Pastor's Corner by Pastor Larry Tong
July 2008
The word “Freedom” probably is one of the most misunderstood and abused terms in our culture. Living in this free country, all of us are used to “Freedom reigns!” People would rather die than to lose their freedom. When we enjoy freedom that we so cherish, we must ask piercing questions such as “What are we freed from?” or “What does it mean to be freed?” or “Who set me free?”
As we celebrate Independence Day this month, I think it serves us well to remember how much trouble the forefathers of this country had to go through to gain “Independent”. Long ago, there were persecutions of Christians by the corrupted Church in Europe. In order to be freed on that unwarranted oppression, Christians began to find a new “home” so that they could freely worship God. They found America. Soon after, more people from Europe migrated to this land because it was indeed a land of opportunities. As time passed, thirteen colonies in the east coast were formed. During the 1760s and 1770s, relations between the Thirteen Colonies and Britain became increasingly strained, primarily because of the resentment of the British Parliament's ability to tax American colonists without their consent. Disagreement turned to violence and in 1775 the American Revolutionary War began. The following year, the colonists declared the independence of the United States, breaking the sovereign rule of Britain. July Fourth was chosen as a special day commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence and on July 4, 1776, the declaration was signed and the United States became independent.
About one hundred years later, American Civil War broke out between the North and the South. The major contention was the abolishment of slavery system. Let by President Lincoln, the North won and the slaves were set free, gaining freedom that they had never have before.
I appreciate what these great Americans had to go through in order to gain freedom. Personally, I believe Freedom is a privilege, and therefore should not be taken for granted. It is a product of sacrifices by many. Some of them had to forfeit their lives so that others may enjoy the fruit of their fight. Unfortunately, many people don’t think of Freedom that way. They think that freedom is a license to do whatever they want, regardless of consequences, but in fact, true freedom is the ability to do what is right. For example, we have freedom to drive on the road, but we don’t have the freedom to do whatever we feel like on the road. There are laws to obey. Therefore, it takes obedience in order to enjoy true freedom. To be truly free, we must have the power and ability to be obedient. There is a saying that worth remembering: You are free to make your choice, but you are not free not to accept the consequences of your choice.
Before I sign off, I would like to remind all the Christians who read this newsletter that we are set freed by the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave up His life for that end. It is not a license to sin, but rather, an order to obey to do good works. Don’t be enslaved to sin again for the chain of slavery to sin has been broken by the cross of Calvary. Enjoy your Freedom!
Pastor Larry
