As the Commonwealth of The Bahamas prepares to celebrate and embark upon its Fifty-First Year of Independence under the theme, “One People United In Love and Service”, it is an excellent time to reflect on the Preamble of our Constitution.

Preamble

 WHEREAS four hundred and eighty-one years ago the rediscovery of this Family of Islands, Rocks and Cays heralded the rebirth of the New World;

AND WHEREAS the People of this Family of Islands recognize that the preservation of their Freedom will be guaranteed by a national commitment to Self-discipline, Industry, Loyalty, Unity, and an abiding respect for Christian values and the Rule of Law;

NOW KNOW YE THEREFORE:

We the Inheritors of and Successors to this Family of Islands, recognizing the Supremacy of God, and believing in the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of the Individual, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM IN SOLEMN PRAISE the Establishment of a Free and Democratic Sovereign Nation founded on Spiritual Values and in which no Man, Woman or Child shall ever be Slave or Bondsman to anyone or their Labour exploited or their Lives frustrated by deprivation, AND DO HEREBY PROVIDE by these Articles for the indivisible Unity and Creation under God of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas.

It is instructive to note in this preamble, the emphasis on “freedom,” “Supremacy of God, Unity, and Creation under God.”  It also begs the question, are we indeed free, and from where does our freedom come?  

The celebration of our nation’s birthday is a celebration of freedom. We honor the precious gift of freedom because of the sacrifices made by our forefathers. Their sacrifices came at such a great cost that some persons risked their fortunes, families, reputations, honor, and even their lives. Therefore, we must recognize that freedom isn’t free, but it is infinitely valuable.

In John 8:32, Jesus said, 'You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.'  The freedom spoken of in this text is the result of abiding in the teachings of Jesus. To 'abide' means to remain steadfast in, to continue in, to be faithful to.  We prove ourselves as His disciples by knowing and living the truth, and then God works His freedom in our lives through His truth.   The freedom Jesus speaks of does not come from an academic pursuit of truth; it comes from abiding in His word and being His disciple.

 John 8:36 reminds us that, “If the Son therefore makes you free, ye shall be free indeed.”  This statement seems direct and implicit. The statement denotes that our freedom is in Christ.  It seems that our forefathers accepted this declaration as well, thus the reason for its insertion into our Constitution.

 There is nothing like the freedom we can have in Jesus.  This freedom cannot be bought or attained by status.  No amount of work will cause one to earn it, and nothing can match this freedom that is found in Christ. Tragically, not every Christian experiences this freedom, because it will only be found if we are consistently abiding in God’s word and being a disciple of Christ. 

As we embark upon fifty-one years as an independent nation, let us remember that true freedom is found only in Christ Jesus. This is the ultimate message of our Independence Day, and it is a truth we should carry with us throughout eternity.

May God bless the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and the Spirit of True Freedom in Christ!

-Pastor Kenny Deveaux, South Bahamas Conference President

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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