~9 April, 1865 Appottomax, Virginia~
Now we are engaed in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived or so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who gave their lives that that nation might live. It is alltogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can n ot hallow - this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased dedication to that cause to which they gave the last full meausure of devotion - that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
~President Abraham Lincoln, Gettysburgh, Pennsylvania, 19 November, 1863~
I find it interesting that one of our nations greatest conflicts was known by different names. In the northern states, the conflict will forever be known as the Civil War. However, many in the southern United States to this very day continue to see things differently. To these modern day "Johnny Rebs," the conflict is known as the war of northern aggression. For this is indeed how those in our young nations southern states viewed the intrusion of president Abraham Lincolns union armies onto the fields of old Dixie on April 12th, 1861. At the heart of the conflict was the issue of slavery in the United States. While many in the north supposrted the abolition of slavery, many in the south opposed such a move. The economy of the south, ruled by "King Cotton," relied heavily on its slave labor to keep it prosporous. In the end, it was the union army which controlled the blood stained battlefields and slavery was thereby ended in our nation. Why do I mention this? Because, like our forefathers, we also bear the scars of slavery. While I personally have never been shackled with the chains of slavery, I know all too well what being a slave is like. For I have surely felt the chains of my sin. The apostle Paul tells us in Romans 6 that our "old man" was crucified with Christ Jesus that we "should no longer be slaves of sin." Indeed, without the suffering and death of Jesus, we would all be slaves to our old man, that old sin nature we were born into {Romans 3:23}. However, it is also through the death of Christ that that body of sin was done away with.
6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be adone away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 6: 6 - 11 NKJV
So, if we have indeed been freed through Christ Jesus from our chains of sin then there is but one thing left for us...freedom. Freedom to be in Christ. Freedom to be free of that sin debt. Freedom from the condemnation which we once carried while enslaved to our sins. I chose the title of this page for two reasons. First, it is through Christ that we are indeed free. Secondly, as our old man was put to death with Jesus, we now today live "as Jesus" whose Spirit is in us {Galations 2:20}. Not only that, but Christ has also done away with that handwriting of requirements which was against us {Colossions 2:14}. We are therefore no longer bound to any such traditions or institutions (Tithing, communion etc.) which others may claim that we are indebted to. Christ Jesus has done away with all of this. What we are now left with is freedom. As the christian hymm tells us, "My chains are gone, I've been set free!"
13And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14having wiped out the ihandwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 16So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, 17which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.
Colossions 2: 13 - 17 NKJV
~Scott~
No comments:
Post a Comment