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A
Declaration of Independence
Here
in the United States, July 4th is a national holiday.
This is the day that we celebrate Independence
Day commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of
Independence on July 4, 1776.
The Declaration established the United States
of America as an independent nation, free from foreign
rule, and standing alone on her own laws and
principles. The Colonies - now the independent states
– declared that they would no longer conform to the
laws and edicts of the ruler that had governed them to
that point. Here's
a quote from that document: "The history of the
present King of Great Britain [George III] is a
history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all
having in direct object the establishment of an
absolute Tyranny over these States". The
signers of the Declaration were determined to do what
was necessary to break away from King George's grip
– even if it involved armed conflict – because
they knew that he wouldn't let them go without a
fight!
You
too can make such a "declaration of
independence" - from the ruler
of THIS world, Satan!
But you must be willing to lay
down the THINGS of this world that have a grip on you.
*
Jesus
said, "Most assuredly, I say to you,
whoever commits SIN is a SLAVE
of SIN" (John 8:34).
ALL of us are sinners (Romans 3:23), thus we
are ALL under its BONDAGE.
It
is common for us to think of SIN as a SERVANT rather
than a MASTER! When we CHOOSE to commit sin, we
usually do so because we think that it will SERVE OUR
interests – OUR selfish desires. SIN is viewed
as a tool to bring us pleasure, and we view ourselves
as being in control. The sin will go no further than
WE want it to go, and we can stop it whenever we want.
But we are naïve! We are like Eve who only saw
the forbidden fruit as a means to satisfy her desires
and ambitions, but could not see the terrible
consequences of her choice (see Genesis 3).
Once
we give in to SIN, we become enslaved to it.
What we thought of as our SERVANT suddenly
becomes our MASTER. It
takes us places we did NOT plan to go and causes
changes in our lives that we NEVER intended!
THEN - we realize that the great liberation and
freedom that sin offered was only a TRAP!
We find instead that we have SOLD ourselves
into slavery, and it is a bitter slavery indeed!
The
GOOD NEWS is that because of JESUS
CHRIST, YOU and I can make a declaration of
independence from Sin!
Christ, through His death on the cross,
paid the ransom price to free us from the bondage of
sin (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Christ ratified this Declaration of
Independence from Sin with His own blood (Matthew
26:28). You
and I can" sign" the
declaration through our obedient faith – trusting
in
God (Hebrews 11:6), repenting
of sin (2 Corinthians 7:9-10), confessing
Jesus (Romans 10:9-10), and being baptized
(immersed) for the forgiveness of sin (Acts 2:38;
22:16). Signing
the declaration is also expressing a commitment -
to live according to its principles so that we can
continue to be free from sin (1John 1:7).
"
Therefore if the Son makes you FREE, you shall be
FREE INDEED" (John 8:36).
Will
YOU sign the " Declaration
of Independence from Sin?"
God bless you!
David
A. Sargent, Minister
Church of Christ at Creekwood
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama 36695
*(Bill
Champion - adapted)
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