When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:11–13 (NKJV)
For July 4, 2026
Sometimes I am astounded at the measure of God’s grace … His mercy endures forever!
He is infinitely patient and kind, especially in light of what many of us consider to be personal freedom.
As I’ve grown older, I’ve come to realize that earthly freedom yields temporal
and often short-sighted satisfaction that is neither transforming nor redemptive.
We cannot even begin to restore that which is flawed within us—sin. Thus, we will always experience broken relationships and endeavors, along with the tragic and often fatal consequences that ensue.
In Paul’s day, Corinth was a thriving metropolis and port city. But it was also a cesspool of spiritual corruption and moral degradation when he wrote 1 Corinthians from Antioch around A.D. 55.
Some of the church issues he addresses include: carnal living Christians, divisions and infighting, sexual immorality (particularly incest), questions about marriage, idolatry and food offered to idols, proper conduct in worship and the Lord’s Supper, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection.
As it was then, some still reduce being Born Again to mere material blessing, thus overlooking the very heart of our spiritual transformation through faith in Christ. In doing so, we discredit the fact that God’s Kingdom is wholly spiritual—not material!
“While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NKJV)
His perfect will is our complete inner transformation and restored fellowship—as we had in the Garden of Eden—not our material success. Although some of us may attain fame, fortune, and influence in this life, others may not. Nevertheless, we all matter to God, as Jesus attests:
“Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Luke 12:6–7 (NKJV)
God can and does use us for His glory. But those of us whom He has transformed with a new spiritual nature—rich or poor, black or white, young or old, male or female—are far more responsive to His prompting, walking in alignment with His perfect will, which will be fully revealed on the Last Day.
One commentator gives his take on our progression based on the above passage:
For our knowledge of God and our words spoken in worship in the light of what we know … are only a part of what they should be, and when perfection in thought and expression arrives the imperfect always “disappears” (vv. 9–10).
In this way in our own experience, for childhood speech and thought inevitably give way to different patterns in adulthood. Similarly, the “poor reflection “of anything seen in a mirror (such as those manufactured in first century Corinth) could not be compared to the experience of seeing the same thing face to face … In view of this three things can be trusted to “remain” unaltered by the enlargement of our knowledge: “faith, hope and love … but the greatest of these is love” (v.13).1.
Perfect love is realized in our transformation. And transformation occurs the moment we realize that sin is not just a global plague; it is personal, and we cry out to God as Paul writes:
“O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” Romans 7:24 (NKJV)
We need Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer because we cannot stand before God on our own merit. Therefore, in humble submission, we must turn from sin (repentance) and turn to Christ (faith), and His Holy Spirit changes us forever.
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20 (NKJV)
Jesus removes the massive weight of sin, guilt, and shame within us and gives us a new identity and a new destiny as completely forgiven children of God. We are truly free to fellowship with God—now and forever.
Jesus makes this declaration about the freedom that only He provides through faith:
“Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” John 8:36 (NKJV)
Our freedom was never meant to exist apart from accountability. God created us with moral agency, meaning our choices truly matter.
Jesus does not merely improve behavior, which would make Him comparable to another reformer. Instead, He transforms the heart. He breaks the power of sin that keeps us bound in cycles of addiction, guilt, shame, pride, and self-destruction.
Those of us who know Him have been radically changed, freed from the slavery of sin as we surrender to Him completely, just as Paul promised:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
This transformation goes deeper than moral improvement; it is a moral and spiritual transformation. Darkness is replaced with light, and confusion is replaced with truth. God’s refining work in us can be painful at times, but it is always purposeful as He conforms us into the image of Christ—who we were created to be. We are truly free forever!
But here is where it gets interesting. While we prepare for our glorious future, we actively participate in the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18) by fostering an atmosphere of spiritual and emotional wholeness for those around us through genuine Christ-centered love and forgiveness—regardless of race, creed, or political affiliation.
It troubles me to see how often respect, civility, and kindness are absent from our culture. We should be able to disagree without hostility and freely speak truth without fear of reprisal. As a human race, made in God’s image, we are responsible for how we treat one another—young and old alike.
Since God has forgiven us, His Holy Spirit, who lives within us, enables us to extend forgiveness and reconcile with others as much as humanly possible. Everyone benefits when we forgive and seek reconciliation as Ambassadors for Christ.
Because in this process of transformation, we live differently; we work, serve, laugh, cry, and build relationships without selfishness hanging over us. We become more honest, more grounded, and more authentic. We also begin to see ourselves as Christ sees us:
“I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 (NKJV)
Our identity is not built on success, failure, or comparison with other people. It is found in Christ. The more we come to know Him, the more we begin to understand who we are—and how we are meant to live.
That changes everything in daily life. We learn to speak the truth in love. We keep our word. We grow in wisdom and maturity. We are no longer ruled by fear, envy, or insecurity, but instead learn to trust God’s goodness and providence.
When we fail, we do not run from it. We repent, seek forgiveness, and make things right where we can. We care for our bodies, our minds, and our relationships. We choose what builds life rather than what destroys it.
At the heart of it all, Christian freedom is not about doing whatever we want. It is about becoming who we were created to be. We become living responses of gratitude, shaped by God’s mercy and renewed by His grace.
Freedom is not just about independence. God Himself is the author of true freedom. He sent His Son so that we could experience His perfect justice, order, and love.
This is the life God intended—close, peaceful, purposeful, and joyfully dependent on Him for everything. The tragedy of the Fall was the loss of fellowship, but that fellowship was restored in Christ and will be fully realized when He returns, just as the Apostle John attests:
“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” Revelation 7:9–10 (NKJV)
To be in God’s presence forever means that we regain what our ancestors lost: to dwell in perfect unity with unbroken communion with God in a state of complete joy, peace, and fulfillment.
When we put away childish things and become the morally and spiritually responsible people God created us to be, His transforming work in us helps us look beyond race, culture, and class, enabling us to become better people and to help build a better society for our children and theirs as well.
I am a natural-born U.S. citizen whose ancestry bears the unfortunate scars of slavery, segregation, and discrimination, which still evoke anger in many even today. In my lifetime, I have also experienced my share of racially motivated incidents. Yet, they do not define me—God does:
“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” John 10:27–30 (NKJV)
I matter to God too!
Ultimately, no country or ideology is perfect. Yet I am very grateful to the Lord to live in the United States of America, with the freedom to worship, to express our opinions without censorship, to elect our representatives, and to travel—along with other freedoms many of us take for granted. We are blessed to live in a place where people from around the world desire to come.
I also thank God for His Word and for the laws and moral boundaries that protect us from the harm that comes from anarchy disguised as self-serving “freedom.” No society can survive when its citizens do whatever they want, whenever they want, to whomever they want.
Freedom is one of the sacred pillars of our nation. As we pause to celebrate 250 years of existence—reflecting on the past and a promising future—let us also consider the words of King Solomon:
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” Proverbs 14:34 (NKJV)
Before it is too late, we must change our way of thinking and living, surrender to Christ, and embrace true freedom as our God and Creator intended. Won’t you trust the Lord today and experience the true freedom He provides?
What a Wonderful Savior!