The Higher Liberty
Order the book The Higher Liberty
The Higher Liberty
by Gregory HHC, d
Minister of His Holy Church
Go to the Table of Contents
Terms
of the Times
To claim that Paul is actually
saying that we should be at liberty to obey God rather than be
subject to the will of other men is a bold accusation against
the doctrines of modern Christendom. Has the Church been steadily
deceived, by either negligence or design, arrogance or ignorance?
A theme throughout the Bible has been to set men free so we should be
willing to examine how the word exousia was used by the Greeks
and the authors of those sacred texts in the days of Christ. Although
the use of words changes over time the Greek Glossary of
Aristotelian Terms states that exousia means “right”.
Aristotle actually exemplifies exousia’s use in the
statement, “The right (exousia) to do anything one wishes...”
The rights or privileges of
governments are ordained of men. That ordination of power into the
hands of governments almost always occurs when the people reject
God
and choose to go away from His ways
and out of His presence.
Since we are endowed by our
Creator with certain inalienable rights it makes sense to say our
original right to choose is ordained of God. Since man is a creation
of God and governments are a creation of men the power maintained by
those governments is based on the consent or actions of men, not upon
any appointment by God.
In Plato’s notes the
“Greek words for freedom (are) eleutheros
(liberal/Free), exousia (Freedom/Power to do something), ...”
While Plato and Aristotle’s
definition of the word exousia was from a classical Greek
period, their opinion was still in conformity with the second century
A.D. Cynic philosopher, Enomaos.
Aldo Brancacci examines the
definition of ‘freedom’ in his Liberta e fato in
Enamao di Gadara. In Bryn Mawr’s Classical Review we
see, “Brancacci notices that the term used by Enomaos to refer
to human freedom is not the typical Cynic one (eleutheria), but
exousia, which expresses ‘the new concept of freedom in
opposition to the already defunct and unhelpful eleutheria’.”
Enomaos’, sometimes
written Oenomaos’, writings were preserved by Eusubius. For at
least five centuries the word exousia consistently referenced
human liberty and freedom. Are we supposed to believe that Paul is
telling us to give up our freedom and liberty and become subject once
again? Or have we already?
God sent Abraham, Moses, Joshua,
Samson, Gideon and a host of others to set us free in truth. We were
to be free souls under God, created by God and have no other gods
before Him.
Are we supposed to believe that
Jesus was only going to set us free spiritually and leave us in
physical bondage? It seems a slave mentality to believe that we can
only be “free at last, free at last”
when we are dead.
“If the Son therefore shall make
you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36
It is our prayer that the truth
of this will become self evident.
----------
Return to the Table of Contents, Alphabetical Index or purchase the book The Higher Liberty
Related Articles and Audio:
Romans 13 part 1
http://www.hisholychurch.org/media/audio/rm/Romans131.ram
ROMANS 13 verse 1 the higher liberty
Does God want us to be subject or to be free?
http://www.hisholychurch.org/sermon/romans13.php
Romans 13 and I Peter 2,13-14
Is the Bible consistent about setting men free or does it contradict itself?
http://www.hisholychurch.org/sermon/romanspeter.php
Romans 13, NN Video Series:7-10 4:32
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SEMYx6affo
Footnotes:
|
