Lately I've been hearing the claim that desiring to maintain your freedom is selfish.
Those who assert this are often the same ones who argue we should do whatever the state tells us, because it has the best interests of everyone in mind.
What should we make of this?
Is wanting to be free selfish?
Well first off, please remember... as a minister of justice (Rom.13), a primary role of the state is to preserve liberty, not take it away.
So when the state reduces freedom -- except in cases of biblically-defined criminal behavior -- it's misusing the power God has ordained for it to have.
But here's a larger point to remember about your freedom...
In the beginning, God created mankind to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth and subdue it (Gen.1:28).
This command --- known as the dominion mandate -- presumes we'd have maximum freedom in order to fulfill it.
When sin came on the scene, the use of freedom became twisted.
But Jesus came to set humanity free with His truth (Jn.8:32), putting us back on course to use freedom rightly -- and flourish as a result.
So with the coming of Christ, freedom of all kinds -- religious, political, economic -- ought to be protected and pursued.
And it's not selfish to do so.
Sure, in a fallen world there will be those who use their freedom selfishly.
But freedom is at the heart of what God intends for us as humans... so we might thrive in our relationship with Him and in the good we can do for our neighbor.
"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery" (Gal.5:1).
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