Set Free!

On July 4^th we celebrate our freedom in this country. With that let me tell you about my family. My father was George T. Hendry, born in 1928. His father, my grandfather, was Frank Lee Hendry, born in 1901. His father was George R. Hendry, born in 1863. George’s father was Walton Hendry. His father was another George, George Hendry born in 1789. His father was Robert Hendry born March 17, 1752. Robert Hendry was my great, great, great, great granddaddy. Robert was the first Hendry to come to America. He came from Scotland, specifically from the island of Arran just off the west coast of Scotland. Arran is literally an island of Hendry’s. Robert came to the colonies in 1770. He enlisted in the 5^th regiment South Carolina as a Continental (private) to fight in the Revolutionary War. He served under “Light Horse Harry” Lee, who was the father of Robert E. Lee. After the war, Robert Hendry married Harry Lee’s sister Annie Lee in 1778. In 1796 they moved to Burke County Georgia. In 1801 they moved to Taylor’s Creek, Georgia in Liberty County, which is now the Fort Stewart Reservation.

I share that with you to say this. Robert was banished from Scotland by the British royalty as a traitor to British rule. No wonder he was first in line to sign up for the Revolutionary War. He was labeled a traitor because he betrayed his country. He violated his allegiance owed to his country.

Adam, my other great grandfather and yours too, did the same thing. He violated his allegiance to God. He chose to disobey and rebel against God. Thus he too was banished from the Garden of Eden. War was declared on that day. And since you and I are children of Adam, we were born into this world at war with God. But unlike your ancestors, and mine this is a war we can’t win. Our sins have separated us from God. The Bible says we are all sinners (Rom.3:23). Why? Because Adam’s sin has been charged to our account. “Through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” (Rom. 5:12). Thus the consequence of sin is death (Rom.6:23). But the gift of God is eternal life. And Rom.5:8 says that, “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Rom.5:10. Out of God’s love He had a plan to redeem us. Adam had a “fig leaf” program but that didn’t work. God slew an animal and blood was shed. That shed blood in the Garden of Eden would point to the shed blood of Jesus Christ who died in your place and mine. He bought our freedom from sin’s bondage (1 Pet.1:18-19). Praise God, we have been set free!

                                                                                    In Christ,

                                                                                    Bro. Royce Hendry