“Surely you know that you become the slaves of whatever you give yourselves to. Anything or anyone you follow will be your master.” (Romans 6:16 ERV)
In order to enjoy freedom of choice and autonomy, we want to break free from restrictive rules and authoritarian structures. Once these are gone, we will be free! But… is that assumption really correct?
Paul challenges the idea of “free choice” by warning that we can become slaves to whatever we give ourselves to. Humans are so influenced by sin that we naturally tend to choose wrong. In fact, we are “involuntary slaves”, often without even being aware of it. We cherish the illusion of autonomy, yet all the while we are being led by God’s adversary. He influences our will so profoundly and, at the same time, so subtly that we don’t even notice it.
Paul also writes about another possibility, which at first glance doesn’t seem free choice at all. He talks about people who are obedient to what they have learned about Christ. So, they follow certain guidelines. But they do not feel forced to do so; they are “obedient from the heart” (Romans 6:17). In fact, that sounds more like freedom than “being a slave to evil”…
How free are you in the choices you make? Who or what influences you?