How Freedom in Christ Differs from Freedom in America

I remember going to church on July 4^th (or dates near July 4^th) as a child and seeing red, white, and blue flowers around the pulpit. We’d sing hymns like “America the Beautiful” and “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.” This was so normal to me that it didn’t stand out until about 15 years ago when I spent a July 4^th in Brazil.  There were no red, white, and blue bunting banners in the church that Sunday, there were no prayers thanking God for our freedoms, there were no picnics, and we didn’t sing hymns about the country. Though I knew it was the week of Independence Day, these Christians—who are just as loved and blessed by God as American Christians—weren’t celebrating.

A few years later I was finishing grad school by helping a church establish a health promotion ministry. This church partnered with another local church to do a big service and BBQ on Independence Day. The pastor of the other church shared a sermon in which he spoke a lot about American ideals—freedom, democracy, opportunity, etc. Personally, I felt like his sermon would have made a nice speech at a picnic or similar gathering, but I felt it wasn’t particularly appropriate for church because he wasn’t speaking about God.

Later that day, I had a great conversation with a young undergraduate student who was staying with me. This sweet, wise young woman was completing a summer program with the church. Her father was a chaplain in the military (Air Force, if I recall correctly). She shared about how he always grew frustrated when individuals conflated the freedom described by Christ with the freedoms we have as Americans.

She did a great job putting into words some of what I was thinking after the sermon. Today I am going to explore this topic—how our freedom in Christ differs from our American freedom—because I believe it is as relevant as it has ever been.

What is freedom in Christ?

The freedom described in the Bible is internally focused. We are set free from the bonds of sin, free from the confinement of the Old Testament law, and free from self-interest in order to live in a self-giving way.

“Jesus answered them, ‘I tell you the solemn truth, everyone who practices sin is a slave of sin. The slave does not remain in the family forever, but the son remains forever. So if the son sets you free, you will be really free.’” John 8:34-36 (NET)

“Now before faith came we were held in custody under the law, being kept as prisoners until the coming faith would be revealed. Thus the law had become our guardian until Christ, so that we could be declared righteous by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. For in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God through faith.” Galatians 3:23-26 (NET)

“‘I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’” Galatians 2:20 (NET)

What is freedom in America?

The freedom described in America’s founding documents and laws is externally focused. The government cannot create or favor a religion, our private property is protected from unreasonable search and seizure by the government, the government cannot punish crimes through cruel and unusual punishment, etc. You can read a copy of the Bill of Rights, the document that enumerates Americans’ most important freedoms, here. These freedoms pertain to our relationships with the U.S. government and each other.

Why it is important to differentiate between these two

I’m so grateful that I live in the United States and have the government-given freedoms that I do. I thank God for this. However, I think it is important to remember that all Christians—regardless of their citizenship—have access to freedom in Christ. They may not have access to the same government-given freedoms, but all have access to the freedom that ultimately matters.

In light of this, let’s not conflate freedom in Christ with our rights as Americans. Doing so can have a few negative impacts on us. First, conflating the two can diminish our understanding and appreciation of the amazing, loving work of our Savior. Second, it can cause us to mesh our views of our earthy authority with those of our Heavenly Authority. The two are certainly not the same! Finally, it can give us the false sense that American Christians are somehow favored over other Christians. There’s no biblical support for this idea!

Final thoughts

As we celebrate Independence Day, let’s be grateful for our freedoms as Americans! I’m particularly grateful for the individuals who fought to get us these freedoms and for those who continue to serve to make sure we keep them. However, let’s also be sure to routinely give thanks for the freedom we have in Christ. Considering eternity, it is this freedom that is truly valuable.

Have you ever considered how American freedom and freedom in Christ differ? How will you remember and celebrate your freedom in Christ as we go about celebrating Independence Day?

Shared at the following:

Encouraging Hearts and Home and Grace and Truth.