The Enemy of Freedom

We in America are, ostensibly, all about freedom. You know ... "land of the free" ... that kind of thing. But are we? In his epistle to the church at Colossae, Paul told them about his deep concern.

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ. (Col 2:1-2)

A great struggle, he said. What was it? That their hearts may be encouraged. How? By being "knit together in love." I love that. He was urging believers to be encouraged by being knit together in love. Sure, they had their differences. Sure they had their own problems. But, above everything else, their hearts were as one in love. To what end? To obtain the "riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery" which, he makes quite clear, "is Christ." Christ, having been previously unknown ("mystery"), is now revealed, and knowing and understanding Him produces full assurance. "I say this," he goes on to say, "in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments" (Col 2:4). Ah! The danger of "plausible arguments." He explains.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Col 2:8)

"Plausible arguments," then, run the risk of taking you captive. Philosophy and empty deceit could easily steal your freedom. They could wrap you up in their plausibility and cause you to lose your freedom. Now, isn't that odd? I think so, because the "philosophy and empty deceit" that he is talking about is a good description of the world in which we live.

Isn't this what you see and hear daily? "God didn't make the world; it was Evolution. See? Look at the science." "The ultimate good is not truth; it is to be yourself." "It's not a sin to love a person of the same sex; love is never a sin." "Forget about Christ and His Word; speaking my truth is the most powerful tool we have." "God's instructions? Don't be silly. All I need is the freedom to be myself." Note, by the way, that it isn't simply all philosophy that is the problem. It is philosophy rooted in "human tradition" built upon "the elemental spirits of the world." "Genesis is just a myth. Science can tell you that." One commentator says it's like bringing a lamp to a sundial to tell time at night. "Your Bible is all well and good, but we know better." And this kind of philosophy is described as "empty deceit." This kind of philosophy, based on mere tradition and worldly perspective ends up canceling your freedom.

The text goes on to say that freedom is found in Christ (Col 2:8) who so far exceeds mere human tradition and elemental spirits because "in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" (Col 2:9). How does human tradition and elemental spirits deal with that? How do they compete? But they do, don't they? Because in our world people -- even so-called "freedom-loving" people -- are swift to surrender their freedom to less than Christ. Jesus is God Incarnate. He is truth (John 14:6). Human philosophy can muddle about trying to guess at things; Christ gives a sure foundation.

Our world is confident they can figure it out on their own. Don't do it. Not you. Believers have something better. Believers have genuine freedom as opposed to, say, "free thinkers" who aren't allowed to think about certain things like miracles and God. (How does that make sense?) Or "Christians" who don't need God's Word to know what's true. They live in a world bounded by matter and human reasoning (Jer 17:9) and we live in a world under God. Real freedom. Not that (fleeting) version that America and so much of the world are choosing to prefer.