As I was reading an article regarding the importance of taking care of your teeth, I came to the realization that poor dental care could result in cardiovascular disease, respiratory infections, diabetic complications and even dementia. I had no idea that poor dental care could cause all of these other health problems. If you are like me you probably only think of cavities when you think about dental concerns. It is incredible that one problem can affect so many other areas of the human body.
Our Universal Problem
The Bible talks about one universal problem that has had multiple effects on the human race. It is the problem called sin. Romans 3:23 makes the startling proclamation, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” The Greek word for “come short” means to be inferior or to fall short in the sense of being deficient. In our human process, we feel a level of satisfaction when we do comparison tests. We feel a sense of comfort when we acknowledge our deficiency; but draw the conclusion that it is not that bad since we know of others with worse deficiencies: The murderer, the rapist or the child molester, for example. And so we’ve taken the attitude that simply says, “I am not as bad as others.”
Of course, there are various degrees of sin, and certainly some are worse than others; but in the divine court of a righteous Judge, all are still found guilty! Regardless of the sin, the fact remains that we have missed the mark. Now that is a theological dilemma! Romans 6:23 prescribes our punishment: “The wages of sin is death. . . .”
The Source of Our Freedom
But there is good news: Even though we are guilty, Jesus Christ died for our sins so that our death penalty was paid in full! And when we trust Him for our salvation, we can be free from the ultimate effect of sin, which is eternal separation from God.
Spiritual freedom is important as we celebrate Independence Day. In the United States, Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence that occurred over 200 years ago. The government ruling party called the Continental Congress consisted of representation from the 13 colonies. The colonies united around the biblical concepts of liberty and human dignity, declaring independence and freedom from the tyranny of the British Empire. Many of the colonists associated national freedom with the spiritual freedom proclaimed in Scripture.
While Americans celebrate the values that unite us on July 4, our country is sharply divided over issues such as unemployment, immigration and healthcare reform. For some, points of discord overshadow the grounds for unity. This makes it difficult to realize the importance of American independence.
For those who are in Christ, let us never forget that our great freedom is in Him. This will not remove the challenges of unemployment, immigration and disunity among our people, but it will allow us to overcome our universal sin problem and share a hope that goes beyond our government or our political parties.
Article by Dr. L.W. Edwards
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