Jul 03 2008
Independence Day
Freedom is a central concept within Christianity. God freed the Hebrews from Egyptian captivity. The early Jewish Judges routinely protected or delivered ancient Israel from invaders. God restored captive Israel to their land a second time.
It is important to understand that freedom entails both the idea of being freed from something and being freed to something. As Christ followers, we are freed from bondage to sin. Take, for example, the saying that someone is a “slave to fashion.” by that, we mean that this person is likely obsessed with the latest fashions and gains their identity from sporting the latest fashions. In short, they are focused on fashion as the “master” of their life. Sin operates the same way. We focus on it so that it ultimately rules us; it is our master (actually, the sin puppet-master is really Satan).
Jesus frees us from bondage to sin and its ultimate consequences and to freedom in him so that we might live. we are no longer captivated by sin, although we still sin. We have a new master in Jesus.
As we enjoy the fireworks this weekend, let us remember that only Jesus can offer us true independence as we pledge our allegiance to our creator rather than the author of darkness, lies, and death.