We’re quickly coming up on the Independence Day holiday for the United States. Picnics, travel, fireworks shows, and family gatherings will dominate our days in the near future, although because the holiday itself falls in the middle of the week, some of the longer travel, etc. may be subdued somewhat this year.
Independence Day. Independence Day. Just the thought evokes scenes of the Revolutionary War, civics classes in high school, Sousa marches, the flag, the Bill of Rights, and the annual concert at the Mall in Washington, DC. Those thoughts are good, and are truly unique to this nation and the principles upon which it was founded. But there’s another kind of independence that for the Christian is even more important and precious.
When we ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins and He adds us to his church through repentance and baptism, we in a sense become slaves to righteousness…but in just as real of a sense, we become freed from the bondage of sin and guilt. We gain our independence and are no longer bound to a life of slavery to sin and death. We live in peace and in hope; we learn to love and be loved; we serve with joy and vigor.
I don’t want to bore you with a lot of song lyrics; however, there are a couple that come to mind which convey the idea of Christian freedom very well.
“Sinner Saved by Grace”
I’m just a sinner saved by grace. When I stood condemned to death He took my place.
Now I live and breathe in freedom with each breath of life I take.
I’m loved and forgiven; I’m back with the living; I’m just a sinner Saved by grace
“Let Freedom Ring”
God built freedom into every fiber of creation, and He meant for us to all be free and whole.
When my Lord bought freedom with the blood of His redemption, His cross stamped pardon on my very soul
I’ll sing it out with every breath, I’ll let the whole world hear it; this hallelujah anthem of the free!
That iron bars and heavy chains can never hold us captive. The Son has made us free and free indeed!
Let freedom ring down through the ages from a hill called Calvary;
Let freedom ring wherever hearts know pain.
Let freedom echo through the lonely streets where prisons have no key;
You can be free and you can sing “Let Freedom Ring”!
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