On July 4, America celebrated Independence Day with picnics, fireworks, and red, white, and blue decorations. These three colors were first chosen back in 1777 by the Second Continental Congress to represent the flag of the United States of America. At that time, the Founding Fathers didn’t elaborate on why red, white, and blue where chosen. However, five years later, Founding Father Charles Thomson from Pennsylvania presented the Great Seal to Congress. The Seal was created to represent the values and beliefs, as well as sovereignty, of the new nation. Thomas shared that the white signifies purity and innocence; the red. hardiness and valor; and the blue, vigilance, perseverance, and justice. Charles Thomson was the secretary of the Continental Congress throughout its existence and his name along with John Hancock’s, appear on the first printing of the United States Declaration of Independence. He was also known for co-designing the Great Seal of the United States.
The primary focus of history books is on the stars and stripes and not the colors. The stars on the flag represent the number of states in the Union and the 13 stripes represented the 13 original colonies that made up the United States of America. One of the most famous symbolic interpretations for the American flag (Old Glory) comes from a 1977 book of the House of Representatives. In this book, it states, “the star is a symbol of the heavens and the divine goal to which man has aspired from time immemorial; the stripe is symbolic of the rays of light emanating from the sun.” Historians believe that the stars, stripes, and colors of the American flag provide us with the qualities that fueled the Founding Fathers’ pursuit of freedom, liberty, and justice.
These three words that describe America—freedom, liberty, and justice—can be found throughout the Bible. The word “freedom” is the quality or state of being free, such as the absence of coercion; constraint in choice or action; liberation from slavery, restraint, or from the power of another; independence. In the New King James Version (NKJV), the word freedom can be found twice and the word free 73 times. “Liberty” means the state of not being imprisoned or enslaved; not being in bondage to anything. It is found 26 times in the NJKV. If you are sick or struggling with something, you are being imprisoned, enslaved, or in bondage. God does not want anyone to live in bondage. He wants us to be set free. “Justice” is the quality of being just, impartial, or fair and is found 130 times in the NKJV. Justice is one of the main themes found throughout the Bible and embodies God’s nature.
God sent His son, Jesus, to set the captives free from sin and sickness (Psalm 107:20). I believe God equipped and emboldened the Founding Fathers to free America from living in bondage and tyranny. The Founding Fathers gave Americans these colors, stars, and stripes to pursue (to find, obtain, accomplish, take) freedom, liberty, and justice.
When we know who we are in Christ, we can live free from sickness and bondage. In 2 Corinthians 5:17, we read that if you are in Christ, you are a new creature in your spirit. You are in Christ, if you have made Jesus the Lord and Savior of your life. Once you accepted Jesus, you received certain rights and privileges as a believer. You became an heir to His promises and legal rights in the spiritual realm (Galatians 4:17). Just as it is important for Americans or people of any other nation to know and understand their rights, it is our responsibility to know our rights as children of God. Once we know our rights and privileges, we need to exercise them!
Hosea 4:6 says, “My people are destroyed (or perish) for lack of knowledge.” If the enemy can keep us ignorant or in unbelief as to our rights as believers, he can keep us in bondage even though we have been set free. Jesus paid the ultimate price at the cross to set us free from the law of sin and death, and that includes sickness, physical and emotional pain, poverty, and unforgiveness.
Know your rights and exercise your Independence!
~Donna Jones