As I observe, and reflect on all the 4th of July posts, it seems the “go to” quote is that our Creator guarantees Americans life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. I suppose our constitutional framers may have been trying to guarantee this, but unless we get away from the commonly accepted definitions of these terms, don’t assign this guarantee to God.
Defining “life” as this earthly existence , we see that God does not guarantee that. In fact in Scripture, and church history, we see many followers of Jesus going to an “Early” death because of their faith. The book of Revelation indicates God sees these “early” deaths from martyrs as a badge of honor.
Liberty, in the earthly sense, is certainly not guaranteed by God. Again Scripture, church history, and current situations in many countries for believers, would say we may very well lose our liberty for advancing the glorious mission. Ask Chinese believers if God guarantees their earthly freedom.
The pursuit of happiness, in the earthly sense, is also not guaranteed by God. He knows this sinful, fallen world will bring us heartache after heartache. Jesus Himself said in this world you WILL have tribulation. Paul told Timothy that ALL those who desire to live a Godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. The way that plays out practically is many believers , way more mature than this writer, lose life, liberty , and earthly happiness to make disciples of King Jesus.
The realization that God doesn’t guarantee life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness on this earth should make us thankful that America has afforded some measure of these things to us, all under God’s providential care. However we must be careful that these comforts don’t find us relaxing with a cruise liner mentality, instead of a missional battleship mindset. We should also keep focused on the person and work of Christ, who does guarantee His true followers eternal life, freedom and liberty in Christ, and finally, The Holy Spirit gives us true joy as part of the fruit of the Spirit. All of these eternal blessings go so far beyond the temporary life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness the framers were going for.
Lord Jesus, thank you for these permanent blessings for those who trust in Your finished work.
Another thing not guaranteed by God but popular is the idea of religious liberty.
Does God guarantee anyone the right to worship Baal or Allah or any false god?
Rather than a right guaranteed by God, it is a sin. God doesnt guarantee sinful rights.
Does not the Golden Rule -or the Commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves- commit us to honor and protect our neighbor’s freedom of conscience? Even if we understand that conscience to freely choose wrongly?
Phillip,
There is no right from God for any person to choose sin.
Neither is there freedom in the bondage of worshipping false gods.
Our message should be to them that there is no freedom in worshipping Allah or whoever it is, but there is only freedom in Christ.
Galatians 5
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
Those that worship idols are enslaved. Their minds are in bondage.
Ephesians 4
So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.
Do you still think they have freedom of conscience?
Phillip,
here is another passage, from Romans 1:
For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.
This tells us the state of man, unsaved man that is. Whatever freedom of conscience he thinks he has is distorted and perverted. Instead of bowing unto the great creator, he instead he bows before corruptible things and vain imaginations. He thinks he is acting in wisdom but instead he is being the fool.
And we, who know the truth, who worship the Real God in spirit and truth, should not be telling such a person that God has given this person a right to suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Rather we should be warning that person that the wrath of God will fallon them for their ungodly choices.
The above does mean we shoud enlist the aid of the government to persecute, or harass, or any such thing. But neither should we affirm false statements by the government or any one else that says God gives people the right of freedom of worship.
Freedom of worship for us Christians in this country is gift from God, and not a freedom many of our brethren around the world enjoy. So it isnt even a right from God for Christians.
I don’t like the word guarantee, but religious freedom is certainly a subset of the freedom of our will (even if you are a compatibilist). If people didn’t have the inherent freedom to choose the wrong religion, the bible wouldn’t spend so much time exhorting people to choose the right one. A faith that is not freely exercised is no faith at all. There are certainly consequences to choosing the wrong faith, but that doesn’t make it any less a free choice. Christians would be doing the country no favor by advocating the freedom to only be Christian.
Bill,
Of course people have the freedom to sin. Bit its not a right from God.
Lets say the USA on whatever end of the political spectrum it might go, prohibits worshipping Jesus. And Allah. Both.
Does that mean you cant worship Jesus? Of course not. A lot of countries around the world and through time have persecuted the Body for worshipping Jesus. And we still did it. Likewise, if a government prohibited worshipping Allah, could a Muslim still, under threat, worship his god? Yes of course.
Freedom of conscience in that sense is not a right but a trait of man. We have the fredom of will to choose how we see fit and suffer the consequences. What the governmental ‘God-given’ right to freedom of worship though is different. It says that God has given every one the right to worship whatever god or whatever they desire. That is not God given but man given. Man has no right from God to disobey Him. Though he has given us the freedom to disobey, it doesnt make it our right to disobey.
Therefore as ambassadors of Christ, we should never support anyone’s ‘right’ to disobey God and sin.
