We’re proud of our freedom in America. But freedom has its limits.
To forget that is to do so at our own peril. Like the immigrant I once read about.
As the boat neared New York harbor, the Statue of Liberty came in to view. The sight of that majestic lady and the city’s skyline was more than the old man could bear. He began jumping up and down shouting, “I’m free! I’m really free!”
He had heard that in this new land you could speak your mind without fear. That the police were your friends. That a man could do just about anything he wanted.
When the boat docked at Ellis Island, the new immigrant was the first one down the gangplank. He immediately ran up to a man and punched him in the nose.
Bleeding profusely, the American decked the old man. In shock he cried, “Why did you hit me? This is a free country. I can do what I want!”
“Sure, buddy,” said the American, “But your freedom ends where my nose begins!”
Now that story might be true. But our forefathers understood the danger before it happened. And they crafted a land where privilege is balanced with responsibility.
Freedom in America is not the ability to do whatever you want without constraints. A good citizen is one who exercises his choices with wisdom and respect for the law.
I’m old enough to remember when schools used to give awards to students who showed “Good Citizenship.” To receive such an award was a real honor. But not today.
Today it’s “cool” to be “bad.” To ignore the rules. So doing what you want and getting away with it is one of the ultimate highs. A real “rush.”
A student’s T-shirt I saw not long ago sums up such an attitude. It said, “It’s not illegal if you don’t get caught.”
Hold it right there for just a minute.
Would you want to live in a country with that motto? I wouldn’t. Who could you trust? No one. And unless you were the biggest, strongest, fastest and smartest, you wouldn’t be safe.
Today America is on the verge of trading liberty for license—freedom with no limits. The courts seem to find new rights every day that our founding fathers never dreamed of!
And when personal freedoms trump the law, we descend into a hell of our own making.
What’s the solution? The French historian and political scientist Alexis de Tocqueville observed, “Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.”
The Bible has the only answer that always works. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
Did you catch that? Obedience brings true freedom.
When we respect our nation’s laws and follow them we are free from fear of punishment. And, as Jesus pointed out, the same is true in the spiritual realm.
Obeying God brings freedom from sin’s punishment. Instead of fear we live at peace with God and others. A free society works only when its citizens practice moral goodness.
Unrestricted freedom ends where the law begins. The law exists to punish the lawless.
Real freedom starts with the truth. Not just any truth but the truth about Jesus Christ. And the truth of Christ is that the lawless can find forgiveness in his name. And true liberty.
Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!
3 comments:
A Christian's economical life and standard of moral living are not private matters but rather they are critical issues of faith and discipleship. A Christian life in this world should be different from the world, being in the world but not of the world.
Christianity will always be running against the prevailing society of individualistic views. Idealism basically means holding on to a set of beliefs which are a rigid system of the way life is "supposed to be" or "should be". Belief system you have adopted about how things "should be done" which often gets challenged by the way things are in reality. I also noticed that many idealists find it difficult to fully accept anyone the way they really are and chronically attempt to control them so that they can become the way they "should ideally be" which often leads to become fatalistic, hostile, pessimistic, and negativistic attitudes. I truly believe that "over-idealism" is a control issue and that it is at the root of our need to overcontrol situations, people, places, or things in order to ensure that they come into compliance with our ideal image of the way reality is supposed to be.
Rather than forcing moral standards, we are to set examples and allow God to change people's lives. The BEST Evangelist is the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ and as we set examples, the Holy Spirit will work in a person's heart to be convicted. 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake."
"When we respect our nation’s laws and follow them we are free from fear of punishment."
I disagree very much. Was this true of Communist Russia or Nazi Germany? What makes this statement any more true for our nation? All laws of our nation are not just or constitutional.
Think of Daniel and his two friends who refused to fall and worship the golden image. Should they have followed the laws to live free from fear and punishment? If they had followed King Nebuchadnezzar"s laws would they have had to fear a greater punishment at the resurrection?
Jesus said "'But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."
I think "Anonymous" may have missed the point. I am writing as an American and using what is normally true in the United States to clarify Jesus' statement of how obedience to him brings true freedom.
The main point was that we are to obey Jesus, not just agree with him.
The statement that was quoted is not meant to stand alone.
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