Are You Celebrating the Freedom Jesus Already Gave You Every Day?

For those of us in the United States, Independence Day feels like the official kickoff of the month of July, and the theme of freedom echoes throughout the whole month. While earthly independence is important, and well worth celebrating, I can’t help but think about how, as Christians, we don’t often acknowledge, let alone celebrate, the freedom we have through Jesus. 

In John 8:36 (NIV), Jesus said, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” So, as we celebrate freedom this month, let us dive into exactly what John 8:36 means and start celebrating the unparalleled freedom we have through our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Before we can fully grasp the magnitude of our freedom in Christ, we must recognize what we’ve been set free from—sin and death. Sin enslaves and entangles us, leading to spiritual death and separation from God. Sin robs us of joy, peace, and purpose. But through His sacrificial death on the cross, Jesus broke the power of sin, offering us freedom from its grip. In Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin but sons and daughters of the Living God. Romans 6:6-8 (NIV) give more insight about us no longer being slaves to sin:

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

Just like our freedoms on Earth have come with a price, our freedom in Christ comes at a great cost—the selfless sacrifice of Jesus. He willingly laid down His life to redeem us from the power and penalty of sin. Through His shed blood, we find forgiveness, restoration, and reconciliation with God. This act of love demonstrates the depth of God’s grace and mercy. The price paid for our freedom is immeasurable, and it is a gift we could never earn or deserve.

The freedom Jesus offers extends far beyond external circumstances or earthly systems. It isn’t about being free to make choices and live our lives free from rules and restrictions but a comprehensive and transformative freedom of our entire being. In Christ, we find freedom from guilt and condemnation as our sins are washed away and remembered no more. We are free from the power of sin as the Holy Spirit empowers us to live victoriously and resist temptation. And we have the hope of ultimate freedom from the very presence of sin as we look forward to the glorious day when we will be fully transformed in His presence.

We’ve been given the gift of this glorious freedom. Are you walking in the fullness of that? How can you tell? Do you embrace your identity as a child of God and live in accordance with His Word? Do you daily surrender your life to Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to guide and transform you from the inside out? Do you actively resist the temptations and snares that seek to rob you of your liberty? 

The freedom you’ve been given through Jesus isn’t a license for self-indulgence or complacency but an invitation to walk in righteousness, love, and grace. It enables you to extend forgiveness, serve others selflessly, and share the liberating message of the Gospel. As we grow in our faith, we discover that the more we surrender to Christ, the more freedom we experience in Him.

John 8:36 stands as a reminder that true freedom is found in Christ alone. It is a freedom that breaks the chains of sin, restores our relationship with God, and offers us a life of purpose and fulfillment. Let us rejoice in this freedom and never take it for granted. My prayer is that we continually seek to deepen our understanding and experience of the freedom that Christ has given us, that we celebrate it in our hearts as much as we celebrate the 4th of July, and that we celebrate it daily. And as we walk in this freedom, may our lives become a testimony to the transformative power of the Gospel, drawing others to the freedom found in Jesus Christ.