What an awesome privilege it is to live in a nation where freedom, though often taken for granted, is enjoyed and extended to all who will abide by the laws of the land. Even our national anthem lyrics mention the United States of America as being the land of the free and the home of the brave. As citizens and those who chose to live in America as citizens, we are truly blessed with freedom and liberties that many around the world can only dream about. Many brave and courageous persons have fought and gave the ultimate sacrifice so that we can enjoy the freedom and liberties that is the symbol of this great nation.


As great as this freedom is, there is a freedom that far exceeds any freedom that can be extended to mankind by anyone on earth. It is freedom from a life of sin and from the punishment of spiritual death. Jesus gave the ultimate sacrifice by laying down His life for every person who will believe and accept Him. John 3:16 (NIV) states that “God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son (Jesus), that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life”. Jesus paid the price for our freedom so that we could live life abundantly (John 10:10 NIV). Sin condemns and the sinner lives a life of bondage, without hope, never free to truly love and experience life on earth as God intended. Jesus said in John 8:34 that “anyone who sins is a slave to sin.” A slave has no freedom, no power of his own to break free from the bondage that is holding him in darkness and slavery.

Praise be to God, Jesus destroyed the yoke of slavery, for it is for freedom that He has set us free! Since we have this great freedom, we can freely love, serve and forgive one another. Living free, we do not use this freedom as a cover-up for evil (as the world often does), but to live as servants of God (1 Peter 2:16). In other words, this freedom that Jesus gives is not for doing evil towards others but rather for glorying God by doing good towards others, even those we don’t know and to those who have wronged us in some way.

Our hearts should always be turned to God in sincere thankfulness. We should be grateful and Praise Him for His forgiveness that has set us free from the bondage of sin. Therefore, during the festivities celebrating this great nation, let us not forget to celebrate the greatest freedom of all time. Rejoice and let our celebration of freedom in Christ be a lifestyle, after all, it will last for eternity!