Life Style PARK PLACE OF ST. JOHN
Chaplain’s Corner Freedom
Furthermore, Jesus wasn’t referring to freedom in politics, social areas, or material property or possessions (which the Bible says anyone can become enslaved to!). The initial area Jesus addressed in the statement was His ability to set people free from enslavement to sin. It’s sin that enslaves people. But this 3-letter word has become lost in our culture these days. What exactly is “sin”? It can be summed up as “A spiritual disease every person is born with.” All ideas, beliefs, actions, words, or behaviors that oppose God, harm or injure yourself or anyone else are at the core of sin. Sin is a lack of committed God-centered love for God , others, and self (a healthy self as opposed to selfishness). And Jesus came to set us free from what is truly the scourge of humanity. How does this work? Well, it’s not just believing in Jesus since belief in someone does not necessarily change our souls. The Bible’s teaching on belief goes far deeper than this. It’s about commitment and then obedience. A person must commit their entire lives (and all they have) to Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior and then begin obeying His teachings in Scripture to experience spiritual freedom.
Freedom. Here in July, we as Americans once again celebrate our freedom as a nation. But freedom isn’t free. It’s costly. The United States was born out of struggle, strife, and war. While those early
residents of the 13 original colonies didn’t want to separate from England, the policies of England at the time weren’t just a burden, but more importantly, unjust. Delegates from the colonies met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and drafted the well-known Declaration of Independence. Here is the initial famous excerpt of this amazing document: “We hold these truths to be self- evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness…” Officially documented on July 4, 1776, the War of Independence would last seven long years. However, the colonists ultimately prevailed and humiliated the British. Freedom was won, although it came at an immense cost. A large percentage of Americans today view freedom in strictly political, social, and material terms. But the greatest freedom is greater than these (and sometimes is just the opposite of these things). It is spiritual freedom. While the founders of our country included “freedom of religion” and its practice in the third article of the Bill of Rights, this did not guarantee spiritual freedom. Indeed, no “religion” per se can grant spiritual freedom, although many religions in the world claim to do so. Indeed, Jesus Christ did not teach that spiritual freedom could be found in religion. Yep, this sounds strange! But here is what He said in the gospel of John 8:36: “If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” Spiritual freedom is not found in religion—it’s found in a Person: Jesus Christ!
Interestingly, July 4th is deemed “Independence Day.” And that is what Jesus offers: true independence . An independence that is soul-deep and life- transforming. While we are all thankful to be living in an America that, thus far, grants us
many freedoms that other nations do not have, there’s no true freedom unless we experience spiritual freedom in Jesus. That’s my prayer for you this Fourth of July. As Jesus said, “If the Son sets you free, then you are truly free” !
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