As we celebrate Independence Day in the United States, we gather with friends and family, watch fireworks light up the sky, and remember the sacrifice and courage it took to gain our nation’s freedom. It’s a time of national pride and gratitude toward our armed forces, and rightly so. But as followers of Jesus, our celebration doesn’t end with the freedoms granted by earthly governments. It points us to a deeper, far greater freedom – one that was won not on a battlefield, but on a cross.
The Bible tells us in John 8:36, “Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” This is the freedom that surpasses political party lines and liberty. It is the freedom from those chains that bind us – sin, guilt, and death. It is the freedom that allows us to live with purpose, peace, hope and confidence in what Jesus did for us – and nothing that was done in our strength and might. While earthly freedom can be lost or taken, the freedom we have in Christ is unshakable, unwavering and eternal.
Paul reminds us in Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.” What does this mean? It means we’re not only forgiven – we’re free. Free to live for Jesus, to walk in the Spirit, to no longer be chained to our past or to the pressures of this world, and to serve Him and others…with joy.
So as we celebrate the blessings and privileges of living in a free nation, let us also pause and reflect on the even greater blessing we have as children of God. Our ultimate freedom isn’t found in worldly laws or liberty – it’s found in Jesus, who conquered the grave and set us free to live for Him.
Let this holiday not only stir up patriotism, but praise. Praise for the Savior who gave His life so we could truly live. And may we use our freedom, both as citizens and as believers, to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13), to speak the truth boldly, and to walk worthy…to walk in the light of Christ.