article by site founder, Connie Rice
Most thinking people would agree that morality exists, but where does it come from? If one has rejected the existence of God, then there isn’t really an objective standard. There is certainly no mechanism for the development of morality through Darwinian evolution. Recent claims suggest that each person can determine what is moral or immoral, but would that provide a solid foundation for any society? What one person might think burglary, rape, etc. is good for them, those things are definitely not good for the other people affected or for society in general. Historically, most laws within societies are rooted in a some sort of a moral determination. As our culture attempts to remove God and His Word from society and tries to redefine morality according to its own carnal wisdom of the moment, we see increases in crime, corruption, addiction, despair, broken families, and other societal ills well as the recent incidence of a cancel culture that diminishes freedoms that had previously been protected by adherence to the Constitution. America was founded on principles found in Scripture and the balance of powers created by our founders reflect their understanding of the sinful nature of humankind.
“Had the people, during the Revolution, had a suspicion of any attempt to war against Christianity, that Revolution would have been strangled in its cradle… In this age, there can be no substitute for Christianity… That was the religion of the founders of the republic and they expected it to remain the religion of their descendants.”
Congress, U. S. House Judiciary Committee, 1854 – reference from “Wallbuilders”
“Power always thinks… that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all His laws.”
John Adams, 2nd President of the United States of America from “A-Z Quotes”
As stated in the Declaration of Independence, American citizens have inalienable rights given by their Creator and the role of government is to protect those God-given individual freedoms. The Constitution was ratified by the states as the supreme law of the land only after the Bill of Rights was included with the first 10 Amendments as a safeguard to prevent American citizens from tyranny. All political leaders are required to give an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution. In recent times, unelected bureaucrats in powerful government agencies, the expanded use of Executive Orders, and corruption are taking us ever farther away from our Constitution and bringing us to a dangerous crossroads. Thomas Jefferson’s and James Madison’s insightful words seem to have been prophetic:
“When all government …in little as in great things… shall be drawn to Washington as the center of all power; it will render powerless the checks provided of one government on another, and will become as venal and oppressive as the government from which we separated.”
Thomas Jefferson
“We have staked the whole future of our new nation, not upon the power of government; far from it. We have staked the future of all our political constitutions upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the moral principles of the Ten Commandments.”
James Madison
Our rejection of God and His Word has America facing the very real threat of joining other great empires in the dustbin of history. Scripture teaches that all wisdom comes from the fear of God, who is sovereign over the affairs of men and nations. Our nation is pursuing a fool’s errand that could lead to our demise.
“The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.”
James Madison
“From where then does wisdom come? And where is the place of understanding?
Job 28:20-28
It is hidden from the eyes of all living, and concealed from the birds of the air.
Destruction and Death say, ‘We have heard a report about it with our ears.’
God understands its way, and He knows its place.
For He looks to the ends of the earth, and sees under the whole heavens,
To establish a weight for the wind, and apportion the waters by measure.
When He made a law for the rain, and a path for the thunderbolt,
Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out.
And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding’.”
I’m old enough to remember when people, even of differing political affiliations, shared a respect for God and the Bible, and loved America with its freedoms. They sought to engage in civil discourse with respect for other people when they disagreed. With honest debate, the best ideas rise to the top. The idea of protecting one narrative while silencing those who disagree is completely foreign to most Americans and is indicative of tyrannical forces at work. The attempts to silence debate and promote one view on various topics as the only “acceptable view” has been unheard of in my lifetime. In my generation especially, there was a refutation of racial discrimination and opportunities grew for every people group. We made every effort to implement the dream of Martin Luther King Jr.:
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Throughout my life, there was a basic trust in government leaders, media, education, and medical institutions – that they were looking out for the good of our country and its citizens. There was a respect for law enforcement and most Americans were law-abiding, tax-paying, hard-working citizens who weren’t looking to the government for support. I never dreamed that in only one lifetime, our culture would turn on law enforcement, release violent criminals on society, force people to stay in their homes, prevent people from attending religious services, not allow family members to be with their dying relatives, force an experimental drug on people as a condition of going to school or work or to travel, and to kill healthy, defenseless babies in the womb up until birth (biological fact – nothing happens after conception to make a human; the child already has a unique DNA, distinct from its mother). It is shocking that our schools, institutions, and even our government leaders would also deny other known biological facts to purposefully sexualize and confuse little children (to the point of maiming them for life). When I was was growing up, the whole of society made every effort to protect children and their innocence. Now, children are targets and are suffering unnecessarily and unfairly as a result. God will hold them accountable.
“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!“
Jesus’ words in Matthew 18:6-7
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Jesus’ words in Matthew 10:28
We have evidently been the proverbial “frog in the pot”, trusting that our leaders shared the same traditional values that have made our country strong for centuries. Those of us who have been oblivious to the takeover of our institutions are responsible and I am crying out to the Lord for forgiveness for being too busy to recognize much of it before it got to dangerous levels. I pray for salvation of our leaders, that they would too cry out to the Lord for forgiveness and turn from their ways that bring harm to others. I pray for justice and protection for the children – they deserve to grow up feeling safe, secure, cared for, and to be shielded from the seediness and evils of this world.
“For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man.”
Jesus’ words in Mark 7:21-23
“Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery’, ‘You shall not murder’, ‘You shall not steal’, ‘You shall not bear false witness’, ‘You shall not covet’, and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.”
