July 4th. Fourth of July. Independence Day.
This is a big day for America.
As we celebrate our independence, I will be thinking about the independence and freewill our squad has and will be taking off with in just a month from now! We will share the freedom we’ve been given, the kind of freedom that truly is free — the Gospel! Our God Who came to earth, became flesh, to set us free from eternal bondage and sin. This freedom was given to the WHOLE world on that tree at Calvary. His blood was poured out and He paid the price so we didn’t have to.
Freedom in Christ
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let your selves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every an who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion will pay the penalty, whoever he may be. Brothers, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted?In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! 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. The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.” Galatians 5:1-15
