Freedom From Enslavement

We all have heard the phrase, "pride comes before a fall." When we look up the term "pride" in the dictionary, there are several positive meanings given to the word. There is also the opposite negative meaning. This negative type of pride often leads to disobedience against God. Disobedience means lack of obedience or refusal to comply; disregard or transgression. It is sin. When pride takes the place of Someone higher than us, we see this meaning:

3. a high or inordinate opinion of one's own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority; conceit; arrogance.

At the end of the definitions, we find synonyms which provide an even further explanation of the negative application of pride:

Pride, Conceit, Egotism, Vanity imply a favorable view of one's own appearance, advantages, achievements, etc., and often apply to offensive characteristics.

Pride is a lofty and often arrogant assumption of superiority in some respect: Pride must have a fall.

Conceit implies an exaggerated estimate of one's own abilities or attainments, together with pride: blinded by conceit.

Egotism implies an excessive preoccupation with oneself or with one's own concerns, usually but not always accompanied by pride or conceit: Her egotism blinded her to others' difficulties.

Vanity implies self-admiration and an excessive desire to be admired by others: His vanity was easily flattered.

Solomon talked a lot about vanity in Ecclesiastes. He lamented how everything he tried, tested, or tasted was "meaningless" - useless, irrational, pointless, foolish, and empty - an exercise in futility. And remember, these words are from one who "had it all" - tremendous intellect, power, and wealth.

The tone of Ecclesiastes is negative and pessimistic, but it is filled with practical wisdom (how to accomplish things in the world and stay out of trouble) and spiritual wisdom (how to find and know eternal values). Solomon's approach to life was honest. All of his remarks relating to the futility of life are there for a purpose - to lead people to seek true happiness in God alone. He was not trying to destroy all hope, but to direct our hopes to the only One who can truly fulfill them. Solomon affirms the value of knowledge, relationships, work, and pleasure, but only in their proper place. All of these temporal things in life must be seen in light of the eternal.

The purpose of the book of Ecclesiastes is to spare future generations the bitterness of learning through their own experience that life is meaningless apart from God.

Isn't it interesting to note that Solomon was looking back on his life, much of which was lived apart from God? Who better to learn from?

This shows us that pride of self leads to disobedience and sin. In order to be freed from such enslavement of sin, we need to confess our sins, specifically, wholeheartedly, completely and humbly before Almighty God.

Ecc 12:13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this [is] the whole [duty] of man.
Ecc 12:14
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.

The following is Charles Stanley's "In Touch" devotional for today, September 15, 2005.


Freedom From Enslavement
COLOSSIANS 3:5-9

Sin cannot dominate a believer who throws himself upon the Lord's mercy. The Father is faithful to restore a broken relationship between Himself and His beloved child by crashing through prison walls built by disobedience.

For our part, we must confess the specific bondage that holds us, since denial blocks the healing and freedom that God offers. Whatever the nature of our sin, the problem is ultimately spiritual, not simply a weakness or social ill. Treatment meant to ease our emotional, mental, or physical discomfort will not prove fully effective until we acknowledge the spiritual aspect of our difficulty.

Though sin is uniquely spiritual in nature, the reasons behind wrong behavior are often emotional. Emotions trapped deep within the believer—like insecurity, inadequacy, or lack of self-worth—begin to work their way to the surface, causing the individual to search out ways to satisfy or escape the feelings. For instance, at one time in my own ministry experience, I allowed myself to be overextended. Out of a sense of inadequacy, I was driving myself to succeed in "God's work," which turned out to be the responsibilities He gave me plus anything else I thought needed doing for Him. I discovered that freedom from bondage is a choice.

As Paul explains, Jesus' followers must lay aside their sin. For me, that meant putting away my misguided drive to succeed and taking a long rest. Through the Holy Spirit, we voluntarily surrender our chains in order to gain freedom in Christ.

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