1. Freedom as a Result of Many Sacrifices
On Aug 15th, we celebrate India’s Independence day. India’s freedom has been achieved by many sacrifices of the freedom fighters. Those of us born and brought up in India and have experienced India’s democracy and freedom are very grateful. The cost of freedom is always the lives of many others who are fighting to protect that freedom.
2. With Freedom Comes Responsibility
It would be a travesty to think of freedom, bought with such sacrifices, as merely an “opportunity for the flesh” (Galatians 5:13). The true value of freedom is to use the opportunity to do good, to give, love, and serve one another, as Paul says in Galatians 5:13.
It would be an even bigger travesty to try and use the freedom to disregard good and evil. While God made us free creatures, He did not give us the freedom to disregard or to manipulate good and evil. This is perhaps the only freedom that God did not give us (as demonstrated in the story of Adam and Eve).
3. Freedom to Play the Game Fair and Square
It’s like playing a game of soccer or basketball or football etc – one has the freedom to be creative and display great skills/mastery etc, but one does not have the freedom to change the goalpost or to commit foul or to elbow others, etc – that would destroy the very freedom of playing the game itself. So freedom means the freedom to play the game fair and square – and to play it well to make the world a better place!