4th of July

Today is the 4^th of July and, in America, we are all grateful for our freedom.  Freedom that was not free to get.  Many of our brothers, husbands, fathers, grandfathers, sisters, mothers, and grandmothers have fought to make and keep this nation free.  If they weren’t fighting over seas, they may have been a warrior to get equal rights for all.  Freedom is rarely free.  Many have died to give us this freedom and many have suffered to make our freedom possible. 

Our freedom doesn’t come without expectations either.  We are free to an extent, but not free to go out and kill someone or to just take whatever it is that we want whenever it is that we want it.  We have rules and laws to live by.  We have guidelines to follow and when we do not follow these, there are consequences for our actions. 

God gave us a spirit of freedom.  He gave us the option to choose freely what we do.  He let Adam and Eve choose to eat or not to eat from the tree of knowledge.  Throughout the entire Bible, there are amazing examples of the freedom of choice that God gives us.  He gives us a freedom to choose between right and wrong.  He then spells out WHAT is right and wrong in the 10 commandments (see post on righteousness).  So we have the freedom to choose, and when we choose incorrectly, there are consequences for our actions.  Romans 6:23 says, “for the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life”

Back in the Old-Testament days, the wages for sin was death.  There was an expectation if you sinned, you had to make a sacrifice to atone for that sin.  You had to pay the consequences for your sin with the best of what you had to offer whether it was cattle, birds or whatever.  You had to make an offering to become right with God again. 

Fortunately for us, we had someone go and fight our war against sin.  We had someone that went and died FOR us so that we wouldn’t have to.  Just like our soldiers go and protect and fight for us.  Jesus was sent to earth so that we would have freedom also.  He was sent to earth to fight our battle and WIN our battle against sin.  John 8:36 says “ So – if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  We had someone fight the battle against sin for us, are we going to disrespect that sacrifice and sin? 

Galatians 5:13 “You my brothers, were called to be free.  But do not use  your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love.”   

So today, on the Fourth of July, we should honor those that have fought to make our nation great.  We should honor those that are fighting to make our nation strong, but we should also remember that our CHRISTIAN nation has a hero too.  Jesus is the soldier in our war- He is the rock of our Salvation – the one that we need to remember always also – that he died on the cross for our sins and has won the war on sin in our lives.  Now lets honor Him and live a life for Him like we honor our soldiers.