As we celebrate 250 years of America, one word stands above the fireworks, parades and patriotic songs: Freedom! We call ourselves “the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Independence Day proudly declares our freedom, but freedom has never meant the ability to do whatever we please. We are always free from something and free for something.
The Declaration of Independence declares freedom from England. The Bill of Rights promises freedom to speak, worship, assemble and bear arms among much more. What we may not realize is that freedom carries obligations as well. I have the right to speak, but not to slander. I have the right to bear arms, but not to inflict violence. We have an obligation to use our freedom well.
The Bible is, in many ways, a book about freedom. The primary image of the Old Testament is the Exodus event, where God set the Hebrew people free from slavery in Egypt, but it wasn’t freedom to do whatever they wanted. He repeatedly reminded them to use the freedom they had been given to care for others. One example among many is Deuteronomy 24:17–18, “Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you from there. That is why I command you to do this.”
In the New Testament, one primary image is being set free from slavery to sin. When we abuse our freedom and do whatever we want, we quickly find ourselves enslaved by our mistakes. We get caught in debt, addiction, lies and broken relationships because we use our freedom wrongly. As Romans 6:18 says, in part, “You have been set free from sin,” but quickly reminds us that our freedom comes with the obligation to live well.
We have not just been set free from sin, but also to do good. “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,” (Galatians 5:13).
Our freedom has been bought with a price. In our country, that price was the blood of those early revolutionaries and the countless generations of men and women who continued to stand up for freedom since. In the spiritual realm, it’s through the sacrifice of Jesus, who paid the price for our sin. How will you use the costly freedom handed down to you?
John Reside
Minister at First Christian Church
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Kewanee Voice.
***This column is sponsored by the Kewanee Ministerial Association
