Our Declaration of Independence (Gal. 5:1, 13-14)
235 years ago tomorrow the Declaration of Independence was signed. It was a day in which the thirteen colonies of New England finally decided to break from their motherland and begin their journey as an independent nation. It certainly wasn’t an easy decision – it was agonizing not only because it meant breaking from their authority, but also because it meant the beginning of all out war with England.
It was such a momentous occasion that John Adams wrote the following letter to his wife: “it will be the most memorable in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore. You will think me transported with enthusiasm, but I am not. I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure that it will cost to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the gloom I can see the rays of ravishing light and glory. I can see that the end is worth more than all the means.”
It was a wonderful day!
Unshackled from bonds – independence – freedom! These are concepts that our founding fathers stood for and this is what America was started from as immigrants from Europe came to these shores to escape religious persecution and worship freely.
Everyone wants to be free. No one wants to be imprisoned, bound, shackled, in bondage. Today we celebrate that day when America made its first step toward religious and political freedom. A lot of those freedoms that were fought for seem to be slipping today. In many cases there seems to be less freedom than there was 235 years ago.
Has the same has happened with us as Christians? Are you walking in freedom? Are you in bondage? Instead of looking back at the meaning of America’s Declaration of Independence, let’s look at the meaning of another more important declaration of independence – that revolution instituted by Jesus Christ in order to free us from the bondage of the law of sin and shame, from the bondage of self and the bondage of Satan.
Galatians 5:1 says this: “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
America declared itself independent from England. According to God’s Word, we as believers in Christ have declared ourselves free from the law and all the sins and shame it reveals.
Every one of us is born in slavery – in bondage to evil. From our first days we cannot help but sin against God – it’s our inborn nature. Psalm 51:5 “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” But Jesus has set us free! He paid the full price for our sins – buying our freedom from bondage with his own precious blood more precious than gold. Earlier in the week we studied this fact as we read Romans 8:1 “Therefore there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
The fact that we have been freed means more than Salvation and a trip to heaven. It means: freed from the bondage to guilt and shame! How many Christians today trust in Christ and what he has done for them on the cross but still suffer day after day from guilt and shame? Why? Because they have submitted again to a yoke of slavery. Why do you trust in Christ only to suffer from panging guilt and shame?
If that’s the case for you, then let me ask you these questions:
• Have you confessed and renounced your sin?
• Have you sought reconciliation with those you have sinned against?
• Do you trust that Christ’s blood is valuable enough to pay for your sins?
Then there is no reason to be under the bondage of guilt and shame. The guilt and shame is a lie from Satan who wants you to accept that you are not good enough – you haven’t done enough for God. You’re bad and evil and always will be.
Instead we listen to the truth of God’s Word to us – we listen to God’s declaration of independence: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 8:1) “For freedom Christ has set us free!” (Gal. 5:1) Notice that this is in the past tense. He HAS done it. Not will do it if you’re good. You have been set free – receive what the Word says and not what your feelings say. “So if the Son sets you free you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
Secondly this morning we need a declaration of independence from the slave of self.
No matter how hard we try, we are in bondage to our selfish desires. My natural desire is to sleep instead of get up in time for Bible class, to yell at my annoying neighbor, to please whatever physical desires my body calls upon. I will help someone because it feels good for me, because I may get some favor, or because people will think good of me. I bless others simply because I’m commanded to do it to have favor with God. Do you see that all of these are essentially selfish motivations?
You see, so many begin with the freedom from the guilt and shame of breaking the Law – they are truly free and have found salvation in Christ alone. And then they don’t take the next step – freedom of the flesh. They go on to live the life before they were freed.
The thinking is like this: “This is fantastic! I get a free ticket to heaven. Jesus paid it all for me! Now I can live my life without guilt and do whatever I want with the assurance that I’m going to heaven when I die.” What is that? It’s a carnal Christian. It’s a person who has received Christ only to throw the new life with Christ into the garbage.
Jesus freed us from the law and sin so that we could live a different life of glory for him and for others. He freed us so that we could be servants. Listen to Galatians 5:13-14 “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
But love – agape love – selfless love – is ONLY found if we are free from the self and it is only found in the Holy Spirit. You cannot and will not turn the other cheek. You cannot and will not go the extra mile (unless there is something in it for you). You cannot and will not bless your enemy (unless you know that he will bless you back).
