What Does Christian Freedom Have in Common with Independence Day?
When most people think of the 4th of July, they might think of a celebration involving a parade, the American flag, a cookout with friends and family, maybe a pool party or some games, and wrapping up the day with fireworks. Today, we enjoy the joyous fruits of a very intense, challenging, and chaotic time in our nation’s history.
But suppose we dig a little deeper into what the holiday is actually all about -- the desire for independence from taxation without representation, religious freedom, the desire to be under a new government that offers equality for all, and an opportunity to have a meaningful purpose and future. In that case, there might be a few similarities between Christian liberty and 4th of July Independence.
Life without Christian Liberty
Our life before we knew Jesus as our personal Lord and Savior might be one that’s filled with anxiety, hopelessness, uncertainty, and loneliness. It could feel empty or meaningless. Maybe it’s even frustrating, and we don’t even know why we feel the way we do. Living in a fallen world is definitely taxing. We might feel intrigued once we’re introduced to the fact that there’s an alternative to the bondage of a taxing lifestyle of negative feelings. Perhaps we ask questions of those who already know the Lord, and maybe even sneak in a bit of reading the Bible in the beginning if we think we can do so without anyone “catching” us.
The Battle for Independence from Misery
Just like there came a point when the colonists were tired and perhaps disgusted over how the British treated them, we might reach a point in our lives when we decide we have an aversion to the way we’ve been living, and determine that things must change. Often there’s an internal war, which is very much a spiritual war, as we attempt to figure out how to let go of the way life has been under enemy rule and embrace the freedom, peace, and joy that Christ offers us. When we finally decide to ask Jesus to be our personal Lord and Savior, there’s often a process that comes over time of learning how to read and apply the Word and develop a prayer life. By the way, this isn’t a linear process because we aren’t perfect and we live in a fallen world. Only Christ is perfect.
Gaining the Blessings of Joy and Serenity
As we go through the challenges and chaos that sometimes happen in life, we learn to pull on our relationship with Jesus, His Word, and our prayer life to help find serenity and maybe even some joy in the midst of turmoil. A relationship with Jesus doesn’t exempt us from the harshness in life any more than living in America guarantees we obtain our great American dream (which varies from person to person). Jesus doesn’t hide the fact that there will be times of trouble in life (John 16:33). When we’re in a relationship with Him, we’ll experience His peace, joy, and strength that carry us through the difficulties of life.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/wwing
Originally published July 01, 2025.
