“Our Real Roots”
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 2:10
Introduction: Did you know that 52 of the 55 signers of The Declaration of Independence were orthodox, deeply committed Christians? The other three believed in the Bible as the divine truth, they believed in the God of scripture, and they believed in His personal intervention! This congress also formed the American Bible Society…. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of the Bible for the people of the nation.
We don’t read this in our history books. We don’t see this lived out in our government much anymore. On this Fourth of July weekend Sunday, I want to talk a little about what are our real roots as a country, and even more, what are our real roots as a creation; as a people whom God created. In understanding this, we can understand our place and role in this world so much more.
I. Signers of Declaration of Independence-
I would like to start by giving you some quotes from those who signed the
Declaration of Independence. I want to do this because I want us to understand that we truly were established to be a country that depended on God. I want us to understand that we have gone far away from what was intended by those who created this country. I want us to understand that when the founders set up separation between church and state, it was not to keep the church out of government, but to keep the government out of the church.
In England they had seen the king become too involved in the affairs and the politics of the church. The king tried to control the faith and practice of the people. The king had gotten too much control over the church. So those who established this nation wanted to make sure that the church led the government, not the other way around!
Patrick Henry, who is called the firebrand of the American Revolution, is still remembered for his words, 'Give me liberty or give me death.' But in current textbooks the context of these words is deleted. Here is what he said in full: 'An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle sir, is not of the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.' The following year, 1776, he wrote this 'It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ…’
The nation was founded by Christians, based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Where do you find that in the history books? Unfortunately you don’t.
Consider these words that Thomas Jefferson wrote on the front of his well-worn Bible: 'I am a Christian, that is to say a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure doctrine of Jesus also.'
How much different would our country be if we truly were united in our Creator, and let the scriptures guide us as a society?
George Washington, the Father of our Nation, in his farewell speech on September 19, 1796 said: 'It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are the indispensable supporters. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can’t be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.'
Why has the morality of our nation become so bad? Because we are no longer a nation that seeks to follow Jesus Christ; we no longer support the Ten Commandments being placed in courts; we no longer have leaders who are being led by God.
Consider these words by John Adams, our second president, who also served as chairman of the American Bible Society. In an address to military leaders he said, 'We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.'
We can understand, by these words, why those who are not Christians struggle to be governed under Christian principles, and why throughout the years have sought to change the way our society is governed. It should not surprise us then how laws are being changed, where you no longer pray in school, and why saying ‘under God’ in the pledge of allegiance has been challenged!
John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, was the sixth U.S. President.
He was also the chairman of the American Bible Society, which he considered his highest and most important role. On July 4, 1821, President Adams said, 'The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.'
Connecting the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity was an important step for the founders of our nation. That is our real roots. That is from where we came. That was to be the goal for this nation.
II. Creation of God- (Romans 13:1-7; Eph. 2:10; 1 Jn. 1:9; Matt. 22:37-40)
a. The government- So when we hear the apostle Paul talking in
Romans, chapter 13 about the role of government, we should understand that even before our nation was established on God’s word, our world was! If you were to ask God what design He wanted for the world, it would be for the world to be established under His authority, and to be ruled by His word.
Hearing again Romans 13:1-5, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.”
It is not difficult to be subject to the governing of those who are following God. It is not difficult to follow those who have been established by God. We would see less problems in our world if we were first and foremost subject to God, and then to our governing leaders, who set up laws in accordance with God’s word.
When people govern with love, and morality, and wisdom, and godly leadership, people are much more willing to be obedient. And when they are not, there is some judgment given. As Paul says, you don’t need to fear punishment if you do what is right. It is only those who rebel against the laws God has established who need to be fearful.
Even more forceful than the laws, should be our conscience. God has given us our conscience to help us know when we do wrong. When we do wrong, our conscience gives us feelings of guilt. This guilt is to lead us to the foot of the cross where we confess our sins. And we know, as 1 John 1:9 tells us, that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Our guilt leads us to confession, our confession brings us forgiveness, and then our guilt should be gone, as it has served its purpose!
b. God’s workmanship- We really need to go back to the roots of
creation. Something we should know so well, but often forget. For what purpose did God create us? Jesus said it best in Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” We were created for relationship. To be in relationship with God, and to be in relationship with each other.