How do we gain freedom from the self-centered life? Galatians 2:19 “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Romans 6:11 “So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.”
What does “consider yourself” or “reckon” mean? It means how you think about yourself. As Warren Wiersbe says: “it means ‘to put to one’s account.’ It simply means to believe that what God says in His Word is really true in your life. Paul didn’t tell his readers to feel as if they were dead to sin, or even to understand it fully, but to act on God’s Word and claim it for themselves. Reckoning is a matter of faith that issues in action. It is like endorsing a check: if we really believe that the money is in the checking account, we will sign our name and collect the money. Reckoning is not claiming a promise, but acting on a fact. God does not command us to become dead to sin. He tells us that we are dead to sin and alive unto God, and then commands us to act on it. Even if we do not act on it, the facts are still true.”
What are the facts? You have been freed from sin. You have received God’s Holy Spirit. You have the promise of eternal life. You no longer must obey the self but can obey the Holy Spirit. So you set your mind on the things of the Holy Spirit: fill your mind with God’s Word. Fill your mind with God’s thoughts. Spend time with Him in intimate prayer. Ask yourself all day – what would God have me do?
As Christians we don’t have to obey the self – in fact self is no longer to be on the throne. The Lord God is on the throne of your life. Seek his direction and will!
Finally, we today can declare our independence from Satan.
Remember what John Adams wrote about the Declaration of Independence?
It would not only be a day of celebration – but the beginning of a great struggle. And so it proved to be. On the very same day the Declaration of Independence was signed, the colonies faced an invading force under British General Howe that would eventually amount to 55,000 men landing on Staten Island. The months ahead proved horrendous and also miraculous time and time again, as the British were well ahead and favored in battles, but something happened to bring the Americans to victory.
Because of what Jesus has done for us, Satan has no standing against us. That is not to say that we won’t be attacked, persecuted, tempted. When you were freed by Christ, you became enemy number 1 of the Devil. He will do whatever is in his means to destroy you. But the only way he can bring any of us to destruction is if we believe his lies, his deception and refuse to trust in the promises of God.
He knows that one of the best ways to make a Christian fall is through discouragement. He puts thoughts into our minds: “You’re worthless. You can’t do anything right. You’re a terrible Christian. You can’t help but sin – you will fail no matter what you do. You don’t have a chance. All the work you do is for nothing.”
The devil wants us to think that we don’t have any value and can’t function as a child of God and that we just are a hopeless case. He tells us all these lies and when we believe them, we fall right into his hands and act the way he describes us. We sin because that’s what we should do. We don’t bother to follow God, pray, read scripture because there is no chance for us anyway.
What do we do when we are attacked in this way? We listen to the truth! We listen to what our true identity is according to God.
I am a child of God (John 1:12).
I am Christ’s friend (John 15:15).
I am a slave of righteousness (Rom 6:18).
I am a son of God; God is spiritually my Father (Rom 8:14-15).
I am a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
I am righteous and holy (Eph. 4:24).
I am chosen of God, holy and dearly loved (Col. 3:12, 1 Thess. 1:4).
I am a saint (Eph. 1:1, 1 Cor. 1:2).
I am God’s workmanship – his handiwork – born anew in Christ to do His work (Eph 2:10).
All these and many more are completely true of us as believers in Christ. You can’t deny it because God’s word is true and speaks about you. I am not a miserable terrible sinner who is in bondage to Satan. I am a holy and righteous child of the King. I am not a slave to sin but a slave to God and his will.
Put up the shield of truth and the shield of the pure, holy, and righteous life of Jesus Christ. You are standing before God holy and pure because you are covered with Jesus priceless and pure blood. You have every right to be God’s child! You have been bought with the most costly thing in the universe – Jesus pure blood. His life for you! Whenever you are oppressed, discouraged, downtrodden and feeling unworthy then repeat this. Remember who you are in JESUS. Tell Satan off! And also Praise God for what he has done for you.
Friends, Jesus said “The truth shall set you free.” So receive the truth. Repeat the truth. Accept the truth from God’s Word. None of us has to live under the bondage of Satan’s lies.
Tomorrow we will have a wonderful celebration of independence. A lot of eating, parades, games, recreation, fireworks. But every one of you as children of the King have an even greater reason to celebrate – for you declare your independence today from the law of sin and shame, from bondage to self, and from the oppression of Satan. We have been freed by the blood of Jesus. Let’s celebrate!
