"Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
-Patrick Henry
Most Americans are very familiar with the end of this famous quote, Patrick Henry’s famous call to action just before the start of the American Revolution. Most of us have never observed the first part of that statement: "Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery?” That stops me in my tracks! You see, Henry is illustrating to the Virginia convention that the peace and comfort of the familiar is not a substitute for true freedom. It’s almost as if Henry took a page from Paul’s book in Galatians 5.
To paraphrase, Paul is telling the church that if they choose to embrace the law, they must take all the Law and live entirely under its exacting standards. He essentially tells the church if they choose this, why did Christ even need to come and die? “Christ will not benefit you at all” (vs. 2b). He goes on to say, “You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you have fallen from grace” (vs. 4).
Can you imagine a world in which you’d choose to be alienated from Christ and His grace, choosing to be estranged from the one who’s given you such a gift? Yet often we choose the familiar, even at the expense of our own liberties. It’s easier, right? We wrap ourselves in habits, addictions, and familiar systems even when they bring us no joy, or worse, hurt us. Our chains become our constant companions. The Israelites did it in the desert, longing to return to Egypt. The Galatians did it. Even some of the early colonists here in America would rather pay crippling taxes and endure horrible mistreatment than step out into the unknown of starting a brand-new country.
But listen to Paul’s words: “For we eagerly await through the Spirit, by faith, the hope of righteousness…. what matters is faith working through love” (vs. 5, 6b).
We are FREE from being slave to working our way to God’s good graces. We are FREE from having to earn our place with Him. We can leave the old familiar places and step out in faith because Jesus’ love has made a way.