It would be a strange anomaly in the Divine administration if the connection between godliness and prosperity, ungodliness and misery established in individual men should not also apply to nations of men. The Scriptures clearly prove this to be the case. The annals of the chosen people as they were a righteous or a sinful nation are marked by corresponding exaltation or reproach.

Not the wisdom of policy, military prowess, abundant natural resources or extent of empire, but righteousness exalts a nation. Greece in her proud science and Rome in the zenith of her glory both sunk in the lowest depths of moral degeneration. No nation is immune from the reproach of sin.

Beloved America; a nation highest in the profession of righteousness! For you we rejoice with trembling. You were the home of the Pilgrims; the grace of God has come near you; the Bible and the Law was precious in your midst; you saw the establishment of liberty as the law of the land; you saw the church of Christ extend its reach and circulate the word and preaching of the gospel to the ends of the earth. This is your national exaltation.

But these things are your reproach: the exchange of the doctrines of the Bible for the opinions and traditions of men; the want of a full recognition of God in your public acts; the expulsion of God from the education of your children; the flood of infidelity, lawlessness and ungodliness; the slaughter of the innocents and the demeaning of the sacred institution of marriage.

God is not mocked. Judgment has come upon you, but how can you repent when you will not acknowledge there is a God? What an enemy is the ungodly man to his country! Loudly as he may talk of his patriotism and even though God should make him an instrument of advancing her temporal interest; yet he contributes to her deepest reproach.

Let the remnant in her midst remember their high responsibility. Let them take care in their life to add to her righteousness and not to the sin of the nation. Let them plead for their country‘s true prosperity with humiliation, faith and perseverance from a heart given to prayer. Let Daniel 9 be their pattern for this exercise of Christian patriotism. Let them labor for her exaltation with hearts united around the grace of God fully revealed in Jesus Christ: the Lord our righteousness.

[Adapted from Charles Bridges on Proverbs 14:34]

The power of God had been displayed for the Jews in their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, yet they were willing to return to it rather than face difficulty and uncertainty.

What is it about us humans that we would prefer dependency over liberty?

Dependency for the Jews meant a reliance on a cruel master. They would willingly accept the certainty of dependency over self reliance and the hope of prosperity.

Liberty for the Jews was to rely on the promises of a sovereign God who had demonstrated His goodness and faithfulness in the face of hardship.

No man can serve two masters. We must choose between liberty and dependency; between Christ and the state.

Why must liberty be fought for and once it is gained why is the tendency toward a return to tyranny? What can we learn from the Jews who when led out of bondage in Egypt would soon want to return?

The colonial American’s were motivated by this prayer. They pursued the kingdom of God on earth by submitting to the authority of His revelation in the Bible and applying revealed truth to every area of life. Today we lack their view of the kingdom and the Scriptures. The culture is secular because the churches are no longer salt and light, having compromised the doctrines of Christ for the opinions of men.

What is the kingdom and what is it for the will of God to be done on earth?

Dear friends,

                I have to be honest in saying that the recent election did not turn out as my flesh would have preferred.  Nevertheless, it turned out precisely as I would have expected the Lord to ordain.  And bowing to the Spirit rather than the flesh, I have to say that my great disappointment is not that many of my preferred candidates did not win, but that the church at large has failed to a large extent to be salt and light in a dying world.  Much of the church has been active in conservative politics, but that is not being salt and light.  It would be better in the midst of spiritual, social and economic turmoil for the Christian to be able to say with a clear conscience that he had been true to the word, faithful to his Lord, and zealous in evangelism.  The Apostle Paul wrote that “we are a fragrance of Christ to God, among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” Our task is not to win elections, nor is it to boast in baptisms.  Our task is to be a fragrance of Christ to God.  But to what extent has this been the description of the church in America?

            I am reminded of how the Prophet Habakkuk grieved over the sins of Israel, and then shuddered to see God’s judgment.  He finally came to say,

Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

We have little reason not to say that God has brought judgment to our nation.  And this was the case long before this election.  We are in the crucible; we are in the Refiner’s fire.  Circumstances will grow worse.  But let us be content in what God has done.  For contentment is a matter of priorities and not circumstances.  “Seek ye first the kingdom of God . . .” Let us seek a kingdom which is not of this world. “We know that we are of God, and that the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.” And we cannot anticipate that the church can make any impact on this evil world until it has been purified.  Let us take to heart Paul’s exhortation to Timothy that we take heed to ourselves and our doctrine.  This is not a time for moderation in holiness, nor is it a time for compromise in instruction.  Let us all be pure in word and deed.

"I, _____, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God."

This oath assumes that the President believes that the Constitution is worth defending. Now in the case of a man like Obama who disdains the Constitution, should he be considered a domestic enemy? The Constitution was intended to limit federal power to those things explicitly enumerated in favor of promoting the liberty of We the People and the States. Obama sees this as a fundamental flaw.

