The Illusion of Freedom

Paul's worldview is grounded in the notion of a great cosmic struggle between two principalities and powers: God and evil.  And all of our acts and omissions serve one of these two principalities and powers.  We don't choose between freedom and servitude.  We choose between two masters.  When our actions manifest righteousness, we are serving God.  When our actions manifest sin, we are acting in the service of evil.

Living under the Lordship of Christ means being aware of the two collars that we are able to wear: that of sin and that of righteousness, and choosing to wear the collar of righteousness.  When we first make the decision to live under the Lordship of Christ, we do not discard the sin collar and permanently put on the righteousness collar.  Instead, we begin the process of maximizing the time that we are wearing the righteousness collar and minimizing the time that we wear the sin collar.  Our goal, sanctification, means that we cast off the sin collar for good.  This requires a lifetime of spiritual discipline and practicing the means of grace