[i]
So 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
Two-hundred and fifty years ago, those three words, freedom, independence, and liberty, became the war cry of our predecessors living under the British thumb in the American colonies. Have you ever thought about the differences in the definitions of these terms? The words are similar in meaning, and the concepts behind them are connected; however, they remain distinct from one another in personal, political, and philosophic realms.
Freedom: Seen as a fundamental human right for humans to think, act, or speak the way they believe. Freedom includes all aspects of private and public life in the absence of control over an individual’s thoughts, actions, motives, or speech. [ii]
Independence: Individuals rely upon themselves and do not depend upon others, including the state or other entities to dictate or provide for their food, shelter, and apparel. As well, the people, while part of a structured system, are not controlled by the state without representation. The system is based upon self-rule without influences from outside the citizenry. In other words, a king cannot have dictatorial authority.[iii]
Liberty: Liberty is, simply stated, a structured freedom of word and deed. Both the individual and the state function within the bounds of the law as well as social norms. Although an individual may think as he chooses, he or she are not at liberty to act upon thoughts infringing on his neighbors’ rights. This includes civil rights and legal structures protecting his neighbor. iii The phrase, “My right to swing my fist ends where your nose begins,”[iv] explains liberty.
Human opinion is not infallible. Human beliefs, although we are free to believe them and try to sway others to accept them, are based upon imperfect understanding of God’s truth. This is why our founding fathers insisted on the separation of Church and State. They are two separate entities, since the State is based upon human opinion, and the Church is based upon God’s word.
What, then, does Jesus mean when He says, “The truth will set you free?” How do we know what is true when what one individual believes another may see as heresy? Pilate asked Jesus, “What is truth?” He yielded to the so-called “truth” of the religious hierarchy and crucified the Truth. I watched a movie last evening where the characters believed two different sides of the same story. They concluded that there were two different truths based upon their perspectives. These conclusions were opinions. Truth is not opinion. Jesus refers here to spiritual truth, a truth based upon the infallible Word of God. He states: “If you abide in my word … you will know the truth …”
The human spirit finds the truth in knowing what God’s word says. Yes, in our freedom we may believe what we will; we can independently choose the “god of choice;” and we are at liberty to share our beliefs with others so long as we do not force our belief on them. No matter. God’s word stands as the standard not only as the truth, but also for our freedom from wrongly pursuing our own way to God.
Yes, do celebrate our freedom, our independence, and our liberty, while at the same time, ask yourself if you are free, indeed.”
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8: 36
Challenge:
Celebrate our nation’s freedom, independence, and liberty by assessing your freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Prayer:
Thank you, Lord, for our nation. Bless our country with peace and abundance. Thank you, even more, for providing the freedom from our own struggles to try to achieve a perfection, making us good enough to come before the King of Kings. Thank you for the Truth of Your word and our freedom in the Lord Jesus Christ. Help us to know God’s word in order to present a defense of the truth of God. In the Savior’s name, Amen.
[i] This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
[ii] https://thisvsthat.io/freedom-vs-liberty
[iii] https://www.whatisdifferencebetween.com/politics/what-is-the-difference-between-independence-freedom-and-liberty.html/
[iv] Abraham Lincoln
[v] https://cliparts.co/cliparts/8cx/Kqo/8cxKqoq5i.jpg
[vi] Stock image
