Commentary
America – the land of the
free and home of the brave?
by Stephen Brown, the Layman, October 15, 2010
There is no doubt that many Americans are very brave. But what about free? Freedom in America is being rapidly eroded. This is not a political commentary. I am not promoting one candidate or one political party over another. But let’s face it – for decades the liberty and freedom that America was founded upon has been slipping away. Consider what J. Gresham Machen wrote in 1923 in his book Christianity and Liberalism. Machen was professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary.
The whole development of modern society has tended mightily toward the limitation of the realm of freedom for the individual man. The tendency is most clearly seen in socialism; a socialistic state would mean the reduction to a minimum of the sphere of individual choice. Labor and recreation, under a socialistic government, would both be prescribed, and individual liberty would be gone. … It never seems to occur to modern legislatures that although “welfare” is good, forced welfare may be bad. In other words, utilitarianism is being carried out to its logical conclusions; in the interest of physical well-being the great principles of liberty are being thrown ruthlessly to the winds.
Eighty-seven years ago socialism was rearing its ugly head. I suppose it has been around as long as there have been over-ambitious politicians. But now it is right in our face with the erosion of our individual freedoms having reached a point that the masses are starting to clearly see it. Politicians of both parties are losing their seats of power if they support big government and if they hold the belief that government is the answer to all our problems.
Those in power who are unaccountable to their constituents and who are fiscally irresponsible are seeing a new and strong movement of opposition that was heretofore silent. These politicians are viewed as oppressors and responsible for the loss of our civil liberties.
One of the most momentous historic shifts in the balance of political power will likely happen this November. I contend it is primarily because the citizenry see this as a freedom issue and they see truthfulness rarely in their elected officials.
Christ came not only to save us from our sins, but to save us from the oppression that we inflict upon ourselves.
Many lessons from our Lord deal with how we are to relate to one another along with the importance of truth and freedom. In John 8:31-32, He told us:
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
The great blessings of freedom and liberty that God has bestowed upon America have come because He was integral in our founding and because the framers of our government looked to Him for guidance. It is imperative for Christians to be heard when we as a country move away from our founding principles – when truth and freedom are “thrown ruthlessly to the winds.”
There are those who say there must be a complete separation of church and state – that it is improper for church leaders to have any voice in what is happening in government. They are misguided, wanting to separate God from the government He authorized in the first place. God is not only in charge of the church but everything in the universe including civil governments. As Paul says in Romans 13:1-2:
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
As Christians we are called to be obedient to God and to the state. We are to earnestly obey the state unless the state orders us to do something against God’s commandments or prohibits us from following God’s way. We shall obey God even when it means we must disobey the state to do so.
Certainly there is a problem if the state and church cannot be separately identified, such as the case in Europe in the past and in certain Islamic countries today. After all this was one of the primary motives of the early Americans – to form a country without a government controlled church. Church and state are institutions with distinct responsibilities. The church is to preach the Gospel, minister to society and administer the sacraments. It is to be the “conscience” of the nation. The state is to govern by the rule of law established by and for the people through representatives, protect life and property and raise taxes to carry out its function. Neither institution is to infringe upon the other’s authority. God cannot be compartmentalized and removed from His creation. Likewise He has called His children to contribute to society in a productive way (including government), but to be set apart and not of the world.
A few quotes on freedom make these points much more eloquently than I can possibly offer:
- Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves. – Abraham Lincoln
- Freedom prospers when religion is vibrant and the rule of law under God is acknowledged. – Ronald Reagan
- Man is not free unless government is limited. – Ronald Reagan
- Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed … – The Declaration of Independence.
Again, this is not a political commentary. I am not suggesting whom you should vote for. I do encourage you to vote and to know the position of candidates on issues that relate to our individual freedoms and liberties. I encourage you to unceasingly pray for our country and for the leaders of our country. And if you share my concerns over a loss of freedom, don’t hesitate to speak to your neighbors while we still have freedom of speech.
Stephen G. Brown is an elder at First Presbyterian Church of Haines City, Florida. He is chairman of the Board of Directors and chief executive officer of the Presbyterian Lay Committee.