After the Declaration
This post is being released after Independence Day passed earlier in the week. That date is very important for America and it is always encouraging to see people celebrate it by hanging a flag or posting something patriotic on social media.
However, July 4 was not the end of the Revolutionary War. While it is a very important date, the battles in that war continued to be fought for quite some time. It would not be for a long while until the British finally surrendered and America truly had her freedom. They could not just declare that they were independent, they had to fight for it.
It is also true that, in the decades since, we have had to continue to fight to stay free. Threats have come–The War of 1812 maybe being the clearest example–and will continue to. If we do not continue to work to hold on to our freedom, our nation will collapse.
But this is a Christian blog. What does this have to do with our Christian lives?
A very similar thing is true about our Christianity. When one is baptized, his sins are washed away and he is free (Acts 2:38). At that point, he is free from the chains of bondage that come with a life of sin. It is a moment that is not only life-changing, but that marks the beginning of a new life.
However, the battles are not over. The enemy, the devil, will return and seek to bring that person back into the bondage of sin again. Temptations will abound.
There are many who teach that a person simply cannot be lost again. That person, once saved, is “always saved.” If that is true, then much of the New Testament in irrelevant, because it continually warns Christians about falling into sin, turning back, and falling from grace.
We must continue to fight to stay free. While God’s grace and the blood of Jesus will cover us, that is only true if we continue to walk in the light (1 John 1:7). If we decide to lose battles on purpose, or just leave the battlefield altogether, our freedom will be taken away.
Keep fighting!
AUTHOR: Adam Faughn