June 27, 2012

"Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,“Let us break their chains  and throw off their shackles.” The One enthroned in heaven laughs;  the Lord scoffs at them. He rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying, “I have installed my king  on Zion, my holy mountain.” I will proclaim the Lord’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son;  today I have your father. Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance,  the ends of the earth your possession. You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.” Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear
and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him." Psalm 2

I wonder if the Founding Fathers were well acquainted with Psalm 2. When you consider how they crafted the Founding Documents and how they structured the government you have to think they did.

The more I read about these amazingly wise and devout men, the more impressive they become to me. One of the reasons they were able to craft the documents and design for a government that stood guard over the rise to the wealthiest, most powerful and free nation that ever graced the Earth.

They were able to build a great and free nation because they understood what freedom is and what it isn't.

What freedom isn't is freedom from authority - "The kings of the earth rise up and the rulers band together against the Lord and against his anointed"

Something in the human heart yearns to be free. That is part of the image God built into the human psyche.

But the corrupt and fallen human mind fancies freedom as the ability to have total control over your own life. Like the fallen Angel, Lucifer, we "want to be like God" - large and in charge". He wasn't satisfied in his exalted position and wanted to be in charge.

He is the author of rebellion and spread his madness into the human race by way of Adam and Eve.

What freedom isn't is freedom from accountability - "Let us break their chains and throw off their shackles.”

This false and fanciful notion of freedom has afflicted humanity for centuries. It is one of the reasons that in 4,000 years of recorded history there have only been about 250-300 years of peace.

Essentially, rebellion is driven by the perverted desire to be free from the consequences of our actions. Of course, that is ridiculous! If nothing else, the results of your decisions and actions come back on you! If you abuse your body you will suffer from that. If you try to control and bully other people you will eventually meet someone bigger and stronger than you and suffer from that.

But nevertheless, people still buy into it by the millions.

Let me illustrate the foolishness of this false notion of freedom. Suppose I go to the edge of the Grand Canyon and declare myself free from the law of gravity. Two seconds after leaping, I will realize I was wrong and will have a few more seconds to ponder the consequences of that dumb decision.

If you cannot free yourself from accountability to natural laws, how do you think you can escape your accountability to God? And you will suffer the consequences of an attempts to do so.

The Bible says that, "Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord."

Rebellion against God has never successed and never will! You will suffer the consequences physically, emotional, spiritually and eternally! Attempting to be free from God will result in a life of bondage under the tyranny of sin.

Deal with the rebellion in your heart. It is no small matter.