Duty Calls

Our country was founded on the principle of duty, by men who knew their responsibilities, and were willing to risk everything to carry them out. In 1620, fathers and husbands left England with their families in order to escape a controlling government and tyrannical King. It had nothing to do with money or personal gain. More was lost than homes and possessions as the Mayflower carried 100 pilgrims across the ocean; in the first year at Plymouth half of those that landed had died, and many were sick and weak.

The men on the Mayflower must have had a pretty good reason, and strong resolve to leave their homes and all they had known to find themselves blown off course, until they landed at Plymouth Rock. With lives lost and those landed sick and weary, and without a home, one is caused to wonder how these pilgrims could fall on their knees in thanks to the Creator of all. What was it that drove the men to abandon their homes, and find themselves starting all over again with very little provision or possessions? Certainly leaving one's homeland was the last measure taken in the pursuit of freedom.

The encroachment upon civil liberty and freedom of religion was the reason for coming to the Americas, and the duty to lead their families in truth gave them courage to take action. Imagine the hardship of taming a wild and untamed land, the loneliness of family who died or were left behind, the struggle to start life all over again with nothing. Ease and security were abandoned at the call to duty, and so began the colonies in the Americas.

A Revolution

“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another...” The control of King George extended beyond the seas, restraining the people from the passing of laws, the populating of the land, and also by cutting off trade, imposing taxes, and quartering troops in the Americas in times of peace. He had “plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.”

Was it a desire for power and money that caused the forefathers to proclaim freedom from England, and establish a government? Francis Lewis lost his wife when the British captured her, and she died of sickness not long after being released. Many of the signers, even prior to declaring independence, found themselves living in poverty as they were robbed and their homes destroyed.

A lesser man would have surrendered. Many in our day do; under the pressure to conform to secular political ideas and philosophies. A man's life today does not even have to be threatened for him to collapse under the pressure of a seemingly much larger and stronger foe. But fortunately for those who now call themselves citizens of the United States, the founders stood strong in the face of death and persecution, to fulfill a duty harder than any of us will ever know in our lifetime.

Passion and patriotism were in full display as the founders debated, discussed, and finally came to a mutual decision to declare independence from England. Clergyman spoke on the matters of politics without reservation in the pulpit. Reverend Peter Muhlenberg, in January of 1776, displayed without a doubt that Christians have a duty to fight for freedom; in our Churches, our capitols, and in our battlefields, as he took off his robe one Sunday to display the continental uniform underneath declaring “Now is the time to fight!”. Patrick Henry held nothing back in his address in 1775 when he said “Give me liberty, or give me death!”. They are words that hold more passion in that day than we can understand.

The war we fight

It is 2008. A mere 232 years has passed since the momentous decision was made to declare freedom from foreign countries, and establish a government based on biblical principles. The duty to protect their families and preserve a Christian heritage for their children was clear; the call without question. Today, Christians in America are lacking the conviction and resolve shown in the 1770's. Those who stand against us seem many, and are determined to ruin us and take away our freedoms.

Is our duty too fight and strive for truth in government any less than of those who went before us? Are we in any way less bound to preserve liberty for our future generations, to insure their safety and freedom? That we should have to raise such a question is dishonoring to the sacrifice of the men who gave their lives that we also might fight for the Cross. That we would neglect our calling to pave the way for our children to grow in holiness is a misuse of our God-given rights, and a curse upon our heads.

Friends, we live in fallen world. Freedom is never free. Evil will always wage war against truth. Getting a politician elected to office is hard; taking a stand amongst the jeers and the pressure is humbling, and proclaiming the Word in every area of our lives will arouse the hatred of Satan. Just as a life without proclaiming the word of God is not Christianity, so a freedom without speaking our rights is not free.

Two hundred and thirty two years ago this day, on July 4^th, 1776, a group of ordinary fathers with an extraordinary duty lived out their call to lead in truth. Much was lost, and yet the gain that we enjoy many generations later is a testimony to the providence of God and the wisdom and foresight our founding fathers had as they led their families to do something so hard, and yet so necessary to the preservation and growth of Christianity. May we do no less today, but instead take up the baton passed down to us, and stand even taller upon the shoulders of those who have gone before us, and never fail to give God all the glory.

Happy Independence Day