In may last posting I introduced you to what I am calling the five pillars of restoration. These are five principles that I believe need to be restored in order for us to succeed as a nation of liberty. I am now going to continue the series by delving into each principle in turn throughout separate postings.
The five principles that I introduced to you in my last posting were faith, family, truth, education and law. Today I am going to focus on the first point: Faith.
It is integral to our nation’s survival that we keep faith in God as a unifying factor amongst the people. It has been shown time and time again that a nation who glorifies God is always more successful then a country that does not. This is why I chose Proverbs 29:18 as the theme verse for this pillar:
“A nation without God’s guidance is a nation without order. Happy are those who keep God’s law!” (Today’s English Version)
If you compare America to any other country, especially those run by Communist or Marxist regimes of which the common factor is atheism, and you will find that America is supreme in areas such as military strength, economic prosperity, and individual liberties. I firmly believe that the benefits that our country has reaped over the centuries are due to the profound faith that the majority of Americans have in God. Virtually all of the Founding Fathers were Christians, and they made it plain by their writings that this was an integral part of their positions on issues in the areas of government, natural rights, and economics.
Take, for example, this excerpt from one of George Washington’s personal prayers:
“O Most Glorious God, in Jesus Christ, my merciful and loving Father; I acknowledge and confess my guilt in the weak and imperfect performance of the duties of this day. I have called on Thee for pardon and forgiveness of my sins, but so coldly and carelessly that my prayers are become my sin, and they stand in need of pardon.”
“ I have sinned against heaven and before Thee in thought, word, and deed. I have contemned Thy majesty and holy laws. I have likewise sinned by omitting what I ought to have done and committing what I ought not. I have rebelled against the light, despising Thy mercies and judgment, and broken my vows and promise. I have neglected the better things. My iniquities are multiplied and my sins are very great. I confess them, O Lord, with shame and sorrow, detestation and loathing and desire to be vile in my own eyes as I have rendered myself vile in Thine. I humbly beseech Thee to be merciful to me in the free pardon of my sins for the sake of Thy dear Son and only Savior Jesus Christ who came to call not the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Thou gavest Thy Son to die for me.”
“Make me to know what is acceptable in Thy sight, and therein to delight, open the eyes of my understanding, and help me thoroughly to examine myself concerning my knowledge, faith, and repentance, increase my faith, and direct me to the true object, Jesus Christ the Way, the Truth, and the Life, …”
[from a 24 page authentic handwritten manuscript book dated April 21-23, 1752
And yet some say that the Founding Fathers were not religious. But I digress. Sure their approaches to God differed, but they all had one thing in common, and that was their faith in God. Don't get me wrong, I am not preaching universalism. I believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light, and that no one can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:16).
However, the majority of early Americans did have faith in God.
The majority of Christians today have a faith in God as well. Or at least that is what they tell surveyors who ask them if they do. The following is an excerpt from a 2004 Political Landscape Report by the Pew Research Center:
America remains an intensely religious nation and, if anything, the trend since the late 1980s has been toward stronger religious belief. Eight-in-ten Americans (81%) say that prayer is an important part of their daily lives, and just as many believe there will be a Judgment Day when people will be called before God to answer for their sins. Even more people (87%) agree with the statement "I never doubt the existence of God."
While one's projected religious belief does not always reflect their standing insofar as a personal relationship with God is concerned, this report nevertheless gives me hope for America's future. For the full report click here:
The bottom line is that without God, we will fail. It is imperative to our success as a nation that we restore our trust in Him. Did you know that at the top of the national monument is inscribed the words Laus Deo (Praise be to God)? If we can restore that national trust in God ,then everything else will fall into place. This is why I have placed faith in God as the 1st pillar of American Restoration. I have a plan for these five pillars, which is why I am pursuing this topic in this specific order with an overview of all five pillars, proceeded with an article on each pillar in turn. Until next time: Laus Deo!