Today Americans celebrate freedom. This day, almost 250 years ago, our founding fathers declared our nation’s independence from Great Britain.
But as Christians, we should celebrate every day. We have been gloriously and eternally been set free.
But set free from what?
Some Christians want to argue that we are free to do whatever we want. Jesus has set us free to…be selfish? In the words of the apostle Paul, “may it never be!”
Friends, we have been set free from slavery to sin. Romans 6:6 tells us that our old bodies were crucified with Christ, so “that we should no longer be slaves to sin.”
What does it mean to be a slave to sin? It means that sin had complete mastery over us. We couldn’t not sin. We walked in darkness. We were blinded. We were separated from God.
But God…in His great love, sent His son to pay the penalty we deserved so we can have freedom from sin and be made new men and women. Jesus died on the cross so that we can be free.
Are we walking in that freedom? I was meditating on that today. Every time I choose bitterness over forgiveness, I am choosing slavery to sin. Every time I choose to dwell on thoughts that are ungodly, I am choosing slavery to sin. Every time I engage in gossip, I am choosing slavery to sin. And I know it’s slavery because it makes me feel trapped, frustrated, unhappy.
Freedom brings joy and lightness of spirit. Freedom doesn’t mean life is easy. There are battles every day. There are trials, there are enemies. But my responsibility when faced with those is to look up – my help comes from the Lord. And He WILL deliver me from my enemies. He promises to do that. But, too often, I choose to wallow in my difficulties, I hold my hands out and allow sin to shackle me once again. 
We are FREE, friends! Let’s act like it. Let’s live like those who are free — free to love, free to walk in obedience, free to follow God’s call, whatever that may be. We are no longer slaves to sin! That is worth far more than firecrackers and hot dogs. That’s worth my whole life.
