It’s Independence Day, but What Are You Really Free from?

We were delivered from much more than British rule As we celebrate Independence Day this year, a word that resonates in virtually every celebration is “freedom.” This word has many connotations and means different things to every person. But there’s one type of freedom that evades many of us in our day-to-day lives. To the typical teenager, freedom means a new level of trust and responsibility bestowed upon them when they get the keys to the car or have extended curfews. To parents of high school graduates, it means the ability to once again invest time in themselves and new ministries. And to the released prisoner, it means returning to loved ones and turning away from licentious and destructive behavior. When a new believer makes his or her decision for Christ, an aspect of all these forms of freedom can be experienced, but the closest similarity to the above three is the last. Even though this world will often tell us that we are inherently good, the Bible has something else to say. Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies. —Psalm 58:3, NIV And the consequences of sin – even just one? For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. —1 Corinthians 15:22, NIV But sin isn’t just something we fall victim to every once in a while when provoked. It’s a black hole from which we have no power to evade from being sucked in – except through the redemptive power of Jesus Christ. The Bible puts it this way: When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. —Romans 20–22, NIV It’s hard for many to admit that they were born with an inherent sinful nature and predisposed to sin, but this wickedness has had a hold on all of us. With Christians, too, sin is always knocking at our door, as Satan loves more than anything to pull believers off course and leading them astray onto a destructive path. Without Christ, we will always be tethered to sin, no matter how hard we try to break free or how passionately we try to believe we have it under control. With Christ, we have to constantly kneel at His feet and be washed with His cleansing and liberating power that breaks the chains of sin from which we were once hopelessly bound. So, this Independence Day, are you also celebrating a freedom from sin? Remember, if you’re not desperately holding onto God, you’re holding onto sin, as the sin in this world is a bottomless pit that Satan yearns will consume each and every one of us.