As citizens, we may support the government treating all people fairly, thus not picking on Muslims and using trumped up zoning laws to forbid them from building an otherwise legal mosque. But we shoudn’t aid them in building that mosque since it is a place of oppreession and slavery, as is every house of worship dedicated to an idol or false god.
Or simply, we support the government using equal measures to deal with people of all faiths, ethnicities, tribes, tongues, and languages. But we do not support the people in their worship of false gods. Rather what we do is preach Jesus Christ crucified and risen as the ony way to the Father. We certainy do not tell them they have a right from God to worship Allah.
Bill,
and to add.
Religious freedom, that is true religious freedom, as you have described, as a subset of the freedom of our will, is not something we get from the government, who can neither promote it or stop it. Neither can any group stop anyone from having it. For if the god a person chooses isnt strong enough to keep his adherents, too bad. He deserves to lose them. In the end, only the One True God will be left standing. And He is strong enough to keep His adherents, for He alone has conquered death.
Michael,
Would you have the US eliminate the protection of religious freedom and instead impose Christianity on all?
Chris,
No. Imposed Christinaity isnt real Christianity.
There is three types of religious freedom.
One is the freedom of conscience that no one can take away. It might mean, as it does in many places in the world and in time, that you will suffer for your beliefs.
The second is a gracious gift from God, who grants freedom of worship. He does so at the discretion of His will as he works out everything according to His purpose.
The third kind is a freedom endowed by man. And since all good gifts come from the Father above, God in granting freedom in a time and place, works through the government to do so, usually.
Thus religious freedom of the second and thirdkind are not rights from God but are temporal gifts from God.
Religious freedom of the first kind is not a right of man but a trait of his being. We see an example of this when , as we read in Acts, the apostles were questioned, beaten, and told not to preach Jesus, but did so anyway under thraet of imprisonment, injury and death. In that example the authorities did give Christians religious freedom.
Those that seek to use the government to further Christianity are mistaken. They are confused about the role of the state and of the Church, and in our duty and privilege to be ambassadors of Christ and proclaimers of the Gospel.
Michael,
Which still leaves the question – what would you do with US protection of religious freedom? Do you think it is right for the government to protect the practice of Islam as well as the practice of Christianity? To allow, ie, the purchasing of property for Mosques as well as for churches? To protect people who opt not to recite phrases such as “one nation under God”?
Chris,
yes, why not? I see nothing in the New Testament that instructs Christians to use government on behalf of the Gospel and to stand against those not Christians. The empire of Rome was full of oagan gods and false religions. Our battle against those today is the sme as was used by Jesus and Paul and not the weapons of the world.
https://twitter.com/roddmartin/status/1014637770646720523?s=21
How do you add a photo?
Jimmy Meek,
The text in question reads:
It does not say that God guarantees anything. Rather, He has endowed all men with these rights, authorizing and obligating governments to secure these rights, and has conditioned the legitimacy of any government on its fulfillment of this obligation, authorizing and obligating the people to “alter and abolish it, and to institute new Government,” “whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends.” The idea of rights comes from the moral right… and it is God who establishes what is morally right. As you mention, martyrs have had their lives taken away. But it was not right for their murderers to do so. The right thing would have been to let them live, which was their God-given right. Our liberty may be taken away merely because we are believers, but again, it would not be right to do so, since our liberty is our God-given right. Ask those Chinese believers if the government is right to imprison them. As for the pursuit of happiness, it is simply an expression for freedom of will (and assumes that people generally will to be happy). If you want to hand out Bibles or tracts or witness or preach the gospel in your pursuit of happiness, then that is your right. The world may persecute you by denying this right or others, but such rights are unalienable because they are given by God. How? By setting up, in eternity past, what is right and what is not. It is not right to deny a people such things. Therefore, such things are rights, and we are endowed by our Creator with them.
I agree with your comments about needing a missional mindset, and about the true joy that only the Holy Spirit (and fruit thereof) can bring.
Ken,
The Bible tells us that God endowed men with these rights?
Where?
Rather, it seems to me that rebels against their king lose their rights.
Where in the Bible does it say that Government has the duty to secure such rights, since I don’t think they are even mentioned as being rights?
Where in the Bible does it say that the governments, which are all instituted by God, are to derive their power from the people they governs?
Since all governments are instituted by God, how is this so, since many have been monarchs, dictators and so forth? When has China, a long standing country, ever derived its power from its people?
Your answers are circular in nature. For you sau it is a right because it is a right set up in eternity past. And to quote you:
“The world may persecute you by denying this right or others, but such rights are unalienable because they are given by God. How? By setting up, in eternity past, what is right and what is not. It is not right to deny a people such things. Therefore, such things are rights, and we are endowed by our Creator with them.”
