Liberty in the Balance
Ruth Ann Stites, Staff Writer
In last week’s essay I made a somewhat arbitrary distinction between freedom and liberty so that we could look at personal freedom versus liberty within a community or government. The kind of freedom we have in Christ is not intended to increase wealth, status, or power but to bring us into right standing with God through Jesus Christ, allow us to serve others with confidence, and release us into fulfilling the chief end of man: “to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.”[1]
Today I want to think about liberty as applied to society in general and government in particular. Liberty is part of our founding document, the Declaration of Independence, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. –That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed….”[2]
Corruption is common, though thankfully not frequent, in our government. In January of 2025 Springdale city councilwoman, Amelia Taldo, “…was fined $500 and issued a caution by the [Arkansas Ethics Commission] for playing a role in rezoning property that was owned by her father’s business, Taldo Properties LLC.”[3] Corruption in government is certainly not restricted to the local community. As an example, the United States Attorney’s Office Southern District of New York in a document entitled “Holding Corrupt Public Officials Accountable” provides a list of 13 recent offenses in its jurisdiction.
When Moses received the Law at Mount Sini, the regulations proscribed for the Israelites included instructions about property, inheritance, and slavery within the nation (Lev. 25:8-12; Jer. 34:12-16). God was not pleased when these laws were broken (Ezek. 46:16-18). The prophets of the Old Testament pronounced God’s judgment on violating His laws in passages like Jeremiah 5:26-29; Amos 8:1-4; and Isaiah 10:1-2. The New Testament reminds us that corrupt acts do not please God as in Matthew 23:23 where Jesus said about the Jewish political and religious leaders of His day, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.” And in Mark 12:38-40 He says, “…Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”
The Apostle Paul spoke of the role of government to restrain corruption and other wrongdoing, “For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer” (Rom. 13:4). Today our modern democracies give us the best chance of achieving that end as C.S. Lewis wrote in The Weight of Glory, “I believe in political equality [of modern democracies]. But there are two opposite reasons for being a democrat. You may think all men so good that they deserve a share in the government of the commonwealth, and so wise that the commonwealth needs their advice. That is, in my opinion, the false, romantic doctrine of democracy. On the other hand, you may believe fallen men to be so wicked that not one of them can be trusted with any irresponsible power over his fellows.”[4] Thus, for all its flaws and failures, democracy, with its high ideal for equality under its law, is our world’s best hope of dealing with corruption. To quote English philosopher John Locke, “Wherever the law ends, tyranny begins.”[5]
As Christian citizens of the United States we experience both liberty (as a community) and freedom (as individuals). How we use our individual freedom in the context of the liberty of a nation with its principle of equality under its laws is up to us. The Apostle Paul gives us this final insight:
Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you. This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed, but that you will be saved—and that by God (Phil. 1:27-28).
(Photo credit: R. A. Stites, Pea Ridge National Military Park)
[1] The Westminster Shorter Catechism – Ligonier Ministries
[2] Declaration of Independence: A Transcription | National Archives
[3] Springdale council member fined $500 for role in father’s rezoning case | 5newsonline.com
[4] 127 Best Weight Of Glory Quotes By C.S. Lewis (2023)
[5] John Locke on the idea that “wherever law ends, tyranny begins” (1689) | Online Library of Liberty
