I’m free. But I’m not always proud to be. Not when freedom means public restrooms with no gender distinction. Not when freedom costs hundreds of dollars to turn a mother’s womb into a morgue. Not when freedom means I bake your cake or else.
And not when freedom means choosing my own way. Because that’s not freedom.
You see, to understand freedom, we must understand evil. To be free is to be free from evil. The two are mutually exclusive.
If I live with my boyfriend, I’m not living in freedom, because sexual immorality is evil.
If I adopt loose language, I’m not living in freedom, because obscene talk is evil.
If I ignore or defy the laws of the land, I’m not living in freedom, because disobedience to authorities is evil.
If I sync with the culture, I’m not living in freedom, because conformity to this world is evil.
And the list goes on. And of course, everyone has their own ideas about what evil is. I leave you with the Word and the Spirit to work that one out. Personally, I aim to identify the Bible’s evils and abstain from every form of them.
If I choose evil, I am not walking in freedom.
“Then you’re not truly free,” some might say. “What’s freedom if some things aren’t allowed?”
Simple. To be free is to be a slave. Peter puts it this way:
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as {bond} servants of God.
1 Pet 2:16
Or, “Live as people who aren’t free.”
Submission to God may look like chains instead of freedom. That’s why God tells us what freedom is, because if it were up to us, we’d get it all wrong. We’d legalize abortion and same-sex unions and blindly place one person’s “freedom” above another. We’d speed, cuss, gamble, hoard, and fill our minds with all manner of wickedness, living just like our neighbor for the sake of “Christian liberty” or “contextualization.”
By my freedom is a freedom of chains, and I will wear them proudly. For in those chains, I am, in the truest sense of the word, free.
[image credit: commons.wikimedia.org]
Journey of the Word 
“Capturing the joy of knowing what God says.”
What a great reason to write! New visitor to your blog.
Blessings!
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Thanks for stopping by!
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Lydia, thank you for sharing your piece on Open Mic Monday for the soul at Cisneros Cafe. The theme was “Knit Together” and I see how your post about freedom and being bonded to Christ tie into that. Although, I am not in agreement with some things stated here, I admire your love and your courage. I whole-heartedly agree with you when you state, “…to understand freedom, we must understand evil.” I couldn’t agree more. Again, thank you for stopping by and thank you for linking up. Have a blessed week!
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Thanks, Carolina!
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Beautifully written, Lydia. Thank you for sharing. New visitor here, as well. Lovely writing style you have. Blessed to be your neighbor at Carolina’s linkup today. ((blessings))
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Thanks for visiting, Neighbor! 🙂
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Thank you for speaking the Truth in humility and love. I loved your insights into what true freedom really is, and your gentle encouragement to flee from evil and live in the freedom of Christ.
I was blessed to visit here today.
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Thank you so much, Karen!
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Ah, some defininte things to mull over :). We often think that freedom the ability to do whatever we want–yet we should wish above all else to be constrained by God–that is freedom indeed!
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Your words make me think of the Augustine quote, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity.” There is a unique kind of freedom that comes from willing obedience to a sovereign God…it protects and hems us in. So glad that He is a God of grace to those still finding their way through all those essentials. Visiting from #RaRalinkup today.
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Good thoughts! Thanks, Tiffany!
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Hey Lydia,
Very well said. Thanks for the reminder of what freedom truly is.
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We’re destined for slavery, aren’t we? We can be slaves to sin, or slaves to Christ. Thank you for pointing us toward the truth on this matter.
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I love your take on this. Yes, Jesus died to set us free from the things that bind us. We were given FREE will to chose to serve Him, or not. There are consequences with which ever decision we choose. It is the wise person who chooses life instead of death. Thank you for sharing with us here at Tell me a Story. http://letmetelluastory.blogspot.com/
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Oh, powerful words you share today! I fear I’ve spent most of my life “believing” I lived freely but was chained to evil decisions. Praise God for His forgiveness!
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Inspiring and thought-provoking. Thanks for linking up with Literacy Musing Mondays.
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Very insightful post! God has bigger and better plans for us than we could ever dream, and we probably would mess it up if it were just left to us. Thanks for sharing with #SocialButterflySunday! Hope to see you link up again this week 🙂
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Yes, like Paul writes, all is permissible but not all is beneficial. I want my life to be beneficial (otherwise, what is the purpose to call yourself a Christian?). Thank you for sharing with us on the Art of Home-Making Mondays at Strangers & Pilgrims on Earth.
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Well said, we do have the freedom to do what is right. ‘Do not steal’ is a law so it would not be seen as freedom. Yet if everyone obeyed that law we would have freedom. Free to leave the house unlocked or the car unlocked. Free to let our children play with no fear of them being stolen. If everyone loved their neighbour as themselves that command would bring such freedom. Like Jennifer said, we can be a slave to sin or a slave to Christ. There is no third option.
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Our freedom in Christ is certainly the most important thing! Thanks for joining us at #FridayFrivolity!
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Your post is a good way to explain I Pet 2 :16. Thanks for sharing your post at Together on Tuesdays 🙂
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