- Why don’t people follow Christ?
- Many reasons
- Big reason – they see Christian life as restricting freedom
- Conversely, St. Paul says Christ came to free us
- Definition of freedom
- Secular definition
- “Ability to do what I want, when I want to, and how I want to.”
- Christian definition
- “Able to do what we ought to do”
- Ability to do that which is right
- First definition is not freedom, but license
- Abuse of freedom
- “Able to do what we ought to do”
- Secular definition
- Difference in definitions
- First sees laws as restrictions on freedom
- Second sees legitimate laws as enhancing freedom
- Analogy is out-of-bounds rules in football or soccer
- Limit area of play != restriction of freedom in play
- Analogy is out-of-bounds rules in football or soccer
- St. Paul encourages us to follow the second definition
- Not first
- Hear first understanding of freedom when someone “doesn’t need dogmas”
- Sees doctrines, dogmas, etc. as rules which restrict
- Christian view of freedom
- Dogmas, doctrines, etc. set out-of-bounds for following Christ
- So long as we’re in the field, we’re in good standing
- Rather than restrict, limits free us
- Don’t have to worry about being in right relationship
- It’s not hard to know if we’re in right relationship w/ Christ
- Seek to know and understand the rules and live them in love for Christ and our neighbor
- Not selfishly
- Seek to know and understand the rules and live them in love for Christ and our neighbor
- Dogmas, doctrines, etc. set out-of-bounds for following Christ
- True freedom brings a joy we will never find if we live merely for ourselves
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Excellent!