Freedom is Slavery
I've been working on a paper in my Scriptures 4 class that centers on Galatians 5 and freedom. It has challenged my thinking and prompted me to create this post.
Freedom is one of the greatest ideals that our society upholds. After all that's why our country fought the revolutionary war, to be free of 'tyranny.' We would rather die then have someone or something infringe upon our rights. We believe that our political/religious freedom allows us to do whatever we want, with very few limits and this even extends into the arena of the church (how many people in the church today are willing to lay down what they want for what the community wants? we always demand our rights).
But is political freedom and 'rights' what the bible means by freedom? I recently heard a sermon that talked about the necessity of religious freedom that quoted Galatians. I think religious freedom is of great importance; after all we as Baptist have suffered persecution because we didn't have religious freedom. BUT I’m not so sure the biblical text is the best place to go for EXPLICIT scriptural backing about religious freedom . The text quoted was Galatians 5:13 says, "For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another."
Yes!! We are called to freedom but in this context it is freedom from the law and monoculturalism, not a political/religious freedom. What is freedom in the biblical sense? Well it's slavery. Bu how does that work? How can freedom be slavery?
I'll write a little more when i finish my paper :)
Freedom is one of the greatest ideals that our society upholds. After all that's why our country fought the revolutionary war, to be free of 'tyranny.' We would rather die then have someone or something infringe upon our rights. We believe that our political/religious freedom allows us to do whatever we want, with very few limits and this even extends into the arena of the church (how many people in the church today are willing to lay down what they want for what the community wants? we always demand our rights).
But is political freedom and 'rights' what the bible means by freedom? I recently heard a sermon that talked about the necessity of religious freedom that quoted Galatians. I think religious freedom is of great importance; after all we as Baptist have suffered persecution because we didn't have religious freedom. BUT I’m not so sure the biblical text is the best place to go for EXPLICIT scriptural backing about religious freedom . The text quoted was Galatians 5:13 says, "For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another."
Yes!! We are called to freedom but in this context it is freedom from the law and monoculturalism, not a political/religious freedom. What is freedom in the biblical sense? Well it's slavery. Bu how does that work? How can freedom be slavery?
I'll write a little more when i finish my paper :)
posted by Ellis Family at 12:23 AM
2 Comments:
BLASPHEMY! sorry, always wanted to write that in a post. i think it works, in the way that Augustine thought about it: that to be free is to be in communion with/aligned to the will of God. thus, slavery to God is freedom in that we are fully made.
Things that make you go "Hmmmm"...
Well, I'd agree that 'Freedom is Slavery', but perhaps in a different light.
There was a provision written in the Law for the Israelites that allowed a freed slave to choose to become the bondservant of his former master. Now he did this, probably b/c it was the only way for survival for him. Or b/c slavery was what he was familiar with. Or b/c he simply loved his master and his family.
As Christians, we see ourselves as that slave who has been set free. But yet, instead of choosing to run off in our freedom, I guess similar to the prodigal son, we choose to be bondservants out of love for God.
Or perhaps for survival.
Maybe I'll go find that verse and blog about it...lest I start to sound like a youth minister again. ("There's a verse that says this...there's a verse that says that!")
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