Tag Archives: Freedom

All Gave Some. . . Some Gave All

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DSCF4430     Today we remember the brave sacrifice that this nation’s veterans have made over the course of our history.  We honor those who stood in the breaches in the defense of freedom both here in the United States and in other foreign lands around the globe.  Many young men and women made that journey for the cause of our freedom and security, and never returned home again.  While we do not want to take anything away from their dedication to this nation and its freedom, there is an even greater sacrifice that has been made on our behalf, which we must not ever forget.

The pages of the Bible are rich in the telling of the story of Jesus.  Many prophets in the Old Testament alluded to His coming to earth and the mission He was charged with completing. Isaiah 53 is especially compelling, as it gives us a glimpse of the suffering that our Savior was going to go through on our behalf.  It was for the cause of our freedom from sin, that Jesus gave His all for mankind.  Paul tells us that while we were sinners and enemies of God, the Father sent His one and only unique Son to die a cruel death on the cross in our place (Romans 5:6-11).

Even though He was innocent, He allowed Himself to be placed on that cross to die, so that our sins could be removed.  We were the ones who had sinned.  We were the ones who had fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  We were the ones who deserved death due to our transgressions, which had taken us away from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23).  Instead, Jesus stood in the breach between us and our transgressions, and by His stripes, we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

On this day we remember the sacrifices made by our brave men and women and express our gratitude for their service to our nation.  Let us never forget that we have freedom due to their willingness to act, but also because of the selfless sacrifice of Christ.  He came so that we might have life, and have it more abundantly (John 10:10).  Let us strive to do our part and give Him back our all.

Freedom!

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stone.tif In April 1775 British Redcoats and American colonists squared off in Lexington, MA in what was to become known as the “shot heard round the world.” The battle that began in April continued into June 1776, when a committee of five men (Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston) was selected by the Continental Congress to draft the Declaration of Independence, thus sealing America’s desire for freedom from England.
But there is another freedom that came to men long before the American Revolution. Over 1,700 years prior to that fateful April day in Lexington, MA, man was granted freedom from sin. Jesus Christ, who had come to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), died on the cross so that men might be relieved of their burden of sin. Jesus declared in His ministry that those who would abide, or live in, His word would be His disciples, and His true disciples would know the truth, which would make them free (John 8:31-32).
In order to be free from sin, the word of God must abide in the believer. If we choose to not allow God’s word to abide in us, if we choose to abide in the world instead of God’s word, then we are not His disciples. And if we are not His disciples, then we will not know the truth and we will not be free from our sins. But thanks be to God, that if we do live in His word, we can enjoy that ultimate freedom. Let us study what God’s word has to say about true freedom and enjoy an independence from sin that can only come from Jesus Christ!