Freedom always comes with a price: that price is the shed blood of men and women who have given their lives so that others might live free. Many know of someone who has given the ultimate sacrifice, their own life, for the freedoms that we enjoy. We should always be thankful for this. Not only should we be thankful for the fallen, but for every veteran and everyone currently serving to preserve our freedom.

As much as I enjoy the freedoms that we have in America, there is greater freedom that I would like to share with you. It is the freedom from the bondage of sin. Everyone is born into this bondage. Jesus said in John 8:34, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoevercommitteth sin is the servant of sin.” The Bible tells us in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Sin is defined as transgression of the law of God in I John 3:4 which reads, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” Transgression means to cross a boundary. If you drive faster than the speed limit, you cross the boundary of the law of the land. Crossing God’s boundary is much more serious because God’s standard is perfection. All of us have missed the mark of God’s standard. This is what it means to come short of the glory of God.

Our sin not only has us in bondage, but also it has a price that must be paid. That price is death. God tells us in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death….” Death means separation, and because of our sin, we all deserve to be eternally separated from God in a place called Hell. We cannot break free from this bondage, and we cannot pay for our sin on our own. In Ephesians 2:8, 9, God tells us, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast.”Nothing we can do is good enough to earn our way to Heaven and break free from the bondage of sin.

Just as many had to die for the freedoms that we have in America; Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son, had to die for our freedom from sin. “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,” (John 3:16). Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to save you and me from the bondage of sin, and He offers to all the gift of eternal life. The rest of Romans 6:23 reads, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Jesus has already paid for your freedom. Now you must make a choice to repent and accept His payment for your sin and trust Him as your Savior. Repentance is a change of mind, a turning away from sin to God. God said in Romans 10:13, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Do you acknowledge that you are in the bondage of sin, and you deserve an eternity separated from God? Do you realize that you cannot save yourself, but Jesus Christ has already paid for your sin? Repent of your sin and turn from it to God. Accept Jesus as your Savior today. Allow Him to set you free from the bondage of sin. If you want to accept God’s gift of salvation and experience the freedom that Christ offers, you can simply pray and ask Him to save you. It is not the prayer, but the belief in your heart that will save you.

Pray this simple prayer to ask Jesus to be your Savior, and He will save you, give you eternal life, and give you freedom from sin.

“Dear Lord,

• I realize that I am a sinner.

• I deserve to die and be separated from You for all eternity.

• I cannot save myself, and I realize that Jesus died for me.

• Forgive me and save me. I accept Jesus as my Savior.

• Thank you for saving me, giving me eternal life, and freedom from the bondage of sin.

• Please help me now to live for you.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

If you earnestly prayed and have now accepted Jesus as your Savior, we would love to hear from you to be an encouragement to you. Please contact us and let us know.