Don't Squander Your Freedom

233 years ago today the declaration of independence was signed. A thought came to me this morning that I would like to share with you--I was reminded of a passage in Galatians 5:

"It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom" (v. 13-14, MSG).

I think this can be applied to the individual and to this country of America. Paul originally was directing it toward the newly converted Christians in Galatia. They were abusing their freedom by just doing whatever they wanted, thereby becoming slaves again to their sinful ways, their idols, their addictions. Ultimately, when you've been given freedom in Christ, who set you free from sin, it's not so that you can just keep on sinning and not worry about the consequences. You must act responsibly and beware becoming enslaved again.

We live in a great country and God has for these 233 years given us amazing blessings and incredible privileges of freedom and global influence. Our freedom as a country was won through hardship, death, and war by thousands of soldiers and their families. We've been given this freedom. Yet we are indebted to credit card companies, to banks, and to other nations because we want to just do whatever we want. We've made the mess that leads to recession by just buying whatever we want whenever we want it. Now we're not ALL to blame as citizens, because many of us try to be good citizens who are morally, judicially, and financially responsible. That's the kind of living that's worth dying for.

As Paul's words apply individually: "use your freedom to serve one another in love....Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom." If enough individuals lived by this, it would be true of us corporately, and we would continue to enjoy freedom for many long years to come.

I'm thankful that we live in freedom, thankful for the incredible blessing it is to live in the United States. Thankful to Jesus for the freedom from sin that He won for me. I did not pay for either. Thankful people live responsibly, lovingly, so as to enjoy freedom.