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The Declaration

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Washington's Tomb

Washington’s Tomb

I have roamed the hallowed grounds of Mount Vernon, the home, gardens, fields and enterprises of George Washington that tell the story of a great American. His story is our story, how we became a nation. He did not compose our Declaration of Independence, but became the force behind it.

It was 239 years ago that brave Americans finally had enough of tyranny, so they drafted and signed a document for the ages. It was a declaration that placed their lives and fortunes in jeopardy. They did so with determination, and with reliance on Almighty God.

It only took three weeks to draft, revise and adopt it, but the ideas expressed were developed over years and couched in deep conviction. The context of the American grievance was a specific understanding about freedom under God, and such language found its way into the famous text.

They believed it was time for a nation to assume “the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.” They were men “endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” who appealed to the “Supreme Judge of the World” to vindicate their honorable intentions. “And for the support of this declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

Consider those phrases. The Founders believed freedom is inherent in creation, not granted by government. They relied on a Creator God who was involved in the affairs of men and nations. Believing that God is necessary to sustain good government, George Washington said, “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”

The Patriots wanted the world to know their intentions were not of greed, power, or war-mongering. They simply wanted freedom. They understood that God is capable of peering into the human heart. May God give America leaders today that have selfless, patriotic intentions, and are courageous enough to worship the Creator rather than creation.

The name ‘Providence’ describes a God who guides human history to the purpose he intends, and was Washington’s oft-used name for God. He and his fellow statesmen believed that God’s hand was guiding their struggle for independence and freedom. Some pivotal events of the Revolutionary War were so improbable that it’s no wonder Washington favored this name.

Should not a nation founded with such ideas of God be guided by them as well? Does not the yearning for freedom still drive Americans to resist tyranny from without (murderous terrorists) or from within (misappropriated taxes, burdensome regulations, legalized immorality)? Should not our Constitution is be used to preserve religious freedom rather than restrict it?

Though Washington did not sign the Declaration, he does have his own lasting declaration. The family tomb at Mount Vernon is a quiet place to reflect while standing mere feet from the greatest American in history. There the family engraved these words of Jesus as Washington’s declaration to those who visit: “I am the resurrection, and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” That is real freedom!

Real Manhood

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MetaxasI spoke recently with a man who spent some time as a jailer.  He concluded that most men are in jail because they never learned how to control themselves.  They might be tough guys, but that doesn’t make them real men. 

 In his book, Seven Men, Eric Metaxas refers to the C.S. Lewis essay, “Men Without Chests” to explain that real men have heart.  By that he means “the courage to be God’s idea of a real man and to give of yourself for others when it costs you to do so, and when everything tells you to look out for yourself first.”  He presents biographies of such real men, each of which sacrificed something important for the benefit of others. 

 After the Revolutionary War, the Continental Army wanted to install George Washington as American King George I.  They lost confidence in the Continental Congress over back pay.  Believing this exposed the weakness of the republic form of government, they circulated the Nicola and Armstrong letters which advocated military rule.  Washington summoned his officers and in a speech that moved many to tears, appealed to their honor and patriotism to never overthrow the newly-won American liberties.  In refusing their overtures, he gave up power and fortune for the good of his fellow citizens.  King George of England declared that if the man that defeated the most powerful army on earth stepped down, he would be “the greatest man in the world.” 

 Perhaps you saw the 2007 movie, “Amazing Grace” about William Wilberforce.  He was elected to the British Parliament at 20 years old.  He became politically powerful and quite popular in London society.  Early in his career, he vacationed with Isaac Milner on the French Riviera.  The young politician was moved as Milner talked about faith.  Given that high society took offense with anyone serious about God, it was no small matter when this political prodigy converted to Christ.  His old friend John Newton, the former slave trader and author of the hymn “Amazing Grace,” encouraged him.  So he took up the cause against slave trading and slave holding, which meant reforming culture itself.  What did he give up?  He could have been Prime Minister, but he spent his political capital elsewhere.  He could have remained in high society, but chose the cause of the lowly instead.  After decades of personal sacrifice, days before his death he learned that his cause was finally successful. 

 These are but two of the biographies Metaxas collected, but to what end?  He writes, “I hope you would want to study these lives – and not just study them but emulate them.  It is my prayer that those who read this book would be inspired to become real heroes, to become great men in their own generation.”  May more Real Men step forward. 

The Declaration

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imageI have roamed the hallowed grounds of Mount Vernon, the home, gardens, fields and enterprises of George Washington that still tell the stories of a great American. His greatest story is our story, how the United States became a nation. He was neither a composer nor signer of our Declaration of Independence, but became the force behind it.

It was 236 years ago that brave Americans finally had enough of tyranny, so they drafted and signed a document for the ages. It was a declaration that placed their lives and fortunes in jeopardy. They did so with determination, and with reliance on Almighty God.

It only took three weeks to draft, revise and adopt it, but the ideas expressed were developed over years and couched in deep conviction. The context of the American grievance was a specific understanding about God, and such language found its way into the famous text.

They believed it was time for a nation to assume “the separate and equal Station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.” They wrote that men “are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights” and appealed to the “Supreme Judge of the World” to vindicate their honorable intentions. Then there’s this: “And for the support of this declaration, with a firm Reliance on the Protection of the divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”

The Founders believed and relied on a Creator God who was involved in the affairs of men and nations. They believed freedom is inherent in creation, not granted by government. The proper order is government subject to the people, and people subject to God. Sadly, modern America is infected with the notion that the people are subject to government, freedom is allowed by government, and God has no place in it. That is a recipe for tyranny.

There is a supreme, discerning judge of the world. These Patriots wanted the world to know their intentions were not of greed, power, or war-mongering. Before God, they just wanted freedom. They understood that God is capable of peering into the human heart. Rather than fearing that, it motivates us to live self-examined lives. May God give America leaders that have selfless, patriotic intentions.

The word “Providence” implies that God guides human history to the purpose and end for which he intends, and was Washington’s favorite name for God. He and his fellow statesmen believed that God’s hand was guiding our struggle for independence and freedom. Some pivotal events of the Revolutionary War were so improbable that it’s no wonder Washington favored this name.

Should not a nation founded with such ideas of God be guided by them as well? Despite the naysayers, this can be done without Congress establishing a religion. We seem to forget the next phrase of the First Amendment which prevents Congress from prohibiting free exercise of religion. In plain language it defines what Congress cannot do, but it has become a secularist tool to determine what the people cannot do. Perversely, it now restricts religious freedom rather than preserving it. The Founders neither practiced nor conceived such prohibition of God in the public arena.

Washington does have his own declaration. His family placed him in his final resting place in the family tomb at Mount Vernon. It is a quiet place to reflect while standing mere feet from the greatest American in history. The family chose these words of Jesus as Washington’s message to those who visit him there: “I am the resurrection, and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.” That is real freedom!

God Bless America!