As Americans celebrate what’s considered to be the birthday of the United States on July 4, I started to think about the most important freedom we have: free from sin.

The first line of the Declaration of Independence, written 247 years ago, called upon “ Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” as it set out to describe why this declaration was necessary. Many people are familiar with the first line of the second paragraph of the document, indicating the “unalienable Rights” given by the Creator, namely: Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. Some will take that list and twist it around, interpreting it that they are free to do whatever they want with their lives. Yet the three principles are placed in a particular order and reading through the document illustrates why. In the over 25 objections raised against the British sovereign, many include mentions of actions that were harming the very lives of the colonists, some dealt with false incarceration, and lastly they included constraints on conducting commerce transactions. The rally cry that many now use, was a summary of the injustices of that time. The document essentially was a list of sins from which the American colonists were seeking freedom. 

Most, if not all, of the founding fathers were Christians. They had been baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They understood the ten commandments and how people who had been raised with these basic fundamentals could govern one another. In addition, they not only prohibited a particular national religion, they also allowed for the free exercise of any religion. During that time, religion was not something that enslaved men, but freed them, allowing them to pursue a government by the common people. 

While the world and many of its governments have certainly changed since those days, the opportunity to be free of sin through baptism remains. In the sacrament, we are freed from original sin and made whole in relationship with the Triune God. Jesus didn’t take away the ten commandments, as they continue to be an instruction manual of how to be human. Rather Jesus actually intensified the actions with the Beatitudes. We, who are baptized in Christ Jesus, are called to be holy and to imitate His ways. Although we were freed from original sin in baptism, the fallen world around us never ceases to throw obstacles to prevent us from living freed from all sin. Each moment, however, does give us a freedom of choice: to choose ourselves and what we want, or to choose God and what He wants. First through the Israelites and then through Jesus and the early Church, God provided the guidelines for doing His will. How many times do we hesitate to accept what is captured in Scriptures? How many times do we try to twist things around to suit our needs? 

After the celebratory barbeques and fireworks, let us take a moment to remember our baptisms and the gifts we received from God. Let us refresh our knowledge of God’s will for us by taking time to reflect on the Scriptures. Let the Holy Spirit stir a fire of true freedom in you.