Freedom

The Fourth of July is right around the corner. It might be a holiday centered around the gory reality that lives were lost in order to create our country but that doesn't stop us from having our cookouts and watching fireworks. I have to say, I'm jealous of those who got to live during the decades following World War II. Has patriotism ever been higher than after that war? Soldiers returned home and the country was united on the victory of defeating a true enemy. Today we can't even get our citizens to agree on who the enemy is. There's the War on Terrorism, the War on Drugs, and the constant tear between Democrats and Republicans. Should we legalize marijuana? Gay marriage? Polygamy? Stem cell usage?

Politics are complicated. Messy. Personal. I'd like to suggest that our country is so focused on politics that we forget about the bigger picture. The Fourth of July is supposed to reel us back in and clear our heads. It's a day dedicated to remembering the bigger picture. It's a day dedicated to the freedom that we get by living in the United States. The Bill of Rights gives us freedoms that allow us to live lives unheard of in other countries. We fought hard for this. We payed a high price.

Sounding familiar? The church, the Body of Christ, is just like the United States. God payed a high price for us to have salvation. It is through this salvation that we get to live free. We are no longer restricted by our sinful nature. We aren't strapped by our secrets, terrified of consequences. The early church in Acts fought a revolution. Some paid with their lives. Not only was the blood of Christ spilled but the blood of countless Christians was spilled so that we have our church today. How often do we forget about this? How often do we let the legalism and politics of church blind our vision of Christ? How often do we forget the bigger picture? WE ARE FREE.

The freedom that Christ offers is even greater than the freedom that the United States offers. Sure, just like the U.S. we have a law that we need to follow in order to have peace. But does that law actually inhibit our freedom? Both the U.S. and Christianity have laws, yet the U.S. isn't defined by its laws, but rather by its freedom. Christianity, on the other hand, is often paired with its rules. The biggest difference between American freedom and Christian freedom is eternal grace. You can't exactly apologize to an American judge and expect to be let free.

Christians around the world are more free than Americans. A persecuted Christian in the Middle East is more free than an unsaved American. Ask yourself: Are you truly free? Is something restraining you? Are you choked by debt? Past mistakes? A lack of education? An illness? Sin? What would life look like for you if you were truly free?

Romans 6:20-23 brings up an important point. When we are free to sin as we please, we bring harm upon ourselves. A damaged liver from alcoholism, STD's, bancruptcy, broken relationships, and eternal separation from God. Is that really freedom? When we live by the law of God we are free from most of those things (I can't guarantee you'll never lose a friend again). Plus, we are free from our past mistakes because God wipes them away (Psalm 103:11-12). There is no more guilt (Romans 8:1). Freedom in Christ is like never having to ever remember an embarrassing or awkward moment for the rest of your life, only better. (If any of you are like me, you have plenty of those memories you'd like to live without.)

I want to end by asking you this one, super important question:

If you weren't American, would you still be free?