Read 1 Peter 2:13-25
"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover up for evil; live as servants of God" (1 Peter 2:16).
What Does This Scripture Mean for Us?
Someone in the history of the church -- Luther? Augustine of Hippo? I don't remember -- once said that the true definition of "freedom" and the idea of human "free will" was not the ability to choose to do evil, but it was the ability given Christians by the grace of God to always choose to do right instead of evil.
Probably that's a lot more profound than I can handle, if you think carefully about what all it means about us and our relationship with God. But this one thing is clear, based on today's Scripture reading (see especially the quoted verse): No matter what culture we live in, nor what form of government we live under, we have the ability in Christ to be free in the fullest extent. We are free to love God and follow Him, no matter what. We can use that freedom to follow Christ and draw others to Him as they see the quality of our lives and our love for one another!
