Freedom. It isn’t really free, and never really is, is it? Freedom always comes after sacrifice. The sacrifice of another. On a day like today where we celebrate our country’s independence, I can’t help but be extra mindful and extra grateful for all of the men and women over the years who have sacrificed their lives to pay the price for our freedom. And today, the sacrifice continues. Men and women choose to go out and leave their otherwise comfortable lives behind in order to give their all so that we might enjoy the freedoms of living in this wonderful country.

This country has been blessed, so very blessed. Hundreds of years ago, a Declaration of Independence was signed to represent, express, and ensure our freedom. Freedom from outside rule. Freedom to be governed by a different party from within. We were no longer European colonies; we became the United States of America.

I also can’t help but think more into freedom and what it means on a much deeper level. How this faulty but blessed version of freedom we enjoy in America is a shadowy parallel of ultimate freedom in Christ. Let me explain. As stated before, freedom is never really free. Someone always has to sacrifice for others’ freedom. In Old Testament times, BC, before Christ Jesus took on flesh and partook of the human experience, high priests of the tribe of Levi were set apart to go into the Holy of Holies and make sacrifices on behalf of the people so that their sins would be forgiven. These priests would have to cleanse themselves and take a spotless lamb to sacrifice on the altar for the sins of the people to be pardoned. It wasn’t the priests who were forgiving sin. They were merely the vessel God used to bring the sacrifice.

You see, the Old Testament times were not only before Jesus Christ was revealed to us. These times were also before the Holy Spirit descended on the people of God. So, all people knew was God the Father. They had not yet seen Jesus, and God’s people had not yet been indwelt by the Holy Spirit. God has always existed in three persons as the one triune God. But it took time for humanity to behold Him as three in one. He had the perfect plan from before time to reveal Himself fully to us, but in the Old Testament He was preparing the way.

So, a Levite priest would cleanse himself and take a spotless lamb to be sacrificed as an acceptable payment for sin. This wasn’t random in any way. You see, they went into the Holy of Holies, in the furthest depths of the temple, to make this sacrifice because at this time in history that is where the Spirit of God dwelt. They had to go into God’s presence to make sacrifice to Him so that He could forgive the sins of the people. No one else has the power to forgive but God alone.

And years later, God made Himself manifest to us in His beloved Son, Christ Jesus. Jesus would be the better High Priest. He Himself would be the sacrifice for our sins, the spotless Lamb. Here is where we find our true freedom once and for all – at the point of perfect, ultimate sacrifice. Jesus’ death on the cross at calvary and His resurrection three days later changed our story forever – no longer are we in bondage to our sin and sure death without escape – we can be free. For whom the Son sets free is free indeed.

As in 1776 the United States of America became a nation free from outside rule of England, at the point of salvation we become people free from the outside rule of sin and death. As the USA switched over from outside rule to rule from within, so do we in Christ. After Jesus’ resurrection He sent down His Helper, the Holy Spirit who will guide us into all Truth. At the point of salvation the Holy Spirit of God comes to dwell within us and He rules our lives. Something always rules us; whether it is our own selfish desires or the Holy Spirit, we are ruled by something. Whom we choose to be ruled by reflects who our loyalty and devotion is to. So, freedom is not to live as an outlaw but to live as a citizen of the nation to which we belong. Freedom in Christ is not to live as a sinful human chasing after the selfish whims that lead us to emptiness, but to live as one purchased by the blood of Christ, free to live for Him in light of the freedom He has given us from sin and death.

He has not only freed us from the futility of sin and death, but He has freed us FOR something as well. He has saved us and called us His own so that we might have abundant life in Him. Freedom isn’t meant to be solely from something but for something greater. We are freed for eternal and abundant life.

But just like as Americans we only enjoy the freedom of this country if we are citizens of it, we only truly enjoy the freedom of Christ if we are citizens of the kingdom of God. We aren’t forced into His kingdom; we must decide for ourselves if that is what we will do. Unlike citizenship on earth, heavenly citizenship is not something we are born into. We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God and Savior of the world, believe all the Scripture says, and commit our lives to Him. If our lives don’t look like Christ and grow in His likeness, it’s a safe bet that we really aren’t His children.

Jesus was recorded in multiple gospels telling His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” This is the reality of the Christian life. It’s no longer about me, but about Him, and therefore, about others. We often call it a sacrifice to truly follow Christ, but that’s just so far from the truth. To sacrifice is to give up something. But is it really giving up something if we get so much more and so much better in return?

Our founding fathers established this country as one nation under GOD. Independence Day was actually one of dependence. Dependence upon God. God blessed a nation that chose to seek Him. The further we stray from that, the worse off we become. At the end of the day, this country can’t save us, no president, no political party, no military, and especially no tolerance and bending of truth. The only one that can save us and make us free indeed is Jesus, Son of God. Today, I’m so thankful for this great country He’s blessed me to be able to live in and those who sacrifice so that I can enjoy the earthly freedoms we have here. And above all else, I am grateful for the one and only God, the one and only Truth, the one and only Creator, the one and only Savior, the one and only Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, who has redeemed me, set me apart, and called me His own.

The Son has set me free and I am free indeed.