CHRIST SET US FREE!
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)
Many of us will engage in Juneteenth activities this weekend. I believe that we should continue to remember our history because it is significant as we pursue our future. Even though the Emancipation Proclamation was actually enacted on January 1, 1863, Blacks in Texas did not get news of it until June 19, 1865. That tells me that it is possible to be free indeed, yet not really know it.
There is another freedom that is of great significance to us. In the passage above, the Apostle Paul wanted the Galatian believers to know that they were free from the requirements of Judaism. The message for us today is to accept our freedom from the bondage of sin. Jesus paid the price for all of our sins and now we are free to live in accordance with God's plan for our lives. Unfortunately, some people are still bound by the memory of an unhappy childhood; or a tumultuous marriage; or addiction to illegal drugs, etc. Such things often cause us to have poor self-esteem. But we should know that we are free through the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for us.
Of course our freedoms also carry with them responsibility and accountability. This freedom is a result of what Jesus did. Therefore we should live in a way that He will be pleased. Let us cherish our freedom and guard it wisely. Let us get the Good News to others that they can be free as well through faith in Jesus Christ. Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we are FREE, and we know it.
