Today is a great day and yes, the United States is still a great place to live. Political freedom is precious, priceless.
But spiritual freedom is different. On my mind tonight? Let me outline three differences between political and spiritual freedom.
1. Political freedom is temporary; spiritual freedom is eternal.
Political freedom really has nothing to do with how we will live eternally. We enjoy our rights here in the U.S. We have free speech, we have the freedom to worship, and many other freedoms simply not enjoyed across the world. However, when we find freedom from sin and despair through Jesus Christ, it means we’ll spend eternity in heaven with Him instead of suffering apart from Him in hell. I’d argue all day long that the political freedoms we enjoy give us a great chance to flourish spiritually, but it is often true that when political freedoms are removed the church flourishes. So, we focus on eternity while upholding what is best and right regarding freedom in this life.
2. Political freedom is won by human sacrifice; spiritual freedom is not won nor earned.
I recently watched a U.S. History documentary over a number of Mondays called “The Story of Us” on Netflix. I highly recommend it to anyone. It is, by and large, a story of the sacrifices people made for the United States to come about. It is both fascinating and inspiring to be sure. But our spiritual freedom is not won, nor can it be earned. Salvation in Jesus Christ is a gift of God, not earned by human works. Our works, in fact, flow out of our salvation (Ephesians 2:1-10). No celebration of what has been earned (politically) will ever hold a candle to what’s been done to redeem our sinful souls from hell (spiritually). Praise Jesus for His work on the cross!
3. Political freedom opens the doors to gain; spiritual freedom brings loss.
Political freedom is great. It gives us the power to be entrepreneurs. It gives us the power to take the skills we’ve been created with and put them to use to make money. Making money is gain which betters our lives and gives us opportunity to honor God with that money. Capitalism feeds on the buying and selling of goods, and the laws of supply and demand. Jesus, however, pointed his followers to a cross. He told them that to come after Him would mean sacrifice, taking up a cross, and servanthood. It would not mean greater glory on this earth; in fact it might mean less.
As much as I enjoy my political freedom, it would never trump the awe and wonder I have for the God who saved my soul through the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ. Praise Him for my freedom now and (truly) forever!