Liberation​—How Desirable!

“GIVE me liberty or give me death!” cried the American patriot Patrick Henry over 200 years ago. For him, liberation was more precious than life itself. Down through the centuries, millions of people have had similar feelings.

Within the past half century, however, the desire for liberation has taken on new dimensions. Colonial powers have been divested of millions of subjects as these sought and achieved political independence. Social, economic, and even religious movements have been set up to seek liberation from oppression and discrimination, either real or imagined. Never before have so many men wanted liberation from the authority of employers and governments, so many women from the authority of husbands and fathers, and so many children from the authority of parents and teachers. Still, liberation movements are nothing new. In fact, they are almost as old as mankind itself. The world’s oldest history book, the Holy Bible, tells us more. The gist of the story, as found at Genesis 3:1-7, is this:

Shortly after man and woman’s creation, the woman was approached by an angelic creature. His actions betrayed a desire to break free from the authority of his Creator. So it is not surprising that he asserted that what she and her husband needed was liberation. Was it not true, he argued, that God had placed restrictions upon them? But why, he asked, should they not eat from “the fruit of the tree . . . in the middle of the garden”? After all, “the tree was desirable to look upon,” was it not? Indeed!

Break away, he urged, and “your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad.” How desirable! Yes, liberation from God’s “oppressive” rule was made to appear to be as precious as life itself.

“Give me liberty or give me death!” Adam and Eve got both​—to their sorrow and ours! How so?

“All Creation Keeps On Groaning”​—Why?

THE first man and woman turned their backs on God. But having gained the “liberation” they wanted, they now had to manage affairs as best they could. They soon discovered that their best was far from good enough. Inexperience and limited knowledge led to problems.

That is why many of us have become victims of discrimination or injustice. That is why all of us have come into bondage to human imperfections, why we get sick, suffer abnormal physical and mental pain, and shed tears of sorrow. Or, as expressed in Bible language, that is why “all creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now.”​—Romans 8:22.

Man’s first liberation attempt thus turned out to be one that enslaved him. For 60 centuries now, he has been trying to liberate himself from its bad effects. But with what success?

Political Liberation

Man has experimented with all kinds of government. Those oppressive or unjust, or that failed to meet the people’s immediate needs, have been discarded or even violently overthrown and replaced by others​—but with dubious results.

Journalist Lance Morrow, speaking about political revolutions, observes: “History has paraded past too many utopian dramas of transformation that ended by being as totalitarian, as murderous, as the regimes that they swept away​—triumphs of hopeful zealotry over experience.”

Replacing one imperfect government with another is hardly the ideal way to bring about real liberation. Hence, wise King Solomon was divinely inspired to write: “Man has dominated man to his injury.” (Ecclesiastes 8:9) Obviously, “all creation [will keep] on groaning together and being in pain” until perfect government makes liberation from imperfect rule a reality.

Liberation From National and Racial Discrimination

Racial or national prejudices directly contradict the Bible truths that God “made out of one man every nation of men” and that “God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.” (Acts 17:26; 10:34, 35) But those seeking equal treatment have often failed to find it, even in nations professing to be Christian.

For example, consider the black race. Some so-called Christians claim that black skin color is the result of a divine curse placed upon Canaan and his descendants, consigning them to a position of servitude. In this they err. The black race descended not from Canaan but from Cush and possibly Put. And no curse was placed upon either of them.​—Genesis 9:24, 25; 10:6.

Despite this fact, blacks have often found themselves socially and economically downtrodden even by fellow blacks. They have longed for liberation. But their liberation movements, despite sit-ins and protest marches, have brought only partial success. Unable to change hearts fully, they have failed to wipe out racial prejudice, religious ignorance, and lack of neighbor love.

So “all creation [will keep] on groaning together and being in pain” until racial discrimination is wiped out by God’s Kingdom through Christ.

The Liberation of Women

Down through the centuries, women have been mistreated and often considered to be second-rate humans. This is no fault of their Creator. He did not create the woman in order for man to view her simply as a sex object. Neither was the man instructed to tyrannize over her. As man’s wife, she was to be his “helper,” to serve “as a complement of him,” to become “one flesh” with him.​—Genesis 1:26-28; 2:18-24.

