A few days ago I ran across the following illustration, penned by an anonymous author:
Several years ago a book was published entitled “Looking Out for Number One.” On the dedication page the author wrote, “Dedicated to the hope that somewhere in our universe there exists a civilization where the inhabitants possess sole dominion over their own lives.” There is such a place. It’s called Hell.
It is an interesting quote, and accurate to a certain extent. Men who seek to do their own will rather than the will of God most certainly will end up in Hell. We are not free to flout God’s will. To do so has consequences.
However, it is inaccurate to say that they possess sole dominion over their own lives. They may not be aware of it, but such men are slaves. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16).
So the question isn’t whether you want to be free to do your own will. The question is what do you want to be a slave of — a slave of “sin, leading to death”; or a slave of “obedience, leading to righteousness.”
The freedom to flout God’s will, thus “self-dominion” is an illusion — one that will be shattered at the judgment day.
