As Americans we celebrate freedom and set aside this day for special honor. It is self-evident that there is no country on earth, now or in the past, where freedom was more a reality and more cherished than the United States. What rational person would seek to live somewhere else? But July 4, 1776 was but a pale shadow of the day almost 2000 years ago when real freedom was won.
Real freedom for the Christian was not won by sweeping declarations or on the field of battle or the halls of government. Freedom for Christians was won in a moment of seeming defeat as Jesus Christ cried out "it is finished" on the cross. The emblem of our freedom is not men marching to war or fireworks or flags waving in the breeze. The emblems of our freedom are two pieces of blood stained wood and an empty tomb. The freedom He won for His people was not over a king in England but over sin, an enemy that flowery rhetoric and mighty men can never defeat. Our declaration of Independence from sin is not on a parchment in Washington D.C. but is on the pages of every Bible in the world. These are the words of our declaration of Independence:
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (Joh 19:30)
Let's celebrate today as Americans our Independence Day and enjoy time with friends and family, but for those of us who call Jesus Christ our Lord let us remember that an even greater freedom was won on our behalf. For us, we are not merely free in this life but for life eternal, made free indeed by Jesus Christ.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Rom 8:1-4)
Real freedom for the Christian was not won by sweeping declarations or on the field of battle or the halls of government. Freedom for Christians was won in a moment of seeming defeat as Jesus Christ cried out "it is finished" on the cross. The emblem of our freedom is not men marching to war or fireworks or flags waving in the breeze. The emblems of our freedom are two pieces of blood stained wood and an empty tomb. The freedom He won for His people was not over a king in England but over sin, an enemy that flowery rhetoric and mighty men can never defeat. Our declaration of Independence from sin is not on a parchment in Washington D.C. but is on the pages of every Bible in the world. These are the words of our declaration of Independence:
When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, "It is finished," and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (Joh 19:30)
Let's celebrate today as Americans our Independence Day and enjoy time with friends and family, but for those of us who call Jesus Christ our Lord let us remember that an even greater freedom was won on our behalf. For us, we are not merely free in this life but for life eternal, made free indeed by Jesus Christ.
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (Rom 8:1-4)
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