The Foundation For Freedom - Genesis 2:15-17

In the original film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", they drink a potion which makes them defy gravity.

Imagine if there was no gravity. What would life be like?
It might be fun for a little while but the majority of things that we do on earth especially anything productive, would be impossible. In fact, the oceans would be empty and rain would never hit the soil. Life would eventually cease to exist.

So we need gravity to keep us grounded. In the same way, we need laws, instruments of structure and order, to keep us grounded.

The Objective of Good Government
The objective of good government is to provide a safe, just, righteous and compassionately responsible environment in which freedom can flourish.

How should this guide us in our voting?
We need to get party guided voting out of our minds. This is lazy democracy. Take the time to find out what candidates really stand for.
And when good options aren't available we have to step up.

This is the heartbeat that should guide our voting. To provide and secure an environment that is conducive to growth. A safe, just, righteous and compassionately responsible environment.

The Atmosphere of Freedom
"The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden" Genesis 2:15

This had all the required factors conducive for life, peace and productivity. And God intentionally provided and place Adam into this environment which was specifically created to accommodate his nature and physical make up.

The Scope of Freedom
16 "And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden" Genesis 2:16

This was the maximization of choice. Another translation uses the word freely. This is to mean to ones own discretion. Choices of taste, texture, color and amount.

The Responsibility of Freedom
15 "The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it." Genesis 2:15

God gave Adam responsibility. The first growth God gave. The continued growth was up to Adam for God had handed him the keys to the world. From this point on, what the responsibility of the environment was up to Adam.

Garden Preamble
If you will be responsible to manage and maximize what I've provided for you, you are free to enjoy it and benefit from it. Part of this is using it to benefit and bless others.

United States Preamble
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

The Restriction on Freedom
Every sport or game must have boundaries and borders and rules of engagement in order for it to make sense. We must know how to win.

The maximization of freedom demands legitimate boundaries. Without this, chaos rules.

God gave one boundary and it's clear and immediate consequence:
"17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:17

God's aim was not punishment or pain or taking away from freedom. The aim was actually maximization. But this is impossible without an anchor. Just as gravity keeps us grounded which allows for productivity and life, so to TRUTH AND TRUST anchor us to our foundation of freedom. A love relationship with our CREATOR. He didn't make this world for you and I alone. He made it for us with Him.

Don't exclude God
If we exclude God from our government and decide to come up with our own rules, that government will take and take and take. Once you make your government your god, we are holding down the destruct button.

But here is the good thing. We are still the stewards God placed in His garden to tend it and keep it. In Christ, we won our freedom back. We who are surrendered under Christ are legitimately able to effectively exercise our God-given authority.

Let's fight to get back to governing God's way and seek to provide an atmosphere that is safe, just, righteous and compassionately responsible.