Romans: Rooted in Jesus, Enduring Hope

This week, our nation celebrates Juneteenth, a day that marks the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation to the last remaining slaves in the United States in Galveston, Texas, June 19, 1865. Lincoln had announced the Emancipation proclamation in January of 1863. Then in January of 1865, the thirteenth amendment to the Constitution was signed by President Abraham Lincoln, eliminating slavery in the states. It took over two years for the 250,000 slaves in Texas to receive their liberation, but the fight against slavery wasn’t over. The Thirteenth Amendment abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, “except as punishment for a crime.” That language opened a loophole to allow states to re-enslave those marked as criminals. Unfortunately, many were arrested under false accusations or for petty crimes and purchased from the state to work in the fields. Thankfully, this abuse has ended, and this loophole closed.

Our passage this week has this tone of liberation. We live under the “no condemnation clause” of the gospel (Romans 8:1). We have been liberated from the reign of sin (Romans 6) and the condemnation of God’s Law (Romans 7). One day, we will be liberated from the presence of sin and all its painful affects in our lives and culture. One day, we along with the creation, will experience the full liberation of Christ. That day gives us hope as we suffer, struggling against sin today. Join us Sunday as we worship our Liberator and hope in the day of full, uninhibited freedom.