"Don't tell me what to do!"

We love our freedom! Self-determination or autonomy is an American value that ranks at the top of the list of the things we want in life. If offered two jobs, one providing a higher level of pay but less choice about how to do the job or less pay with greater freedom, most Americans say they would take the job with greater personal freedom. Freedom is great, but it is never absolute. Because we live in community, our personal freedom is always balanced against the welfare of others. For example, we are not free to drive as fast as we want to on public roads because some would fail to regulate their speed for the common good. Laws regulate the exercise of freedom. In an ideal world, there would be such a level of respect for others that laws would be largely unnecessary, but we don't live in an ideal world!

In the Bible, we are taught that we are 'free' in Christ! Jesus declared, "you will know the truth and the truth will set you free!" (John 8:32) God, by His Spirit, set us free from the tyranny of Satan, giving us the ability to choose to live holy lives. He made us free from the need for a priest, inviting each of us to 'come boldly to the throne of grace to receive mercy' at the direct invitation of Jesus Christ. In Galatians 5:1-2, the Word reminds us that we are free of religious systems that would limit our access to God by forcing a code of behavior on us -"Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. Indeed I, Paul, say to you that if you become circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing." (NKJV) No one can say to us that we must observe certain dietary laws, holy days, or such things in order to be a Christian. At the close of the book of Romans, we are told that we must not make God's work into a set of laws regulating such matters, for we are free to respond to the Spirit individually. Balancing that wonderful truth, Paul reminds us (using an illustration of what foods are 'right' to eat) -"...if another Christian is distressed by what you eat, you are not acting in love if you eat it. Don’t let your eating ruin someone for whom Christ died." (Romans 14:15-16, NLT)

There is a misuse of freedom that is all too common, when freedom is twisted into an expression of selfishness and rebelliousness where the Believer resists all spiritual authority, and fails to find his place in a church community. I've heard this mistaken declaration, in one form or another, hundreds of times: "I serve God in my own way. I don't need to part of a church or accept the spiritual authority of a pastor to be a Christian." That is simply not true, though it is very appealing to most of us. Many Christians, as a result of misunderstanding their freedom in Christ, live as a law to themselves, accepting no guidance, saying in word and action, "Don't tell me what to do!" In the middle of a discussion of the Believer's relationship to government and issues surrounding slavery, Peter makes this demand of all of us who are Christ-followers: "Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right. For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king." (1 Peter 2:13-17, NIV)

Be free! Revel in God's acceptance of YOU, His love for YOU, the fact that YOU know Him and live in His gift of grace.
Submit to Him reverently and as a love slave, not a dutiful servant.

And... submit to one another, not because you have to, but because you want to! The person who is truly free finds that it is no burden to serve God, the needy, or his family. Indeed, it is this very freedom that allows us to serve best!
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