Let Freedom Ring! But Mind the GAP…

Hey, ho, marathoners in and for Christ. (1 Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 12:1; 2 Timothy 4:7) Exhausted, depleted from running the Godly, good, and being-a-blessing-to-others race? Welcome. Sit. Relax. Let’s feast.

Feast of the Heart exists to help bring about Christ-centered “reformation, revival, and constructive revolution” (Francis Schaeffer, Death in the City) so that God will be glorified and people blessed.

Reformation… we seek to abide by and serve up the true truth, pure doctrine of the Bible

Revival… we seek to model biblical Christians living in word and deed

Constructive Revolution… we seek to spread the true gospel right where God has planted us with urgency, compassion, and radical self-abandonment

But first, define “freedom”… ding-a-ling-a-ling!… and then answer the call.
In the spirit of an upcoming Presidential Inauguration and a remembrance of our Independence Day (or the name I prefer, “Interdependence Day”), I would like to offer up a few quotes that reflect the deep-rooted definitions of what “freedom” can mean to people. Why? There exists today a major GAP which, if we do not better understand and deal with it for what it is NOW we will, as a people, be increasingly confused, counterproductive, and despairing about our unique and hard-fought “freedoms” – as well as the sort of fruit various “freedoms” [E.g., truly free or actually in bondage] will inevitably bear.

Starting with the more contemporary quotes and ending with America’s historical foundations,

“INVICTUS”, 1875 – last stanza
William Ernest Henley
The Freedom of Self = Defiance, Despair, Disillusionment, Darkness
“It matters not how strait the gate, (RE: Matthew 7:13)
How charged with punishments the scroll, (RE: Revelation 5)
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.”

“Ends and Means”, 1937
Aldous Huxley, – commentary by Ravi Zacharius
The Freedom of Pleasure = Meaninglessness, Abuse, Disintegration, Isolation
“We all love stories of emancipation as can be seen by the success of movies like Braveheart or more recently, The Patriot. However, we must also see the deep longing for personal freedom from any and all restraints that inhibit free self-definition, self-expression, and personal movement. Aldous Huxley, in his book “Ends and Means”, sums it up clearly when he says, “For myself, no doubt, as for most of my contemporaries, the philosophy of meaninglessness was essentially an instrument of sexual liberation.” Again, whether in the writings of the utilitarians, in the movies, or the advertising industry, the unqualified pursuit of freedom often leads to unexpected an often unfortunate outcomes.”

The Mayflower Compact, 1620
The Freedom of Service & Submission = Glory, Grace, Order, Unity, Preservation
“In the Name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid…”

There followed the signatures of 41 of the 102 pilgrim passengers, 37 of whom were Separatists fleeing religious persecution in Europe. This compact established the first basis in the new world for written laws. Half of the colony failed to survive the first winter, but the remainder lived on and prospered to provide the spiritual, philosophical, legal, social, political and cultural foundation for future colonies and the United States of America.

“So, what’s the big GAP?”

Today’s definition of Truth is “all truth is relative”. Each person should have the “freedom” to define what truth is for him or her. And yet, is it possible for all truths to be relative or equally true? No. Not by the law of Non-Contradictory Logic. Both Henley and Huxley’s lives ended with epitaphs of deep despair and darkness on the one hand, and a very similar sorts mystical-mescaline-induced coma on the other. Both men’s ideas have been highly influential to our modern-day culture. Ideas do indeed have consequences!

But, we must think again before we lose the capacity to reason altogether.

I thank God for the Truth of the founding principles of this truly unique, great and most blessed nation. It is only particular Truths that shall indeed set each one of us truly free! And it is only by means of the correct definition and activities of freedom that honors, glorify God first, that the story of our greatness will begin again; and end in, “…one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all”.

Otherwise, we, like Henley, Huxley, and others of their ilk, should at least be more honest by stating, “Come and celebrate on Independence Day, ‘…MANY nations, OVER God, DIVIDED, with and INJUSTICES for all’”. Carefully consider the reality of how this sort of twisted declaration has come to fruition in our beloved land today; and “MIND THE GAP”: Beginning in our hearts and spread abroad from there.

God bless you in the most intimate, massive, and meaningful ways possible,
JohnDoz