As we anticipate this Independence Day, I’m reminded of Martin Luther’s statement from his The Freedom of a Christian (1520):
“A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to no one. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.”
Luther’s words are a rather perfect reflection of the Apostle Paul’s inspired words in Galatians 5:13: You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.
Of course, the Apostle Paul and Luther are talking about true spiritual freedom, one purchased by Christ and given to His children by grace through faith. Yet that freedom – like the national freedom we will be celebrating this weekend in the United States – should not be used as an excuse to sin or indulge our sinful nature’s desires. The consequences of the abuse of that freedom in our nation are reeking havoc as millions of innocent lives are still taken through abortion, and as the passage of same sex marriage openly destroys our Creator God’s design and intent for marriage and the family.
My prayer for this weekend is that we thank God for forgiveness, new life, and true freedom through our Savior Jesus Christ; use His power and grace to overcome sin in our life; and not neglect to demonstrate our gratefulness for living in this country through loving service to all in the Name of Jesus, speaking the truth in love. This loving service speaks volumes in a dark and dying world and points to the only true lasting freedom that can change and bless lives.
