Let Freedom Ring

African Americans received their freedom from slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation, which took effect on January 1, 1863. This marked the end of being treated as human chattel, a brutal system that began in the United States in 1619 and lasted 244 years. And 1863 is not really that long ago. I can trace my own family history back to my great-great-grandmother, who was born into slavery in 1845.

As humiliating and depraved as physical slavery was, it cannot be compared to the slavery of sin. Sin enslaves a person’s soul and condemns them to eternal separation from God. Sin entered the world when Adam rebelled against God and ate of the forbidden fruit. However God Emancipated mankind from its sin when He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins.

John 3:16 (KJV) declares:

“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.”

Through Jesus Christ, we receive freedom and emancipation from sin.

The Savior Brings Freedom

Romans 3:23 reminds us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” None of us are perfect. We are all imperfect because sin entered the world through one man Adam.

Romans 5:12–14 teaches that through Adam’s disobedience, sin and death spread to all humanity. As a result, mankind is bound by sin and subject to its consequences. We are slaves to sin. However, because of Christ, we no longer have to remain slaves.

Romans 3:24–26 explains that we are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” God presented Jesus as a propitiation our substitute through faith in His blood. Jesus took our place and bore the righteous judgment that should have fallen on us.

Through Him, we are redeemed. Jesus died for our sins so that we might be free emancipated from sin and death.

A Personal Choice

We now have a choice. We can remain in our sins, or we can obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ and receive the gift of salvation.

Each person must decide between:

• Life or Death

• Salvation or Sin

• Heaven or Hell

• Freedom or Slavery

The choice is yours. Let freedom ring.