Eve’s desire for independence from God’s loving authority resulted not in freedom but in harsh subjugation. Foreseeing this, God foretold: “Your craving will be for your husband, and he will dominate you.” (Genesis 3:16) For many women, imperfect male domination has been most unpleasant, and a number of feminist movements have tried to shake it off.

But the Women’s Liberation Movement, while effecting some changes for the better, has failed because it is contrary to the balanced liberation that God promises. “All creation [will keep] on groaning together and being in pain” until God’s Kingdom teaches all men to love “their wives as their own bodies” and to treat “older women as mothers, younger women as sisters with all chasteness.”​—Ephesians 5:28; 1 Timothy 5:2.

Before explaining how that day will come, we must deal with another important question. Just how should Christians view today’s liberation movements?

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Replacing one imperfect government with another imperfect one is no solution for bringing about real liberation

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Civil disobedience, sit-ins, and protest marches do not change hearts

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The Women’s Liberation Movement has failed because it is contrary to the balanced liberation that God promises

How Christians Should Feel About Liberation

CHRISTIANS are opposed to “liberation” that rejects properly exercised authority. Why? Because in reality it does not liberate​—it enslaves. A simple example may serve to illustrate this.

A youth chafes under the authority of his parents, who forbid him to smoke and to drink alcoholic beverages. Not appreciating that their authority is being exercised for his own good, he longs for liberation. After becoming of age and leaving home, he finally achieves the liberation he has always wanted. But years later, after having become a chain smoker and a borderline alcoholic, his doctor tells him that for health reasons he must give up both smoking and drinking. He finds this difficult to do. His liberation has led to addiction, to enslavement.

Liberation From Absolute Authority

God’s authority is absolute and is based upon his being the Creator. This gives him the right to determine for his creatures what is proper conduct, what is moral and what is immoral. These standards, established for mankind’s welfare, are plainly set out in the Bible. “Do not be misled,” it says. “Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men kept for unnatural purposes, nor men who lie with men, nor thieves, nor greedy persons, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit God’s kingdom.”​—1 Corinthians 6:9, 10.

It is particularly in this worldly-wise, sophisticated 20th century that man has tried to liberate himself from such moral guidelines. Yet, despite any so-called liberation, he cannot free himself from the consequences of practicing what God defines to be sin. Rather than being free, such persons have become slaves to their own desires, lusts, and passions, as Jesus clearly showed in saying: “Every doer of sin is a slave of sin.”​—John 8:34; see also Romans 6:16.

Liberation From Relative Authority

Government officials have the right to exercise authority within the state, parents within the family, teachers within the school system, and Christian elders within the congregation. Of course, the authority is only relative. For example, the absolute authority of Jehovah, who commands that his servants read his Word and associate with fellow Christians, would take precedence over the relative authority of the husband who might demand that his wife do neither of these things.​—Acts 5:29.

In recognition of the state’s relative authority, however, Christians could not participate in liberation movements to overthrow such authority. They could not condone civil disobedience simply because they disagree with governmental policy, neither could they encourage the withholding of taxes as a way of protesting against certain policies. “He who opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God,” said the apostle Paul, adding: “Those who have taken a stand against it will receive judgment to themselves.”​—Romans 13:1-4.

But what if a government official is unjust and misuses his authority? What if he discriminates against individuals or unpopular minorities? The Bible’s counsel is: “If you see any oppression of the one of little means and the violent taking away of judgment and of righteousness in a jurisdictional district, do not be amazed over the affair, for one that is higher than the high one is watching.” (Ecclesiastes 5:8) It may be possible to appeal to a higher governmental authority or court. But even if justice is not obtained by that means, God’s servants can be confident that, “as regards Jehovah, his eyes are roving about through all the earth to show his strength in behalf of those whose heart is complete toward him.”​—2 Chronicles 16:9.

It is a similar situation with a family. If husbands or fathers should misuse their authority, we can be sure that God eventually will right such matters, not allowing any injustices to exist in his righteous new system soon to come. In the meantime, Christian women and children continue to respect the principle of Christian headship, even if it is sometimes abused. They appreciate that it is not meant to belittle but is designed to ensure peace and unity within both the family and the Christian congregation.​—1 Corinthians 11:3.

