Freethought and True Freedom

Those who read the Bible without faith in God--that He is and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him--will find themselves hopelessly hamstrung, blind and ignorant of the spiritual riches presented to them in God's word.  Those who read Scripture to find fault with God, His Laws or His people will have no problem doing so because mankind's spiritual perceptions are distorted, and there is nothing easier than projecting faults onto others and justifying ourselves.  Those who willfully deny the truth made evident by God erect endless obstacles for themselves which faith according to God as revealed in His word easily clear away.  I was reminded of this when I thumbed through a book written by an atheist who penned multiple volumes to espouse his hatred of God and defiance of Him.  A learned and intelligent man, no doubt, but lost in a morass of willful unbelief only humility before God can deliver from.

My first tip this book was not exposition of the Ten Commandments but a scathing critique of God and any who trust in Him came from the name of the publisher:  "Freethought Press Association."  My hypothesis was "freethought" was in opposition of what some term being "brainwashed," those who have latched onto religious traditions and beliefs who are assumed incapable of thinking for themselves at all.  Apparently all hope is not lost, for secularists are willing to go to great lengths in the hope of eroding faith of the simple.  It is no wonder such people banded together to form an association, really an antichurch and antichrist organisation to espouse numerous critiques of God and express their disdain for the suggestion of His existence.  It was very easy to affirm my hypothesis in minutes, and a smile formed on my lips as I observed the author predictably hold forth straw man arguments, false equivalence, out of context quotations and the blasphemy of lowering the God of Israel to nothing idols of heathen nations to justify misguided claims.

While the author of this tome felt a level of indignance necessary to goad him to attempt to refute and deconstruct 10 commandments one by one, I feel no such need to refute his work at all because God has already spoken for Himself.  I have no problem with such people:  it is clear such have a problem with God, and any argument I bring forth will do no good.  If someone will not see, I cannot make them see even when I try.  Jesus is the One who opens the eyes of the blind, and praise the LORD He still does so to this day.  Jesus frees us from the bondage to sin and unbelief the "Freethought Press Association" is deceived to think is freedom.  Though secular, it appeared the author laboured under proud illusion the self-righteous Pharisees did when confronted by Jesus Christ, for they believed themselves illuminated and branded Jesus was a deceiver of the people when the opposite was true.  They were deceived to think they knew the way to eternal life when Jesus revealed Himself with countless signs to be the Way, the Truth and the Life--the Way by faith they would not go.

John 8:31-36 says, "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." ³³ They answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'?" ³⁴ Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."  Unbelieving Jews took umbrage with the suggestion the disciples of Jesus who were free (thus insinuating they were not free) for according to their reckoning they had never been in bondage to anyone.  Going back through history, it is amusing they could say this when Hebrews had been in bondage in Egypt for over 400 years and in Babylon for 70 years.  But Jesus knew and perceived the true bondage they suffered throughout their history and currently suffered:  bondage to sin.  Jesus revealed Himself to be God in the flesh, as He proved He was able to forgive sins.  Unbelief is sin, and the Pharisees were in complete bondage to it, though they saw themselves as free.

Jesus taught when a person is repents of sin and trusts in Him, He forgives sinners whom He makes born again.  We are all born slaves to sin and as a result face eternal death as sins's wages, and those who are born again by faith in Jesus are made sons of God and receive eternal life as a free gift.  God frees those who trust in Him from sin and makes us free indeed--free to know God and do His will, free to have fellowship with God, to be spiritually fruitful, free to serve God however He leads us by His grace, free to receive correction and repent sincerely, free to forgive and give grace to others, free to enjoy fullness of peace and joy, free to think with divine insight worldly wisdom cannot supply.  The LORD God and His word grant discernment to recognise bondage from true freedom and avoid the woes of Isaiah 5:20-21:  "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! ²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"  Blessed is the one who sees as God sees, seek to do as God pleases, who affirm the wisdom of God and admit their own folly.  Those who realise they are lost in the dark and come to Jesus as the Light of the World in faith will be made free indeed, but those who are wise in their eyes and lead people from faith in Christ as Saviour (who makes free indeed!) will remain in darkness and bondage.