But knowledge alone will qualify no person to fill a public station with honor to himself or advantage to others. The greatest abilities — the most extensive knowledge — are capable of abuse; and when misapplied to selfish ambitious purposes, may be improved to the destruction of everything valuable in society.

Fidelity [integrity], therefore, is another essential characteristic in a good ruler. This is a qualification so absolutely essential that when known to be wanting, no conceivable abilities can atone for its absence. Fidelity hath no sure unshaken foundation but in the love and fear of the one true God — that love which extends its benign [gentle] influence to all the creatures of God. This is a branch of that benevolent religion which the Son of God came down from Heaven to establish in the hearts of men on earth; this, when seated in the soul of man, becomes a stable principle of action and will have a habitual influence in all his conduct, whether in public or private life; this will enable rulers to maintain the dignity of their elevated stations amidst the strong temptations with which they may be assaulted, feeling their just accountableness to those of their fellow men who have placed such confidence in them as to entrust them with all their valuable temporal interests — and what is infinitely more, feeling their accountableness to God, they will labor to discharge the important duties of their office, remembering that the day is fast approaching when notwithstanding “they are gods, and children of the Most High, yet they shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes” [Psalm 82:6-7]. Able pious magistrates who wish to answer the end of their appointment will not wish to hide their real characters from the public eye; they will come to the light that their deeds may be manifest [John 3:21].

It is the interest and privilege of an enlightened free people to be acquainted with the characters of their most worthy citizens who are candidates for public offices in the community; and it is equally their interest and privilege to make choice of those only to be rulers who are known among their tribes for wisdom and piety. Following the salutary counsel of the prince of Midian, they will provide out of all the people, able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness [Exodus 18:21].

The wisdom of a people will appear in the election of good rulers.

The peace and happiness of communities have a necessary dependence, under God, upon the character and conduct of those who are called to the administration of government. A bad constitution, under the direction of wise and pious rulers who have capacity to discern [and the] disposition and resolution to pursue the public good, may become a blessing being made to subserve many valuable purposes. But the best constitution committed to rulers of a contrary description may be subverted or so abused as to become a curse and be rendered productive of the most mischievous consequences. The understanding or folly of a people in reference to their temporal interests is in nothing more conspicuous than in the choice of civil rulers. In free states the body of electors have it in their power to be governed well if faithful to themselves and the public in raising those to offices of trust and importance who are possessed of abilities and have merited their confidence by former good services.

http://www.wallbuilders.com/LIBissuesArticles.asp?id=13044

Enacting salutary laws discovers the wisdom and good design of legislators, but the liberty and happiness of the community essentially depend upon their regular execution. The best code of laws can answer no good purposes any further than it is executed. Every member in society is bound in duty to the community, himself, and posterity to use his endeavors that the laws of the state be carried into execution.

Laws point out the existing offices, relations, and dependencies of the community; they serve for the direction, support, and defense of all characters; but considered as restrainers, they more especially respect the unruly members. (I Timothy 1:9,10): “Knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine.”

…the strength and reputation of government doth not a little depend upon the uniformity and stability observed in its administration. Laws, while they remain such, ought to be executed; when found to be useless or hurtful, they may be repealed. To have laws in force and not executed, or to obstruct the natural course of law in a free state, must be dangerous will have many hurtful tendencies, will greatly weaken government, and render all the interests of the community insecure. Liberty, property, and life are all precarious [insecure] in a state where laws cease in their execution. When known breachers of law pass with impunity [without penalty] and open transgressors go unpunished — when executive officers grow remiss in their duty, especially when they connive [wink] at disobedience — all distinctions betwixt virtue and vice will vanish, authority will sink into disrepute, and government will be trampled in the dust — for which reasons (with others that might be named), it must be the wisdom — the indispensable duty of all characters in society — to unite their exertions for the support of righteous laws in their regular administration.

Most men are self worshippers in that they make themselves the authority on truth or some other man. They have judged the God of the Bible and found Him lacking. They do not recognize His authority, nor will they submit to His rule. This is what it means to be in rebellion. Every man does what is right in his own eyes.

The blind faith of the atheists is that the truth they have suppressed about God is not really truth. After all there are many radical naturalists; they cannot all be wrong. Can they?

Christ said that His people hear His voice and they follow Him. He said that love toward Him is demonstrated by keeping His commandments. This is the only valid measure of faith. Many will profess Him, but they will be condemned for practicing lawlessness. Their life is characterized by lawlessness rather than obedience. The only definition of Christian that matters in the one given by Christ.

The faith of the Christian is made evident by his adherence to the Law, for love is the fulfillment of the Law and the definition of what is good.

