The IM Writers Association. We aim to create a community of writers who share a common faith and passion for writing that advances the Life of Jesus Christ. Consider assisting us with our costs - a safe donor link is available HERE. #97 Identity Politics | FREEDOM TO SLAVESDr. Stephen Phinney: The 13th Amendment marked a seismic shift in American history—transforming a nation divided by bondage into one constitutionally committed to liberty.
THE EMANCIPATION FAILURERatified on December 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution formally abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, “except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.”Amendment XIIISection 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Section 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. This amendment was the first of the Reconstruction Amendments and served as the legal cornerstone for ending centuries of institutional slavery. While President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 declared freedom for enslaved people in Confederate territories, it lacked the permanence and reach of constitutional law. The 13th Amendment closed that gap—ensuring that freedom was not just proclaimed, but protected. For millions of formerly enslaved individuals, it was the long-awaited legal recognition of their humanity, dignity, and right to live free under the law. While the Emancipation Proclamation once thundered freedom across a divided nation, its spirit has been quietly betrayed in modern times.Today, many citizens face a new kind of bondage—not of chains, but of ideological coercion. Political movements, media narratives, and cultural pressures often demand allegiance, punishing dissent and silencing conviction. In this climate, freedom of thought is traded for conformity, and liberty is rebranded as compliance. The proclamation may have ended slavery in law, but the masses now attempt to enslave hearts and minds to their views—proving that true emancipation must reach deeper than policy; it must transform the soul. CORRUPTION OF REPETATIVE SLAVERYAt the heart of many ideological movements—especially those untethered from truth—is a drive not merely to persuade, but to dominate, to reinstitute slavery.When a movement elevates its cause above conscience, it often seeks to silence, shame, or subjugate anyone who resists its narrative. This is the spirit of enslavement masquerading as progress. Scripture warns of such deception: “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption” (2 Peter 2:19, ESV). Whether cloaked in politics, religion, or cultural reform, movements that cannot tolerate dissent often reveal their true aim—not liberation, but control. The modern “No Kings” movement, while cloaked in anti-authoritarian rhetoric, often reveals a deeper irony: it seeks to dethrone traditional authority only to enthrone its own ideological rule. Conservatives who honor lawful order and biblical authority become targets—not for dialogue, but for domination. The movement demands submission to its values while rejecting the very concept of submission itself. In doing so, it paradoxically crowns its leaders as cultural monarchs over a rising tide of anarchy. As Scripture warns, “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption” (2 Peter 2:19, ESV). What begins as rebellion against kings ends in the rise of counterfeit ones—ruling not by truth, but by coercion—acting like “kings” themselves. Movements, when untethered from truth and humility, often drift toward control rather than liberation.What begins as a rallying cry for justice or reform can quickly morph into a system that demands allegiance, silences dissent, and punishes nonconformity, at times, at the cost of murder. In their quest to reshape society, such movements frequently redefine freedom to mean submission to their ideology—enslaving those who resist under labels of intolerance, ignorance, or hate. Scripture warns of this pattern: “While they promise them freedom, they themselves are slaves of corruption” (2 Peter 2:19, ESV). True freedom is found not in the shifting winds of human movements, but in the unchanging truth of Yeshua, who said, “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36, ESV). The 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States, mirrors a profound biblical truth: that freedom is not merely a political concept, but a divine design. Scripture declares, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, ESV). Just as the amendment broke the legal chains of human bondage, Yeshua’s sacrifice shattered the spiritual chains of sin and death. Yet the battle for freedom—both civic and spiritual—continues. Movements that seek to enslave minds, suppress truth, or demand allegiance to false ideologies mirror the very oppression the 13th Amendment sought to end. Paul warned that “while they promise them freedom, they themselves are slaves of corruption” (2 Peter 2:19, ESV). True liberty is not found in man-made revolutions, but in the redemptive power of Yeshua. The 13th Amendment may have freed bodies, but only the Messiah frees souls. And in this age of rising deception, both freedoms must be guarded with vigilance and prayer. That verse—“For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate” (Romans 7:15, ESV)—reveals the inner war between flesh and spirit, a war that mirrors the broader struggle against ideological slavery. Just as Paul laments being pulled into actions contrary to his redeemed nature, so too do movements enslave minds by coercing people into conformity with values they inwardly resist. The 13th Amendment abolished physical slavery, but Romans 7 exposes the deeper bondage: the slavery of the soul to sin and deception. When modern ideologies demand allegiance and punish dissent, they reflect the same spiritual dynamic Paul described—forcing people to act against conscience, truth, and holiness. But Paul doesn’t stop at despair. He points to the only deliverance: “Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Yeshua the Messiah our Lord!” (Romans 7:24–25, ESV). True freedom—whether from sin or societal coercion—comes not by amendment alone, but by the indwelling Spirit of Christ who breaks every chain. The enduring importance of the 13th Amendment lies not only in its abolition of physical slavery, but in its symbolic stand against all forms of human bondage—ideological, spiritual, and systemic. As Romans 7:15 reveals, even the heart wrestles with captivity: “I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” This internal struggle mirrors the external pressures of movements that seek to enslave minds and silence truth. When society drifts toward coercion—demanding conformity to ideologies that suppress conscience and biblical authority—the 13th Amendment stands as a constitutional firewall against tyranny. Respecting and maintaining this amendment is more than honoring history; it’s guarding the principle that no person should be forced into servitude—whether by chains or by cultural manipulation. It reminds us that liberty must be preserved not only in law, but in spirit. And as 2 Peter 2:19 warns, “They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption.” The 13th Amendment is a legal ‘shout-out’ of a spiritual truth: freedom is sacred, and any movement that seeks to enslave others—physically or ideologically—must be resisted with conviction, clarity, and courage. Here’s my challenge to every reader who values both biblical truth and constitutional integrity: In a world where freedom is redefined daily and truth is traded for trends, I challenge you to stand firm. Don’t just celebrate the 13th Amendment as a historical milestone—live its spirit. Reject every movement that seeks to enslave your conscience, your convictions, or your worship. Test every ideology against the Word of God, and refuse to bow to cultural kings who demand your silence. As Paul declared, “Do not submit again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1, ESV). You were set free to walk in truth, not to be shackled by deception. So rise, speak, and anchor your life in the liberty that only Yeshua can give.Check out Kingdoms at War:
Dr. Stephen Phinney is a theologian, author, and speaker with a passion for helping individuals discover their true identity in Christ. His extensive knowledge and compassionate demeanor make him a guiding light for those seeking to understand the depths of spiritual transformation.Judge Mark T. Boonstra & Dr. Phinney are co-writers of the Identity Politics series. Their mission is to reestablish the Founding Fathers’ faith and commitment to building one nation under God.
IM Writers Association is a collective group of Christian writers who support the advancement of the Gospel of Jesus Christ while sustaining an eschatological view of the Holy Scriptures of God.
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