What is right in the eyes of God are people obeying His laws. Does anyone obey His laws? Rather, we suppress the truth in unrighteousness and we deserve therefore the wrath of God, both temporal and eternal, as He sees fit to administer. Since our sin, and thus everyone’s sin deserves wrath, why is it we deserve also, as a right, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
Its not ‘live and let live’, but rather, the day you sin you die. And because of your sin, you are cursed by God. Because of your disobedience, you deserve His punishment.
And when this [above] is our message, as Christians, then the beauty of the Gospel is in stark contrast. Where we have earned wrath and punishment and death and everlasting suffering, by the cross of Christ, through faith and trust in Him, we can receive forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and everlasting life.
But we tell ourselves that it is our God-given right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness even if we worship Allah.
Don’t y’all see the problem?
Hi, Mike,
It seems to me that you have not grasped the complexity of the difference between God’s will for individuals and God will for secular governments–or the difference between divine justice and civil justice. You only seem to see a man’s rights before a holy God. Clearly, he has none as a sinner. When a sinner stands before God, it is right that he be sentenced to destruction. However, when that same citizen stands before a governmental ruler, having committed no capital offense, it is NOT right that he be sentenced to destruction. Further, it is NOT right that he be robbed of his valuables, raped, or imprisoned without cause. Instead of demanding a proof text that lists “rights,” why don’t you just survey the Bible to discover what is right and what is wrong—what is just and what is unjust–in how people are to be treated. As I said, a “right” is simply that which IS right. IT is right that people not be unjustly deprived of life, liberty and their pursuit of happiness. And by “unjustly,” I am speaking of civil justice. God instituted government among men for precisely the purpose of securing this civil justice between sinful men. The government is supposed to be God’s minister for justice. But any government that is more accurately described as a minister of injustice has lost its divine ordination (if it ever had one).
Let me ask you this: Would you not agree that when the pilgrims started their settlements in America, where there was no civil government yet, they were obligated by God to start one? Why? God’s ordaining of civil government is not merely a stamp of approval on all present governments. It is a divinely ordained obligation to have a government to serve as His minister of justice. If none are present, then the people are authorized and obligated to institute such a government. And, I would ague that whenever a people finds that their current government no longer serves its rightful role as God’s minister of justice, then that people is authorized and obligated to overthrow that government and institute a proper one—even on pain of death and destruction. Having said that, though, the mere fact that the form of government has a king or a dictator does not in itself mean that the government is failing in its God-given role. The question is, is civil justice being served? Are people being unjustly deprived of life, liberty or the pursuit of happiness? Are bribes and corruption the norm? Are the scales of justice tilted, etc.? When a government has become corrupt and has turned its back on its proper role, then it is no longer really a government. Instead, it is a group organized criminals claiming to be the government–and in reality, the people are living without a government, and are obligated to start one (even if it means the destruction of what currently claims to be the government).
Somehow, I doubt you will get this. You may have the last word. Be blessed, Mike!
Ken,
Yes, I am speaking of a people’s rights before God. Before God no person has the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
That a government should act justly does not guarantee anyones life, liberty or happiness.
Neither does the government derive their powers from the consent of the governed.
In fact, if God institutes a government, do they not derive their power from Him?
All governments were created through Him and for Him and He holds them together. Even brutal dictatorships.
If this is so, and you can read it in Colossians 1, then God has a purpose for such horrible regimes.
I get it that there are civil/criminal laws that governments are to justly uphold. But God also uses a variety of means, some unpleasant turn eyes away from this world and to Him.
Where in the Bible do you see the right of any people to usurp the government? God certainly uses people to usurp kings and rulers, but where do you read in His Word, that it is a right?
God does use government to maintain order of a certain level in this world.
Would you say that any country today has an illegimate government, not ordained by God, since many do not follow the same ideas listed in the Declaration?
Ken,
It seems to me that you are mixing up two different things.
One is the relationship between God and the nations.
The other is the relationship between the Creator and man.
God certainly gives the nations responsibilities on how they are to conduct themselves and treat their subjects and deal with all others.. But that does not give a person rights from God.
The other relationship, between God and man, Creator to the creature, demands from man 100% obedience. Each person is given a conscience and is expected to know right from wrong or be liable to God in judgment.
Instead you are speaking of a dichotomy, where man can sin against the Greater [God] but still claim rights from the lesser [the state or ruling authority] who must answer to God. The state may give its citizen rights, but that isnt God giving them those rights.
Well stated, Ken Hamrick.
Yes Ken Hamrick, yes indeed!
Thanks, Gentlemen!