When the United States of America was founded on July 4, 1776, the signing of the Declaration of Independence was preceded by prayer at the urging of Benjamin Franklin, the senior statesmen of the fledgling nation. It was certainly no coincidence, then, that the very first sentence of this historic document acknowledged God as Creator ("nature's God").
This was followed by arguably one of the world's best-known statements, when the delegates declared that "all men are created equal…endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights." And even in the concluding sentence, the delegates pledged "support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence." From its very beginning, America was founded on an expressed faith in God as both Creator and Sustainer, and the Lord has blessed this nation greatly in the years since that first Fourth of July.
It has been noted that America's beginning and the history that followed seem, in many ways, to mirror that of ancient Israel. God's chosen nation of Israel started strong, but its people gradually forgot their Sabbaths, Passovers, and Jubilee years. They even forgot God, and instead turned to the gods of nature. After multiple calls for repentance through His prophets, God finally judged Israel and banished them to captivity.
In much the same way, the Lord greatly blessed America in its remarkable formation and early history. When the Liberty Bell was rung on that first Independence Day, a proclamation taken directly from Scripture was sent to all thirteen colonies: "Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof" (Leviticus 25:10). And yet America, like ancient Israel, is rapidly forgetting the true Creator that it acknowledged in its beginning--which may eventually, I fear, exhaust the patience of God.
In reality, many Americans have already deserted their Christian heritage of liberty through our great Savior. And as a result, they have relinquished their freedom in some fashion--exchanging it for immorality, drugs, self-indulgence, pleasure, or some other pursuit that conflicts with God's Word. They have, in effect, become "the servant of sin" (John 8:34), and have been deceived by "great swelling words" from false teachers who "promise them liberty" but who themselves "are the servants of corruption" (2 Peter 2:18-19).
But we have a Hope! True freedom--true liberty--can only be secured by faith in Christ's saving work. For "if the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:36). As a nation--and as individuals--we need to return, before it is too late, to that same Creator so strongly affirmed by our founding fathers in the Declaration of Independence.
ICR seeks through its use of good science to help those of our world discover the true liberty that is found in the Creator. That freedom begins with a belief in the God of creation, and flourishes with the knowledge of His Word. While the adversaries of God and His Word are powerful and plentiful, we are not intimidated--because the Lord is on our side. But the opposition is very real, and the battle grows hotter every day. As such, we need your help both in finances and through prayer to strengthen our hands as we fight on. Please let me know how I can serve you as you prayerfully consider joining our cause.
* Mr. Morris is Director of Donor Relations.
Cite this article: Morris IV, H. 2008. True Liberty. Acts & Facts. 37 (7): 17.
