Back to America – Chapel by the Sea

Back to America

Study Guide, July 4, 2021

Pastor Clay Olsen

I know we have said what our 6^th President said about the 4^th of July, but since you hardly ever hear anyone anywhere else saying it, we have to say it again! On July 4, 1837, in a speech in the Town of Newburyport, Mass., celebrating the 61^st anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, John Quincy Adams said: “Why is it that next to the birthday of the Savior of the World, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day? Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets 600 years ago?”¹

And the answer is….Yes! Of Course it is! But most people have no clue about any of that anywhere now. And that is why the only way forward for America today is by going backward…or at least by going back to the America that, as President Adams said, organized its social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth and laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity. And here’s the deal, America was always intended to be multi-cultural socially, but at the same time, it was also intended to be singularly Biblical governmentally! Multi-cultural socially, but singularly Biblical governmentally? That’s exactly right! And the reason the government was singularly and fundamentally intended to be Biblical was because the Founding Fathers knew from their own present era and down through history that every nation on Earth stands and falls on one timeless truth: And we’ll state it in three different versions for clarity:

Prov 14:34- “Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a disgrace to any people.” NASU

Prov 14:34- “Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) elevate a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” AMP

Prov 14:34- “God-devotion makes a country strong; God-avoidance leaves people weak.” The Message Bible

In other words, as the Founding Fathers examined the governments of history, the only government that provided a foundation of ‘civil righteousness’, whereby people that were created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness, was a government based upon the laws and principles of the Judeo-Christian writings and teachings of the Creator and Law-Giver Himself, as found in the Scriptures of the Bible. They knew that unless the government was centered upon and built upon ‘civil righteousness under God’, that the society would fracture and would then decay because of ‘civil unrighteousness under man’. And when a society decays into civil unrighteousness then their unalienable rights turn into inevitable losses…losses of life, losses of liberty, and losses of the privileges of the pursuit of moral happiness.

For over a century that understanding was common knowledge in America. In fact, the understanding that American law was based upon and was to be based upon Biblical law and principles was even cited by the Supreme Court of 1892 where they wrote: “Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind. It is impossible that it should be otherwise; and in this sense and to this extent our civilization and our institutions are emphatically Christian.”²

That statement from the Supreme Court is like a bigger explosion of reality than any explosion of fireworks in the night sky. And it is simply another fundamental fact that is totally foreign to the minds of most people in American society today. Why is that? You remember the statement by American Philosopher William James who said: “There’s nothing so absurd that if you repeat it often enough, people will believe it.” They sure will! Absurd things are being said over and over about our country and its people…so much so that many are believing these absurd and false claims.

One example of this is really quite a surprise to many people across America, from the streets of our cities to the halls of Congress, and that is this absurd notion that America was founded as a Democracy, and was intended to remain a Democracy. Surprise! America was never founded as a Democracy, nor was America ever intended to be a Democracy, and for many dangerous reasons.

It’s recorded that after the Constitutional Convention was completed a lady asked Benjamin Franklin, “Well, Dr. Franklin. What have you given us?” And he answered, “You have a Republic, madame…if you can keep it!” “If you can keep it!” We haven’t! America was Founded to be a Constitutional Republic, not a Democracy. The story is also told that Dr. Franklin was also asked what was the difference? And he said, “A Democracy is like two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for dinner. And a Republic is like a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!” That clears the air!

Here is another way of looking at the difference…How many of you have ever been to a Demolition Derby? They’re great! Such fun to watch. We used to watch them during the intermissions of some Stock Car races. They began in the 1950’s and became great entertainment, where a certain number of cars begin crashing into one another until only one car is able to still move. A Democracy and a Demolition Derby have a lot in common. They are both naturally destructive! Whereas, a Constitutional Republic is more like a NASCAR Race. Sure, there are some accidents now and again, but at least they are trying to go in the right direction and trying not to destroy their competitor’s property and smash their individual rights and so on…

Here is another quote that reveals just how strongly the Founding Fathers were trying to warn our country about the dangers of democracy as the model for our government. One of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Benjamin Rush said: “A simple democracy is one of the greatest of evils. A democracy is a mobocracy.” That’s quite a warning!

