
yep. 230.
Posted by: Jim Jewell at July 5, 2006 11:53 PM
Hello? Jim?
Um..."Let's work to increase the understanding between us all, shall we?"
Posted by: Dan Trabue at July 6, 2006 12:26 AM
Dan, I really am with you on "increasing the understanding between us all." I'm fascinated by the vast differences in worldviews and the apparent shortage of middle ground on so many issues. But I love liberals, even though I take swipes at them occasionally. Thanks for all of your comments to SCO (I have a hard time finding time to post, not to mention respond to all comments!)
All the best.
Posted by: Jim Jewell at July 6, 2006 05:42 PM
I believe you, Jim. Truly.
So then, can we expect an apology or at least a clarification for your misleading comments about "liberals?"
Myself, I'm not so convinced of huge differences between "liberals" and "conservatives," and yet the very same time I'm concerned about the division within our nation and world.
Quite frankly, we need to stop creating these strawmen to attack (ie, "Politically, liberals believe that if we are nice to everyone and meet their needs, everyone will get along and all the people of the world will be free." or, "These conservatives just want to destroy the earth and everyone on it but their small cadre of friends.")
Both are lies, slander, strawmen, created so that we can hate the "other" instead of understanding that we both desire peace, we both want a whole earth, etc.
Now, I'm fine if you want to point to Mr. Jones, the self-proclaimed liberal, who says that we should play nice and everyone will like us, and criticize his position. By ALL means, do so.
Just don't make his position the stereotypical view of a whole group of people. It's that sort of demonization that allows Left to hate Right, Muslims to hate the Great Satan, etc. It's diabolical and we need to avoid it like the plague (and I'm saying this as one who knows what it's like to demonize others, God help me.)
You know, "thou shalt not give false testimony," and all that...
Posted by: Dan Trabue at July 6, 2006 06:36 PM