The Genuine Principles of Liberty

No: true freedom is to share

All the chains our brothers wear,

And, with heart and hand, to be

Earnest to make others free!

God is surely displeased at man’s disregard for the rights of others. Too frequently, those who have freedom and live in an environment of freedom, give little thought to those who are under the most abject bondage. But in our present world there are still many people who are deprived of the most basic elements of religious and civil liberty. We sometimes forget that there are between one, and one and one-half billion people who are still under the autocratic control of Communism.

Neither should it be forgotten that in many other countries there are still those who are losing their lives or are prisoners of conscience for their religious convictions or for their political persuasions. Such understanding should bring the greatest distress to each of us, and whatever we can do should be done to help such people. Sometimes we can do something individually, which is to write to the leaders of such governments urging them in the most winning way to reevaluate and redesign their governmental policies.

There are major organizations, such as Amnesty International, that are worthy of our support in these matters. There are other, smaller organizations, such as Christians in Crisis, of Minnesota, which are playing an important role in these areas. Unfortunately too frequently, governments who have the power to influence those nations who are devoid of basic liberty principles, act primarily on political considerations. Thus, often, for economic reasons or diplomatic considerations, they will turn a blind eye to the excesses of other nations. For example, during some of the worst periods of the oppression of Ceausescu in Romania, the American government was still treating that nation as a favored nation in economic matters. Of course it is normal for such nations to give lip service to their concerns, but when determined action is needed, other circumstances often outweigh the humanitarian considerations. This has been seen to occur when populations are starving. The action of the affluent nations is too often determined by political considerations rather than genuine love for those in such distress.

In this period of earth’s history, there is no need for one person to die from starvation. At the present capacity for production, there is more than enough food for every person on the planet. Indeed, if we cleared not one additional acre of forest, the present agricultural land, well utilized, could supply sufficient food for about sixteen billion people, ten billion more than we have on the planet today. If the whole world population were to become vegetarians, the present agricultural land could support perhaps four times that population, to at least sixty billion people. It is disheartening to see how the nations of this world do so little to provide for the basic needs of the human race. It is hard to imagine anyone as being free, if he does not have the opportunity to obtain sufficient food to meet the basic needs of survival.

The Word of God provides basic principles concerning our responsibility to our fellow man.

Christians will have a special burden for those other fellow faithful Christians.

However, the true principle of concern for others goes far beyond those whom it is easy to love; it reaches to our very enemies.

One can only wonder how long enmity could exist, if those who have the love of Christ in their hearts were to fulfill this command of Jesus. However, only as Christ’s followers love as fully as He loved, can this principle be fulfilled.

Surely the precepts of God’s Ten Commandments, kept in the power of Jesus, would be certain bulwarks against selfishness and unconcern for our fellow men. Thus the Psalmist could say,

And this is why James could call the Ten Commandments a law of liberty.

This is not to imply that sinful man can obtain liberty before God by keeping the law of God, but that the keeping of this law (which is possible only by faith in Jesus Christ) ensures the liberty we seek. Of course that liberty cannot exist where just laws are transgressed. That is impossible. Faith itself cannot bring about genuine liberty if it does not work obedience. Faith must work by love.

Surely the Word of God through the prophet Jeremiah, expresses the condemnation of God upon those who either legislate tyranny or who are unmindful and indifferent to the tyranny under which others must suffer.

God’s denunciation of those who fail to proclaim liberty, shows that He is not only displeased by tyranny itself, but that He sends His judgments upon men who do not regard and seek for the rights of their fellow men. The highest expression of our true belief in liberty comes when we are willing to take action to support the liberty and rights of those whose beliefs are diametrically opposed to our own. Under just laws only criminals forfeit their full liberty—those who have in any way injured or transgressed in a major way against the liberty of others.