On January 1, 1795, the first United States President, George Washington, wrote his famed National Thanksgiving Proclamation, in which he says that it is…
"…our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue is… our duty as a people, with devout reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligations to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experienced…"
Many years later, on October 3, 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed by Act of Congress, an annual National Day of Thanksgiving "on the last Thursday of November, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens." In this Thanksgiving proclamation, our 16th President says that it is…
"…announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations are blessed whose God is the Lord… But we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace and multiplied and enriched and strengthened us, and we have vainly imagined, by the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own… It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people…"
Seems clear doesn’t it... two of America’s iconic leaders, indeed the majority of our forefathers believed that you could not call yourself an American if you ignored or subverted the Word of God. Ignoring the Word of God would be undermining Biblical truths...changing things people did not like or want to hear.
Citing numerous Biblical violations of the oppressive regime of King George of England, over 50 signers of the Declaration of Independence who were active members in their churches put together and signed the declaration of freedom now revered world-wide as a model of freedom.
The standards and ideals for government were raised, and it was not based on foreign ideology but on Christian principles and values. Days like Thanksgiving were set aside for all to contemplate and remember that we are in every aspect of life “under God” and should live our lives in such a way as to honor those founding standards and ideals.
The origins of American independence were not atheistic or agnostic, not Buddha, not Islam, nor Hindu, none of these religious concepts were represented in the declarations of our revolutionary fathers. In fact it was quite the opposite since they took great offense at the violations of their Christian grounded principles and values, to the extent that they endured a war of independence to free themselves from all forms of tyranny... both mental and physical.
Yes, one can find ideals similar in other fallen cultures as the Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, and Roman empires, but nothing as the three forms of United States' government created to mirror God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the United States. Few Americans even know how the three branches of government were fashioned. Many will think me delusional to even suggest that our constitution and founding forms of government was born of Biblical concepts and allegiance to the Divine.
Our framers set religious freedom as a high priority and included the practice of religion without interference from the government or anyone else in the wording of the First Amendment. Those either hating Biblical principles or religion in general will lie about the origins, the minds and hearts of the men who crafted United States Constitution.
The Big Lie
Those touting “freedom from religion” have distorted what the First Amendment actually stipulates. Legislation or judicial rulings that restrict the practice or expression of religious freedom are committing violations to the US Constitution which is a guaranteed fundamental freedom. The job of the judicial branch is to decide if a law violates or reaffirms the Constitution, not create new laws or stretch the truth of the wording to where it becomes unrecognizable.
Which brings us to a serious question…are Bible believing Christians obligated to obey the government all the time? This is especially critical when a law or process is implemented which violates the word of God.
It becomes a matter of conscience regarding the choice of either offending God or offending the government. There is no grey area regarding God’s Word, you are either obeying or rejecting God’s Word depending on your choice and actions. Moral relativism does not exist in God’s Word, you either with Him or you are against Him... there is no middle ground or safe zone as many would like.
Does God mandate compliance to the government?
It is in the nature of human beings not to obey authority, so declaring oneself a rebel is about as momentous as a duck declaring it can swim. One can cherry pick verses out of the Bible and find a verse to substantiate almost anything. Does it not say in Samuel that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as the sin of idolatry? Our revolutionary fathers must have been some very bad people to rebel against the authority of the King of England.
People pontificate all the time about not paying their taxes to the government and many fail to pay their due to the IRS citing all types of ills the government may be doing with funds that are collected. What does the Bible say about THAT? Surely it is noble not to want your money to go to funding wars.
Those not paying taxes to America are violating the Word of God. The Bible says to submit yourself to civil authorities and to follow the law of the land no matter how inane they may seem to you. The apostle Paul delivers God’s inspired counsel to us in Romans 13:1-7 where it is said... Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. 2 Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. 3 For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. 4 For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. 6 This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7 Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.
So not only is one rebelling against the government by not paying taxing, they are also rebelling against the Word of God by taking such independent liberties.
Government officials will answer to God for what they do with the funds that are not used properly under the banner of “to whom much is given, much is required.” (Luke 12:48)
There is a purpose to why some countries are raised up while others are pulled down and it is not for us to have total understanding of what role a country plays in the context of God’s providence. His authority and activities are quietly carried out and seldom understood. God throughout history has used countries to execute His will for a season.
Restricting prayer, worship, or the practice of religion by edicts from the government or corrupt local officials has already been addressed as a model by Daniel and followers of Christ in both the Old and New Testament. Daniel ignored the law of the king and continued with his religious practices. The Hebrew people refused to comply with a law compromising God's Word. It becomes a matter of personal conviction if somebody is willing to pay the price. There is a price for doing something and a price for doing nothing.
Persecution in many forms will result if somebody does not compromise to what an intrusive government may do in America or anywhere else on earth. Following a government declaration deemed lawful by the government that violates the law of God will not be excused concerning justice and judgment either by the government or the person complying with a law that mandates compliance. The consequences of breaking God’s law as a result of following a government law are not excused by God. That’s a real tough concept to swallow.
Unjust punishment does result when the law of God is followed when it conflicts with what the government declares. There is nothing new under the sun concerning persecution of those wishing a righteous standing with God. Every believer will face sanctions, some even going to their deaths when one violates government standards concerning the practice of religion.
Persecution separates the pretenders from the contenders. It will reveal where your faith really is.
Religious freedom is being circumvented in this country through poorly conceived legislation, corrupt judicial rulings, and enemies of religion intimidating ignorant or weak willed civil authorities into allowing the attacks against religion to stand.
Regardless of what the government does or does not do regarding religious freedom, the ultimate responsibility to submit or resist religious restrictions rests with each individual.
The word compromise is just not in the Word of God.
Happy Thanksgiving!
