FREE SLAVES

152 years ago on September 22, 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation and declared that as of January 1, 1863, all slaves in states in rebellion against the Union "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.
All those people, by law, had the same rights as every other person in society. Of course we know there were many who were upset about that and did not allow them certain rights and tried to twist the law and do things to show they didn’t deserve to be free. According to those people, “They need to be controlled and contained by us.” Those now unrestricted free agents had the right to do just as other citizens.

Just like those back then, we have rights just like the rest of the citizens in the United States. We have the Freedom of Religion, which guarantees to all Americans the right to practice any religion they choose, or to practice no religion at all.

We have the right to express our ideas and opinions when we speak which is called Freedom of Speech. This freedom guarantees that Americans are free to express their thoughts and ideas about anything. They may talk freely to their friends and neighbors or speak in public to a group of people. 

We have the freedom to express our ideas and opinions in writing which is known as Freedom of the Press.

Another priceless freedom guaranteed by the First Amendment is Freedom of Assembly, or freedom to hold meetings. Americans are free to meet together to discuss problems and to plan their actions.

The Freedom of Petition is the right to ask your government to do something or to refrain from doing something.

The Second Amendment to the Constitution guarantees Americans The Right to Bear Arms which gives us the right to own an armed weapon.

The Fifth Amendment guarantees Americans The Right to Own Private Property. No person may take away anything that we own. Nor can the government seize our land, money, or other forms of property without cause, or without paying for it.

To make doubly sure that Americans should enjoy every right and freedom possible, Amendment Nine was added to the Constitution. This amendment states that the list of rights contained in the Bill of Rights is not complete. There are many other rights that all Americans have and will continue to have even though they are not mentioned in the Bill of Rights. Among them are the following.

1. Freedom to live or travel anywhere in our nation
2. Freedom to work at any job for which we can qualify
3. Freedom to marry and raise a family
4. Freedom to receive a free education in good public schools
5. Freedom to join a political party, a union, and other legal groups

Some people see that they have all these rights and now they want to exhaust them. They go and buy a gun, join any religious group, speaking out saying whatever they want to say, writing and putting out whatever they want to put on display in a book magazine or newspaper. Those rights we now have make those things okay to do. People do many things in this world, just because they can.

We however as Disciples of God, are to live differently. I Peter 2:15-17, ¹⁵ For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. ¹⁶ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves. (Exercise your freedom by serving God, not by breaking the rules.) ¹⁷ Show proper respect to everyone (Treat everyone you meet with dignity, love the family of believers, fear (respect and reverence) God, honor the emperor (or the government). (NIV)

You want to know how to shut a foolish person up, say nothing but follow God’s way. Make yourself a slave to the Word. That scripture I just mentioned talks about living as a slave of God. Every time I hear the word slave, I think of someone who is bound. In actuality, it is quite the opposite.

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.
 
We shouldn’t do things just because we can. This only shows a lack of self control. Ancient philosopher and poet of China “He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” ― Lao Tzu

 

Where in our lives are we doing things just because we can? We tell our children do as I say not as I do. We tell people, I do stuff because I am grown and because I can. 

I was having a conversation with my daughter last night about her phone. She is 11 years old and loves her iPhone 6 I just got for her. Every time I see her she is typing on it, messaging someone, taking pictures, surfing the internet, listening to music all at the same time, because she can. No problem there because I got the phone for her so she uses it for what it can do. The problem though comes because she is on it when we get in the car, when we are at the table, when we are walking down the street, when people are talking to her and even doing things like washing dishes. I began last night talking to her in the car asking her a question and she answered me, but she was still typing and looking at the screen. I got so mad at her that I snatched the phone from her and told her, “You are on this phone too much! Having this phone is a privilege, not a right. So give people your respect and look at people when you are talking to them. Put the phone down sometimes and show people you care about them by engaging in the conversation.” As I listened to God’s voice while I was talking to her, he dropped something else in my Spirit and it went something like this. “If your mom or I are doing it, it’s wrong as well. If you see us on the phone and we are not giving you the same attention, ask us for our attention and ask us to put the phone down.” I am so sure this made her understand that this applies to everyone and not just because she is a child. I want my kids to understand that being an adult does not mean (like most people grew up believing the lie) that you can do whatever you want to do without any regard to how it is perceived.

So live free, but be a slave to righteousness. As my dear brother Tim often says, “Do right because it’s right to do.”

Yes, the Lord has made us free. That means now we have a responsibility to show the world that just because we can do whatever, doesn’t mean we should.