Last week I was at the National Archives in Washington D.C.. As we approached the steps of of this Landmark
museum I noticed an engraving on a statue in front of the stairs. The engraving was a quote from American Freedom Sage Thomas Jefferson and it read: “Eternal Vigilance is Price of Liberty”. Now in D.C. you are going to find many ominous and ultimately ambiguous quotes such as this. However this one gave me pause. Liberty from what? was the question rolling around in my head. Taxation? A Monarchy? Liberty from what? The phrase has value on the surface, but when you think about it, it becomes more and more vague.
This week I have been working on my Syllabus for the Christian Worldview class I will be teaching. As I approach the subject of government and Christianity, I can’t help but ponder this phrase. What is the ultimate goal of freedom? Why does man wish to be free? What is it specifically that man wishes to be free from? I think Jefferson was actually onto something. I think all creation longs to be free, and that freedom does indeed require eternal vigilance, but vigilance in what?
Tyranny, oppression, poverty, and suffering are the products of the depravity and sin of man. All men are depraved, all men are sinful. The answer to the need for Liberty is not a Just, earthly government, but faith in the Theocratic kingdom of Christ. Jefferson’s error was in separating the church from the state. Similar to the mistake Israel made in asking for a human King in I Samuel. Faith in Christ frees us, liberates us from the bonds and slavery to sin, and death. The Eternal Vigilance needed is answered in Christ as he eternally makes intercession for us before the Father.
Christ’s Eternal Vigilance to be our advocate, and atonement was the Price of Liberty. In Him we are liberated. Thus no earthly tyranny, no human sin can keep us from the truth that we will live in Joyous Liberty, in Eternity with Christ.
“…and so we will always be with the Lord.”
2 Comments
Jpm7000000pmThu, 17 Jul 2008 22:37:34 +000008 5, 2007 at Thursday, July 17, 2008
I like to take these kinds of credos and rephrase them for the Theocracy. What might it be?
1. Eternal Sacrifice is the price of Liberty.
2. Atoning Sacrifice is the price of Liberty.
or a different spin, reflecting the irony of our own efforts,
3. Eternal vigilance is the bondage of Liberty.
or my favorite, ala Paul:
4. Eternal Bondage is the privilege of Liberty.
Jpm7000000pmThu, 17 Jul 2008 22:43:23 +000008 5, 2007 at Thursday, July 17, 2008
“Eternal Bondage is the privilege of Liberty”
ewww thats good!