The Only Total Liberation
Men and women formed the thirteen colonies as they settled in the New World and claimed independence from England. However, before their Independence Day and before they even stepped off the Mayflower, (when the settlers first arrived) they signed a document of freedom, the Mayflower Compact of 1620.
As “free” people, what would that look like—back then, and what does this “freedom” look like—now, in the modern-day world?
Freedom Back Then:
As free people, they would work for their own good and that of their families. The Bible would continue to be their guiding source. When so many died that first winter, they could have given up hope and sailed back to their homeland; however, springtime brought hope. This blessing came walking into the settlement and bore the name Samoset. Even though a Native American, he spoke English learned by fishermen who had traveled to the Cape Cod area. Samoset was a breath of fresh air because he taught the earlier settlers how to hunt, plant, and fish. An additional blessing was his English-speaking friend Squanto, who showed the early colonists how to survive in this newfound wilderness.
Hope is a precious commodity and refuge, then and even now.
The psalmist David wrote:
“But let all who take refuge in You be glad,
(The Psalms 5: 11 NASB)
Let them ever sing for joy;
And may You shelter them,
That those who love Your name may exult in You.”
When Captain Miles Standish sailed back toward England the next April 1621, not one survivor from the Mayflower journey decided to return to England with him, and by fall, those pilgrims had harvested the corn crop, a catalyst for the first Thanksgiving, a three-day celebration of feasting, dancing, singing, and praying. With remarkable success, those diligent men and women of faith were dedicated to their freedom.
What did this “freedom” look like—then?
Over the next 150 years, thousands of people crossed the Atlantic to become part of the early colonies. However, King George III took the throne of England, and everything changed. Rather than encouraging pilgrims to cross the Atlantic to the new world, he devised barriers. Instead of freedom by the people, he sought to re-establish the European law, reestablishing freedom by the monarchical government. The king went so far as to impose martial law on the American colonies and exorbitant taxes: The Stamp Act, the Intolerable Acts, the Townshend Acts, and the Boston Tea Party led to battles, and those scrimmages led to the formation of a committee made up by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. That action led to the composition of The Declaration of Independence, what has been called “the greatest document in political history.”
Penned by Thomas Jefferson over a seventeen-day period, the document, a composition of 1,320 words, proclaimed the ideals of equality, unalienable rights, the consent of the governed, and the right to abolish tyranny. Jefferson wrote: “All men are created equal” with the rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Signed by delegates of the Constitutional Convention on July 4, 1776, that document laid the foundation of the nation.
As “free” people, what would that look like—back then, and what does this “freedom” look like—now, in the modern-day world?
Freedom Now:
Many years ago, I traveled to Williamsburg, Virginia with my mother and daughter to watch a live drama over a span of several days, one that played out the birth of our nation. It was a love affair for my mother and me but one of tolerance for my incredibly young daughter. Nonetheless, during that time, it was easy to see the dramatized turmoil in the streets and hear the unrest voiced.
FREEDOM is worth fighting for, a fight that eventually brings peace. Nevertheless, to have a free society, one must work hard to bring goodness, beauty, and truth to families and communities.
The apostle Paul wrote to the believers living in Rome:
“Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities.
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 13: 1 NASB)
For there is no authority except from God,
and those which exist are established by God.”
Government authority is given by God and protected by humanity, for a totally-free liberation could be dissolved, just as it was established, UNLESS it rests upon the shoulders of Almighty God who gives goodness, neighborly love, and liberty. Religious liberty is a conviction that our “unalienable rights” come NOT from the government BUT by GOD. Our rights are merely protected by a human government.
We are now preparing to celebrate 250 years as a nation for these reasons and why we hang our flags, lift our banners, march in parades, shoot off fireworks, and stand to our feet for the national anthem.
It is for the national pride and for the deep gratitude Americans feel toward their founding fathers and nation.
Yet it is primarily for the God we serve, who protects our freedom. In standing for our Religious Freedom, we stand for the protection of the sanctity of human life, for human dignity, and for the will of Christ who is our very life.
“Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath,
(The Letter of Paul to the Romans 13: 5-6 NASB)
but also for conscience’ sake.
For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God,
devoting themselves to this very thing.”
Thus, when you feel like you are drowning in an ocean of stress, or when the nation seems to run amuck, remember your Savior walks on water. Recall how Jesus walks with us always, even when we are unaware. Do not forget that God is present with us, even in the gentle whisper, challenging us, sometimes making us uncomfortable, asking each of us to do what we would not dare to do unless compelled by His Holy Spirit to do so. It was the prophet Isaiah who penned these words:
“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
(The Book of Isaiah 43:2 NASB)
And through the rivers, they will not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched,
Nor will the flame burn you.”
So, in honor of this semi-quincentennial, may we walk through every book of the Bible, seeing Jesus—In Every Book.
It is there, within the Scriptures, that we are propelled (much as the early colonists) to take a stand, to go, and to proclaim freedom for all—through Jesus. It is the ONLY TOTAL LIBERATION, the freedom Jesus offers, the salvation of God that sets one free from the ultimate foe—DEATH.
Freedom—THEN & NOW.
So, as we prepare to celebrate our nation’s freedom, let us also celebrate the liberty Jesus brings. Might we yield our plans to God as we shine His light in the world and proclaim Jesus to all who will listen. May we give ourselves to the Lord, surrendering our lives to Him as He brings healing, hope, life, and liberty. Yes, America has been established for 250 years, and we pray that liberty and courage will bind us together as we march toward the next 250. Our founding fathers realized that without God, our hard-fought for “unalienable” rights could be taken. May we devote ourselves to the Father, realizing that God chose His people before the foundation of the world.
GOD IS THAT BIG!
HE CREATES NATIONS AND HIS PEOPLE.