Authority and Freedom Written by Ron Bartanen | | | We celebrate freedom! Since our nation’s founding, multitudes have forsaken their homelands in quest for the freedoms guaranteed by our nation’s Constitution. The human heart yearns to be free. The U.S.A. has been uniquely blessed as the “land of liberty.” Few, however, seem to give much thought to the source of freedom. Is freedom found in government—the assumption being that those in government are truly looking out for the well-being of its citizens, and not seeking power and material gain? The inevitable consequence of the evolution of government is toward eventual tyranny. Some would suggest that freedom is found in self—let every man “do his own thing.” The end result is personal destruction as one becomes enslaved by his own greed and passions. History proves that freedom does not come without recognition of personal responsibilities in all areas of life. I say, “personal responsibilities,” because some assume freedom is compatible with submission to, and dependence upon, either ecclesiastical or governmental authorities. In the case of the first, the Apostle Paul declared that those who allowed themselves to be bound by human ordinances were “in bondage” (Galatians 4:3 , 9-10). In regard to the second, the more a citizenry becomes dependent upon government for their livelihood, the higher the price of the loss of freedom is to be expected. The final cost is total subservience to government. It is such as is described in Revelation 13 —a “beast” (government, or a personal head-of-government,, whether already fulfilled, or yet to be fulfilled, or both) who so controls the enslaved populace that the right to life depends upon their total allegiance to the “beast”: “that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name” (v. 17). Has our nation collectively thought that we could evict God from His throne? Do we”imagine a vain thing” (Psa. 2:1 )? Are we among the nations that are said to stand “against the LORD, and against his anointed (Christ), saying, ‘Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their words from us’” (vs. 2-3)? The King of the universe will not demurely go away, but will “speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (v. 5). Through His Son (vs. 6-7), to whom He has granted all authority (v. 8), He will “break them with a rod of iron, (and) dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (v. 9). Those in government (v. 10) are given stern warning: “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little” (vs. 11-12a). But there is comfort for nations which do not lift themselves up against God: “Blessed are all they that put their trust in him (the Son)” (v. 12b). Have we imagined that we can, as a nation, pretend that God and His Son do not exist, and that they have abdicated their authority, and yet maintain our freedoms? As we put them out of our public (government) schools and virtually all government-related institutions, we are not without religion. Our national religion becomes secular humanism—where Man becomes his own god. Where God and Jesus are taboo in our children’s schools, they have been replaced by “politically correct” Darwin and Marx. Patrick Henry correctly stated, “It cannot be emphasized too often or too strongly that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.” Jesus said, “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free…. And if the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:32 , 36). He and His word are the roots of our freedom. Apart from such roots we can expect only growing tyranny and eventual destruction as a nation. The many woes our nation is now facing will not be easily solved by either political party. It will require more than votes. Changes may improve matters—but only temporarily. The only permanent solution will be the nation’s willingness to once again recognize and honor God. His promise is, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 ). –Ron
Posted on: Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:43:23 +0000
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