Jeremy E. Sarber

Read and pass it on.

I recently received an excited phone call from my sister who is currently homeschooling her children for the first time. She is teaching her boys from a Christian curriculum which does present the world’s perspective of science and history, but also incorporates biblical history and truth. While they do teach such fallacious theories as evolution, for instance, they also teach God’s creation as an absolute fact.

My nephews were learning about the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. This is not an unusual lesson in schools, of course, but they were given a unique view of this event. They were taught about the timing of his discovery. While his discovery came well before Thomas Paine penned these words, they are relevant:

“The time likewise at which the continent was discovered, adds weight to the argument [that America should declare its independence], and the manner in which it was peopled increases the force of it. The reformation was preceded by the discovery of America, as if the Almighty graciously meant to open a sanctuary to the persecuted in future years, when home should afford neither friendship nor safety.”

It is incredible to consider the providence of God at work in the discovery and founding of this great nation. Paine also wrote:

“…we have every opportunity and every encouragement before us, to form the noblest, purest constitution on the face of the earth. We have it in our power to begin the world over again. A situation, similar to the present, hath not happened since the days of Noah until now. The birthday of a new world is at hand, and a race of men perhaps as numerous as all Europe contains, are to receive their portion of freedom from the event of a few months.”

It is not considered wise in the minds of some for me to address issues of politics as a minister. Fortunately, I have no interest in politics. I do, however, take a great interest in our freedom, particularly that of religion and speech.

It should not come as a shock to any of us that our nation’s rich and moral culture is under constant assault. Counter-cultures, such as the hippies, have successfully infiltrated popular culture. What is worse, many individuals of these counter-cultures have grown up to become our nation’s leaders and lawmakers. In the last one hundred years, especially the last forty, we have dramatically abandoned the founding principles which made this country so great. In current times, our pace is increasing at an alarming rate. We may not even recognize our country before long.

As a Bible-believing people, there are stories in the news which generally catch our attention. For instance, in 2005, the “Merry Christmas” versus “Happy Holidays” debate was raging. Earlier this year, you might have read the story of a pastor who was fined for holding a Bible study in his home without a permit. While these small culture wars are certainly worth our attention, we must also notice what the “other hand” is doing.

Like a magician who distracts you with one hand and successfully accomplishes the trick with his other, there is a fundamental change happening in our country which we may not even see. If we lived under the rule of a Pharaoh or a man like Joseph Stalin where freedom is a foreign concept, this change would be welcomed. But in a country so blessed with freedom from the start, any change to it is cause for alarm.

In the beginning, this country’s founders set out to design a system for government that would maintain a perfect balance between anarchy and tyranny. What better place to go for inspiration than the Bible?

Here are six principles noted by the founders in their study of ancient Israel*:

1. They were set up as a commonwealth of freemen. A basic tenet was: “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” (Leviticus 25:10) Whenever the Israelites fell into the temptation to have slaves or bond-servants, they were reprimanded. Around 600 B.C., a divine reprimand was given through Jeremiah: “Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbor: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the Lord.” (Jeremiah 34:17)
2. All the people were organized into small manageable units where the representative of each family had a voice and a vote. This organizing process was launched after Jethro, the father-in-law of Moses, saw him trying to govern the people under Ruler’s Law. (See Exodus 18:13-26.) – See image below
3. There was specific emphasis on strong, local self-government. Problems were solved to the greatest possible extent on the level where they originated. The record says: “The hard causes they brought unto Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.” (Exodus 18:26)
4. The entire code of justice was based primarily on reparation to the victim rather than fines and punishment by the commonwealth. (Reference to this procedure will be found in Exodus, Chapters 21 and 22.) The one crime for which no “satisfaction” could be given was first-degree murder. The penalty was death. (See Numbers 35:31.)
5. Leaders were elected and new laws were approved by the common consent of the people. (See 2 Samuel 2:4; 1 Chr. 29:22; for the rejection of a leader, see 2 Chr. 10:16; for the approval of new laws, see Exodus 19:8.)
6. Accused persons were presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. Evidence had to be strong enough to remove any question of doubt as to guilt. Borderline cases were decided in favor of the accused and he was released. It was felt that if he were actually guilty, his punishment could be left to the judgment of God in the future life.

