The Birth Of Christ And The Birth Of America Are Linked
As we approach the celebration of
Christ`s birth, I am reminded of the
words of John Quincy Adams. On July 4, 1837, he
spoke these words:
"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 six hundred years before?"[An
Oration Delivered Before the Inhabitants of the Town of
Newburyport, at Their Request: On the Sixty-first
Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July
4th, 1837]
Adams was exactly right: America`s
birth is directly linked to the birth of our Savior. In
fact, the United States of America is the only nation
established by Christian people, upon Biblical
principles, and dedicated to the purpose of religious
liberty. This truth is easily observed within America`s
earliest history.
America`s forebears first
established a written covenant with God as early as
November 11, 1620, when they penned
The Mayflower Compact. It states in part:
"In the name of God, Amen. … Having undertaken, for the Glory of God,
and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour
of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first
colony in the northern parts of Virginia; do by these
presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God
and one of another, covenant and combine ourselves
together into a civil Body Politick, for our better
Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends
aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof to enact, constitute,
and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts,
Constitutions and Offices, from time to time, as shall
be thought most meet and convenient for the General good
of the Colony; unto which we promise all due submission
and obedience."
The sentiments and statements of
America`s founders make it clear that this nation has
enjoyed a love and appreciation for the rights and
freedoms recognized in Natural Law that is unique in the
annals of human history. No other people have such a
heritage.
One thing America`s founders could
not envision was—after they had paid so terrible a price
to purchase our liberties—that the time would come when
their posterity would be denied the
basic freedoms
to publicly express their reverence for God. Never could
they have imagined that the day would come when citizens
of the sovereign states (each with a state constitution
protecting religious liberty) would be denied their
right to
pray in school, or place
Nativity scenes on public property, or hang copies
of the
Ten Commandments on courthouse walls.
I am also confident that America`s
founders would be completely repulsed by the way the
United States has jumped headlong into
corporatism,
socialism, and
globalism. Democrats and Republicans alike have
created a central government so large that it would be
unrecognizable by any Founding Father. In addition, both
Big Business and
Big Religion have sold our great country down the
proverbial river, as surely as there is a sun in the
sky. Truly, our Founding Fathers must be rolling over in
their graves.
Therefore, at this Christmas
season, let us remember well the founding principles of
these United States of America. Furthermore, let us
renew with vigor the fight for freedom before our
liberties and our heritage are gone altogether.
Merry Christmas!
Dr. Chuck Baldwin is the
pastor of Crossroad Baptist Church in Pensacola,
Florida. He hosts a
weekly radio show. His
website is
here.
