Beware that you do not forget the LORD your
God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I
am commanding you today; otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and
have built good houses and lived in them, and when your herds and your flocks
multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies,
then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who
brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. Deuteronomy 8:11-14
Independence Day provides an
opportunity for Americans to reflect as a people and as a nation on who we are
and what we intend to be. God has made all of us free — free to say yes, free
to say no, and free to make up our own minds about our spiritual destiny.
Religious freedom goes to the heart of who God is and who we are. So, the fight
for religious liberty for all is to ensure against government doing what even
God will not do: to violate consciences or to coerce faith.
What is happening to the United
States of America?
As Christians we need to defend
our personal faith and belief in Jesus Christ, but also the Constitution as
that which has formed, guided, and protected us from both others and
ourselves. Have we become all that the
original framers of our constitution intended? Are we as a people living up to
the high ideals of "liberty and justice for all"? Are we all God has designed and desired us to
be? If we are honest with ourselves, our
answer would most surely be, "No, we are not." With Thursday being July 4th, this week is a
good time to remember what this country was founded on and what we have been
and are headed for in the future.
A Christian Nation?
These words were spoken by Supreme Court Justice David Brewer (1837-1910):
[I]n what sense can [America] be
called a Christian nation? Not in the sense that Christianity is the
established religion or that the people are in any manner compelled to support
it…. Neither is it Christian in the
sense that all its citizens are either in fact or name Christians…. Nor is it Christian in the sense that a
profession of Christianity is a condition of holding office or otherwise
engaging in public service, or essential to recognition either politically or
socially…. According to Justice Brewer,
America was “of all the nations in the world . . . most justly called a
Christian nation” because Christianity “has so largely shaped and molded it.”
The issue of whether or not our
nation is a Christian nation is not based in the federal documents, national
morality, personal beliefs, or character of the leaders or the people. It is based in the document upon which we
have stood for centuries as the foundation of our nation – The Constitution of
the United States of America. The core tenets of our Constitution which have
led to “liberty and justice for all” cannot be divorced from the timeless and
sacred principles which form and sustain our nation. Those who framed our Constitution were deeply
aware of the hand of providence on their every decision. Regardless of what the spiritual or religious
status of our country seems to be today, the fact remains that our country has
been founded and guided by a document that was based directly on Biblical
principles. It was founded to be a "nation under God".
Who were these
men who penned this document? What was
their agenda and what were their personal values? Were they Christian men? Or did they just want to see the right thing
done? This week we will take a look at
some of the framers of our Constitution to see exactly what kind of men helped
to form this Christian Nation and why.
Scripture to Claim: “Be very
careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every
opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but
understand what the Lord’s will is.” Ephesians 5:15-17