She is a reminder that the Left doesn’t see the worth and potential of the individual. All they can see is a serf of the state. Those deemed imperfect or unwanted are of no value to the state.

She focuses the differences in world view and exposes the bankruptcy of their pathetic ideology. The worth of men is not measured in their value to the state. Mrs. Palin understands the first thing about man and about the Constitution. Christian or not, all men have infinite worth based on the image they bear of the Personal and Infinite I AM.

Everything else depends on this whether it be the right to life, civil liberty, religious freedom, the right of self defense or the right to own property including the fruits of labor. So, it is of no surprise that those who oppose Mrs. Palin are the same ones opposed to these things that most of us associate with America. They are not only anxious to give away their own liberty, but hate those who oppose them.

The secularists do not like the religious nature of the Founders nor their references to Divine Providence and the Supreme Judge of the earth. Even less do they like the references to the Bible and Christianity.

The religious do not like the flavor of Christianity. They deny the influence of the Reformation and the Great Awakening and of Reformed Theology on the American Revolution and American Constitutionalism. They prefer the pagan philosophers of Greece and Rome over the great Reformers, who are the fathers of western thought and culture.

Denying our heritage has resulted in losing perspective of what motivated the early Americans. Their hope was in the sovereign God who had spoken in the person and work of Jesus Christ. They understood that in Christ there is grace greater than their sin and that liberty was to be found in adherence to the God of Law. What once had accused and condemned them without mercy had now become to them that which is holy, just and good. In Christ they were free of the Law’s condemnation; free to pursue the glory of God in all things including their family, worship, work and community.

Creatures who have risen in rebellion against the holy and perfect government of Jehovah have partial connections [an attachment to their temporal life above their eternal life], selfish interests, passions, and lusts which often interfere with each other and which will not always be controlled by reason and the mild influence of moral motives however great: but these in their external expressions must be under the restraint of law or there can be no peace — no safety among men. Some kind of government is therefore indispensably necessary for the happiness of mankind that they may partake of the security and other important blessings resulting from society which cannot be enjoyed in a state of nature. Without any consideration of the various forms of government which have been adopted in different ages and countries, that may be the best for a particular people which in the view of all their circumstances affords the fairest prospect of promoting righteousness and of securing the most valuable privileges of the community in its administration.

Civil liberty is one of the most important blessings which men possess of a temporal nature — the most valuable inheritance on this side heaven. That constitution may therefore be esteemed on the best which doth most effectually secure this treasure to a community. That liberty consists in freedom from restraint, leaving each one to act as seemeth right to himself, is a most unwise mistaken apprehension [Proverbs 14:12 & 16:25].

Civil liberty consists in the being and administration of such a system of laws as doth bind all classes of men — rulers and subjects — to unite their exertions for the promotion of virtue and public happiness. That happy constitution enjoyed by the Hebrews of which the Supreme Lawgiver was the immediate [author], other than a system of good laws and righteous statutes which limited the powers and prerogatives of magistrates, designated the duties of subjects and obliged each to that obedience to law and exchange of services which tended to mutual benefit. (Deuteronomy 4:8): “And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law which I set before you this day.”

The laws of a state should equally bind every member, whether his station be the most conspicuous or the most obscure. Rulers in a righteous government are as really under the control of law as the meanest [lowest] subject, and the one equally with the other should be subjected to punishment whenever he becomes criminal by a violation of the law. Rewards and punishments should be equally distributed to all, agreeably to real merit or demerit without respect of persons. A constitution founded upon the general and immutable laws of righteousness and benevolence, and corresponding to their particular circumstances, will therefore become a primary object with a wise and understanding people.

This is the perfect model for the Reformation principle of rule of law because it is based on divine Law and knowledge of what is good for man in his fallen state.

This was the view of our forefathers and served as the basis for the American Constitution. We need not look to the pagan philosophy of the Greeks and Romans to serve as the foundation of American constitutionalism. We look to the ancient record of the seed of Abraham, the Old Covenant people of God.

The Hebrew people were given a constitution to distinguish them from the nations of men in their religion, civil policy and security in order to promote their well being and happiness.

The public good was the great object in view, and the most effectual care was taken to preserve the rights of individuals. Proper rewards were promised to the obedient and righteous punishments allotted for the disobedient according to divine law.

Moses exhorted the people to consider the high privilege of being under the government of God through the constitution given to him from God and therefore to pursue obedience to the Laws of God to order to insure their national prosperity under divine protection.

It should be of no surprise that the New Covenant people of God would find their greatest happiness in ordering themselves in civil affairs according to the divine pattern given to the Hebrews. This is what happened in the founding of America. This is what separates America from the other nations. The exhortation that Moses made to the Hebrews applies to us as well.