The Founding Fathers knew that a democracy was where half plus one could squash the rest of the people. And they knew that a reckless majority could deprive individual people of their rights, and their property, and even their lives. They knew that a democracy, with its excesses and suppression, along with man’s sinful nature was filled with its own seeds of destruction. They knew of even Plato’s warning that ‘unrestricted democracy must result in a dictatorship.’ No, our Founding Fathers knew all about dictatorships and knew all about the tyranny of a group of sin-bent humans claiming sovereignty over a country!³ And that is why they devised a government model of a Constitutional Republic where everyone was accountable to the laws and principles of one Sovereign ruler, who as the Creator, could be trusted to guide their nation by law and guide their people by faith. And where the people themselves were ‘the government’, who then instructed those who served in ‘government’ what to do for all people, and not the other way around. In a Constitutional Republic, all are led by the Constitution, and not by just a few Elite that are infected with ‘control issues’.

Our Men’s Life Group had a great season this year of walking through a study called ‘Constitution Alive’. It was a powerful and inspiring study of the Biblical foundation and design for America, as led by David Barton and Rick Green. We highly recommend this study, as it revealed just how strongly America was established to be and was intended to remain a country that was duty bound to honor God and live their lives accountable to God. Again, the Declaration of Independence makes that clear. Which, by the way, the Founders saw the Declaration of Independence as the foundation upon which the Constitution was built. They saw those two, along with the Bill of Rights, as always belonging together, not separated from one another. But that is why so many in government today separate the Constitution from the Declaration because they are trying to have America be a secular nation under man instead of a Divinely led nation under God.

And again, the Founders’ point was not to enforce faith by law. They knew that there was a great difference between Civil righteousness and Salvation righteousness. Civil righteousness is what God expects governments to promote, but Salvation righteousness is what God expects His Church to promote. Governments are accountable to the Creator of life to promote what the beginning of the Declaration of Independence was all about; and that is, Civil righteousness! ‘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.’

Life…from the womb to the tomb, liberty and freedom for a civil and safe society, and the pursuit of happiness, of freely living out people’s God given talents according to God’s defined morals. These are all included in the civil righteousness that a government is to offer to its people and to then protect its people in possessing them. And the Gospel of personal salvation and the instructions for personally following the Creator as personal Savior and Lord is what the Church is accountable to God to promote. The Government has civil responsibilities and accountability before the Creator and the Church has salvation responsibilities and accountability before the Creator and their Lord and Savior. The Church is responsible for assisting people in society to learn how to establish a relationship with their Creator and Savior and how to follow Him as Lord of their lives. The Government is responsible for assisting people in society to learn how to live free and to protect their freedoms by following the laws and principles of the Creator of life; Who is also the Law-Giver of mankind.

So then, how can a government assure people’s civil rights where every person who is created equal can experience their unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness? Or, how can any person and any nation be exalted, be built-up, be blessed? Back to the foundation: ‘Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin destroys it.’

Again, the Creator expects Civil Righteousness of all people of all nations, tribes, and tongues. And He expects all those who govern others to pay homage to the Governor of all Creation. We should each know Ps 2:10-12 so well that we can explain it to our fellow Americans. It says: “Now therefore, O kings, show discernment; take warning, O judges of the earth. Worship the Lord with reverence and rejoice with trembling. Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way, for His wrath may soon be kindled. How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” NASU

