1 Peter 2:13–17 ‘For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as God’s slaves.’ (vv15–16)
Freedoms are frequently demanded throughout society, but what is freedom? Most understand it as the opportunity to exercise our will.
The question arises, can one person’s will be pursued at the expense of another’s? Without constraint to freedom, we invite tyranny.
History is littered with examples. Whilst God promises us the desires of our heart (Psa. 37:4), desires motivated from self-interest give us cause for regret.
God respects our free will and invites us to make choices. Yet, there’s no guarantee such choices will be beneficial to us or society without regard for God’s constraints, which ensure wellbeing at a personal and social level.
Peter declares, ‘do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil’, and we know evil is anything that opposes itself to God.
Our freewill choices all too easily direct us away from God out of self-interest. Self is itself opposed to God for we are invited to surrender entirely to God’s will.
In inviting us to love God and neighbour as the two essential core principles for Christian living, no action that proves detrimental to my neighbour can be sanctioned as godly.
How then are we to live? Simply by choosing to live by God’s Word and entrusting outcomes that will appear disadvantageous to our welfare into God’s hands.
Self-surrender demands death to self, as Paul reminds us, ‘The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me’ (Gal. 2:20).
A Prayer To Make:
‘Lord, help me to take up my cross daily and follow You in every eventuality of my life. Amen.’
An Action To Take:
Today as human rights compete against each other; how do you take decisions in exercising your freedom? Do you consider yourself a faithful slave of Christ?
Scripture To Consider:
Ezek. 24:15–27; Luke 9:18–26; Eph. 4:17–32; Col. 3:1–17
