This week we will celebrate our country’s Independence Day; July 4, 1776, the day America claimed its independence from England and a republic was born. Since that historical day, millions upon millions of people from all over the globe left their homeland to come to the “land of the free and the home of the brave,” so they could begin their “American Dream”. These immigrants who came to the shores of America did so voluntarily – most never before having set foot on this land, only hearing and believing that America offers hope of a better place to live, a place to enjoy peace and prosperity.
In Hebrews 11 we read of a man named Abraham who by faith in God voluntarily left his home to live in a promised land – a place where he had never ventured before – a land that was promised to offer hope of a better place to live, a place to enjoy peace and prosperity; for it was provided by God. But Abraham soon came to realize that the earthly promised land was symbolic of an even greater promised land – a heavenly home, an eternal land, a land of true peace.
Hebrews 11:8-10 states,
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”
And Hebrews 11:13-16 states others also by faith followed the same pilgrimage,
“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”
It is recorded in Romans 4:3 that,
“Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.”
Abraham placed his faith in God’s promises and received true “independence“. In other words, he was freed from the condemnation of sin (that is, eternal separation from God in a devil’s hell) – into life everlasting and an eternal home in heaven with God.
John 3:16-18 states,
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
As children of God, we are called to proclaim the gospel message of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God that can erase the condemnation of sin.
Romans 1:16 states,
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
Abraham truly had an “Independence Day” through his faith in the Lord.
The question must now be asked, “Do you have a day that you can personally call your ‘Independence Day’?” Can you truthfully state that there was a day that God spoke to your heart and told you that you were a sinner destined for a devil’s hell and that the only way to change your destination – to be heaven bound – was for you to repent of your sins and to place your faith and trust in His Son Jesus Christ? Have you by faith trusted in Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins – to receive that promised home in heaven? If you haven’t called upon Jesus Christ to save you, why not do so right now? Otherwise, you will journey through life and you will never find the land of true peace, joy, life and liberty.
