OUR INDEPENDENCE

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

So begins one of the greatest documents ever written by men, The Declaration of Independence. Have you ever wondered what became of the 56 men who signed this document? Five were captured by the British as traitors and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Nine fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.

Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants. Nine were farmers and large plantation owners. They were men of means, well educated. They signed this document knowing full well that it meant death if they were captured.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. His possessions were taken from him and poverty was his reward. At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that British General Cornwallis had taken over his home for headquarters. He urged General Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed and Nelson died bankrupt. Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife and she died within a few months. There are other similar stories of the sacrifices of the American Revolution. These men had security, but they valued liberty more. They pledged, “For the support of the declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

These and many other great patriots gave us a free and independent America. Many times we take these precious liberties for granted. Freedom is never free. Take a few minutes as you celebrate the 4th of July and thank these patriots. It’s time we remind everyone that patriotism is not a sin and the 4th of July has more to it than picnics, baseball games and fireworks.   --Lamar

SPIRITUAL FREEDOM

As you read the article concerning the great sacrifices made by our founding fathers, did you think of the sacrifice made by our Holy Father and His Son? They paid a great price to give us freedom from a tyrant far greater than King George and Britain. They wanted to give us freedom from Satan and sin.

“But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness” (Romans 6:17-18). We were enslaved to sin because of our disobedience toward God. We were separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), without hope (Ephesians 2:12), and condemned to death (Romans 6:23).

Christ changed all that. He made the ultimate sacrifice (Philippians 2:5-8). He left the glory of heaven and came to the inglorious earth. He left behind the worship of angels and suffered the hatred of men. He gave up everything, even His life, to make possible our freedom from sin. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:1-2).

Yes, it is good to remember the sacrifices that were made to give us political freedom in past years. However, let us remember that spiritual freedom is much more vital and never forget the sacrifices made to give us that freedom.                                      --Lamar