Balance

Cicero spoke from the pinnacle of power. He had come from a family without the aristocratic heritage normally required to achieve success in Rome. Yet, as a lawyer, Cicero had gained influence, becoming known as the most gifted orator of his time.

In 63 BC, he became a consul, the highest Roman office, performing with distinction. But his fortunes turned in 60 BC after Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus combined their resources and took control of Roman politics. Cicero was forced to leave Rome. In exile, he wrote extensively about his observations—about Rome, about government, and about human nature.

In his book, The Republic, Cicero wrote, “The fruit of too much liberty is slavery.” He had seen how important freedom was to the Romans, but also how easily this freedom could be abused.

Paul, who was born not long after Cicero’s death, certainly knew of his life and might well have studied his writings. Paul wrote that freedom was central to the Christian life: “The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death” (Romans 8:2). “It was for freedom that Christ set us free” (Galatians 5:1).

But Paul also knew that freedom could be abused. Freedom could be misinterpreted as license, an opportunity to give in to harmful temptations and yield to destructive habits.

He urged us to maintain a balance—to celebrate the freedoms we have in Christ, but to be careful not to allow ourselves to be “mastered by anything.”

Today, celebrate the freedom you have in Jesus: freedom from sin, from guilt, from worry, from burdens. Also seek to live in such a way that you overcome temptations and are free to impact others for the Gospel.