Opus 2013-157: Liberty and Law

Anyone who has lived long enough to give advice recognizes that things are changing in America.  Change is a part of life.  Sometimes it is for the good.  Even then it is usually painful.  Few that have a sense of history would say that the changes we are experiencing are for the better.  We are in the process of abandoning personal responsibility and putting the government in charge of our lives.  The sheep may not like the sheep dogs but they fear the wolf more. 

The natural product of a reduction of personal responsibility is an increase in laws and regulations.  We used to understand the principles that were necessary for a culture of liberty.  The concepts of the Golden Rule, Ten Commandments and the rule of law were applied without a myriad of self-help books and gurus.  We were free because we lived by the principles.  We were better regulated by principles than we will ever be under the increasing burden of nonsense laws.

Why are principles stronger than laws?  Why do we have more choices when we require less conformity?  I can apply it best in spiritual terms from the Christian life.  Why does holiness have more power than legalism?  How is it that God can demand us to walk straight and live in righteousness and at the same time say that we are free?

(1 Corinthians 10:23 KJV)  All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

The key in the Christian walk is that the Holy Spirit can live in us in such a way that we are motivated by the principles, not fenced in by the laws.  It becomes a personal issue.  We accept responsibility to apply it as best we can.

When we accept a principle we try to apply it in all situations, as broadly as possible.  When we have a law we try to apply it as narrowly as possible and use our creativity to rationalize, break, subvert and ignore.  This is true in our walk with Christ.  This is true as we live in society.

More and more people are being bound by the laws.  That means they think they are free to violate the spirit of the law as long as they do not break the letter.  It is a downward slope for liberty.

Pray for revival.  Pray that people will allow a Holy God to place the principles in them.  This is not some newfangled holy roller idea.  It has been around for a long time.

(Ezekiel 36:26 KJV)  A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

Pray for revival.  I pray it would start in me.  Please return the favor.

homo unius libri