America’s birth certificate

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.

One sentence of the Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Continental congress on July 4, 1776, perhaps the most famous line, but it only begins to tell of the marvelous work that is the birth certificate of our great nation. While others can give a far more scholarly view, I simply wish to tell you exactly what these words say to me.

We hold these truths to be self-evident,  

Certain things are true just because they are. This is called by some natural law or moral absolutes by others. In some of the early states no law exists to make murder a crime, only to prescribe the penalty. It was superfluous to make a law against what God had so clearly set his stamp against. Moral absolutes in a Christian nation are Biblically based but natural law, the ideas of right and wrong precede even the books of Moses; they were hardwired into the human soul at the moment Adam arose from the sand, a part of the breath which God breathed in his nostrils.  (Romans 1)

that all men are created equal,

This too is a Biblical concept. Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. (Acts 10: 33,34)   this was a monumental application of truth. To this time the will of God, or so it was supposed, resided in the hands of kings and noblemen and the concept of divine right was widely accepted; now these revolutionaries had decided to revisit the fundamental relationship between, government and Providence. One law equal for all. Sadly it would be some time before all Americans in all states were free, but with these words defining our very existence it was destined to be so.

that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights,

Inalienable rights granted by God. Even in the Magna Cartra, as historic and bold as it was, the rights granted were granted by the “dread sovereign King John”  the continental congress proclaimed God and not the king as the source of all rights, this was as revolutionary theologically as it was politically.

that among these are

These rights listed are not the sum total of all rights. This foreshadows a government where only the specific enumerated powers fall to the purview of government.

Life

It is the most basic of all rights. Only in certain very limited cases has one man the right to take the life of another. Yet in our society the life of the unborn can be taken on a whim, yet in the health care law rationing will take the inalienable right to life out of the hand of God and put it in the hands of bureaucrats. It is no surprise that those who deny God, and deny moral absolutes and natural law would also deny the sacredness of life. If we do not restore our respect for life, our society will collapse and the same God who so richly blessed our founding will leave us to the wailing and gnashing of teethe that is the fate of all nations who abandon the just principles of their founding.   

    

Liberty

  Liberty is defined as- freedom from control, interference, obligation, restriction,hampering conditions, etc.; power or right of doing, thinking,speaking, etc., according to choice.

That we and not the king or the president, or the first lady’s commission on nutrition can dictate our personal choices better than we can. The concept that we may pursue our lives according to our will and our conscience seems distant at times when our government wishes to dictate for us our toilets, our light bulbs,  rather we have to purchase health insurance or not. Still we have the power of the vote so if liberty is lost it was not stolen it was ceded. If we act now, I believe it still can be restored.

and the pursuit of Happiness

From these five words spring the American dream, that we can improve our lot and build a better future for each generation. From these five words has arisen the freest most prosperous society in the history of the world, and these five words imply the unbreakable link between the attainment of happiness and a free market system that affords those opportunities for rich and poor alike.

My friend from one sentence we gleaned so much, my advice to you between cookout and fireworks, take time to read the whole document, read it aloud, discuss it, grasp its meaning!

  

Until next time, happy Independence Day!