FREEDOM
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said this powerful statement shortly before his assassination, “Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty I am free at last.” Have you ever been in a situation where you were oppressed, demoralized, or just downright mistreated? If you have, then you know the yearning for freedom and the impulse to say, “Hey! I’m a human being who deserves to be treated with respect, kindness, and love.”
For a person to be free, of anything, he must first do the things necessary to attain that freedom. Houdini, the greatest escape artist of all time, must have been a person who was obsessed with freedom. His training needed to be of the highest caliber. Yet, he didn’t gain his abilities by just saying, “I am going to be a great escape artist.” He became a great escape artist because of the effort he put into it. Houdini’s fortitude for freedom is a good analogy for life. For example, abused women will achieve freedom from physical abuse only if they have the determination to say and do the things to receive that freedom. Also, children need a society that will stand up for them against adults who are physically and sexually abusive. Freedom is the right given to all people who live within the United States of America; yet, freedom is not cheap.
In our country, the fight for freedom has taken many paths and many more casualties. This country fought for our independence from England. The North fought against the South for the freedom of those who were under the bondage of slavery. The women’s movement fought for their right to vote. This country fought in two great world wars, Korea, Viet Nam, and twice in Iraq. Why? Well, that is a good question. Some people may have fought for money. Other people may have fought for politics. And still other people may have fought for the desire to kill. Fortunately, those who are oppressed know why this country fought—once they were oppressed and now they have been made free.
Oppression comes in many forms, but the greatest oppression of all is of a spiritual nature. All people share this oppression. It is the penalty of spiritual death because of our disobedience to God. “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:13-15; cf. Romans 3:23; 6:23). Now, imagine if you lived in a land that was surrounded by immeasurable walls and under the power of an evil tyrant who demanded not only your flesh but your soul, you pain, and your fear. What would you do to become free? What could you do to become free? Now continue to imagine this “Hell-of-a-place”. Would this be the place where you would want to be? Would this be the place where you would want your family to be? The sane and responsible answer would be – “No, absolutely not, no way!!” Interestingly enough, this reality is true of a person who is not a child of God (Matthew 5:29; 10:28; 11:23; 23:15, 33; Luke 12:5; 16:23; James 3:6; 2 Peter 2:4).
Spiritually, sin comes into the world for each of us when we choose to be disobedient to God’s will (John 3:36). Therefore, when we choose to be disobedient, we choose to be placed in a spiritually, wicked land with immeasurable walls. Once there, we find that we cannot get out under our own power. The great news is that there is a way to get out of this “Hell-of-a-prison”. His name is Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18; Revelation 1:17-18). Jesus is the one who saves people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Jesus is the one who seeks and saves the lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus is the one who sets people free (Galatians 5:1). Yet, Jesus doesn’t force anyone to be free. Freedom must be desired, chosen, and accepted (Acts 2:14-47). It must be a life of dedication. “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:24-25). “Free at last, free at last, thank god Almighty I am free at last.”—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Lord’s humbled . . . John A. Reeves
For a person to be free, of anything, he must first do the things necessary to attain that freedom. Houdini, the greatest escape artist of all time, must have been a person who was obsessed with freedom. His training needed to be of the highest caliber. Yet, he didn’t gain his abilities by just saying, “I am going to be a great escape artist.” He became a great escape artist because of the effort he put into it. Houdini’s fortitude for freedom is a good analogy for life. For example, abused women will achieve freedom from physical abuse only if they have the determination to say and do the things to receive that freedom. Also, children need a society that will stand up for them against adults who are physically and sexually abusive. Freedom is the right given to all people who live within the United States of America; yet, freedom is not cheap.
In our country, the fight for freedom has taken many paths and many more casualties. This country fought for our independence from England. The North fought against the South for the freedom of those who were under the bondage of slavery. The women’s movement fought for their right to vote. This country fought in two great world wars, Korea, Viet Nam, and twice in Iraq. Why? Well, that is a good question. Some people may have fought for money. Other people may have fought for politics. And still other people may have fought for the desire to kill. Fortunately, those who are oppressed know why this country fought—once they were oppressed and now they have been made free.
Oppression comes in many forms, but the greatest oppression of all is of a spiritual nature. All people share this oppression. It is the penalty of spiritual death because of our disobedience to God. “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” (James 1:13-15; cf. Romans 3:23; 6:23). Now, imagine if you lived in a land that was surrounded by immeasurable walls and under the power of an evil tyrant who demanded not only your flesh but your soul, you pain, and your fear. What would you do to become free? What could you do to become free? Now continue to imagine this “Hell-of-a-place”. Would this be the place where you would want to be? Would this be the place where you would want your family to be? The sane and responsible answer would be – “No, absolutely not, no way!!” Interestingly enough, this reality is true of a person who is not a child of God (Matthew 5:29; 10:28; 11:23; 23:15, 33; Luke 12:5; 16:23; James 3:6; 2 Peter 2:4).
Spiritually, sin comes into the world for each of us when we choose to be disobedient to God’s will (John 3:36). Therefore, when we choose to be disobedient, we choose to be placed in a spiritually, wicked land with immeasurable walls. Once there, we find that we cannot get out under our own power. The great news is that there is a way to get out of this “Hell-of-a-prison”. His name is Jesus Christ (Matthew 16:18; Revelation 1:17-18). Jesus is the one who saves people from their sins (Matthew 1:21). Jesus is the one who seeks and saves the lost (Luke 19:10). Jesus is the one who sets people free (Galatians 5:1). Yet, Jesus doesn’t force anyone to be free. Freedom must be desired, chosen, and accepted (Acts 2:14-47). It must be a life of dedication. “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:24-25). “Free at last, free at last, thank god Almighty I am free at last.”—Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The Lord’s humbled . . . John A. Reeves