A pulpit is only as good as what is behind it. In the case of freedomists,
what is there is an elephant; and the presence of this particular elephant among the
promoters of the gospel of liberated indulgence should not be excused, especially if they know
it is there and justify its presence.
This elephant is bitterness. Biblically, we find it in the account
of Cain and, from the New Testament, we can argue that it is the catalyst for anger, wrath, malice and other absolutely forbidden luxuries of the wounded soul. It is not a badge of godly passion.
Many souls have experienced serious and dark crises, including abuse
far more significant than a childhood spent without dancing, movies and the
like; but bitterness turns real or imagined victimized people into targets. They become, like Pinocchio, vulnerable
to a new breed of predatory control. Peter described the predators as those who promote a personal agenda of promiscuousness with a sales pitch for “freedom" to souls who feel a burden of bondage.
Bitterness rises when one strays from grace. Far from being a
demonstration of righteous indignation, it is a dark and defiling contaminant. To be on guard for such straying means taking ownership
of one’s own capacity for bitterness and being ready to help others who are
being harassed by it. It is serious. An embittered soul can malign many good and grace-driven
people in his vendetta against legalistic injustice.
The freedomist must face
the elephant and determine if he has become a voice which indulges
gracelessness in the name of grace; but the legalist must look to his own heart
as well. Churches are full of sullen members harboring bitterness toward God
because he has not honored their self
righteousness by giving them the good kids, good health, and good success they think they deserve.
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