AMERICAN DECLARATIONS

Rick Jackson

As we approach the 230th birthday of the United States of America let us take the time to consider some American Declarations in the light of Scripture.

I. "NO KING BUT JESUS" -A DECLARATION OF DEPENDENCE

In the days of the early church many Christians died because they would not recognize Caesar as a god. They replied in effect, "We have no King but Jesus". In the 1700s when faced with the tyranny of an English crown many of the colonists took up the cry "NO KING BUT JESUS" before, during, and after the Revolutionary War! What did it mean to them and what should it mean to us?

1. We do believe in God (Ps. 146:1-2, Gn. 1:1, Heb. 11:6)

2. We don't believe in the divine right of kings (Ps. 146:3)

3. We do believe the Bible that Jesus is the coming King (II Tm. 4:1, II Pt. 1:11)

II. NOT SO MODERN DECLARATIONS OF IGNORANCE

1. "We don't have to believe the Bible" (Gn. 2:16-17, 3:1, I Pt. 1:18-25, 5:8)

2. "We don't have to believe in God" (Ps. 14:1, Rm. 1:18-23)

3. "We don't have to believe in Jesus" (Jn. 1:11-12, Ph. 2:9-11)

III. THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

1. We believe in creation (Gn. 1-2)

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator..."

2. We believe in individual rights (Mosaic Law, etc.)

"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.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men..."

3. We believe in individual responsibility (Lk. 12:48)

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."