“Liberation” From Authority Within the Congregation

With regard to headship in the Christian congregation, God’s Word states: “Be obedient to those who are taking the lead among you and be submissive, for they are keeping watch over your souls as those who will render an account.” (Hebrews 13:17) Although this authority of elders is relative, yet it has been delegated to them by God through his holy spirit. Thus it has been granted in a more direct way than the relative authority delegated, for example, to government officials.​—Acts 20:28.

Some have felt that the regulations and instructions issued by God’s visible organization are too restrictive, not allowing for enough individual freedom. This has caused them to stop associating with Jehovah’s Witnesses; no longer are they willing to be submissive to those keeping watch over their souls. Although these persons possibly consider themselves liberated, their “liberation” has, in fact, enslaved them once again to false religious beliefs and practices.

True Christians respect authority, both the absolute authority of God and the relative authority of humans. This proper view of authority prevents them from misusing the Christian freedom that a knowledge of the truth has given them.

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God’s authority is absolute and is based upon his being the Creator

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Christians do not rebel against the state because of policies for which it will have to answer to God

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True Christians respect authority, both the absolute authority of God and the relative authority of humans

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Paying back to the authority

Recognizing relative authority in the congregation

Appreciating the Supreme Authority, Jehovah God

Make Proper Use of Christian Liberation

CHRISTIANS have been “called for freedom,” but they are warned not to “use this freedom as an inducement for the flesh.” (Galatians 5:13; 1 Peter 2:16) How tragic it would be if a Christian were to misuse Christian liberation so as to be enslaved anew! Let us take an example.

Many a religious person has been taught that drinking alcoholic beverages is a sin. An accurate knowledge of the Bible will liberate him from this mistaken idea, since it is not drinking but drunkenness that the Bible condemns. (Compare Psalm 104:14, 15 with 1 Corinthians 6:10 and; 1 Peter 4:3.) So now such a liberated Christian might feel free to enjoy an occasional drink. But if he begins to “use this freedom as an inducement for the flesh,” he could overdo it, developing a certain dependence upon alcohol, even becoming enslaved to it.

Thus, after being liberated from false views on recreation, dress and grooming, or social behavior, a Christian dare not swing to the other extreme: spending excessive time or money on things previously forbidden but now permitted. This would be an abuse of Christian liberation. It could have serious consequences.

Preach the Liberation Hope

Particularly since the establishment of God’s Messianic Kingdom in 1914 has his promise that “creation itself also will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God” been moving rapidly toward fulfillment. (Romans 8:21) Already Christ has liberated the heavens from Satanic influence. (Revelation 12:7-12) Soon he will destroy Babylon the Great, which has enslaved man by means of religious error. Then at God’s war of Har–Magedon, he will liberate mankind from imperfect human governments by crushing them out of existence. (Daniel 2:44; Revelation 18:21; 19:11-21) He will even liberate humans from the prime backer of enslavement when Satan is made inactive, unable to “mislead the nations anymore until the thousand years [have] ended.”​—Revelation 20:2, 3.

By the end of his Thousand Year Reign, Christ will completely have liberated man from all the bad effects that resulted from the original liberation movement back in Eden. Mistreated racial groups will have been liberated from unjust or discriminatory treatment. Women will have been liberated from oppressive male domination. Sick persons will have been liberated from disease. Elderly persons will have been liberated from the debilitating effects of old age. And, wonder of wonders, bereaved persons will have been liberated from sorrow, for their dead loved ones will have been liberated from the grave!​—Revelation 20:13–21:5; see also Psalm 146:5-10.

By preaching this divine message of liberation, Jehovah’s Witnesses today are using their own Christian liberation in a beneficial way. How shortsighted it would be for them to support human liberation movements, which, at best, can bring only partial relief and which, in reality, obscure the real liberation hope.

Think of it: You have the opportunity of living to experience a liberation far grander than the liberty of which Patrick Henry spoke. Moreover, you have the opportunity of enjoying its blessings after Armageddon, to all eternity!