Saturday, July 06, 2013

Why I Love America

I love the United States of America. I have lived half my life outside its borders. But I have never lost my love for this nation. I am not a nationalist, mind you; I do not believe we should equate God with America. But I do see God's hand on this nation in a way I have not seen in other nations. The reasons will be clear in the few lines I will paste below; they are a copy of my afternoon message to my great congregation and church. Perhaps they will bless you, as well. Please overlook the formatting. MS Word and Blogspot do not always agree with one another.

I.     I love America because the Founding Fathers had the right vision
A.      I particularly appreciate the wisdom in the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence:
1. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
2. Where did that vision come from?
B.      The founding fathers envisioned a nation with Christ in the center
1. Daniel Webster said, “[T]he Christian religion – its general principles – must ever be regarded among us as the foundation of civil society.”
2. George Washington said, “You do well to wish to learn our arts and ways of life, and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are.”
3. Benjamin Rush said, “I do not believe that the Constitution was the offspring of inspiration, but I am as satisfied that it is as much the work of a Divine Providence as any of the miracles recorded in the Old and New Testament.”
II.   I love America because it was founded with the right virtues
A.      In modern times we have been called first, a post-Christian nation; second, a post-modern society
B.      Our own president has claimed we are not a Christian nation
1. He said on a recent presidential trip to Turkey that Americans “do not consider ourselves a Christian nation.”
2. The truth of the matter is that most who agree with this are ignorant of the facts of the foundation of this nation
3. That is not surprising, given the rabid race to revise our history and remove all vestiges of Christianity from its pages
C.      Please let me quote a few of founding fathers
1.  John Adams said, “[I]t is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue.
2. John Quincy Adams said, “There are three points of doctrine the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is the existence of God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it possible for a man to disbelieve either of these three articles of faith and that man will have no conscience, he will have no other law than that of the tiger or the shark. The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy.”
3. Fisher Ames, who framed the first amendment said, “There are three points of doctrine the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is the existence of God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it possible for a man to disbelieve either of these three articles of faith and that man will have no conscience, he will have no other law than that of the tiger or the shark. The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy.”
4. Charles Carroll, who signed the Declaration of Independence said, “Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime & pure, [and] which denounces against the wicked eternal misery, and [which] insured to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.”
III.  I love America because we have the possibility of the right victory
1. Barton said, “There must be two reversals, the first and most obvious one must occur in our national public stance toward God: the Supreme Court's current ban on the acknowledgment of God and the use of His principles in public is a direct challenge to Him and has thus triggered the law of national accountability, subjecting the nation to severe consequences. Therefore, our current national public stand against God must be set aside.”
2. Barton continued, “The second reversal must center on the restoration of the personal benefits derived from living by Godly principles”
B.      Here are some of the steps Barton recommended
1. Pray – if my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray…
2. Teach your children and grandchildren both to pray and the truth of the foundation of this nation
3. Pray devout Christians will run for public office

4. Christians need to be involved in public media

May God give us a little more time before he brings judgment on this nation that I love.