Government of Some Kind

"...For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved." 2 Peter 2:19b

In the classic novel Great Expectations, the main character Pip chases a dream of riches and romance that his own imagination created from fragments of truth mixed with fantastic ideas, only to find that nothing was as he thought. His beloved did not return the emotion; rather, she was a pawn in someone else's game of revenge. Pip's benefactor was not the seemingly benevolent old woman he first imagined, but an escaped convict who stole bread from him when he was but a wee lad. His expectations became his master, and he ended up in great disappointment instead.
As humans, and more specifically Americans, we have our own set of expectations. I write only from the perspective that I know and witness on a daily basis. I am not sure when it started, and I do not wish to argue that point, but any semblance of reality seems to have left us. Our own leader seems to truly believe that his charisma will save our nation. Meanwhile, many of us sit with our mouths open to him, crying our for he and his government to pour our nourishment into our mouths for us like baby birds. This progressive politic is only another symptom of a greater need, though. Personality will not save us. The government cannot protect us and feed us.
Another illustration comes from my own experience with young people in churches and in schools. Though there are exceptions, the majority of our students and children have more rights than the teachers and parents who are to raise them, and as a result, show absolutely no respect. In addition, though every educational course I have taken gives teachers the tools and initiative to help students create their own learning, the students are sitting, much like the baby birds, expecting grades and passing without working to earn the grades. Sadly, they are given what they expect.
When schools give merit where merit is not earned, they weaken the students and cheat them from their education of both academics and character. The same thing happens when the government distributes wealth and goods. The people grow weary and tired and weak. They are not free from the government. The students become slaves to their ego while the schools are enslaved to the "accountability" of the state and the perceived needs of the students.
I say all of this to make the following point: rights do not equal liberty. I once heard it put like this: "Liberty is freedom exercised with responsibility." It is the responsibility that we have lost. Responsibility is hard. Responsibility is necessary, though, because it requires action. In order to enjoy our rights, we only have to do what we want. In order to keep our freedom, though we must act. This idea is not new. As a matter of fact, it is as old as the earth itself. Our own Creator made it thus when He established His creation.
In James chapter 1, the Lord tells us through His disciple that we are to be doers of the Word, not only hearers. Though this is written after the death and resurrection of Christ, the idea is present in Genesis. When God told Adam and Eve not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, he prefaced it with, "You may eat of any tree in the garden." Freedom was given, but with a little responsibility. That responsibility meant they must actively avoid that particular type of tree. As we all know, they failed.
Today, we are the same. We constantly find ourselves claiming rights and freedom, but exercising none of the effort it takes to keep and enjoy the freedom. Our expectation is for everyone to do for us. We are like the Israelites who preferred Moses to speak to God for them, or to have an earthly king rather than the King of Kings. We settle for second best because we don't have to work for it.
When we do not exercise responsibility for our freedoms, we invite, however unintentionally, someone else to do that part for us. Consider the parable of the man who had the demon exorcised from him but did nothing to fill the vacancy. The old demon returned with all of his friends and did even more damage than before. One application of this is that we want some form of government, and as long as we don't have to do the work, we'll allow anyone or anything else to guide us.
Because of this, laws of all kinds are created. For the Israelites, God handed down a law intended to give liberty, but those priests in power abused the law enslaving their own people. It isn't always rules, though, that creates the enslavement. Like Peter said, it is our desires who make the rules. The result is a person who hears the word, but does not do it. The word encourages, but does not empower.
Scripture says that the Spirit of God is a Spirit not of timidity but of Power. It also teaches that one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control. James says that we should be doers and not only hearers. He tells us that the "man who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets, but a doer who acts, he will be blessed." In other words, God expects us to get off of our duffs and go.
Christians cannot allow the government to tell us what to do. Neither can we let our celebrities guide us. We cannot put our stock in books or in sermons, though these things are good. God Himself indwells and empowers each of us individually and corporately as the body of Christ to be self-governed, working responsibly to maintain the freedom that was freely given us of His Son. Does this mean we earn our salvation? Absolutely not! It was a graciously given gift. Yet, we are to work out our salvation. This is the step-by-step, daily routine of spiritual trench warfare that we do not endure, but face head on and refuse to fall slave to. It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Let us not sell that freedom for a cushy pew life.
In the end of Great Expectations, Pip discovers that he had chased down a future that did not exist. His desire for wealth and love led him down a roughshod path where he betrayed family and friend. Pip stands with his love at the end of the book and his future from this point is unknown to him and to us. More important, though, is the fact that his future is in his own hands. What are your expectations from life? Are you enslaved to desires, to laws, to ego? If so, cut the chain and accept the freedom and liberty and the power to live it out that is offered by Jesus Christ.