Robert Houk Hitchcock

   On July 4, 1776, the colonies of America declared their independence from England in a famous civil document now known as the Declaration of Independence.  It was the first civil document to recognize God's given rights to men and their quest for freedom and self-determination.
    The events that ensued as a result of this declaration included the war for independence and a new nation being born, the United States of America.   That nation has endured under one constitution for 218 years.

   A far greater freedom than America's independence was won many centuries before without even one shot being fired.  It was man's independence from the bondage of sin.  The only participant in the battle was the Lord Jesus Christ.  He, alone, and single-handedly, defeated sin and the author of it by his life, his death and his resurrection from the dead.

   Since Adam's sin and failure in the Garden, mankind inherited, in every generation, Adam's sin.  It was the bondage of sin that kept man at enmity with God. Having no spirit, man no longer had a means to communicate and fellowship with God, which was man's original purpose.

   God provided the solution to man's independence Himself.   It was His determination to set man free and to redeem man from the bondage of sin.

John 3:16-17
   For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
   For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

   God's plan of redemption was the sending of His son to pay the price of man's redemption and salvation.  His son was to be the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sin of mankind.

Romans 5:10-14
   For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
   Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
   Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--
for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken
into account when there is no law.
   Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of
Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.
(NIV)

   Sin entered into the world because of just one man, Adam.  And sin reigned in the world because of that one original sin.

Romans 5:15-21
   But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
   Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man's sin:  The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.
   For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.
   Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.
   For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
   The law was added so that the trespass might increase.  But where
sin increased, grace increased all the more,
   so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
(NIV)

   God's grace on Man's Independence Day was far greater than the trespass of Adam.  Adam's sin brought condemnation and bondage; Jesus Christ's redemption brought righteousness.  Adam's sin brought judgment; Jesus Christ's redemption brought freedom.

John 8:31-36
   Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
   And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
   They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
   Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
   And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
   If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

   It is God's wonderful Word that has made us free.  It is that Word of God that gives one a knowledge of the accomplished work of Jesus Christ.  God's Word and God's son have given man a complete independence from the bondage of sin and it's consequences.

Romans 6:17-18
   But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
   Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.

   At one time, all of mankind was the servant of sin.  With the new birth now made available, man can be free of sin and the servant of righteousness.

Romans 6:21-23
   What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed?  for the end of those things is death.
   But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
   For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

   Sin has kept man in bondage since Adam.  Now in Christ Jesus, a man is made free from sin.  Man now can have eternal life through the grace of God and the work of Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:1-4
   There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
   For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.
   For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the
flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:
   That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

   God did for man what man could not do for himself: win the victory over sin.  Jesus Christ has made us free from the law of sin and death and given us the righteousness of God instead.

Galatians 5:1-6
   Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
   Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing.
   For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.
   Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.
   For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
   For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

   Because mankind has been redeemed, because man has been made free from the bondage of sin, because Jesus Christ finished a perfect work on behalf of all those who believe,  the believer should not be put in bondage again.  There is no more law for righteousness. There is no more bondage of sin for the believer has been justified.  There is no work to do to effect our standing.  There is no battle to fight to win our freedom.

   Jesus Christ accomplished for man a perfect salvation and redemption from sin.  The day of Pentecost when the new birth was first made available was truly man's Independence Day.  On that day, man's complete salvation was made available to whosoever would believe.  We are free from the bondage of sin and death!!!

Let freedom ring!