The Captivity of Free Thinking
by Christopher Hendrix
Chesterton once wrote, “Freedom of thought is the best safeguard against freedom.” The one who freely holds to various ideologies has robbed himself of living in true freedom. For example, if someone believes that women ought to have the freedom to do what men do in everything but then also freely thinks that men can make Halloween a daily reality by wearing women’s clothes and lipstick, then this poses a problem in freedom for women. Even more when that same free thinker believes the man posing as a woman ought to play in women’s sports. He has allowed his thoughts to freely accept all people and support whatever each wants to do. He receives cultural applause and takes his bow. However, he has actually robbed freedom from women by stealing away their ability to compete. Even more, he has implicitly stated women can do everything a man does, but men can become women. Since the ability to transform is far superior to mimicry, he has now shackled women instead of freeing them. His freedom of thought has led to slavery.
Freedom of thought does not free us but enslaves us. That’s because God has designed the world’s function to conform with His thought. When we venture into our own devices, ideologies, and thoughts instead of looking to align ourselves with God’s thoughts, then we place the chains of slavery upon us and others. True freedom happens when we handcuff our thoughts to God’s thinking. God defines what is true and real, and we experience transformation when living accordingly. We live in liberty when we dwell in reality.
Take Paul as an example in 2 Corinthians 4:7–12. His life depicted humility in viewing himself as nothing more than a Terracotta pot that held a great treasure. These pots were nothing like the storage containers we have today. They were brittle and delicate. He knew of his fragility and weakness yet rejoiced that God would use him as a bearer of the Gospel. Despite his weakness, God demonstrated His power through Paul by enabling him to persevere through affliction, perplexity, persecution, and physical harm. His weakness proved God’s power through his intense suffering.
What would make a man endure such suffering to witness God’s power? The answer: His conformity to God’s thoughts. As Paul aligned his thoughts with Christ, he experienced a freedom like no other. This freedom led him to behold Christ and His greatness. In turn, this strengthened him for preaching the Gospel of Christ even in hardship. Loyalty and dedication to God stemmed from God. Through suffering and pain, Paul lived a life of freedom. He felt free to pursue Christ, even through the worst of the worst.
Those who reject such love for Christ show their bondage. They aren’t free but captive to their idols and ideologies. They have enslaved themselves in their claim to be free thinkers. They jump from one belief to the next without changing or transforming. Their hearts are stuck as their minds wander. They look at Christians and think we are the captive ones. This is like the prisoner looking out the window, assuming everyone outside is imprisoned while he lives in freedom. Self-deception stops the free thinker from realizing his boxed-in mind.
As Christians, we conform our minds to the Scriptures, for this is the mind of Christ. If we want to be ready to suffer as Christ suffered, we must align our thoughts with Him. This requires a desire for the truths of God. If this desire is lacking, then cry out to God and ask for it. Repent and ask to be changed by God. If it’s present, then feed it. Don’t let anything stop it from being fulfilled. And know that Christ promises to satisfy. Free thinking doesn’t have the power to entrap Christians because Christ has freed us.