Christ grants the freedom to become

Monday we will celebrate our freedom as a country. Many times our freedom in Christ has been related to our freedom as a nation. Many similarities exist.

Our freedom as a nation was gained by the sacrifice of many who gave their lives. Our freedom as Christians was gained by the sacrifice of the Son of God who willingly gave His life on the cross to pay the penalty of sin.

One difference is our freedom as a nation requires that many continue to give their lives to defend our freedom and this great nation. Jesus paid our debt completely, once for all He gave the perfect sacrifice.

Hebrews 9:11-14: "But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. ... For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" Hebrews 7:27: "who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself."

Like the freedom we have as a country we are granted freedom in the Spirit. As a country we have freedom from oppression, bondage, kingdom rule and foreign control. Spiritually Jesus had set us free from oppression, bondage, and translated us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light. This freedom goes beyond freedom from and grants us freedom to be. When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior we are free to become all that He wants for us. Freedom to become, what a marvelous principle.

Luke 4:18: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed." John 8:36: "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed."

If you desire to be free spiritually, Jesus waits for your cry. He is willing to come and indwell you by the Holy Spirit and give you liberty as a child of God. John 1:12-13, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."

• Pastor Leo Kruger of Valley Christian Fellowship is a member of Carson Valley Ministers' Association.