My grandparents, who had each come from Norway as teenagers, frequently impressed on us grandchildren the importance and right to own land and to vote.

They spoke with pride of freedoms that were ours as Americans. William Faulkner, frequently quoted about freedom, stated, “We must be free not because we claim it, but because we practice it.”

This week we celebrate as a nation the freedom won and protected for us through the sacrifices of generations of women and men laying down their lives for us. As we celebrate our Nation’s Independence Day, let us remember that our true freedom came to us the day Christ gave his life for us. Let us look at several freedoms granted to us through Christ’s blood.

First and foremost, we are free from death and hell. Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Christ’s gift to us is new life and freedom from eternal death.

We have freedom from our past. In Second Corinthians 5:17 we see that when we are in Christ, he makes us a new creation. All the things of our past that separated us from God are gone; we are made new and walk in relationship with him.

Another freedom given to us by Christ is freedom from the influence of evil, as we see in First Corinthians 10:13. It states, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” One of the best known prayers, the Lord’s Prayer, includes this as a petition, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one (Matthew 6:13).”

We can live in freedom from fear. Aung San Suu Kyl stated, “The only real prison is fear…” Fear can paralyze us. Fear’s companions include anxiety, depression and isolation. Just as there are many fears one may carry, there are just as many answers, and more, in God’s Word answering these fears. In fact, there are over 365 “do not fear” and “fear not” statements included in the Bible. Isaiah 41:10, reminds us we are not alone as we face life: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me.”

Also from the Psalms, “The Lord is the stronghold of my life - of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)” Deuteronomy 3:22, “Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.” Freedom from fear brings us peace.

Dwight L. Moody stated it best, “If you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ you are free.”