Yesterday, July 20th, Colombia celebrated 202 years of independence from Spain. Colombians all around the country demonstrated their patriotic loyalty much like we do for our 4th of July celebrations in the USA. They enjoyed a day off from work, parades, time with family, massive feasts, and giving thanks for their freedom.
The story of their independence is a rather interesting one, revolving around a Venezuelan-born man named Simon Bolivar (who spent most of his time in Colombia and liberated 6 countries from Spain), and more interestingly, a conflict about a flower vase. Yes, a flower vase! You can read about that story here.
I’m not talking about simply freedom from oppression from rebel groups, violence and political uprisings. Yes, that is what many focus on, but I’m talking about the freedom that Jesus speaks of in the Bible.
“And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32
You see, Colombia, just like the rest of the world, has a root need for eternal freedom. If you look at the entire passage there in John 8, Jesus was speaking to the Jews who were religious. They had the right family heritage, being sons of Abraham. They had the law. They had the right customs and practices and they didn’t see their need for being made free.
But Jesus saw that they were indeed servants and slaves to sin, and of their father the Devil.
Pretty harsh words, aren’t they?
No matter how hard we try, in our own effort, the best we can do is to be “set free” from sin. There’s a difference between that and what Jesus actually said. He said he would make us free!
Here’s a good way to picture it… If you were in prison paying for a crime that you committed and I came by with a bomb and blew the wall off to let you out, I would have set you free. The problem with that is, eventually they are going to come looking for you (and me) again to throw us both back behind bars. It would be a temporary fix.
But, what if I go and pay your penalty for you. I can then walk in the front doors with the warden, who reaches for his keys and lets you out, now a free person. You’ve been made free. There is a great difference! Because, now, there is no more condemnation (See Romans 8:1).
How are we made free? By Jesus Christ! He paid our penalty 100%. As long as we try to work our way to God, the best we can do is break free for a little bit. We can’t get completely free from sin, and we can’t get completely free from eternal condemnation.
But, thanks be to Jesus, he has already paid the price and offers to MAKE us free! The Bible calls that Justification. My record is cleaned. God’s books show that I am free. There is no more punishment for my sin. No condemnation.
Do you see the difference? That’s what Colombia (and the rest of the world) need to hear.
Have you let Jesus make you free or are you still struggling along, trying to make it on your own. If you were to die today, would you spend eternity with God, or would you be found guilty. It all goes back to what you’re depending on. Are you depending on your works? Your religion? Your effort? Your family?
Jesus Christ died on the cross to buy your freedom. Why don’t you believe in that today? Don’t just believe that it happened, but put all your faith in what He has done and repent of your own effort. He said he’d make you free.
“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36
If you need help or if you have questions about salvation and being made free, I and my family would love to help you and answer your questions. Leave a comment, send me a message or give me a call. I promise to respond because Jesus loves you, and I do too.
The following interview by TIME magazine with Colombian President Juan Miguel Santos is worth a few minutes of your time. It may give you a glimpse into where Colombia has been, and where they are going as a country. Would you pray that God would send more laborers into this needy harvest? There are still millions who have never heard the truth of the beautiful Gospel of Christ.
We’re heading to Florida for a missions conference and other meetings. We’d appreciateyour prayers as we travel and present the ministry God has given us to Colombia! I can’t lie, I’m definitely looking forward to the sunshine this week… I checked the weather and it’s supposed to be sunny and 80s every day. Praise the Lord 🙂
Thanks for staying up to date with us!
Pray for each of these countries represented, that God would raise up an army of faithful witnesses to proclaim HIS glory among the nations!
“Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” – Matthew 9:37-38
This week, I read another familiar story in Colombian news. Two rival soccer teams faced off, each determined to win. The game was close, the tension lasted until the last minute, and finally, one group emerged victorious…
…And then comes the rest of the story. Fans, filled with passion for their team’s cause, break out in violence. The loosing side is angry, the winning side is prideful and arrogant. Both are zealous.
As people leave the stadium, if one is seen wearing anything resembling the other team’s colors, their life is in danger. Rocks are cast, punches thrown, weapons are drawn and harsh words echo the streets surrounding the area. Riot police are called in and chaos breaks out. People die. People are hurt. Why? Because of passion.
This is exactly what happened on Sunday in Medellín Colombia. They ended up arresting over 350 people and confiscating 450 weapons. They really were prepared to break out in violence and passionate enough to kill! You can read the story here.
You know, we might read something like that and think, “My oh my, why are people so dumb about a silly game?!” But, if we would be honest with ourselves, we’d find that we are just as passionate sometimes. Our passion simply takes a different form–hunting, fishing, golf, football, shopping, video games, movies, technology, friends, etc… The list could go on and on.
In the Bible, Paul often spoke of passion, sometimes referred to as zeal. You know, he was a pretty passionate guy himself. Check out what he said in Philippians 3:
“Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.”
Philippians 3:4-6
He was the pick of the litter when it came to religion. He had all the right training, the right family, the right positions, the right everything… He was the at the top and he knew it. He was so passionate about his religion that he was willing to kill people for it! That’s why he persecuted the church! Zeal. A passion for the cause.
But then looks at what he says in the very next verses:
“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;”
Philippians 3:7-10
Did you catch that? He said it was a loss to him! Paul came to the place where he realized that the things he was so passionate about were not drawing him close to God. In fact, they were unprofitable to him and Christ’s cause! He laid it aside in order to win Christ.
You know, we need some Christians that would be willing to do that. We get so tied up in this world and all of its many pleasures and pastimes that we are loosing Christ. It should be the other way around! Let us, the Children of God, determine to be passionate about HIM! More than anything else, HE will be my zeal. HE will be the driving force of energy that keeps me going each day. HE will be my goal, my prize, my life! HE will be my everything!
We might think the Colombian soccer fans may seem a little overzealous in their cause. When is the last time somebody accused you of being overzealous for Christ? They had a passion willing to kill another person. Let us get a passion for the Lord that would be willing to kill our own will and die to self. That’s the right passion. That’s the right zeal.
Die to self. Live unto Him.
Lets get ahold of a passion that kills.
The Vance Family 