Sunday, July 3, 2011

Declaration of Christ Dependence

By the evening of July 2, 1776, the stark reality of what a few dozen men had just voted on was beginning to sink in. The old Philadelphia State House was quiet. According to witnesses, some of the men gazed out of the windows, some prayed, a few wept and others sat in silence. These men had just committed treason and sedition against their own government. Since they were representatives, it carried the weight of long imprisonment or death. They pledged their lives, their fortunes and their "sacred honor" to this rebellion.They were all in: they bet the whole pot so to speak and entrusted their decision and its out come to "Divine Providence" i. e. God.

Regardless of the opinion anyone may have of the Founding Fathers, you have to give them credit for being gutsy and displaying incredible courage. It also speaks to how fed up they were with the tyranny that they had been enduring for so long. They knew they had come to a point where it could not continue and the only remedy was to part company with their mother country's government. Very few in history ever succeeded in revolting from a superpower, so the odds were long they could even win. They were forming a new nation, "conceived in Liberty" that was claiming Divine Rights of the individual against a king who hid behind Divine Right of his own authority to get away with committing tyrannical acts. It is important to note that the Declaration of Independence mentions or alludes to God no less than 4 times (endowed by our Creator, nature and nature's God, Supreme Judge of the world, Divine Providence) making the document and its argument not just a legal one, but a spiritual one too.

On July 3, John Adams sent a letter to his wife Abigail and told her that Americans should remember this act with solemness and in essence turn towards God each time this holiday is celebrated. Of course now, we celebrate the 4th of July which is the actual date of the final draft and when John Hancock put his name to it along with the secretary as witness. It was also sent to the printer that day with the date of July 4 left on. It would be August 2 when most everyone else would sign it.

Nevertheless, our Founders meant for us to regard this holiday as not simply a time for revelry, but a time to give thanks to God for his blessings of liberty and freedom. Scripture declares that we have liberty in Christ Jesus and the gift of grace and salvation purchased by His blood. It was said at the time that many British authorities were frustrated by a motto of sorts that many of the patriotic colonists would quote: "No king but Jesus!"

The 4th of July was intended to be a spiritual holiday from the very start. Without the liberty from King Jesus, their would be no true liberty for anyone. He is its source. If we ever forget these truths as a nation, we're doomed to the absence of liberty which is slavery. Tyrants will again be our master. if we are not very careful. Liberty is seldom won or lost in a single day. It creeps by increments. The only way back form this slow creep of fading liberty is through Christ. I grow more convinced of this daily. He is our ultimate Declaration of Independence!

Richie L.