It is obvious that many of us are unashamedly patriotic. Across the country one could find many church leaders who would quickly say that this kind of nationalistic display is inappropriate for Christians. They argue that it is nothing short of idolatry to pay honor to the nation. The Bible does say that every good gift comes from God, and it is definitely not idolatry to give thanks for the blessings that we enjoy as a nation. I believe we can be unashamedly patriotic and yet unapologetically Christian. As we see in the Bible God has over the years ordained distinctive nations to accomplish His purpose. The best way for us to understanding God’s purpose for America and our role in that purpose is to begin by gaining an understanding of our heritage. Through the years God has blessed our nation. Do you realize that the United States has fifty-percent of the world’s resources and only four-percent of the world’s population? Coincidence or blessing from God. I would suggest to you that we have enjoyed the abundant blessings of God as a nation because of the foundation this country was built on. James Madison one of the driving forces behind our constitution said, "We have staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God." Without of doubt America was intended to be a Christian nation and with that comes great responsibility for Christian citizens. Today let’s focus on four reasons it is important for us to understand our heritage and history.
I. Having an accurate view of history will help us understand our identity.
A. Through out the ages God has given man reminders to help them remember who they are and who He is.
1. Consider this example from the nation of Israel. (Joshua 4:4-7—NIV)
2. The twelve men found their stones near the place where the priests carrying the ark were standing. The stones were "to serve as a sign" for future generations.
3. These memorials were intended to provoke questioning so that the story of God’s miraculous interventions might be told over and over.
4. The miracles would not be repeated—in fact, there is an economy of miracles in Scripture.
5. Remembering was a way for future generations to participate in the great acts that God had done for Israel.
B. Remembering our heritage will help us and all future generations be able to know that God’s hand has always been on our nation.
1. In the French & Indian war in 1755, George Washington commanded 1300 troops against the Indians in a woodland battle. Washington’s officers (on horseback) and most of his troops were cut down. At the end of the battle Washington was the only officer that remained & still on horseback. Afterwards he found 4 bullet holes in his jacket & wrote to his wife that God had protected him.
2. This exciting story and Washington’s letter, used to be in the American history books. In an effort to degrade American heroes that depended on God, American history books are being revised and this story & letter have been removed in this century.
3. Those that have desired to see God be removed from our society have gone to great lengths to craft a deception by removing these accounts from the pages of history.
4. Many have made it a goal to present view of history that is only half true.
5. Ninety-four-percent of all the quotes of the Founders had their origin in the Bible, which shows the importance of God’s word in their lives and of this Nation’s founding.
a. Thirty-four percent of all quotes were from the Bible.
b. Another 60% of the quotes were from men who were using the Bible to arrive at their conclusions.
II. Having an accurate view of history will allow us to properly express our appreciation for the blessings we have enjoyed.
A. When the Israelites had eaten and were satisfied, after they were settled in the land, they were to praise the Lord for the good land.
1. The Lord wanted them to always remember what He had done for them even while they were enjoying the prosperity. (Deuteronomy 8:10-14—New Living)
2. We tend to see those good things as the product of our own efforts and abilities.
3. In their prosperity they were not to forget him or fail to observe his laws.
4. They had lived through the hard life of that desert by God’s providence, but the future prosperity in a better land might lead them astray.
5. Any belief in self-sufficient freedom and independence is dangerous, for it causes us to forget our commitment to trust in God and to depend on Him.
B. We are blessed because God has played a major role in the history of America, even though we have not been perfect.
1. "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often, that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ."—Patrick Henry
2. Faith inspired the settlement and influenced the education of America.
3. The New England Primer was a reader used in what would be our 1st grade. It was first introduced in 1690 and taught for 200 years in America, until 1900. The Alphabet was taught with Bible verses that begin with each letter of the alphabet. Also lessons had questions about the Bible and the Ten Commandments.
