Referring to our Western culture, Christian apologist Abdu Murray states, “If we are autonomous beings that elevate preferences over truth, we will be in a state of chaos.” *

For a case study of the veracity of Murray’s statement, read chapters 19-21 of the book of Judges in the Bible.  Warning: you will likely be disturbed by what you read.  “Why is that in the Bible?” some may ask.  The moral degradation that is revealed in that time is directly connected to a philosophy that was adopted by the people: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25).

If every person does what he or she wants – without regard to morality or how it may affect others – then the result is moral chaos and degradation.  “If we are autonomous beings that elevate preferences over truth, we will be in a state of chaos.”  Because of this truth, Murray concludes that “true freedom requires boundaries.” *

Dr. Tony Evans has illustrated the concept of freedom within boundaries by using the analogy of a kite:

There was a kite that thought to itself one day, “It sure would be nice if I wasn’t hooked up to this string. This string is holding me back. There’s this man down there holding onto this string. If I was just free from the string, I could fly so much higher. I could get so much farther. I wish that man down there would let the string go so I could be free to be me and fly to the sky.”

The man let the string go, and the kite thought to itself, “Whee! I’m free.” So the kite was just flying up there and flopping all over in its newfound freedom — no longer subordinate to someone holding the string. Until a fierce wind came by. It began to take control of the kite. It slammed the kite to the ground, tearing it to shreds, breaking the wooden pieces that held it together.

Now the kite was destroyed because it didn’t understand one thing. It was being held by the string so it could fly and soar. But the moment it detached itself from the person holding it, there was no freedom. The kite became subject to an enemy ready to slam the kite, at the right time and in the right place.

Likewise, we can choose to be free from God. But we will then be free for the Devil to come slam us unless we give God permission to hold onto that string. We’d be wise to declare, “God, I don’t want to be free of You!” *

The truth is: we are selfish, sinful creatures (Romans 3:23).  When we “do what is right in our own eyes” ignoring the Word of God, we bring chaos and destruction.

However, God still loves us and wants to save us.  He gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16; Romans 5:8-10), so that through Him we can be saved and live eternally with Him (Romans 6:23).

God will save and give eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turn from their sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).  He will continue to cleanse from sin those who continue to walk in the light of His Word (1 John 1:7-9).

And, in His Word, God reveals the way we ought to live and experience true freedom: freedom to live as we ought within the boundaries set by our loving Creator.

-- David A. Sargent

* Information gleaned from “True Freedom” by Marylin Joy Tyner of POW Apologetics, www.powapologetics.com.

David A. Sargent, Minister

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695

Archived issues of Living Water can be viewed and accessed from our website at: www.creekwoodcc.org