True Freedom: Christ, Conscience, and Country

On this special July 4th edition of Coffee with the Superintendent, Dr. Jack Farmer reflects on the true meaning of freedom from a biblical and historical lens.

In The First Pour, we explore Hebrews 10:5–10, where Christ declares, “I have come to do Your will,” emphasizing that the will of God was never about ritual sacrifice but about surrendered obedience. Christ offered His body once for all, fulfilling what the law and offerings could never accomplish.

In The House Brew, we recognize the birthdays of students and alumni, but also remember an important moment in Church history: the Synod of Orange (529 AD), which firmly declared salvation to be the sovereign work of God alone—not the result of human effort or will.

In One Last Cup, we walk through the Proclamation of Rebellion issued by King George III, the failure of the Olive Branch Petition, and the American colonists’ biblical case for independence. The Declaration of Independence cited 27 violations of English law—only one over taxation. Dr. Farmer closes with a gospel-centered call to remember that the greatest freedom is not from earthly tyranny but from sin, and that only Christ, not government, can free the soul.