In CONGRESS. July 4, 1776
The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America
When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal nation to which the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God entitled them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light or transient causes, and accordingly all experience hath shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty to through off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.
Such has been the patient sufferings of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these states…
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in general congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name and by authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contact alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do.
And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
America celebrates the Fourth of July when she “declared” her independence from Britain. This declaration is one of the noblest writings ever by man. As believers in Christ, freedom has been declared by God saying “if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36).
YOU WERE IN BONDAGE AND NEEDED TO BE SET FREE (v. 33-34)
Slaves of Sin (Romans 6)
1. “Everyone who commits sin the slave to sin” (John 8:34).
2. We were slaves to sin (v. 6, 17-18) and death was our master (v. 9).
3. Sin no longer has “dominion” over you (v. 14KJV) as when you were under law.
4. Sin results in further impurity and lawlessness (v. 19; Ephesians 4:17-19). 2 Peter 2:19 says, “they themselves are slaves of corruption”. Not only were we slaves to sin but to corruption, a degenerating condition in which is reproduced with greater potency and frequency.
5. Not only the man in sin a slave to corruption but so is creation itself (Romans 8:21). Everything about creation is decaying and is a slave to corruption until it is set free from that slavery by God.
Slaves of death
1. We are to be set free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:2). Paul talked about being set free from the “body of this death” (Romans 7:24).
2. The outcome of those enslaved to sin is death (Romans 6:20-23).
3. “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law” (1 Corinthians 15:56)
IN SALVATION YOU HAVE BEEN SET FREE
Free from Sin
1. We are no longer slaves to sin and the body of sin is done away with (Romans 6:6)
2. Those who have died with Christ are freed from sin (Romans 6:7)
3. We are dead to sin and alive to God (Romans 6:11)
4. We are freed from sin and enslaved to God (Romans 6:22)
Free from the Fear of and the Power of Death
1. Zechariah 9:11 talks about being free from the waterless pit or death – Sheol.
2. Jesus lead captivity captive (Ephesians 4:8-10) and preached to the spirits in prison (1 Peter 3:19)
3. Fear of death is a form of slavery from which we have been freed (Hebrews 2:14-15)
4. We have the victory over sin and death and law through Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:57)
Free from the Law (Romans 6:15)
1. The New Covenant is a Law of Liberty (James 1:25; 2:12)
2. We have freedom to worship God not sin (1 Peter 2:16-19)
3. Liberty gives us a clear conscience that never came through law (1 Corinthian 10:29)
4. Freedom can be a stumbling block to those desiring law (1 Corinthians 8:9)
5. Freedom is often spied out by those desiring law (Galatians 2:4)
GOD SET YOU FREE (v. 36)
By Truth (John 8:31)
1. The truth sets people free. (John 8:31-32)
2. The truth is found in the gospel. (Galatians 2:5, 14; Ephesians 1:13; Colossians 1:5)
3. The gospel preached sets us free. (Romans 1:16-17; 1 Corinthians 1:18-21; Romans 10:13-15)
4. Preaching is a proclamation or announcement or report of what God has done. (Isaiah 61:1-2; 62:11; Acts 4:2; 4:20; 8:5; 9:20; 13:5; 13:38; 15:36; 1 Peter 1:12)
5. Declaring the promises of God has incredible effects (Ezekiel 37:1-14)
By Jesus (John 8:36)
1. Jesus is the truth (John 14:6)
2. Jesus’ death sets us free (Zechariah 9:11; Hebrews 2:14-15)
3. Jesus’ life sets us free (Romans 8:2)
4. Jesus sets us free from the body of death (Romans 7:24-25)
5. Liberty is in Christ Jesus (Galatians 2:4)
By the Spirit
1. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2)
2. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17)
Isaiah 61:1-2 “1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; 2to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord...” (see Luke 4:21 “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”)
Zechariah 9:11 “As for you also, because of the blood of My covenant with you, I have set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.”
John 8:31-36 “31So Jesus was saying to those who had believed Him, ‘If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. 33They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say ‘You will become free?’ 34Jesus answered them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin. 35The slave does not remain in the house forever, the son does remain forever. 36So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”
Romans 6:20-23 “20For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21Therefore what benefit were you then deriving from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the outcome of those things is death. 22But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 7:24 “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?”
Romans 8:2 “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.”
Romans 8:21 “that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”
1 Corinthians 8:9 “But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.”
1 Corinthians 10:29 “I mean not your own conscience, but the other man’s; for why is my freedom judged by another’s conscience?”
2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
Galatians 2:4 “But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage.”
Hebrews 2:14-15 “14Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.”
James 1:25 “But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.”
James 2:12 “So speak and act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.”
1 Peter 2:16 “Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God.