The Cost of Freedom
As Americans we often hear mention of the cost of freedom. We honor the memory and service of soldiers who have suffered and died for our freedom. Many soldiers have paid the ultimate price for our freedom, but there is a higher cost to our freedom many ignore.
Brethren, the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of men who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his invisible nature, namely, his eternal power and deity, has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse; for although they knew God they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man or birds or animals or reptiles. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen. For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. Their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural, and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in their own persons the due penalty for their error.
Romans 1.18-27
Because God has given each human being total freedom, we each pay a cost. We are free to believe God or not. We are free to love God or not. We are free to follow or walk away. We are free to live according to His commandments or not. The cost comes to us when we choose no.
In today’s reading, Saint Paul reminds us that God has allowed us to walk away from Him. He allows it, but He doesn’t want it. We are free to choose, but we should consider the cost before we make a choice. “God gave them up….because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie.”
The cost a soldier pays for our national freedom is nothing compared to the cost of eternal torment. Would a soldier pay the price of war if he knew we were going to use that freedom to go against God? If we want to honor soldiers, we should use freedom wisely.
When we choose God, there is a cost. When we choose against God, there is a cost. As they saying goes, nothing is for free. In our daily choices it is a blessing for us to have the freedom to choose which cost we are willing to pay. Choose wisely.
