My thoughts are varied this holiday weekend. On one side, there is supposed to be the celebration of a nation’s independence from oppressive government rule. Although America may still be freer than some other countries, Americans are far from free of oppressive government rule. A recent article suggests that pride in America is on a steady decline. Government abuse and social unrest are cited as contributing factors.
On the other hand, there is the independence of an individual from death into life. The moment a person asks Jesus into his or her heart, chains of death are unlocked allowing that person the independence from death into life. The ensuing lifestyle determines whether the person is truly free. The Bible speaks much about this. The Old Testament book of Proverbs states that in the pathway of righteousness, there is no death. In the New Testament, Jesus says that the one who believes what he has said about life, enters into that life, escaping death. The Apostle John in his New Testament book declares that he or she who loves has entered into life, while he or she who does not love, is still in death.
A close personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is a walk on a narrow pathway that leads to life, and love. The pathway is narrow because there is no room for excess baggage such as anger, envy, hatred, and every other soul-crushing emotion.
Jesus tells us that this pathway in narrow and few find it. This is not because the godhead desires only a few to enter into this life—God is not willing for any human to eternally die—but because humanity has been given the opportunity to choose. Those who choose to venture down such a narrow pathway find eternal life, while those who choose otherwise, continue on to eternal death.
Keep in mind this is said by the God who created humanity, giving him and her the ability to decide which way to go in life. Knowing his creation, he knows how many will choose life, and how many will choose death. This must be a heavy burden, knowing that no matter how much you desire your creation to forever be with you, some, many perhaps, will choose otherwise.
It is also important to understand this ability to choose comes at the price of making the wrong choice. It will never be said that any human will spend eternity in the presence of God because God made them do so. This too must be a heavy burden to bear. God says, “I want you to be with me, and I have made provisions for that to happen. You only need to make the right choices to follow me.” When stated that way, it makes our human excuses sound selfish—and they are.
Jesus could have made the same decisions, but because he chose to take the narrow path, he suffered greatly and was rewarded beyond human comprehension. In like manner, when humanity chooses to take the narrow path, he or she will likewise suffer (suffering in a plethora of ways) greatly, only to experience rewards beyond human comprehension.
So, as Independence Day is celebrated, be encouraged that the God of all creation, the God that Christ-followers call Abba, is in control of all things, and has an awesome reward for everyone who stays true to the narrow path.