Who Is Jesus, the United Sates of America celebrates its independence from Britain. Independence can be a good thing in a national sense. When it comes to the Christian life, however, God does not want us to be independent. Independent living is not Christianity but a man-made, devil-induced caricature of Christianity.
I have an ancestor who signed the American Declaration of Independence. I hope he was not independent from Jesus, since he was the only clergyman to sign the Declaration.
Sadly, however, many Christians have signed their personal declaration of independence from Jesus. Their independent living is not a joyful existence.
One of the major lessons of the gospels is dependence. Jesus was totally dependent on His Father God. And Jesus wants us to be dependent on Him.
When people hear our name, Freedom Church of God, they often ask if we are affiliated with any other Churches of God. I often reply by saying, “We are independent of any other entity — except Jesus.” We depend on Him and His Word and the Holy Spirit to determine our doctrine and govern our activities.
Perhaps a better way to describe the tragic independence that is rampant in the church today is to ask this question: are you a cordless Christian?
We live in the age of cordless phones and Bluetooth technology that allows us to be free from wires. These advances allow a freedom of movement never before seen in our modern world. Battery-operated devices can be convenient, but what happens when the battery goes dead and you’re looking for batteries? Jesus wants us plugged in to Him all the time, minute by minute abiding in Him.
We live in a cordless society. When it comes to the Christian life, however, does such a situation bring true freedom? Not at all. We are called to be attached to the true Vine, Jesus. Our Savior said, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
