The week of July 4th is a good occasion to reread the Declaration of Independence. It should be required reading for all present and aspiring citizens to remind us of the importance of that day. Fifty-six men from thirteen colonies signed their names at the end of a long list of grievances—or “facts” as the declaration called them—against the tyrannical practices of the King of Great Britain.
The aspect of the document that I would like to address today is the strong presence of the founding fathers’ acknowledgement of God. Whether those in today’s increasingly secular society like it or not, it is simply a fact that God is noticeably mentioned in this foundational declaration. Here are the excerpts I would like to focus on (grammar and capitalization preserved as in the actual Declaration):
…the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them,…”
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…”
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions,…”
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence,…”
It’s worth mentioning in passing here that one thing you will find absent in the Declaration of Independence is any mention of separation of church and state. This phrase is incorrectly attributed to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment to the Constitution. It has been abused and misquoted ad nauseam. I’ve already posted about it here.
My point for today is that it seems a majority of our nation is now declaring independence from the God of the Declaration of Independence. Thanks to the influence of liberal news media, Hollywood, politicians, and activist groups, God is either being reduced to a footnote or being removed altogether. I am not saying that those on the “other side of the aisle” don’t share the blame as well. And the church has largely and willingly shown itself a seat in the back row on this issue.
The Creator made man and woman to be in union with each other (Genesis 1:27, 2:24). He knew us even before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139:13). These basic and indisputable aspects of our faith are being rebelled against in America today. While not the only issues, the consequences for rebelling against marriage as God created it and murdering over 50 million defenseless souls are particularly noteworthy.
Whether you believe in God or not, this country made a contract with its Creator. To turn our back on God now will lead to God removing His hand of blessing. The Bible is full of stories that prove this fact. The downfall of America will hopefully cause a portion of our population to come to its senses, but it will be too late to avoid a new and darker reality. May God have mercy on us.
