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Independence and Freedom
July 1, 2017

Last week we concluded the study of Proverbs by reading Proverbs Chapter Thirty-One. We pause today to consider what the Bible says about independence and freedom. The country in which I live, the United States of America celebrates its Independence Day on July 4th. Most countries have a similar type of celebration at some point during the year. The purpose of this study is not to thoroughly review independence and freedom, but to touch on the subject and to provide a spring board for you the reader to pursue further. I believe it is important to prove for yourself what is in the Bible and encourage your further exploration of this topic. Today let us begin in the Old Testament.

Isaiah 61:1-3
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

Since the time when the first person was enslaved or imprisoned, freedom has been huge for mankind. The Declaration of Independence enshrined this as one of the inalienable, or God-given rights to people. Despite this, we live in a world where many are without freedom. Some are so oppressed they would not know freedom if it stared them in the face. As Christians we are called to proclaim the freedrom that only the Father through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit can provide.

1 Peter 2:13-16
Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

Even though Christians are free, we are reminded to submit ourselves to the laws of man and to use our Christian liberty not for malicious purposes. Instead, as servants of God we are to use our liberty to demonstrate good living as God intended so that the ignorance of foolish people is silenced. Sadly, these are the people who sometimes seem to impress so many in society.

Galatians 5:1-5
Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.

As we stand in the freedom that is given to us through Jesus Christ, we are not to consider that the Christian freedom we enjoy comes from any of our actions. There is nothing we could ever do to enjoy this freedom; freedom is a gift given to us through faith in Jesus Christ.

All verses are from the King James Version.
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