A Tale of Two Freedoms (Part 1)

Before our nation was anything more than an idea, Thomas Jefferson argued that all people have an unalienable right to liberty. This freedom was not some new invention; humans were “endowed by their creator” with such a right, and therefore no government, person, or power could claim to take it from the people. This freedom was eternal, something to be cherished and protected. After all, Jefferson did not just declare freedom’s existence, but also the duty to throw off any oppressors who sought to deny such liberty. Jefferson and the founders believed the United States would set the example for the world in championing this divine freedom, whatever challenges they might face. 

If only we had managed to champion God’s idea of liberty. 

By attempting to connect God with our nation’s founding principles—life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—Jefferson teed up one of the greatest misconceptions to ever afflict the world. He led countless generations of Americans to believe that the United States and Jesus both mean the same thing when they talk about freedom. We assume we know what Paul means when he assured us that “it is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” Most tragically, we assume that our American version of freedom matches our Lord’s intent. We think that when we champion the freedom invoked by the United States that we are doing the Lord’s work. In reality, we are propelling ourselves and our nation in quite the opposite direction from God’s freedom. 

This, then, is the point of my next few posts–to clarify the differences between American and godly freedom, and to see that the latter is far superior. In Jesus we find the truest freedom of all: not the selfish individual liberty championed by our nation, but the gift of living out the will of the one who has the best possible plan for our lives.