I Declare My Independence!
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? 34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
This month the United States of America celebrated its 239th birthday. On July 4, 1776 the founding fathers gathered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and declared they had grown tired of England and wanted to break away and become an independent and sovereign nation. They crafted a document that is now famous – it’s called the Declaration of Independence. You no doubt are familiar with some of the words:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
The quest for freedom and independence did not originate nor end with this country. If the truth is told, God put in man a desire to be free. Unfortunately, we have redefined freedom.
Throughout history, we have read and discussed people’s desire to be free. Israel struggled four hundred years in Egypt. In America, blacks struggled over two hundred years (and some would argue that we are still enslaved). This is because when our founding fathers framed the constitution, they had a limited concept of freedom; people of color were not included. As cruel and unjust as that may be, these men were not the first to miss the true meaning of freedom and they will not be the last.
During Jesus' day there were two specific groups that were continual thorns in the side of Jesus and the early Christian church: the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They were supposed to be leaders of the church, but at the heart, they were the political and ideological enemies of Christ. They were experts in the Law of Moses, but not for the benefit of the people. They used the law to hold the people in subjection and themselves in a superior position. Earlier in this passage (John 8) they supposedly catch a woman in the very act of adultery (somehow her partner escaped). They brought her to Jesus, hoping to entrap Jesus between the law and His known compassion.
As Jesus explained His mission, He declared a simple, yet profound statement: the truth sets people free. Today, I have come to the realization that man will always have a warped definition of freedom. Either we limit freedom to some, or we place strange boundaries on it. It is only through the truth of God that we experience true freedom.
There are some that will say religion (especially holiness) merely gives you a list of do's and don'ts; they say you cannot indulge in activities such as alcohol consumption, narcotics or sex outside of marriage. In contrast, they believe they are free to come and go as they please. However, I have a different perspective. Because I know God and His Word and what His Word says about me, I have ultimate freedom. I understand that sin in any form enslaves people and prohibits you from obtaining true freedom. The truth is God wants us to lead quiet and peaceable lives. The truth is the devil wants to kill, steal and destroy us. The enemy wants to entrap us and limit our potential in God. The truth is the devil wants to keep us bound by past mistakes and failures and God wants to free us from guilt and shame.
As a born again man of God, I am grateful that I have discovered true freedom. I am free from the lie that I can be more of a man if I have numerous girlfriends. The truth is it takes more of a man to stay true to one woman until death! I know that I am more of a man because I have supported and raised all of my children. Some believe the lie that the more babies they make, the more of a man they are. Some believe that they will never be free of the mistakes they made in the past. Some believe the lie that the color of their skin or the texture of their hair determines their lot in life. I know and believe the truth – if I confess my sin, He is faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
My dear friends, I challenge you to celebrate your freedom in God today. Pursue His truth, and you will truly be free.
I bless you in the name of the Lord!
Eddie B Pruitte, Jr.
Pastor and Founder, Holiness Tabernacle COGIC