On this day we celebrate that point in our country’s history when our forefathers attained freedom from oppression. Thanks be to God for this wonderful freedom!
I believe, however, that we should use this day to reflect not only upon this political liberty, but also upon the freedom from oppression of sin that our Lord and Savior has brought us into by the effective power of His blood.
The Cross has given God’s children freedom from sin in two senses: justification and sanctification. Firstly, we are made justified by Christ’s blood, no longer counted among those who are under the wrath of God’s judgment on the sin of this world:
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. –Romans 5:8-10
However, the power of the Ultimate Sacrifice does not end here. Through the Holy Spirit working in us, we receive not only justification – a definitive pardoning of our sinful humanity – but we are also sanctified, conformed to the image of Jesus Christ by obedience to God’s commandments. We are given, solely through the blood of the Son of Man, the ability and desire to fight the sin that will ever battle within us until the day that we are perfected in His presence.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. –1 Thessalonians 5:23-24
But how can we fight this indwelling sin? There are many ways in which the Spirit works through us to sanctify us, but let’s focus on one today: we bring into battle with us the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:24).
Jesus prayed that this sanctification through the word be granted to His disciples, as well as those who would listen to their testimony and follow (that means us: John 17:20): Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. –John 17:17
I’ve been struck lately by the realization of the pattern of this role of Scripture in our sanctification as I have been reading through, and meditating on, Psalm 119. The psalmist begins by recognizing that those who are “undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord,” are blessed. Okay, check: we know that we are to strive after leading sinless lives. But how do we do this? Verse 9:
How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.
Good, good. Here we see that we are to follow God’s commandments as written in His word. This means that we must be reading this word if we are to be able to adhere to it. But reading the Bible does not always come easy to us. How are we to devote ourselves to this? Let’s read on:
I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches. (v. 14)
I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. (v. 16)
Ah! We stay in communion with our LORD, reading from His holy revelations, because this delights us; it brings us joy!
Oh crap… wait… I can’t always say this.
Most of the time, I would much rather watch a movie, or take a nap, or peruse the forums of Audio Asylum than sit down and read my Bible! Reading Scripture is not always what I want to do!! What do I do now? Does this mean that I am a horrible Christian, and the only believer in the world who is so bad that I don’t want to spend time with my God? I must be a very poor Christian…
Nope. I’m just human.
Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law; indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it. (vv. 33-35)
Teach me? Give me? Make me? The psalmist is asking God to work in him. He, like us, cannot do this on his own steam. Apart from God, we are in a state of rebellion against Him. Apart from His grace, we not only desire other things… we despise His very name and presence!
Therefore, it is God who works in us, enabling us to fight sin, to seek after Him, to joyfully commune with Him. We need only ask Him to grant us the ability.
For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord! –Romans 7:22-25a
Let us thank our Creator that we have been brought into freedom from the reigning power of sin through the shed blood of His wonderful, matchless Son!
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