Freedom

A few days ago, on July 4, we celebrated our country’s 246th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  So, like most of us, I have been thinking about freedom.  Our founding fathers declared our nation’s freedom from the rulership of England’s king by a formal statement, which asserted that the people of this country had the right to choose their own government. 

“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.”  I’m sure that you recognize this quote from the Declaration of Independence.  It is a terrific statement. 

First of all, it talks about truth.  As Christians, we are well acquainted with truth – God’s Word is truth. 

John 17:17

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Isn’t it remarkable that our founding fathers aligned their thinking with truth?  And that they used truth as the basic concept of our nation’s government?  Our country was founded on Biblical principles.  No wonder it is so great!

The Declaration of Independence also mentions our Creator.  There is only one Creator, and that is God.  (None of man’s “creations” could come to pass without utilizing something that God had already created.)  It further states that our Creator endowed us with certain unalienable rights.  Merriam Webster defines “unalienable” as “impossible to take away or give up”.  God-given rights are ours because Jesus Christ paid the necessary price to secure them for us on completely legal grounds.  In other words, the rights that God gave us are guaranteed because our redemption is so legally binding that it cannot be challenged.  God is a just God.

John 8:36

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Our nation’s founding documents are noble proclamations inspired by the Biblical understanding of the writers.  These were men who prayed and asked God to direct their efforts.  Therefore, the content of the documents reflects Biblical principles.  These ideas paved the way for our country to be a uniquely free nation and for that I am thankful. 

Living in a free country allows us the privilege to freely worship.  This is one of our most precious freedoms.  In fact, many of the early settlers came to this country to escape religious persecution.  So we dare not take-for-granted our opportunities to freely share God’s Word.  We need to boldly proclaim and stand for the truth like our founding fathers did.  And we do this, not as a political statement, but because we are fully persuaded that the Word of God is indeed the truth. 

John 8:32

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

It is apparent from these scriptures that we, as Christians are free people.  Jesus Christ paid the price to provide that freedom to us.  We are free from sin, free from fear, and free from the wiles of the devil.  Of course that doesn’t mean that we never sin, or that we are never afraid, or that we are never attacked by the adversary.  But it DOES mean that no matter what happens in this life, we have everything we need to be able to deal with it.  If we get knocked down or fail, we can get up and try again.  And should our life end, we know that we will be raised from the dead when that trumpet sounds.  So what is there to fear?  NOTHING with God Almighty on our side! 

Hebrews 13:5b, 6

… for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

As Christians, we see that our individual freedom is ultimately God-given, therefore no man can take it away.  Whether we live in a free country or under tyrannical rule, we are still free.  BUT how much better life is living in a free nation without religious or other persecution! The freedoms that our nation provides are definitely worth fighting for.  A country built on Godly principles deserves our appreciation, our respect, and our support. 

I am thankful for our country and the freedoms we have.  God had His hand in establishing and maintaining this nation so that His Word could have free course to be spoken and believed.  And whether you are Christian or not, you are free in this country because of the principles on which it was founded.  So rejoice in your liberty and in the country that promotes it.  Stand fast on the truth and be not moved from it.  Enjoy your life as a free American.

2 Corinthians 3:17

Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

According to “Lyrics On Demand”, these are the original lyrics for “God Bless America”, written by Irving Berlin in 1918.

While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that’s free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer.

God bless America,
Land that I love,
Stand beside her, and guide her
Through the night with a light from above.

From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home
God bless America, My home sweet home.

source: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/miscellaneouslyrics/patrioticsongslyrics/godblessamericalyrics.html

Note to my readers:  God bless the USA!  Thanks for reading!