LET FREEDOM RING

by Tyler Young

Within the heart of every man lies the longing for freedom. Our souls are stirred by our national anthem as we contemplate in song that we are blessed to live in “the land of the free.” We sing of America, the “sweet land of liberty.” May we be forgiven if we dare take for granted that we live in the freest, most prosperous nation on earth. Even acknowledging our faults and admitting our failures, as American patriots we may beam with pride over the reality that the Unites States is not only a haven of liberty, but continues to be the greatest force for freedom in the modern world. Even now our sons are in harm’s way to help liberate the people of Iraq and provide them with protection from the bondage of tyranny.

 The “fourth of July” is here, but it is more than a date on the calendar, a day off from work to picnic and watch fireworks. It is “Independence Day,” a time to celebrate our freedom and reflect on the price paid to purchase and preserve it for us. On that famous day in 1776, when our forefathers signed the Declaration of Independence—pledging, they said, “our lives, our fortunes, our sacred honor”—a bloody revolution began. From that time to this, many have paid the ultimate price, laying down their lives to gain the freedom we ought to cherish with every breath. As the war on terror reminds us, with news of each death—freedom is not free.

 More than liberation from the bondage of political oppression, the human spirit needs to be set free from the bondage of sin. Jesus declared, “Everyone who commits sin is a bondservant of sin… but if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:34-36). The spiritual freedom provided by Jesus was not free. The release of the soul from the self-imposed tyranny of sin came at a high price—the blood of the Son of God. Our true Independence Day—the time when the ultimate freedom was made possible—came not on July 4, 1776, but on the day when Christ was crucified, punished for our sins, to make possible our liberation. As we celebrate our independence, let us remember our dependence on Christ, and the liberty he purchased for us by his own blood. Let us turn from bondage, and allow him to set us free. “If you continue in my word…you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Forsake sin to embrace liberty in Christ. Receive and obey his truth, and let freedom ring in your soul. Contact us if we can help.