Also under consideration by the founders was Israel’s demand for a king later in their history. Thomas Paine also wrote:

“Near three thousand years passed away from the Mosaic account of the creation, till the Jews under a national delusion requested a king. Till then their form of government (except in extraordinary cases, where the Almighty interposed) was a kind of republic administered by a judge and the elders of the tribes. Kings they had none, and it was held sinful to acknowledge any being under that title but the Lord of Hosts. And when a man seriously reflects on the idolatrous homage which is paid to the persons of kings, he need not wonder that the Almighty, ever jealous of his honor, should disapprove of a form of government which so impiously invades the prerogative of heaven.

“Monarchy is ranked in scripture as one of the sins of the Jews, for which a curse in reserve is denounced against them. The history of that transaction is worth attending to.”

The founders of this nation recognized the truly unique opportunity before them to “begin the world over again.” Understanding the blessing God had given them to inhabit a new land, full of valuable resources, they sought to create a nation where men and woman across the globe could seek refuge from every kind of oppression under the sun. That oppression, of course, included tyranny of a religious nature.

Being guided, I believe, by the Almighty Himself, they drafted two very special documents which secured our freedoms forever: the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Benjamin Franklin was once asked, “Sir, what have you given us?” He responded, “A republic…if you can keep it.”

Unfortunately, history has a tendency to repeat itself. This is true because human nature does not change. There may not be anyone in America today demanding a king, yet there are plenty who are demanding the securities of a king from our elected officials. The securities we want wrongfully exceed that of national defense. If we were to receive such security, where would that leave our freedom? Thomas Jefferson said, “A government big enough to give you everything you want is strong enough to take everything you have.”

At what price will we achieve security? When Israel demanded a king, the Lord said:

“This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants.”

God warned Israel that if they were to appoint a king, this king would initiate a draft, force citizens into slavery, steal their women for his own purpose, and take their lands and property. In other words, their liberty would be forever lost. First Samuel 8:19 says, “Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, Nay; but we will have a king over us.”

If this nation truly was a gift from God as a means to start over, then I must ask, what are we doing with it? Should we continue to slowly but surely hand over the reigns of freedom to political candidates just because they promise security? If so, have we learned nothing from the past? Also, what kind of security can mortal man offer another mortal man?

When the children of Israel had been freed from their slavery in Egypt and were wandering through the desert wilderness, they had their freedom, but soon lost their sense of security. It was then they cried, “Would to God we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread to the full; for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

In this brief moment of crisis, they were foolishly willing to exchange their absolute freedom for minimal security. Much like the American Revolution, the Lord blessed Israel with the most precious gift of freedom only to have them neglect it soon after. I fear the United States is in a similar condition and has been for some time now. So, how long do we think God will continue to bless us despite our folly?

What does any of this matter to the child of God? Why does a preacher, such as myself, feel it is so imperative that he write about it? Why are so many after-church conversations spoke on politics? How is any of this relevant to our moral obligations as Christians? I will tell you.

First of all, if there was no freedom, where would our churches be? Without individual liberty, we would not be permitted to practice according to our individual beliefs. Instead, the State’s beliefs (or lack thereof) would be enforced upon us. In past times, a single church denomination was adopted by the State making all other churches enemies of the State and persecuted against. In our day, it is more common for all religion to be enemy of the State, none more so than Christianity.

Second of all, I believe in such biblical principles as personal responsibility, free choice, charity, moderation, sincerity, hard work and so on. But how can these things exist apart from freedom?

For instance, if I work forty hours and give a quarter of my earnings to church or charity, pay all of my bills to the companies I have chosen to do business with, and spend the rest on other personal items, I have exercised my right as an American and have embraced my God-given liberty to be hard-working, charitable, moderate, sincere, and responsible.

But what if the government takes half of my earnings to give to another citizen? Isn’t that charitable and compassionate? No, it is not. Without the liberty of choice, there is no charity. I have been forced to give, therefore, I have been robbed of the opportunity to willingly give. The apostle Paul wrote, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

This type of situation steals away from us every incentive to do what is right. Why be responsible if the irresponsible are rewarded? Why give charitably if we are forced to do so regardless? Why work hard if we are not allowed to keep the fruits of our labor? Why be active in a church or community if Big Brother promises to provide for us each time we are without?

Perhaps you can begin to understand how freedom is so important for our Christian way of life and how an ever-growing government is a threat to that life and our churches.

I doubt that I would be writing this if not for some recent comments I have heard fellow brethren make to me. They have said such things like, “I voted for [candidate's name here] even though he condones abortion and gay marriage because of his stance on [whatever issue here].” I hardly know where to begin with a statement like that. First, how is it appropriate to ever overlook one’s position on abortion and gay marriage? Second, there is an obvious and grave misunderstanding of the other issues mentioned many times.

