"It is for freedom the Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1
Next week, the country we live in celebrates what is know as "Independence Day." On July 4th, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, and it became official. America was free from oppression in the form of Great Britain, and a new nation was born. Freedom is a word used quite often when we describe America and the land that we live in. The idea of freedom, however, is not a new concept. It's mentioned in scripture many times. We all have an idea of what freedom means, and sometimes our patriotic idea crosses over into the biblical idea of freedom. And trust me, as blessed as we are to be living in a country that gives us freedoms in many areas, Jesus' idea of freedom is far superior than anything we could ever imagine as Heaven's citizens that just happen to temporarily reside in the United States of America. The freedom we have been given through the precious blood of Jesus means we are free from the burden of sin and the weight that it carries on our lives. We are free from the fear of death, Satan, and anything this temporary world may throw at us. While it's easy for us to get tangled up sometimes in the heaviness of this world and just the grind of life, Jesus reminds us that we are free. That's why Galatians 5:1 reminds us not to "let ourselves" be burdened again by the yoke of slavery. Imagine a prisoner that had been given a life sentence suddenly be freed, pardoned, and released. How crazy would it be for us to see that prisoner wake up one day and just go back to that prison and go sit inside his old cell? That's exactly what it looks like when we get tangled up in our old ways and burdens. We do it to ourselves. But, the door to the cell we were once imprisoned is always open and unlocked, for Jesus has the keys to our freedom. So, maybe today you're burdened by old habits and old ways of thinking. Just remember that Jesus has made you free! Christian, Jesus has paid the penalty due us as the result of our sins! Before we trusted in Him for our salvation, we were shackled down and a prisoner of our own doing. Our very sin had to be dealt with, and before Jesus died and rose from the grave, the only way that would have happened was when we stood before God one day and he declared us "guilty," sentencing us to an eternity apart from Him in Hell. Today, I pray that we remember what exactly we've been set free from, and what we've been set free for. Brother and sister, we've been set free from sin and the penalty of sin, death, and an eternity apart from God Almighty. And, we've been set free for the purpose of living a life that honors and glorifies our Heavenly Father in all we say and do, as we tell others around us about the freedom that can be had in the very One we have placed our trust in. Christian, we are free indeed!
-Brandon Walker