Before America became a nation, a group of British citizens crossed the sea to start a new life here. As time passed and the settlers’ numbers grew, British homeland authorities considered the colonies a great source of tax revenue. This resulted in protests over taxation without representation and a host of other objections, culminating in the American Revolution.
But during that in-between time, England counted every colonist living on our country’s soil a British citizen. Colonial leaders penned ideas regarding a new government, discussed how democracy could work and envisioned a monarch-free country, but had no legal right to rule independent of the motherland.
It took not only a war but official documents to give the Founding Fathers legal grounds on which to independently govern this new nation. Such a clean break was made that centuries later, we Americans disassociate ourselves completely from the laws of Great Britain.
This independence from a former regime mirrors a believer’s new allegiance. We have moved from bondage to the law of sin and death into a new life in Christ—or at least we should!
Similar to America’s colonial years, the Gospels are an in-between time in Judeo-Christian history. The Old Covenant was still in force but Jesus was on the scene. He rocked the religious boat by revealing the need for a perfect, one-time sacrifice for sin and by teaching how life beyond Jewish law would look. 
Like our Founding Fathers, He foresaw a new type of government, with the law of love written on believers’ hearts, providing internal motivation rather than the fear of punishment driving us.
Many headstrong Jews, however, refused to accept these ideas. Like the colonial Tories who opposed independence, they remained loyal to the Old Testament laws—despite the fact that no human had ever kept all 613 of them. The Sadducees and Pharisees fought zealously against Jesus and His vision. They used every means possible to prove Him and His ragtag group of disciples wrong, similar to the Redcoats attacking the Minutemen. And Judas played the Benedict Arnold of his day by betraying Jesus.
But no one could stop Jesus’s vision. Colossians 2:13-14 explains that Jesus cancelled the record of charges against us by nailing it to the cross. He fulfilled the Law on our behalf, waged war on sin, and won the victory by defeating death itself—putting an end to the Old Covenant. He now offers a completely New Covenant to all who will believe, a life of faith rather than works.
Unfortunately, many believers continue living under the old regime, fearing punishment. They read the Bible with an Old Covenant mindset.
Imagine modern Americans loyally singing, “God Save the Queen” because they never got the memo that we’re free from British law!
Paul declares in Romans 8:1-2, Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
Jesus fulfilled and put an end to the Old Covenant.
So let’s live in freedom of the New!
How creative, Carrie! I’ve never heard the gospel message compared to the American Revolution – love it!
Kathy M.