I typically explain how the right answer concerning any issue will always lie on the side of freedom. For instance, would a universal, government-run health care system be a good idea? My answer is a resounding no. This is because it removes the freedom of choice. Instead, one option of health care reform would be to allow companies the freedom to insure people out-of-state. That is only one example of many.

I realize there are many opinions among us when it comes to politics, but I also believe there is only one opinion that should be had concerning the principles of freedom and America’s founding among Christians. It is that the Lord has blessed us with a nation of freedom which includes religion and speech and none of His many blessings should ever be taken for granted.

Therefore, it is necessary for us to become educated and involved. That is not to say we should be politically savvy, listen to talk radio every day, or participate in rallies. It simple means we should use the power and rights we have to make the appropriate changes, or should I say, initiate restoration.

I would never encourage any person to break the law or revolt against the “higher powers” (Romans 13:1-7). Some would say, we should take note of the apostle Paul’s writing when he said, “Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh..” To them I say, we are not yet slaves. Our representatives still work for us. Furthermore, we are the ones who are responsible for putting them into office. If there is any shame in what they are doing while they hold those offices, that shame is on us.

We can obey the higher powers and be obedient to our masters and yet still exercise our right to vote. I may not be able to convince the world of this, but surely this idea can gain merit among my brethren in the church. We have got to pay attention. We have got to educate ourselves enough to make wise decisions on voting days. We have got to stop voting for parties and start voting for principles. Let us help in bringing honor back into our capitol and into our nation as a whole.

Some would remind me “the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord.” I do believe God has the ability to change a man’s heart. But let me say again, we have no king. The “rulers” here in America are put there by our choice. If we haphazardly vote fools into power, whose heart is in need of changing? The fool in power or the fool who put him there? Or, perhaps, both?

Some would refute by saying God’s people have no place in politics. They would quote, “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.” Again, does not the gift of freedom belong to God? Did He not provide us with this land and with this liberty? Are we not in the same position as the Israelites before they made demands for a king? Are we not entrusted by the Almighty to care for what He has given us? Most importantly, what else would God have us to do if our religious freedom is in jeopardy and we have already been supplied the tools to defend it?

Finally, some would assume, “That could never happen in America.” I beg to differ. If history has taught me anything it is that there is no nation too big or too great to fail. The founding father of Israel, Abraham, was told by God Himself, “Get thee out of thy country…unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation.” Less than 400 years later, the people of Israel are enslaved in Egypt. Another 400 years after being restored, Israel chooses a king resulting in the fate I described earlier. 100 years later, Israel is divided into two nations. Another 200 years pass and Israel is ultimately conquered by the Assyrians.

I can not say when or how America will fall. I cannot even say she will fall with any kind of certainty. I pray not. But I can say we are on a destructive path. Even if we ignore the financial ruin we face or the multitude of enemies we have around the world, our leaders and lawmakers find new ways daily to revoke our freedoms and impose more regulations and burdens upon us. It is only a matter of time before we see these unwelcoming changes occur in our homes and our churches, if they have not been touched already.

I believe our solution comes in three parts. First, we pray. Second, we study. Third, we act.

I trust the first step is a given. As for the second, we must learn as much as we can. We should study our Bibles, read about America’s rich heritage, research to understand how truly unique our freedom is, and seek to apply what we have learned to the policies and politicians of today.

As the for the third and final step, we must do what is necessary to preserve our liberties. Never accept the status quo. Never choose the “lesser of two evils” on election day. Know your principles and vote accordingly. Spread the gospel but also spread the message of freedom among our fellow Americans. Help others to understand what a God-given blessing it is to be free.

There will be some, no doubt, who disagree with me. There will be others who believe this writing was inappropriate for me to write, especially since it will be published in a church newsletter. I suppose each them has good reason to thank the Lord for the freedom they have to pose a dissenting voice…at least for now.

For those who believe I have blown our present-day circumstances out of proportion, maybe I have. Even so, it does not take the likes of Isaiah or Ezekiel to foresee the consequences of our actions (or inactions). On our present course, it is not a matter of if, but when.

I will leave you with a quote by James Madison:

“The happy union of these states is a wonder; their Constitution is a miracle; their example the hope of liberty throughout the world. Woe to the ambition that would meditate the destruction of either!”

* The six principles of Israel were taken from W. Cleon Skousen’s “5000 Year Leap”