Free or Slave?

Is there such a thing as "free will"? And if so, what is it, and is it good? This is not about Calvinism and Arminianism, but a much broader subject. Let's look into it.

Mankind has the freedom to be enslaved to one thing or another, let's look at the two choices to be enslaved to, and follow each to it's logical conclusion.

On one side, we have "freedom", which has many levels. You can have Arminianism, Free Grace Theology, Free Will, Carnal Christians, Seeker Sensitive movements, etc. Some of them may be saved and others may not. But this same freedom dangerously extends even further outside of Christianity, to evolution, which is a religion without rules, humanism, different kinds of paganism, such as Wiccans, who say "An it harm none, do what ye will."

That quote appears to be a modification to "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law" that Aleister Crowley promoted, and this seems to be the direction we are headed in today. This brings us to the far end of the "freedom" side, where mankind has no responsibility, and can do whatever they choose. Whether it's because we are just some cosmic accident as Darwinianism teaches, or more subtle versions such as "God made me this way so it's His fault anyway, He can't blame me." No responsibility and no accountability, so where does this lead? This sort of freedom brings anarchy, chaos and disorder.

As we see the family unit destroyed through premarital sex, adultery and divorce, as well as the re-defining of marriage from one man and one woman, the increased sexuality in advertisements and clothing lines, homosexuality openly displayed and condoned, even in the clergy of certain denominations.

People are too busy, too distracted to read their Bibles that our ancestors fought, bled and died for, in order to get God's Word into our hands, and many throughout the world still do not have that privilege. And for those who might actually make the time to read Scripture, you've got the History channel, Discovery, and others promoting heretics who attempt to discredit the Bible, distort the truth found within it's pages and ridicule those who take it as it's written, making them out as narrow minded bigots and irrelevant fanatics so that no one will listen to them.

Our history books are being rewritten to leave out the Christian heritage of our nation, and the founding fathers are villainized if all traces of Christianity cannot be purged from them. Our children are indoctrinated in the name of tolerance in our schools to the point that they cannot even comprehend how to make a moral judgment.

All of this in the name of freedom, the right to choose, and to live our lives any way we want. Tolerance of all things.... except Christianity. That alone should make one contemplate why one particular worldview is set apart against all others.

So, on the one side, we have "Do what thou wilt" - freedom to do anything you choose, although everyone else has the same freedom, and it is inevitable that there will be conflict as one's freedom infringes upon anothers.

This is not really the freedom that it is made out to be. It is actually slavery to sin, ending in death. It's the same lie from the serpent in the Garden, you can be like God, you are completely free, accountable to no one. Selfish pride is promoted, and that is the exact same sin that lead to Satan's fall.

On the other end, we have Biblical Christianity, where Scripture is taken literally, in it's grammatical historical context. Here we find, not only the origins of creation (Gen 1), the meaning of life (Ecc 12:13), and explanation of the standard from which we get our laws of science and our moral values (from the very character of our Creator), but it also warns us of the dangers of the other side of the argument (mentioned in Judges 17:6, when Israel had no king, and everyone did as he saw fit).

Now, the Bible goes completely against living in chaotic freedom, and warns us of the dangers, even if it seems pleasurable for a time (Heb 11:25). Prov 14:12 and 16:25 tells us: There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.

This idea of total freedom to do anything you want is acceptable to mankind's heart because our hearts are deceitfully wicked (Jer 17:9).

But each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. - James 1:14-16

Every one of us will be judged one day, held accountable for how we've lived our lives (Heb 9:27) - are you ready for that day? Or will you listen to the lies of the world?

For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error. They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him. - 2 Peter 2:18-19

Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? - Romans 6:16

So, choose which path you will follow - they may all lead to the same place (the Judgment Seat of Christ), but they don't all end in the same place (Heaven or Hell). One seems to be freedom, going with the pleasures of the world, but ending in death - it is the wide road to destruction. While the other contains God's unchanging moral standards, the way of salvation only through Jesus Christ, and leads to eternal life - the narrow path, which few will find.

But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD. - Joshua 24:15