What is Freedom?

Personal responsibility is required in order to have freedom. One has to take personal responsibility for their choices and actions in order to be free. Today, I continue to be disturbed by the trend of abdicating freedom by yielding various issues and personal freedoms to “the experts.” Our health is not our choice, we just need to do whatever the experts tell us. Science is not my expertise, so I should just believe whatever the scientists tell us. In order to have fairness in the workplace, we just need to follow the procedures the government gives us. Since I’m not a Bible scholar, I should not make any judgments upon whether something is right or wrong theologically. In order to have freedom, one must exercise personal responsibility. I am responsible to make choices about science, health, theology, education, philosophy, politics, etc. if I am free. To be a steward of my freedom, I must become informed and choose a course of action. If I surrender my personal responsibility to have less of a load on my mind/pocketbook, I abdicate my freedom. Self-government is required for all Christians under the authority of the Word of God. It is why the Apostles at a certain point declare they must obey God rather than men and practice civil disobedience. We are not free to be passive biblically but rather actively engaged in this world. Just survey the Old Testament. Personal responsibility also empowers and legitimitizes compassion for compassion is a free choice to extend a hand, or a word to another.