Frank Sinatra often gets picked on by preachers because of his song My Way.  The song is used to point out that Christians are supposed to be doing things God’s way, not their way.  So, as a Christian, it seems I have two options.  I can do things my way or I can do things God’s way.  The contrast between the two options seems pretty straight forward.  But, is there another way to approach the issue?

Some folks see two options.  Option one is to exercise my freedom by doing things the way I want to do them.  Isn’t that what freedom is for?  Option two is to give up my freedom and surrender it to a God that has lots of rules.  Who wants a bunch of “dos” and “don’ts” to take away their freedom?

What if I allow myself to be transformed by God?  When I am transformed, I become something different than what I was before.  The transformation allows me to see life from a different perspective.  God’s way becomes my way, too.  Then I can say, “I did it my way” without opposing God.  Isn’t this really the goal for a Christian, anyway?

Real freedom does not consist of “doing what I want.”  Real freedom is found by being what I am created to be.  Sin creates bondage.  The more I choose sin, the less free I become because sin is not the condition I was made for.  Therefore, I can be an unrepentant sinner and make all kinds of “free choices” without really being free.  But, if I am transformed, I am rightfully aligned with my Creator, and I am released from bondage to be who I was created to be.  I am set free.

The mistake is to see sin as “freedom” and transformation as “bondage.”  So, when untransformed people say, “I’m doing things my way,” they are actually playing into the hands of the slave master.  When transformed people say, “I’m doing things my way,” they are exercising true freedom.  Both have free will, but one is choosing slavery while the other is choosing freedom.

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”  A free person follows God.  A free person’s way is the same as God’s way.