July brings to mind watermelon, swimming, lightening bugs and fireworks to celebrate our freedom. I am grateful that even with the anti-Christian culture growing in our country, we still live in the best place on earth. We have freedoms that many others do not experience.
But our greatest freedom is our freedom that comes from belonging to Christ.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17).
When we have Christ in our hearts we can celebrate that freedom — freedom from the power of sin in our lives (Galatians 5:1), from defeat and hopelessness, and from an eternity of hell and separation from God (Romans 8:1-4). How can we not celebrate that?
We are also free from the expectations and rules of legalism (See Romans 15), but that must be balanced with not allowing our behavior to become a stumbling block to another believer: “But be careful that this right of yours in no way becomes a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Corinthians 8:9). John 8:36 tells us: “Therefore, if the Son sets you free, you really will be free.” As you celebrate your freedom as a citizen of the United States, also celebrate your freedom in the Son! Now that’s worth celebrating with lots of fireworks.