Who is the Psalmist talking to? He is talking to all Kings, Rulers, and Judges in governmental positions in all places of the world at all times of the world! His warning is basically: God is the Sovereign Lord and Creator of all the Earth! So, for individuals, since no one created their own life, neither does anyone have the right to rule their own life. God alone has the right to rule everyone’s life. And since people did not create their own land nor the people who make up their nation, neither do they do have the right to rule it. Only the Creator of people and nations has the right to rule over people and nations. And therefore, all those in power in governmental positions who are not submitting to the ruling authority of the Creator are acting in open rebellion against their Creator. And whereas our Founders wisely sought the favor of the Creator, many of our present rulers are incurring the anger of our Creator. Anger? Yes, that is what the Psalmist said happens when Kings and Rulers and Judges do not pay homage to God and do not rule according to His laws and principles, but instead, they just make up their own. The Psalmist clearly revealed that when rulers ignore their Creator, they incur His anger.

In fact, let’s just let God speak for Himself about how He feels about all those who are living their lives in rebellion to Him as the Sovereign Lord over their life. Actually, it may be a very surprising verse to many who think that they can live their lives any way they choose and it won’t upset God at all. Again, here is what God says about that: Ps 7:11- “God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day.” NLT

God is ‘angry’ with the wicked every day? That’s quite a wake-up call! And just who are ‘the wicked’? The central definition of ‘wicked’ is ‘against God’. So, one who is wicked is one who is living in ways that are ‘against God’, and are making every day choices that are ‘against God’! That is ‘wicked’! Yes, but ‘God so loves the world’… Of course God so loves the world! That’s not the problem. The problem is that so many in the world ‘do not so love God’. And since God is an honest judge and a Just God, anything and anyone who is ‘against God’ must be judged by God. When God’s love is spurned, it sets His justice into motion. When people choose against God, when they choose the way of wickedness instead of righteousness, then by rejecting God and God’s love they are choosing His anger and justice instead. God warned the world ages ago… ‘Choose the blessing or choose the curse’. Yes, God gives people and nations their choices, but not the consequences. No, the consequences of their choices have already been decided…either a blessed life…even a blessed nation, or a cursed life…even a cursed nation.

A little reality check: Many wonder about how God feels about those who are in governmental positions of authority and power. How does God feel about those rulers and judges who are choosing policies and promoting laws and changing moral principles that are all against God’s laws and principles and morals? We know exactly how God feels about them because He has clearly told us: “God is an honest judge. He is angry with the wicked every day!” He is angry with them! He is angry with anything or anyone who is ‘against God’. He is angry with civil Un-righteousness in laws that are against God and His Word, and in policies that are against God and His Word, and in immoral laws and choices that are against God and His word. “He is angry with the wicked every day”. Those are His own words!

Again, God longs to share His love, but God will not be mocked…for as a man sows, so shall he reap…As a country sows, so shall that country reap. As individuals we are to choose the blessing. Choose to give our lives to God in repentance and choose to receive Christ as our personal Savior. That is choosing the blessing of salvation…of salvation righteousness, where God forgives your sin and then gives you His own righteousness and His own gift of eternal life. Praise God!

And we pray that you have made that choice. To not make it is to have chosen against it. That is to have chosen the curse…the curse of eternal separation from God. So make sure today that you have a saved relationship with Jesus Christ. Call out to Him today to be your Lord and Savior.

And to our country: To all who are choosing to honor the Creator…that is at least a step in the right direction. Choosing ‘civil righteousness’ is choosing the way of blessing for a nation…in being able to live free and to being able to enjoy liberty and being able to be protected by justice. But to all who are choosing against God, that is rebellion against God, and that is choosing the curse and making life worse for any nation. For any ruler or judge that is choosing laws and policies that are ‘against God’…choosing what is ‘wicked’…know that God is angry with you every day, and you need to repent and do homage to the Son or you will perish in the way. King David has already warned you about that!

But for us and for all those who love God and seek to honor God, He has given us His great promise, and let’s read it together as we close: 2 Chron 7:14-15- “If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.” NIV

William J. Federer, America’s God and Country, p 18,
The Arthur S, DeMoss Foundation, The Rebirth of America, p 21,
Ibid, pp 19, 20