The Most Important Kind of Freedom

Tomorrow (or today, most likely, by the time you read this), we celebrate our nation's freedom. When I think of freedom, I usually think of the freedom to do things, to live and worship as I choose, without fear of legal repercussions, for example. But while that freedom is valuable, it has its limits, and there is another kind of freedom which is even better.

One of the main limits to the freedom to do as I please is the limitation imposed by the law. I cannot, for example, drive a car however fast I'd like without running the risk of getting pulled over. I can, of course, drive a car that fast. I am physically capable of doing so. But there would be consequences.

The same is true in terms of the spiritual laws. With our God-given moral agency, we are free to act as we choose, but any choice we make will carry consequences, and if we make poor choices, we won't like the consequences that follow.

A much more liberating and appealing kind of freedom is the freedom from such consequences and from the habit-forming poor choices that lead to them. Satan wants to bind us and make us miserable, so he attempts to trap us in sinful habits that lead to dire consequences. If we value our freedom or our happiness, we must use our moral freedom wisely so we can stay free from Satan's traps.

Though God's commandments sometimes seem limiting, they are nowhere near as restrictive as Satan's snares or the soul-crushing consequences of abusing our freedom. Sure, it might be nice to have the freedom to be able to do whatever we want and get away with it, but there are always consequences for our actions. So, in the end, the most important kind of freedom is keeping free from sin.