There is freedom in my Christian life that cannot be seen or understood by someone who has not experienced it. I have friends who refuse to attend any church because they don’t want anyone to tell them to clean up their language or change their lifestyle, even God. They feel that religion is a cage people climb into for safety that limits them from saying or acting in a way that expresses their true feelings. It would keep them from “being real”. They have allowed their blunt language or lifestyle to become a part of their identity. Any attempt to change them is a personal attack.
Seventy years in service to God and those around me under the guidance of the Bible and the promptings of God’s Holy Spirit within my heart has set me free. In the words of one of my favorite songs. “I’m free from the fear of tomorrow, free from the guilt of the past. I’ve traded my shackles for a glorious song. I’m free, praise the Lord, free at last.” How can I sing those words when the commandments and warnings of scripture and the Holy Spirit are clear? It is actually quite simple. It is the difference between guard rails and fences. My friends described above have no problem obeying warning signs (a solid yellow line on the highway, red light, don’t walk, etc.) nor do they object about safety barriers to protect them physically, but when they see the spiritual warnings and barriers of the Bible or the obedient Christian life, all they see are fences that would restrict them instead of warn them of spiritual dangers.
God doesn’t want to control us, if he did, he would not have given us free will. He wants to keep his sons and daughters safe physically and spiritually until He calls us home to be with Him forever.