Introduction:
The story of Louis Zamperini from the book Unbroken, is one of my favorite stories. Louis was a WW2 prisoner of war in Japan, where he spent a couple long years in horrible captivity. He was beat and was forced to do hard laborious work while having little to nothing to eat. However, the greatest imprisonment he faced was not physical, but it was after he was rescued. He fought with hate, addiction, depression, suicidal thoughts, and apathy. He worked so hard to be freed physically from Japan only to become captive mentally. Louis believed his physical freedom was all he needed and joy would stem from physical freedom. The whole story is a spiritual battle but embodies itself within the battle of his mind. The end of the story is beautiful! It doesn’t end with his deliverance from Japan, but his transformation after he gives his life to Jesus, resulting in true freedom.
1 Peter 2:13-17
“Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or the governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.”
Think about it:
It is passages like this that make us realize that the freedom that God speaks of is not the same freedom that man speaks about. Peter tells us to be subject to every human institution that has authority over us, and to honor the emperor. The emperor was Nero when Peter wrote this, and Nero was one of the greatest persecutors of Christians during this time. Peter is saying that we can live subjected to human authorities and yet be free. This is possible because the freedom he is talking about is not a temporal and superficial freedom, but a spiritual and eternal freedom.
Take away:
Living as a servant to God is living in freedom.
Personal reflection:
When you hear the phrase, “live as people who are free,” what do you think that looks like? Would you say you are living as a person who is free?