We best live in these relationships when we are guided and governed by the word of God. Our independence was fought for, because these rights were being denied to the people. Later on, when we had our Civil War, it was because others rights were again being denied. The relationships that had been established were not of God; not of what creation was to be about.
Along with these relationships, we were put on this earth to be productive. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” What are the good works we are called to do? Love God and love others. Now if you take this thinking to the governing principles, we see that we govern based on our relationship to God. People in leadership should understand that they have a responsibility to govern as God would have them govern!
Our governing system is to be representative. The leaders are supposed to “represent” the people. But even more, they are to represent God. Remember Romans 13:4? It says, “For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good…” They are not to represent themselves. They are to represent God, and in so doing will represent the good of the people! Oh how I wish this were true of our government!!
Conclusion: Fourth of July is about freedom. Those who fought for our freedom, and who continue to fight for our freedom. But at the core of this freedom is the understanding that we are to live for God, and govern for God, and love for God.
I truly believe that these important ideals of our nation have been eroded over time. Did you know that in 1963, the Supreme Court ruled that Bible reading was outlawed as unconstitutional in the public school system? The court offered this justification: 'If portions of the New Testament were read without explanation, they could and have been psychologically harmful to children.' Bible reading is now unconstitutional in the schools, even though the Bible was quoted 94 percent of the time by those who wrote our constitution and shaped our Nation and its system of education and justice and government.
One of the songs people sing on and around the Fourth of July is “God Bless America.” But how can He bless a Nation that has departed so far from Him? Much of what really happened in the establishing of our nation has been erased from our textbooks. Revisionists have rewritten history to remove the truth about our country's Christian roots.
What we have seen happen has largely happened because we as Christians have let it happen. We are the ones who vote in the politicians, and then allow them to stay. We are the ones who don’t make our voice known, even though we live in a government system that encourages us to make our voice known. Let us be a people, a church, that seeks to again re-establish Christian principles in our own lives, in our community, in our schools, in our government, and in our nation. Let us get back to our ‘real roots.’ Amen.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 2:10
Introduction: Did you know that 52 of the 55 signers of The Declaration of Independence were orthodox, deeply committed Christians? The other three believed in the Bible as the divine truth, they believed in the God of scripture, and they believed in His personal intervention! This congress also formed the American Bible Society…. Immediately after creating the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress voted to purchase and import 20,000 copies of the Bible for the people of the nation.
We don’t read this in our history books. We don’t see this lived out in our government much anymore. On this Fourth of July weekend Sunday, I want to talk a little about what are our real roots as a country, and even more, what are our real roots as a creation; as a people whom God created. In understanding this, we can understand our place and role in this world so much more.
I. Signers of Declaration of Independence-
I would like to start by giving you some quotes from those who signed the
Declaration of Independence. I want to do this because I want us to understand that we truly were established to be a country that depended on God. I want us to understand that we have gone far away from what was intended by those who created this country. I want us to understand that when the founders set up separation between church and state, it was not to keep the church out of government, but to keep the government out of the church.
In England they had seen the king become too involved in the affairs and the politics of the church. The king tried to control the faith and practice of the people. The king had gotten too much control over the church. So those who established this nation wanted to make sure that the church led the government, not the other way around!
Patrick Henry, who is called the firebrand of the American Revolution, is still remembered for his words, 'Give me liberty or give me death.' But in current textbooks the context of these words is deleted. Here is what he said in full: 'An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle sir, is not of the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.' The following year, 1776, he wrote this 'It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ…’
The nation was founded by Christians, based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! Where do you find that in the history books? Unfortunately you don’t.
Consider these words that Thomas Jefferson wrote on the front of his well-worn Bible: 'I am a Christian, that is to say a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure doctrine of Jesus also.'
How much different would our country be if we truly were united in our Creator, and let the scriptures guide us as a society?
George Washington, the Father of our Nation, in his farewell speech on September 19, 1796 said: 'It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are the indispensable supporters. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can’t be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.'
Why has the morality of our nation become so bad? Because we are no longer a nation that seeks to follow Jesus Christ; we no longer support the Ten Commandments being placed in courts; we no longer have leaders who are being led by God.
