Soon our country will be celebrating another birthday. Yes, the good old US of A will be 242 years old this year. We know from the history books that there were a number of brave people who were willing to risk death in order to live in freedom from corruption and tyranny in the government of their home country. They were forced to worship what the king wanted. The most basic freedoms were taken away and their consciences demanded something be done.
We, citizens of a country founded on the principle of freedom, should understand exactly what freedom is in order to keep it pure. Scripture sheds some light on the subject. Galatians 5:1 states "It was for freedom that Christ set us free". It kinda looks like God is for freedom and wants us to be free. This passage is not referring to literal chains and shackles, but to the law that kept people in bondage trying to keep in order to find favor with God. Jesus kept the whole law perfectly and went even further by assuming every law breakers punishment on Himself so we could be free.
But, there is more in Galatians for us to heed. Verse 13 tells us that we were called to freedom, BUT we should not turn our freedom into an opportunity to satisfy our selfishness, but to serve one another. There is an obligation and an opportunity given in freedom. The obligation is to not use it for altogether selfish purposes and the opportunity is for us to see others' needs and serve them.
We are admonished in 1 Peter 2:16 to not use our freedom to excuse wrong doing. The idea that you can get away with bad behavior because you are free to choose so is not how God intends us to use our freedom. In fact, living in freedom gives us the right to do as we ought.
There are people in our world today who do know any better than the environment they have lived in all their lives, but knowledge is very enlightening. George Whitfield and John Wesley, two great preachers in England in the 1700's expounded on Truth and many believers began to understand what freedom was and so began the movement to find a place where freedom could thrive. Today we have phones, internet, television and light shines in dark places. The desire for freedom is embedded in every heart. We have the opportunity to cooperate with God in prayer and giving for the Good News to be sent out and liberty to be proclaimed that all may see the Light of the world.
Appreciate your freedom, enjoy your freedom, protect your freedom and use your freedom properly.
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