I received a text from a dear friend today, who sends one out every day, without fail. But today I found it noteworthy for this Memorial Day. And I would like to expound on it.

“Freedom for us came at a heartbreaking price for Jesus and veterans. Jesus suffered for our sins, and veterans suffered for our country.” — Prophet Moreno

This message carries a profound truth, especially on this Memorial Day. It parallels two sacrifices that are different in scope, yet connected in principle: the sacrifice of Christ for the salvation of souls, and the sacrifice of servicemen and women for the preservation of earthly freedom. Scripture gives us a framework for understanding both.

Jesus Himself said in The Gospel of John 15:13:

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”

At the center of Christianity stands sacrifice. Freedom—whether spiritual or civil—has never been free. The liberty we often enjoy without thought was purchased through suffering, loss, courage, and bloodshed.

For the believer, the highest and eternal example is Jesus Christ. Humanity was bound by sin, unable to redeem itself. Christ willingly entered suffering, rejection, humiliation, and death upon the cross so that mankind could be reconciled to God. As Romans 5:8 declares:

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

His sacrifice purchased a freedom no government can grant, and no enemy can take away—the freedom from sin, condemnation, and eternal separation from God. The cross reminds us that redemption requires a price.

In a different, earthly sense, veterans and fallen soldiers have also stood in the gap for others. They accepted hardship, separation, wounds, and, for many, death itself, so that future generations might live in peace and liberty. The willingness of a soldier to lay down his or her life reflects a Christ-like principle of selflessness and duty toward others.

Scripture recognizes the value of those who protect and defend. In Romans 13, governing authority is described as “God’s servant” for the restraint of evil and the protection of the innocent. Throughout the Bible, we see righteous warriors, watchmen, and defenders—not because war itself is holy, but because protecting others from evil is honorable.

This is what makes Memorial Day so solemn. It is not ultimately about celebration, but remembrance. It calls us to pause and consider the cost behind the freedoms we inherited. Every flag placed at a grave, every folded banner handed to a grieving family, every name engraved on a memorial speaks the same truth: somebody paid a price they would never personally enjoy so that others could.

This reality should also deepen our understanding of the Gospel. We often speak casually about grace, forgiveness, and freedom in Christ, yet they came through agony at Calvary. Likewise, we speak casually about liberty, security, and peace, yet they were preserved through generations willing to stand in harm’s way.

There is also a sobering spiritual parallel here. A nation may possess political freedom and yet remain spiritually enslaved. Jesus said in John 8:36:

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”

Earthly freedom is precious, but eternal freedom is greater still. One preserves life for a season; the other secures life everlasting.

So on this Memorial Day, not only Christians, but all of us can reflect with gratitude in two directions:

• Upward, in reverence for Christ, who gave Himself for the salvation of the world;
• Outward, in honor of those who gave themselves for the preservation of liberty and the protection of others.

Both remind us that love is most clearly revealed through sacrifice. And both call us to not only remember the fallen, but to live worthy of the freedoms purchased on our behalf—with humility, gratitude, courage, and faith.

Thank you, my dear friend, for this solemn reminder. BB.

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