Does freedom mean I can do what I want? What about sexual sin?
To some, ?freedom from sexual bondage? might seem a strange combination of words. Most people in our post-modern society are crying freedom from rules and regulations. Surely freedom means that you can do what you want, doesn?t it? Such people would no doubt regard God?s rules for living as ?bondage?, and indeed biblical principles are often mocked by society. But I want to promote the truth that in fact, God?s rules are liberating.
By way of illustration, picture this scene: a high speed train is hurtling along its tracks towards its destination. Now imagine the same train leaping off its tracks, crying freedom and running across open fields, completely out of control. Which of these scenarios is a true picture of freedom? The train running smoothly along its tracks as it was designed to, or the train hurtling out of control, throwing passengers out, killing and destroying right across the field? If a train leaps its tracks, it?s not free ? it?s dangerous.
To use another illustration, imagine you go out to a concert one evening to hear a solo pianist perform. You are expecting to hear some relaxing classical music or perhaps some jazz, but the pianist announces that he is a ?free? musician and is going to play some of his own compositions. Being a ?free? musician means that he doesn?t believe in or follow any of the conventional rules of music ? he just plays a random, discordant and unrelated series of notes and chords. How many of us could listen to that for any length of time? Maybe you would you like to go to such a concert ? but that?s just the novelty element!
A train off-track, picture of real freedom?
The fact is, all good music is expressed within the framework of a set of rules which are interpreted in various creative ways. Even a genre such as jazz, which many consider to be very ?free? in its expression, has certain rules that govern it. A jazz pianist will drop the root note of his chords and ?colour? them by sharpening or flattening notes in the middle ? to put it roughly! But he is still moving within predefined boundaries to express subtle nuances of sound.
In both these examples there are principles at work that, when followed, produce something orderly, beautiful and lovely. That is what I commend to you about God?s ways for human sexuality. God?s ways are truly liberating and as we abide by them, we are blessed. In Romans 12:1-2 the apostle Paul instructs us to surrender our bodies to God according to His will so we will ?prove? that God?s way is best:
?I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.?
Bound by sexual sin
This passage raises some important principles. First of all, God says, ?I want you to present your bodies to me.? In the twenty-first century we are more aware of our bodies than ever before. The mass media has actively promoted a ?body awareness? that has often been taken to excess with the likes of plastic surgery and ?extreme makeovers?. But Paul insists that our bodies should be surrendered to God.
When Paul wrote these words, he was not thinking just of the physical body, but of bringing your whole being ? body, soul (emotions, personality) and spirit ? in surrender to God?s purposes. But obeying God does have a lot to do with physical obedience.
Scripture has a lot to say about the body ? it is given by God; made by God; endowed with a range of desires that need to be fed in order for it to function at an optimum level ? including normal, healthy sexual desires. But God says, ?Don?t treat your bodies like the world treats theirs. Bring what I have given you back to me and place it on my altar, because by so doing you will not be conformed to this world and you will be blessed.?
Here lies one of the great difficulties that all Christians face and the reason why so many people, Christian or not, are trapped in sexual sin: instead of surrendering their bodies to God and letting them be governed by Him, they are taking their morality from what is happening around them in society. People are watching movies and television programmes and learning values which they believe are values to live by. Yet, God offers us alternative: to not be pressed into the world?s mould of conformity, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
So what is the renewing of your mind? In essence it is to understand that God?s way is the way that brings liberty, freedom, joy, fullness and happiness. In this regard God goes further than simply saying, ?Trust me, it will work,? He says, ?If you obey me, I?ll prove to you that it works! I?ll prove to you that my way is ?good and acceptable and perfect?.?