Independence Day

Today, as citizens of the United States of Amarica, we celebrate the freedoms we take for granted all too often. It makes me wonder, have you ever considered what the risk level was to those who signed the Declaration of Independence? Had we not won the warn on tyranny, every man who signed would have been charged with treason and punished accordingly as an example to others. Additionally, these men were not your average farmers and smithies, they were the upper-crust, land owner, weathly, powerful... yet they were willing to put it all on the line for what they believed was right. John Hancock even scrawled his name so large the British wouldn't have much trouble figuring out who he was. These men founded our country in opposition to the work, demanding freedom from opression.

Why, as Christians, don't we learn from this example? No, not all of them were Christians, several were athiests, but they were willing to sacrifice everything for freedom. Living in the United States has given most of us a false sense of security and urgency, an assurance that we can worship as we choose, speak our minds, etc... but this isn't the reality on most of our planet. Friends of mine recently returned from China where they had to hold their tongues on certain topics, live above reproach, and meet with other believers in secret or have a foreign passport to attend a church legally. Followers of Christ in China lay it on the line, willing to give all for Christ every day, and they do it for the love that He has freely given to them. But as a US citizen, can you imagine going to church on Sunday and having someone arrest you for it? This is the reality that faces so many on our planet, yet so many are willing to love God that much anyway, are you? Would you be able to stand strong in your faith under the same circumstances? Can you imagine giving up everything you own to follow Christ?

Today is Independence Day, a day to celebrate our country's freedom... but let's also remember the freedom we have through Christ, His blood, and His resurrection. Let's take a lesson from our founding fathers of our nation and be bold in what we believe, stand firm in the One who has freed us from eternal damnation and slavery and has made us heirs and heiresses to the thrown of God. Here are a few of the Bible's verses about our freedom to think about as we celebrate today:

Psalm 119:32 - "I will go quickly in the way of your teaching, because you have given me a free heart."

Isaiah 61:1 - "The Sovereign LORD has filled me with his Spirit. He has chosen me and sent me To bring good news to the poor, To heal the broken-hearted, To announce release to captives And freedom to those in prison."

John 8:31-32 - "So Jesus said to those who believed in him, "If you obey my teaching, you are really my disciples; you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.""

Romans 6:6-7 - "And we know that our old being has been put to death with Christ on his cross, in order that the power of the sinful self might be destroyed, so that we should no longer be the slaves of sin. For when we die, we are set free from the power of sin."

Romans 6:17-18 - "But thanks be to God! For though at one time you were slaves to sin, you have obeyed with all your heart the truths found in the teaching you received. You were set free from sin and became the slaves of righteousness."

2 Corinthians 3:17 - "Now, "the Lord" in this passage is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is present, there is freedom."

Galations 5:1 - "Freedom is what we have---Christ has set us free! Stand, then, as free people, and do not allow yourselves to become slaves again."

Galations 5:13 - "As for you, my friends, you were called to be free. But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires control you. Instead, let love make you serve one another."

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it's a good start for reflecting on our freedom in Christ today.

Hugs & Love