Is Freedom Always Worth the Cost?

When I read articles like this recent one by Maureen Dowd and today's story by Damien Cave, I'm saddened by what seems to be a lose-lose situation regarding the pursuit of "freedom." Licentiousness, or the total lack of constraint, is a synonym for anarchy, or lawlessness. One of my mantras from my youth has been, "Boundaries bring freedom." In a country and a society that laud "freedom" as the ultimate virtue, it is inevitable that this value will be tested to its limits.

Today, and each new day that dawns in this epic age, we in the "free world" are confronted with this perennial question: What is freedom? Is it always desirable, or is my axiom true?

How we define liberty holds the key to this question's answer.

Consider these words on the nature of true freedom:

Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).

The apostle Peter said, "For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God" (1 Peter 2:15-16).

Three points of note here:

1. Freedom that is not rooted in truth is really slavery.
2. Freedom that does not find its expression in that which is good (i.e., in accordance with God's good created order) is really slavery.
3. True freedom is bondage to the will of God.

What do these truths (or rather, three facets of a single truth) have to do with the above articles? Think about it, and post your thoughts.

Shalom,

Matt