It is a matter of perspective.
In the mid-19th Century, there were two slave brothers in the Deep South. Steven, the older brother, longed to be free from the tyranny of the slave owner. But the younger brother, Franklin, considered his brother foolish. "What do you expect to find out there?" he'd mock. "Here we have table scraps to eat, a shack to live in, and rags to keep us covered at night when we sleep. There is nothing out there we don't have in here." Steven wouldn't buy it though. "How can you eat when your brethren are starving to death? How can you enjoy resting in a shack tonight when tomorrow you will get whipped out in the fields?" Franklin wouldn't reject the safety of the plantation, nor would Steven accept being controlled by the slave drivers.
And Steven tried to escape. on one occasion he made a run for it overnight, but the bloodhounds tracked him down. the next time he was halted by the owner holding a rifle.
Then, the Civil War came and went, and then the 13th Amendment became ratified, freeing all slaves in every state.
Now Steven was finally free. He married, found a decent paying job where he could afford a nice house and to feed a family. Franklin, however, couldn't handle his freedom. His spirit was so broken that he desired to be back in the security blanket of the plantation. He eventually committed some crimes and was put in prison, where he found that security in a jail cell, and found security in the support of the state.
It is a matter of perspective.
Some Christians see faithfulness as a burden, and they don't want to give up sin for the sake of Christ. However, what they fail to see is that they are in slavery, under control of a merciless thing known by the Bible as "the flesh." Jesus stated, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin." John 8:34. Paul echoed this in his own struggles:
For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am of flesh, sold into bondage to sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate. But if I do the very thing I do not want to do, I agree with the Law, confessing that the Law is good. So now, no longer am I the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
Romans 7:14-19
Some Christians are like Franklin, in that they don't want to be away from the very thing that has enslaved them. However, a few are like Stephen, in that they recognize the slavery for what it is, and they longed for freedom. Jesus also said, "The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son does remain forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:35,36. In Christ, one can be free from sin, and its control over one's life. Do you want to be free? Because I believe Christ is faithful in honoring his promise in John 8:36. But, even though we may still fail, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16.
You can be like Steven, or like Franklin. It is, after all, a matter of perspective.
Published: Array
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