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So if we can't be free by having everything, the only option is to have nothing. This is nearly as hard to do--impossible, in fact, as long as we are alive. Life equals desire and possession. That's why Paul talks about dying to himself.
Basically, freedom comes when we admit that we are stuck in the perpetual mistake, and give it up.
But here's where the next big problem arises. Life is not entirely to blame for our captivity to sin. The imperfections of the body have ruined the soul as well. And so, to die to ourselves, it's the soul that has to die.
However, if a thing is dead, that doesn't mean it's free. It's just dead. It also has to be reborn. And so, the path to freedom is found in being reborn in to a new life, which is life in Christ.
And that is the end of my thoughts on freedom.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
freedom (part two)
Only three people in the entire history of the universe have ever been free. Two out of three only stayed that way for a short time. Freedom is an extremely hard thing to get a hold of, but there are two ways to do it.
One: have everything.
Two: have nothing.
These two things are both all but impossible to achieve. To have control of everything is incredibly hard, and only one person has ever attained that: Jesus (by "person," I am referring to human beings, meaning that God is ruled out).
The second is just as hard. A homeless hobo hobbling his way through the streets may look like he has nothing, but appearances are exceedingly deceiving. He still is constantly desiring more than what he has. I know this because it is human nature to want more that the possessions readily available to us. So really, everyone who has nothing actually has a desire.
The other two people who had perfect freedom were Adam and Eve. They had nothing, not even clothes, and didn't know the difference. But then they were confronted with a choice: eat the fruit of knowledge or not? They said yes.
When they took that bite, they lost their freedom. At this point, God gave control of the earth over to Satan; while God brings freedom, Satan brings captivity.
So if they lost their freedom, did they have free will anymore? No. And no one afterwards did either. Everyone is acting out the exact same decision (meaning, the wrong one). But there's more to the story, and I will continue tomorrow.
One: have everything.
Two: have nothing.
These two things are both all but impossible to achieve. To have control of everything is incredibly hard, and only one person has ever attained that: Jesus (by "person," I am referring to human beings, meaning that God is ruled out).
The second is just as hard. A homeless hobo hobbling his way through the streets may look like he has nothing, but appearances are exceedingly deceiving. He still is constantly desiring more than what he has. I know this because it is human nature to want more that the possessions readily available to us. So really, everyone who has nothing actually has a desire.
The other two people who had perfect freedom were Adam and Eve. They had nothing, not even clothes, and didn't know the difference. But then they were confronted with a choice: eat the fruit of knowledge or not? They said yes.
When they took that bite, they lost their freedom. At this point, God gave control of the earth over to Satan; while God brings freedom, Satan brings captivity.
So if they lost their freedom, did they have free will anymore? No. And no one afterwards did either. Everyone is acting out the exact same decision (meaning, the wrong one). But there's more to the story, and I will continue tomorrow.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
earth-shaking decisions (part one)
What is a big decision? When we think of earth-shaking decisions, we typically think of things such as large, round tables and concerned middle-aged men in ties debating amongst themselves. We think of the Oval Office, or of Parliament (depending on your country), or even of the executive offices of a large business.
But the decisions made in these places are not earth-shaking or earth-shattering. They help move along the reals decisions, but are themselves not much at all.
The real decisions are made on a much smaller scale, at first glance. The real decisions are made by the soldier on the battlefield--should I pull the trigger or not? That may not, at first, seem earth-altering, but it is. World War One exploded when Gavrilo Princip deciding to pull the trigger and assassinate Archduke Ferdinand. The American Revolution grew from distrust to war when four or five men decided to pull a trigger and shoot some soldiers across the field.
Now, both of these situations were already volatile; both wars were intently seeking a way out of the conference rooms and onto the battlefield. However, who's to say they would have found that way without these men making decisions?
But Gavrilo Princip's decision was shaped strongly by his environment. It's possible that he could truly see no other option but to shoot the Archduke. But someone made the decisions that shaped his environment. And their decisions were shaped by those of their predecessors. And their decisions were shaped by those of their predecessors. And their decisions were shaped by those of their predecessors. And their decisions were shaped by those of their predecessors. And yes I did write that line four times.
The ultimate decision goes back a long way. Even before humanity existed. The ultimate decision goes back to God. He literally shaped the environment in which Adam was created. So everything goes back to God. He made the earth in the way He made it with full knowledge that Princip would shoot the Archduke. So why did He make it that way?
Because He gave us free will. But what does it mean to have free will? What exactly is freedom?
Tomorrow, I will do my best to answer that question.
