In just a few days, most of us will be celebrating our nation’s independence. Although most people do observe Independence Day in some fashion, I think fewer and fewer of them understand just what it is they’re celebrating. It’s a day marked by picnics, play, and fireworks. But what it commemorates, of course, is our nation’s independence from British rule nearly 250 years ago. It has come to symbolize personal, cultural, and spiritual freedom—the freedom to pursue happiness, through faith, without restriction.
What a gift this has been to most of us who have lived here throughout our lifetime! I am personally deeply grateful for these freedoms and have a very robust respect and appreciation for the cost to attain them. Our earthly freedom has been very costly. It is an undeserved gift that we do well to cherish.
However, there is another kind of freedom that’s even more valuable and even more costly. And that is the freedom that only comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Every one of us who believes in Him was bound for hell and destruction. It is only by the amazing grace of God Almighty that he gave his only son, Jesus Christ—the perfect, spotless, sacrificial, Lamb of God—as the payment for our sins that we have attained this kind of freedom.
This kind of freedom is eternal, everlasting, forever. We can never lose it nor can it be taken away by any government, enemy, or force of any kind. Our freedom in Christ is the only freedom that will make us happy and at peace at all times and in every way. And one day, when history comes to a close, and Christ returns in triumph over all his enemies, we will experience a new kind of freedom—freedom from decay, deterioration, tears, pain, suffering, and from lack of understanding. We will see Him face to face. We will see Him as He really is, in all His brilliant glory!
So as you and I celebrate freedom this next week, don’t stop at just the political freedom God has granted us in this country, keep going and celebrate the amazing eternal freedom that we have in Christ Jesus—the King of Kings!
“So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (John 8:36)
Tim Tomlinson
President
Prayer Requests:
- Please be in prayer and thanksgiving for our fiscal year end finances. Our “On the Double” campaign comes to a close on Saturday and the opportunity to double your gift with it. God has been very merciful and gracious to us through this initiative!
- Please be in prayer for those among our faculty, staff, and students who have been, or will be, on international trips this summer. We love the global focus of our school. While we may be an intentionally small school located in the geographic center of North America, we are having a global impact! Pray for even more!
- And please keep our Self-Study writing project in your prayers as well. These next two months are critical for us to complete the writing of this important document which we pray will extend our accreditation for another 10 years—if the Lord wills!