The Blessing of Freedom

Every fourth of July Americans celebrate the blessings of freedom that we enjoy as a nation.  The founders of our country recognized that freedom is a gift from God: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness," they majestically declared in the Declaration of Independece.  The American ideal of freedom definitely flows from a biblical world-view (a world-view that is unmistakable in our country's founding documents and historical record), but the biblical concept of freedom includes much more than political freedom.  Here are some important aspects of liberty taught in the Bible:

  1. Freedom from the controlling bondage of sin (Romans 6:6-14)
  2. Freedom from the paralyzing fear of death (Hebrews 2:15)
  3. Freedom from external rules and regulations (Galatians 5:1)
  4. Freedom from self-indulgence (Galatians 5:13)
  5. Freedom to believe the truth (John 8:32)

This fourth of July, may the Lord help us to be thankful for the liberty that we enjoy as believers in Jesus Christ!