True Liberty
July 8, 1776, the deep chimes of bells
rang out, reverberating across the miles of the nearby countryside, calling the
colonial citizens of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to congregate together for the
reading of the newly-composed Declaration of Independence. Historians disagree upon whether or not the
Liberty Bell was rung at this time, but there is a possibility that one of the
chimes that rang out that day was the rich tone of the famous American icon.
Living
in the United States of America, I have grown up enjoying and taking full
advantage of the freedoms of America.
Being an American citizen is a blessing.
Unfortunately so many people nowadays have adopted a custom of misusing
the freedoms of this country though.
Freedom of the press and speech does not give you permission to
back-stab and gossip about others. Words
hurt. And it does not free us from
following the Lord’s command to “Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every
authority instituted among men…” (1 Pe 2:13) That respect pertains not only to verbal speech
but to what you choose to say through writing as well. There is a difference between respecting a
person for his character and morals though and respecting him for his position
of authority. The tongue is so powerful. Use it for God’s glory and the edification
and support of others. Freedom of
worship does not mean acceptance of false religions. Freedom from want is not a pass for laziness
and does not give you the right be a loafer and a couch potato. Work is commendable.
Our
country has so many symbols of liberty: the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty
Bell, Independence Hall, the memorials in Washington, D.C., etc. The list goes on. Liberty is a beautiful thing, but without
true liberty, the freedoms we enjoy here in America mean nothing. True freedom can only be found in the
Lord. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and
where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Co 3:17) I love the song “Where
The Spirit Of The Lord Is” by Christ Tomlin, which refers to this verse in its
lyrics.
Just
as people misuse the freedoms we enjoy here in America, some also take
advantage of the freedom found in the Lord as well. Freedom does not exempt us from judgment and
excuse our misdeeds. It is not meant to
permit sinfulness and wrong-doing, and it does not release us from restraint. God is a god of boundaries; just consider how
the ocean only goes so far and how the earth and all the planets revolve around
the sun in perfect ellipses and you cannot deny the fact that He is a god of order
and boundaries. Rather instead, freedom
is a means of delivering us from the bondage of our wrong-doing and sins. “Live as free men, but do not use your
freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” (1 Pe 3:16) The fifth chapter of Galatians provides for
us a passage upon the subject of freedom in Christ. “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.” (Gal 5:13)
And
remember, as I’ve mentioned before, freedom is not free. Just as our servicemen and women sacrifice
their lives to allow us the freedoms we enjoy here in America, so Christ
sacrificed His own life to allow us the freedom from sin that we can enjoy by
walking with Him. Let us not take advantage
of liberty. Our country desperately
needs a fresh perspective on the use of our freedoms, but true freedom comes
with the Spirit of the Lord. Don’t pray
for politics, pray for revival, and reformation, restoration, and renaissance will
follow.
“Now the Lord is
the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
2 Corinthians 3:17
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Gunshots
rang out from the middle of nowhere, splitting the air with the sound of round
after round. Explosions came from
nearby, sending a thick cloud of smoke and debris into the air, making it
difficult to see ahead. Joe coughed as
the dirt in the air choked his throat.
The squeal of another bomb being launched came along with more gunfire,
more screams reaching his ears before the sound of another explosion followed. The generals’ voices came hoarse as they
hollered instructions amidst the chaos and commotion. From everywhere there came gunshots and
screams.
Another
scream rang out from close at his side… too close and the voice too
familiar. Joe shifted his gaze away from
the scene before him to cast a quick glance at his side, panic striking his
core as he made out through the thick air the form of his comrade’s body lying crumpled
and motionless on the ground. “John.” His call was lost in the raging commotion of
the encounter.
Hastily
he knelt down beside the man, laying aside his gun, and reaching out, rolled
the man onto his back to examine him as best as he could. Still he was motionless from unconsciousness. Joe checked his pulse. It was weak, but still beating.
His
training from boot camp returned to his recollection, and he realized he would
either have to move the man from the situation and from harm’s way or leave him
to die. There was no hesitation in the
decision. Joe turned, calling for
assistance from a fellow soldier nearby, but his voice was once again lost in
the uproar. Still he took no time to
consider the task. It was instinct and
ingrained duty. Straightening from where
he bent over the man, he attempted to move the wounded soldier from the field
of warfare, dragging the man heavy in unconsciousness. Suddenly another bomb launched screeching
through the air. Joe heard the sound
near behind. A single thought of
horrified panic flashed through his mind but had no time to react before the
explosion followed a second later, leaving his thoughts blank and silenced.
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