I think the word freedom can be defined in many different ways, just as people come to understand the word freedom in many different ways.
As I read over the paragraph in the Super-Ultra, I was reminded of Socrates and Thoreau. Socrates was sentenced to death because he opposed the Athenian model of "might makes right" as he proposed moral goodness to the society. Instead of allowing the state to have control over him and executing him, he drank the poison in prison, showing his freedom over the government. Thoreau peacefully refused to pay certain taxes, especially taxes he saw as unjust, particularly taxes supporting the Mexican-American War. He said he would pay for roads, schools, etc. but not in support of injustice. Jesus, on the other hand, was sent to the Cross under false accusations. Yet, Jesus was unwilling to deny what he knew was Truth in order to save his own life. He believed that freedom for humanity rested in his obedience to a Power higher than the Roman government.
As we begin to evaluate the meaning of freedom, I think it is important to define it. Do we find our freedom in the state, of America being "Land of the Free"? Or do we find it in Christ, who for the sake of him we ought to lose all earthly treasures (Philippians 7-10)? The minute we realize that God rescued His people from bondage and out of Egypt and Christ rescued us from the hands of sin and out of slavery to sin, that is when we become free.
As I have been learnt through my classes in Peace Studies, we cannot support anything that supports injustice. God is the King of Justice, as he shows hundreds/thousands of times throughout the Old Testament. If we have become free from the bondage of sin, then we have become free from the bondage of injustice, and we must 'fight' injustice with our freedom in Christ. Our freedom in Christ is a call for us to understand our personal freedom, but it doesn't stop there. In our love for Christ, we must move toward that love for people, in which we use our freedom in Christ to show Christ's peaceful, loving, and just nature to others.
God's shalom and Christ's eirene (peace) to you all!
I love the fact that when they sought to make Jesus king he ran away.
ReplyDeleteChrist's exchange with Pilate is a great example of the themes you develop in your post. "If my kingdom was of this world, my servants would fight."
In summary (like we shared at the retreat) - instead of crucifying Romans Jesus conquered Jerusalem and all creation by allowing Romans to crucify Him. He conquered by dying for His enemies (my heart included :))
To walk like Jesus looks a lot like abandoning political capital and conquering the principalities and powers by sacrificial, self-giving servant love.
All of these ideas in different contexts can be debated but at this point in time for me personally I am persuaded that having my head sawed off (literally sawed off with a dull knife) by a political system that resists Christ's indomitable grace creates an intense, eternal announcement of God's radical in-breaking of the messianic kingdom and new world order.
Simply stated (since this is not a well-written post) - Dying for my enemies announces His good news and conquers hearts.