True Freedom
In 1776, our founding fathers had debated and finally decided on a constitution that we would all live by. These men paid a high price for what they did. Breaking away from England was a hard thing for them to do. But they accomplished that, and we will be celebrating 246 years of freedom. America is a nation that God has blessed over the years because the founding fathers based the new law on the Bible with God as the chief force behind what they did. We celebrate their efforts and remember the struggle that they had.
It’s good that we remember in this way. But as we do, let’s think of another kind of freedom that we celebrate as well. God created the world and all that is within it. His crowning piece of creation, at least to me, was the making of mankind. This was His crowning glory. God and man lived together after the creation, and God would come and visit them in the garden of Eden in the coolness of the evening. They were happy and united as God and His creation.
Then, along came the great deceiver, the liar of this world, Satan. Eve took of the forbidden fruit, and sin has enter the world. (Genesis 3) If man will be united with God again, there must be a Redeemer, a sacrifice that God the Father will be pleased with.
Fortunately for us, there was just such a person. He would be prophesied about in the Old Testament and then revealed in and through the New Testament or Covenant. His name was Jesus. Note the verse in 2 Corinthians 8:9 to see what He gave up for all men, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” (NASB) He had everything with the Father, gave it all up to come to this world for each and every individual.
He came to this world as God in the flesh to save mankind. However, He was rejected by His own people. Though He worked many miracles of healing people and “went about doing good” (Acts 20:35), He was put to death. He was beaten, suffered on a cross, and was buried.
But on the third day of His burial, He rose again as He said He would. He lives and reigns today with His Father in heaven. And every person in this world can have forgiveness of their sins and live with Him one day if they obey His commands and live a committed life for Him each day. And when one does that, He can have a home in heaven throughout all eternity. Now that’s truly a freedom we all can take part in. Are you willing to do so? It’s your choice.