Ramblings from Retirement – Jesus and Freedom of Speech

Ramblings from Retirement – Jesus and Freedom of Speech
By Pastor (retired) Lee Hemen
April 14, 2022

My father would remind us that “Words mean things”, usually when my brother and I were in the midst of calling one another morons or some other teenage moniker. Words are important.

Many in today’s America have forgotten a fundamental right that is guaranteed by our Constitution: Freedom of speech. This is a core right that should be protected at all costs. You may not like or agree with what someone else says, writes, or films but you can turn it off, not read it, or respond to it. It is your freedom to do so. Lease we forget this is why Jesus was persecuted as he was. He openly proclaimed the truth of God which stood in stark contrast to the false narrative of the religious leaders of his day. Over and over, we hear Jesus telling his detractors, “You say” and then telling them the truth. Using his free speech eventually cost him his life.

In Matthew’s gospel we find a perfect example of this when Jesus tells these hypocritical religious leaders, “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:1-6 NIV84)”

Sadly far too many think that if you make them feel bad about themselves, you are evil, horrible, and should not be allowed to speak or share freely. They immediately judge and want to muzzle anyone who might disagree with their particular perverted proclivity. We see it occurring on social media sights like Twitter, Facebook, TicTok, and others when they self-righteously silence anyone or anything they find disagreeable. Often they use terms like “hate speech” or “false information” and have made themselves the final arbitrators of what should be read or heard.

The Jewish leaders beat, mocked, and then drug Jesus before Roman authorities with a false narrative hoping Pilate would execute Jesus for them so that they could sit back and tell the crowds it was not their fault but Rome’s. They did not like what Jesus was telling the crowds that they had controlled with their corrupt faith. Then, interestingly when Jesus stands before the Roman authority, Pontius Pilate, Pilate asks him, “What is truth?” right after Jesus tells him what it is, that namely he had come “to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.” Only freedom of speech can allow for the truth to be disseminated and thereby be understood. You cannot stifle the truth even if you have it nailed to a cross. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:31-32 NIV84)”

As believers in Christ we cannot allow the world to restrict our freedom of speech, to do so would allow the gospel to be silenced. This is why as a pastor I never felt threatened when I was confronted by false biblical teaching. For me it never made any sense. Freedom of speech does not just mean allowing the gospel to be freely shared. As a Christian never give up your freedom of speech, even if it means you have to listen others who seem offensive or ungodly. I believe the reason so many find the gospel offensive is because of the truth it contains. Only the truth will set them free and only if you can freely share it. Words do mean things so do not give up your right to free speech.
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This article is copyrighted © 2022 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.

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