SOME HISTORY FACTS, THEN BIBLE APPLICATION
John 8:31-36 (ESV)
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin.
35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
It is interesting to me that with all the things people say are wrong with America, there are lines of people from so many countries still waiting and hoping to get in. In fact, it’s all but been proven – it takes a wall! It’s also been proven that some want to come with good motives, others for evil motives. It is also interesting to me that the people who find so much fault with America are dissatisfied with the God-given rights He has provided us and they feel a need to work against it. Our forefathers came to America for the express purpose of acquiring freedom of religion and our nation was built originally on Judeo-Christian principles that would produce an abundant life for all. The Declaration of Independence only guarantees the American people the RIGHT to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. I fear that people come to America not understanding what the basic principles of our Declaration really mean. What does the Declaration of Independence say?
It is understood to be one of the most important documents in the history of the United States. While there are some people who would desire “revisionist history” (removing all the negative or ‘bad’ aspects of it) to take over and actually try changing history, this really cannot do that. History is still there. What is, IS! An imperfect world will produce an imperfect history; you will always have the good and the bad of it all. The issue is, where will you place your focus on history, on the good or the bad? But getting back to the Declaration of Independence, It was an official act taken by all 13 American colonies in declaring independence from British rule. The war between the American colonies and Great Britain was called the American Revolutionary War.
The Declaration of Independence included these three major ideas: People have certain inalienable rights – 1) Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. 2) All men (people) are created equal. And 3) Individuals have a civic duty to defend these rights for themselves and others. This document was created for multiple audiences: the King of England, the colonists, and the world.
As such, the Declaration of Independence explains why the colonies should break away from Britain. It says that people have rights given by God that cannot be taken away, lists the complaints against the King, and argues that the colonies have to be free to protect the colonists rights. At the bottom of the document, the delegates signed their names. While there is some question about the actual date the Declaration of Independence was signed, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams all wrote that it was signed by Congress on the day when it was adopted on July 4, 1776 is dated July 4.
So the United States Declaration of Independence is the pronouncement adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting in the Pennsylvania State House (now known as Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, PA, on July 4, 1776.
Authors: Thomas Jefferson, Committee of Five
Created: June-July 1776
Signers: 56 Delegates to the Second Continental Congress
Ratified: July 4, 1776
While we loudly celebrate our independence on July 4, fireworks and all in remembering the cost of our American freedoms, there is an even greater freedom we can enjoy….that of being free on the INSIDE, compliments of Jesus. Many people around us are held captive to a life of misery. Jesus says that sin makes slaves of people. To find release from the slavery of sin, you need a Savior. To escape a life-without-hope, you need to find God. How do you do that? By opening your heart to Christ through a simple prayer of faith and inviting Him to forgive you of every sin.
That’s what His Word means: If the Son sets you free, YOU SHALL BE FREE INDEED! Definitely. For sure. And following Him step by step will open the way up for us to the abundant life. That’s His promise for every person, for IN CHRIST, there is freedom for all!!! (Thank you, Jesus for spiritual freedom.)