What's the difference between American's concept of Freedom and Christian Freedom?
The difference between the American view of freedom and the Biblical view of freedom is that American freedom sees freedom as an end in itself. The goal is to possess and secure the freedom to choose and do as we please. It is selfish and inwardly focused. What one chooses is irrelevant so long as the right to choose is granted.
Biblical freedom on the other hand is not concerned with securing individual rights, but in removing restraints that keep people from loving and serving one another. The Bible says, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13). The Christian must not make the mistake of assuming that the American concept of freedom is the same concept as the Biblical concept of freedom. Christians are people who “were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). We were enslaved to self and whatever freedom we thought we had was not exercised for the good of others, but for our selfish desires. The Bible does not call this freedom, but enslavement to sin and self. The American freedom so many boast of today is not freedom at all, but a form of enslavement. This is the effect of sin. It blinds and makes evil to appear good.
Biblical freedom on the other hand is not concerned with securing individual rights, but in removing restraints that keep people from loving and serving one another. The Bible says, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13). The Christian must not make the mistake of assuming that the American concept of freedom is the same concept as the Biblical concept of freedom. Christians are people who “were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another” (Titus 3:3). We were enslaved to self and whatever freedom we thought we had was not exercised for the good of others, but for our selfish desires. The Bible does not call this freedom, but enslavement to sin and self. The American freedom so many boast of today is not freedom at all, but a form of enslavement. This is the effect of sin. It blinds and makes evil to appear good.
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