Romans 13:8-10
Let’s consider what our nation would look like if we actually followed the moral code that God put in place for us to follow (keeping in mind that even when we are intentional about obeying God, we will never be completely obedient this side of heaven because of our sinful nature – no person is perfect, and therefore no culture, country, government, business, church, or family will be either – something our founding fathers understood well):
Leaders: Leaders in all areas of society (family, government, business, education, church, etc.) would fear God, being acutely aware that they will stand before Him to give an account for how they have handled their power and influence. They would seek God with all their heart, mind, strength, and soul so that they could lead with wisdom, truth, and grace. This would minimize corrupting influences that arise when people cave in to their sinful desires (greed, sex, lust for power, etc.).
Sexuality: Sexual activity outside of marriage between one man and one woman would be minimized. If people actually lived the way God commands, there would very little divorce, pornography, adultery, abortion, single-parent homes (except if widowed and then the church would come beside the family). People would find their deepest needs met through their relationship with God and would seek to live out the life that He created each of them to live. Nobody would need to try to “find” their identity because they would understand who they are in Christ and have access to the incredible peace, joy, strength, and sense of purpose that God made available to every person He has created.
“But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks. For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them.”
Ephesians 5:3-7
Marriage would be a lifetime commitment between a godly man and a godly woman as a three-fold relationship, with God in first place. Each of them would seek the Lord and follow Him individually and as a couple. The husband would love his wife as Christ loved the Church, even to the point of sacrificing his life for her, and cherishing, providing for, and protecting her, knowing that God will not answer his prayers if he mistreats his wife. The wife would provide insight and help while respecting her husband as the ultimate authority in the home, recognizing that he is the one responsible before God as the spiritual leader of the family and for how he handles his household. Because their deepest needs are met by the Lord, they wouldn’t need to place unreasonable demands on each other or have false expectations, but would see their spouse as a blessing to share life’s inevitable challenges and joys.
“‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.”
Ephesians 5:31-33
Parenting: God holds parents responsible for the spiritual upbringing of their children.
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Deuteronomy 6:5-7
Children would have both a mother and a father who would parent them with love, compassion, and would teach them the ways of the Lord until they could develop their own relationship with their Creator and Savior. They would be valued, protected, and brought up in the wisdom of the Lord, learning to put God first and to think of others more than themselves. Parents would not frustrate their children and children would respect, honor, and obey their parents and authority. Parents would be godly examples that boys and girls could emulate. Boys would learn what it is to be a godly man and girls would learn what it means to be a godly woman. Children would learn to be productive members of society and appreciate the importance of their particular contributions (giftedness, skills, experiences, talents) that would benefit their families, communities, and societies at large. They would be brought up to value the family bond, learn to take responsibility for their mistakes, and seek to bring honor to the family.
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’—which is the first commandment with a promise— ‘so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth’. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.”
Ephesians 6:1-4
Education: The Ivy League universities begun in America were founded to provide an understanding of Scripture. This is evident in their mottos (scroll down page). Education is not a responsibility given to the federal government by the Constitution.
Differences in various people groups: Since all humans are made in the image of God, each person would have respect and consideration for his fellow man, reaching out to help those in need. There would be no reason for discrimination or racism, since the only race according to Scripture is the human race. The only distinction the Bible makes is between those who follow God and those who don’t. Each person would be equal under the law and would have equal opportunity to work toward their particular goals in life.
“When God created mankind, He made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And He named them ‘Mankind’ when they were created.”
Genesis 5:2
Crime: The vast majority of people would not commit crimes against other people or their property. If they did succumb to temptation, they would face consequences so that they could be rehabilitated into productive members of society. Communities would be safe for families, without fear of attack on their person or property from criminals. There would be equal justice for all.
“Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.”
Proverbs 29:18
Work ethic: People would work hard to support themselves and their families. They would do all of their work to the glory of God, always doing their best. Godly people working for godly leaders would create healthy work environments and higher productivity.
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”
Colossians 3:17
Poverty: Religious institutions and individuals would be encouraged to reach out to meet the needs of their congregants and communities (this is already done by many of them). Addressing poverty was not a responsibility given to the federal government by the Constitution.
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.”
Proverbs 19:17
So – how have the recent attempts to remove God and His Word from our society been working out for us as a nation and a society? Those in power get to determine what they think is right and then force citizens to comply or be punished. That is mob rule and is exactly what our founding fathers warned against and why they rejected a strict democracy and purposefully created a representative government with checks and balances and a Constitution with a Bill of Rights.
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”
John Adams
We need our political leaders to once again strive to represent their electorate and recognize that they and other leaders will be accountable to God for how they choose to use their power and influence. God is the Creator of the world, of us, and as such determines morality just as the inventor of a game would determine the rules of the game. He has told us what is good and what is evil, and has even placed it on our hearts so that we instinctively know when our ways are not right. God is patient, but we know from the past that His patience does not last forever. In the end, He will defend the righteous and judge those who do evil – according to His definition; not man’s. Since the Lord is perfectly just and omniscient (all-knowing) – only He can be the rightful judge. Those who reject His existence and try to play God may find success in this world for a time, but they only fool themselves. May they recognize their need for a Savior and cry out to Jesus for mercy before that time.“
” I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”
Jesus’ words in John 5:30
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”
James 4:7-8
© Constance Rice 2023
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