4. Faith has always inspired the leaders of America shaped the heart of our nation.
III. Having an accurate view of history will allow us to properly interpret the constitution.
A. Many people think it is part of the 1st Amendment, but it is not. The 1st Amendment reads: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishing of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
1. What the Founding Fathers did not want was any one denomination of the Christian religion to run the nation.
2. They wanted to stay away from what they had left in England, where the King was the head of the Church.
3. However the Founding Fathers and the Supreme Court were quite clear that Christianity was the established religion, and was to be involved in the government.
4. "By our form of government the Christian religion is the established religion, and all sects and denominations of Christians are placed on the same equal footing." –Supreme Court 1796 Runkel verses Winemiller
5. "Providence has given to our people the choice of their Rulers, and it is the duty, as well as the privilege and interest of our Christian nation, to select & prefer Christians for their Rulers."—John Jay First Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
B. Faith has been the rock solid foundation that our nation and constitution has been built upon.
1. The form of government established by the Founders of the U.S. has lasted over 200 years. Some other countries have undergone many different forms during this same period; such as France, 7 forms & Italy 40 forms.
2. Our hope is not in a government system, political leaders, impressive buildings or military might. All those things our temporary.
3. On September 11, 2001 we once again were reminded that only God is eternal and only His kingdom is forever.
4. The House Judiciary Committee on March 27, 1854 reported: "At the time of the adoption of the Constitution and the Amendments, the universal sentiment was that Christianity should be encouraged, but not any one sect. In this age there can be no substitute for Christianity. That was the religion of the Founders of the Republic and they expected it remain the religion of their descendants."
IV. Having an accurate view of history will allow us to be inspired with hope for the future of this nation.
A. The moral decline of our nation is so disheartening and it often causes us to consider giving up because we feel that we can not make a difference.
1. "Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."—George Washington
2. In other words, you will lose national morality when you reject the religious principles found in the Bible.
3. The Founders pointed out that Christianity was the only religion that could stop crime before it started because all crime came out of the heart. If you deal with the heart problem, you won’t have to deal with crime.
4. "The reason Christianity is the best friend of government is because Christianity is the only religion in the world that deals with the heart."—Thomas Jefferson
B. Christians need to stand together for the principles this country was founded on before it is too late.
1. In 1963 we as a nation set back and allowed our first amendment rights be attacked and allowed God to be removed from our schools which has been detrimental to our nation and children.
a. After 1963 teenage pregnancies increased 187% in the next 15 years.
b. Before 1963 divorce had been declining for 15 years. After 1963 divorces increased 300% each year for the next 15 years.
c. The educational standard of measure has been the SAT scores. SAT scores had been going along rather steady for many years before 1963. Since 1963 they took a rapid decline for 18 consecutive years, even though the same test had been used since 1941.
d. Since 1963 violent crime has increased 544 percent.
e. Illegal drugs have become an enormous & uncontrollable problem.
2. It has been said the best way for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.
3. So now the Lord says, “Stop right where you are! Look for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want! (Jeremiah 6:16—New Living)
4. We have only to look at history to know that there is no government big enough to make you do what is right if you aren’t guided by morality & religion.
John Adams said, "We have no government armed with power which is capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people, it is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." This was a question the American Founders dealt with on the floor of the Constitutional Convention. They concluded that a nation doesn’t have a spirit or a soul. Therefore when a nation dies, it is dead and won’t be resurrected later to answer for it’s failures, as a person will be who does have a spirit & soul. GEORGE MASON said: "As nations cannot be punished or rewarded in the next world, they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes & effects Providence punished National sins by National calamities." Providence was commonly used by the Founders to refer to God.
God’s judgment on a Nation because of it’s corrupt leaders is evidenced many places in the Bible. A couple of them are:
1. Because of the corruption of King Ahab and his wife Jezebel, the nation went without rain for three years. The righteous had to suffer too even though they had no part in it.
2. King David was normally good King, but because of his disobedience to God when he numbered his army, a plague came upon the nation and wiped out 70,000 people. The Nation suffered because of the leader.
