Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Obedience to God's Law is Liberty
In
1843 a massive granite structure was erected in Worcester, MA. The stately building would be expanded many
times and would dominate Lincoln Square for many years. Eventually the labyrinth of grand halls,
courtrooms and offices totaled 180,000 square feet. This edifice served as Worcester County
Courthouse until 2007. Etched in stone above
the Greek revival pillars that face Main Street is a thought-provoking quote which
is usually credited to the Roman philosopher Boethius. The inscription reads: "Obedience to the
Law is Liberty."
Although
that statement may be unnerving to some and politically incorrect to others I
think a simple word substitution would make it perfect. With my edit it would read: "Obedience
to God's law is liberty."
It
may be as far-fetched as Science fiction, but just imagine what the world would
be like if you and I, and every other
human being in the world, would agree not to steal, kill or commit
adultery -- most of the world's problems
could be solved that easily. Suppose
every human being obeyed God's laws and avoided strong drink -- much suffering,
many diseases, many disability issues and much poverty would be eradicated. What if every man loved God with his whole
heart and selflessly loved his neighbor as himself -- we wouldn't need tort
reform, locks or even armies. Imagine the liberty our world would enjoy if
everyone obeyed God's laws.
The
Psalmist said it like this: "Joyful are people of integrity, who follow
the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are
those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they
walk only in his paths... O LORD, you are righteous, and your regulations are
fair. Your laws are perfect and
completely trustworthy. I am overwhelmed
with indignation, for my enemies have disregarded your words. Your promises have been thoroughly tested;
that is why I love them so much." Psalm 119:1-3, 137-140 (NLT)
Realistically
complete liberty for all is not feasible in this world, simply because many
people have chosen to disregard, or even disdain, God's wisdom. The questions arise, "What if I am
obeying God and others are not? How
should I live when other try to take advantage of my law-abiding ways?" The answer was beautifully demonstrated in the
life of Jesus Christ. As God in the
flesh, Jesus lived life the way He designed it to be lived. As a result of His life, the history of
mankind was dramatically altered.
Millions have followed in His footsteps and experienced personal
liberty. Entire countries, such as America, have enjoyed liberty to the extent
that they have applied God's laws. Jesus
showed us that we can live by God's law no matter how bigoted, or foolish or
cruel our fellow man might be. Doing the
right thing does not smooth all of life's problems, but it does make us free.
Obedience to God's law is liberty!
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