Monday, October 31, 2005

Land of the Free, Home of the Slave

America is known as the land of free. Too often this freedom, which is a staple of Americanism, is confused with Christianity. What you get is such cases is the understanding of Christianity that is declared by the likes of Cheryl Swoopes. You see, she believes in America that she has the right to be free as a lesbian. In this, she is right. However, she also believes that in Christ she has the right to be free as a lesbian. In this, she is wrong. You see, freedom in American is often a bondservant of sin. Yet, freedom in the Kingdom of God is always a bondservant to Jesus Christ. What is the difference between biblical freedom and Swoopes' freedom? Here's an illustration that aptly describes it:

Two women may jump from an airplane and experience the thrilling freedom of freefalling. But there is a difference: one is encumbered by a parachute on her back, the other is free from this burden. Which person is most free? The one without the parachute feels free, even freer, since she does not feel the constraints of the parachute straps. But she is not truly free. She is in bondage to the force of gravity and to the deception that all is well because she feels unencumbered. This false sense of freedom is in fact bondage to calamity which is sure to happen after a fleeting moment of pleasure. (John Piper, What is the Difference)

Ms. Swoopes should serve as a sobering reminder to all of us, that sin is deceitful. We are all prone to exchange the truth of God for a lie, and believe that true freedom is the throwing off of the restraints of God's law. Yet it is God's law that graciously serves as our comfort and security from the freefall of sin. We can only pray that Ms. Swoopes would come to realize her awful predicament and repent and cry out for God's mercy and forgiveness before she hits the ground.

1 comment:

Scott Nichols said...

Very insightful. Thanks!