Consider these words by John Adams, our second president, who also served as chairman of the American Bible Society. In an address to military leaders he said, 'We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.'
We can understand, by these words, why those who are not Christians struggle to be governed under Christian principles, and why throughout the years have sought to change the way our society is governed. It should not surprise us then how laws are being changed, where you no longer pray in school, and why saying ‘under God’ in the pledge of allegiance has been challenged!
John Quincy Adams, son of John Adams, was the sixth U.S. President.
He was also the chairman of the American Bible Society, which he considered his highest and most important role. On July 4, 1821, President Adams said, 'The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.'
Connecting the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity was an important step for the founders of our nation. That is our real roots. That is from where we came. That was to be the goal for this nation.
II. Creation of God- (Romans 13:1-7; Eph. 2:10; 1 Jn. 1:9; Matt. 22:37-40)
a. The government- So when we hear the apostle Paul talking in
Romans, chapter 13 about the role of government, we should understand that even before our nation was established on God’s word, our world was! If you were to ask God what design He wanted for the world, it would be for the world to be established under His authority, and to be ruled by His word.
Hearing again Romans 13:1-5, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.”
It is not difficult to be subject to the governing of those who are following God. It is not difficult to follow those who have been established by God. We would see less problems in our world if we were first and foremost subject to God, and then to our governing leaders, who set up laws in accordance with God’s word.
When people govern with love, and morality, and wisdom, and godly leadership, people are much more willing to be obedient. And when they are not, there is some judgment given. As Paul says, you don’t need to fear punishment if you do what is right. It is only those who rebel against the laws God has established who need to be fearful.
Even more forceful than the laws, should be our conscience. God has given us our conscience to help us know when we do wrong. When we do wrong, our conscience gives us feelings of guilt. This guilt is to lead us to the foot of the cross where we confess our sins. And we know, as 1 John 1:9 tells us, that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” Our guilt leads us to confession, our confession brings us forgiveness, and then our guilt should be gone, as it has served its purpose!
b. God’s workmanship- We really need to go back to the roots of
creation. Something we should know so well, but often forget. For what purpose did God create us? Jesus said it best in Matthew 22:37-40, “Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” We were created for relationship. To be in relationship with God, and to be in relationship with each other.
We best live in these relationships when we are guided and governed by the word of God. Our independence was fought for, because these rights were being denied to the people. Later on, when we had our Civil War, it was because others rights were again being denied. The relationships that had been established were not of God; not of what creation was to be about.
Along with these relationships, we were put on this earth to be productive. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” What are the good works we are called to do? Love God and love others. Now if you take this thinking to the governing principles, we see that we govern based on our relationship to God. People in leadership should understand that they have a responsibility to govern as God would have them govern!
Our governing system is to be representative. The leaders are supposed to “represent” the people. But even more, they are to represent God. Remember Romans 13:4? It says, “For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good…” They are not to represent themselves. They are to represent God, and in so doing will represent the good of the people! Oh how I wish this were true of our government!!
Conclusion: Fourth of July is about freedom. Those who fought for our freedom, and who continue to fight for our freedom. But at the core of this freedom is the understanding that we are to live for God, and govern for God, and love for God.
I truly believe that these important ideals of our nation have been eroded over time. Did you know that in 1963, the Supreme Court ruled that Bible reading was outlawed as unconstitutional in the public school system? The court offered this justification: 'If portions of the New Testament were read without explanation, they could and have been psychologically harmful to children.' Bible reading is now unconstitutional in the schools, even though the Bible was quoted 94 percent of the time by those who wrote our constitution and shaped our Nation and its system of education and justice and government.
One of the songs people sing on and around the Fourth of July is “God Bless America.” But how can He bless a Nation that has departed so far from Him? Much of what really happened in the establishing of our nation has been erased from our textbooks. Revisionists have rewritten history to remove the truth about our country's Christian roots.
What we have seen happen has largely happened because we as Christians have let it happen. We are the ones who vote in the politicians, and then allow them to stay. We are the ones who don’t make our voice known, even though we live in a government system that encourages us to make our voice known. Let us be a people, a church, that seeks to again re-establish Christian principles in our own lives, in our community, in our schools, in our government, and in our nation. Let us get back to our ‘real roots.’ Amen.
posted by Logan's Blog at 2:31 PM
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