Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. (1 Peter 2:16)
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. (Representatives of the United States of America, July 4, 1776)
This week, we will celebrate the ultimate of American holidays, Independence Day. Flags will wave with pride, fireworks will burst with brilliant color, and friends and relatives will gather for good food, pool parties, and laughs. It's good to be free, to live in a nation that believes in and fights for democracy and individual freedom. The Declaration of Independence is a magnificent document outlining all the reasons why the American colonists should officially break free from the oppressive Kingdom of England. Not only is the document logical and concise, but the language is stunningly eloquent. I can only imagine the electricity in the air when the Declaration was being crafted and ultimately signed.
Long before our Founding Fathers declared us a free nation, God provided us with a clear path to ultimate freedom - no matter our country of residence. The life, death, and resurrection of Christ provides us a freedom unlike anything any nation could declare, fight for, or secure. What makes God's freedom unique is that it is not based on independence, but rather dependence - on Him. We've been granted free will to embrace or to deny the truth of Jesus Christ. Those who deny the truth of Christ believe themselves to be fiercly independent, to be the masters of their own lives and everything in them. Those who embrace the truth of Christ, however, find freedom in being totally and completely dependent upon God. By surrendering every aspect of our lives to Christ, we realize an unparalleled freedom.
Life, Liberty, and Happiness. Those words were capitalized by the Founding Fathers when they wrote the Declaration, and I'm certain it was not by accident. All of life comes from the Creator, true liberty comes from surrender to Christ, and happiness comes from the realization that in Christ, we find complete fulfillment. It is in being a servant of God that we find true freedom.
As the saying goes, with freedom comes responsibility. We do not choose to be servants of God because it's a cool, get out of jail free, feel-good way of life. On the contrary, we choose to be servants of God because He is the Way, the Truth and Life. He created us to serve Him, which undeniably exposes us to danger and to persecution. We serve Him because it is our greatest honor and privilege to glorify God with our whole lives. It is dependence on Him that we strive for in our quest for freedom.
We are one nation under God. This Independence Day, as we pledge allegiance to the flag, let us also renew our allegiance to the Creator. Let us make a Declaration of Dependence on our Lord and Savior July 4th and always. Life, Liberty, and Happiness are ours to enjoy in Christ.
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