Healing Rays of Righteousness

The history of our country records many stories of people who left everything they owned and came to America with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They risked their lives and their future for what they valued more highly than everything they were leaving behind.

They were seeking freedom to live, work, and worship without suffering ridicule, persecution, imprisonment, or death. And their intense desire for this freedom prompted them to resist the governing authority of England and establish a new nation were these freedoms could be secured and enjoyed.

The Statue of Liberty stands at the entrance to the harbor of New York, holding a torch of lighted flame as a welcoming symbol of our nation’s commitment to the freedoms of life, work, and worship for all who become citizens of the United States of America.

These promised freedoms were at the core in the formation of our nation’s government. The Declaration of Independence states that freedom is from God and endows everyone with certain inalienable rights. And so, the right to live and worship in freedom is considered a birthright of every citizen and is guaranteed in our nation’s Bill of Rights.

Likewise, freedom is at the core of our Christian faith. And its welcoming symbol of freedom is the Cross of Jesus Christ standing on Golgotha’s hill. It may be less attractive, but is more amazing and awesome in its promise of freedom.

Just as the statue in New York harbor lifts her lamp, welcoming and lighting the way to political and religious freedom, so also the cross on Golgotha’s hill invites and lights the way to spiritual freedom and eternal life for whosoever will believe in Jesus as their Savior and Lord.

From that cross Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. …Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. … So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:12, 32, 36).

The New Testament begins with God’s announcement to Joseph that his “soon to be wife” Mary, would give birth to a son. God told Joseph that he was to name the baby, Jesus, “because he will save (free) his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21).

Jesus began his public ministry by announcing freedom as the purpose of his ministry and message – “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Luke 4:18)

In his letter to the Galatians (5:1, 13-14) the apostle Paul declared freedom to be God’s gracious gift to us through Jesus’ suffering and death – “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”

Having said that, I want to emphasize that although the foundational core element of our Christian faith and the predominant core purpose of our American politics are similar, the freedoms they offer are very different in scope and authority.

Spiritual freedom has very much to do with the preservation of political freedoms. I think it should be evident to us that spiritual freedom is the greater of the two, and is the strongest enabling power in the preservation of our national freedoms.

It is SIN, living apart from God, that prevents a person from experiencing spiritual freedom,
and it is SIN that deprives a nation of people from experiencing political, cultural, and religious freedoms. And so, I believe that there must be spiritual freedom before the other freedoms can be birthed and nurtured.

By accepting Christ’s gift of forgiveness and salvation, which he purchased for us with his own death on the cross, God sets us free from the guilt of sin. And by overcoming death through Jesus’ resurrection from the tomb, God sets us free from the fear of death.

Furthermore, in filling us with Jesus’ love and power through the indwelling Holy Spirit, God sets us free from self-contempt, insecurity, hopelessness, purposeless living, addictions, racism, and all selfish and unloving attitudes and actions toward others.

This greater and more amazing freedom that Christ offers to all who will believe and accept his Lordship is ultimate, complete, and eternal. And, I think that we who enjoy this freedom should celebrate its transformational liberty in our lives with grateful worship every day.

So, I say, let national freedom ring and let spiritual freedom reign, in the lives of people everywhere and in our nation always. Amen.

“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – July 3, 2019
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