But the decisions made in these places are not earth-shaking or earth-shattering. They help move along the reals decisions, but are themselves not much at all.
The real decisions are made on a much smaller scale, at first glance. The real decisions are made by the soldier on the battlefield--should I pull the trigger or not? That may not, at first, seem earth-altering, but it is. World War One exploded when Gavrilo Princip deciding to pull the trigger and assassinate Archduke Ferdinand. The American Revolution grew from distrust to war when four or five men decided to pull a trigger and shoot some soldiers across the field.
Now, both of these situations were already volatile; both wars were intently seeking a way out of the conference rooms and onto the battlefield. However, who's to say they would have found that way without these men making decisions?
But Gavrilo Princip's decision was shaped strongly by his environment. It's possible that he could truly see no other option but to shoot the Archduke. But someone made the decisions that shaped his environment. And their decisions were shaped by those of their predecessors. And their decisions were shaped by those of their predecessors. And their decisions were shaped by those of their predecessors. And their decisions were shaped by those of their predecessors. And yes I did write that line four times.
The ultimate decision goes back a long way. Even before humanity existed. The ultimate decision goes back to God. He literally shaped the environment in which Adam was created. So everything goes back to God. He made the earth in the way He made it with full knowledge that Princip would shoot the Archduke. So why did He make it that way?
Because He gave us free will. But what does it mean to have free will? What exactly is freedom?
Tomorrow, I will do my best to answer that question.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Happy Mother's Day
If you are reading this today (Sunday, May 11), and you are a mother, then happy Mother's Day. If you're not a mother, and yet you're reading a blog post with such a mother-directed title--shame on you.
Monday, May 5, 2008
an amazing thing
Every time that I learn something new about the Bible, it becomes just a little more astonishing and amazing to me. I just recently learned one of this things, and now you too will have a chance to learn this thing.
In the Jewish culture some 2,000 years ago, a boy at the age of twelve became a man. At this time, he was allowed to begin learning his father's business. For example, if his father was an ironsmith, he would begin learning how to work with metal. If his father was a carpenter, he would begin learning how to build tables. He would be about his father's business.
So from the age of twelve, he would start learning. When he turned thirty, he had the knowledge to begin his own trade. His father would take him around to those he worked with and those he was friends with. The father would introduce the son by saying, "this is my son, in whom I am well pleased."
If something sounded vaguely familiar in these paragraphs, it means you've probably heard two rather largely important stories in the Gospels. When Jesus was twelve, he and his family went to Jerusalem and visited the temple. On their way home, Mary and Joseph discovered that, in fact, Jesus was not with them. So they went back to Jerusalem and spent three days searching for him. When they found him, he was in the temple discussing theology with the priests.
When they asked him what he was doing, he said, "you should have known that I'd be about my Father's business." Hmmm. . .
When Jesus was thirty (remember that number?) he was baptized by John the Baptist. When this happened, the clouds opened up and a dove descended from the sky. And a voice said, "this is my son, in whom I am well pleased." Hmmm. . .
In the Jewish culture some 2,000 years ago, a boy at the age of twelve became a man. At this time, he was allowed to begin learning his father's business. For example, if his father was an ironsmith, he would begin learning how to work with metal. If his father was a carpenter, he would begin learning how to build tables. He would be about his father's business.
So from the age of twelve, he would start learning. When he turned thirty, he had the knowledge to begin his own trade. His father would take him around to those he worked with and those he was friends with. The father would introduce the son by saying, "this is my son, in whom I am well pleased."
If something sounded vaguely familiar in these paragraphs, it means you've probably heard two rather largely important stories in the Gospels. When Jesus was twelve, he and his family went to Jerusalem and visited the temple. On their way home, Mary and Joseph discovered that, in fact, Jesus was not with them. So they went back to Jerusalem and spent three days searching for him. When they found him, he was in the temple discussing theology with the priests.
When they asked him what he was doing, he said, "you should have known that I'd be about my Father's business." Hmmm. . .
When Jesus was thirty (remember that number?) he was baptized by John the Baptist. When this happened, the clouds opened up and a dove descended from the sky. And a voice said, "this is my son, in whom I am well pleased." Hmmm. . .
Thursday, May 1, 2008
New Month Day
Happy New Month day. Today is the very first day in the month of May. Everyone shout hooray and say, "hey! This is the way to June!." May your day be colorful and lacking in gray, because they say that the way to be happy is to force it that way.
I've run out of words that rhyme with May, but I'll be back soon. Keep reading, okay?
Mitchell
I've run out of words that rhyme with May, but I'll be back soon. Keep reading, okay?
Mitchell
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