Righteousness – It Guides A Nation

A nation without a moral compass is one devoid of liberty. Any country that allows the wanton enslavement, murder, and taxation of its citizens is one in violation of the laws of Nature and Nature’s God. The purpose of government is to protect the unalienable rights of the people. What does that word, unalienable mean (now known as in modern English as inalienable)?

Random House Dictionary defines it as “not transferable to another or capable of being repudiated.” Rights cannot be given nor denied by the government. Any law that violates the unalienable rights of the people is an immoral law; it is an un-law. John Locke was a 17th Century philosopher who greatly influenced our Founding Fathers. He wrote this about natural law and natural rights:

    “The obligations of the Law of Nature cease not in society, but only in many cases are drawn close, and have, by human laws, known penalties annexed to them to enforce their observation. Thus the Law of Nature stands as an eternal rule to all men, legislators, as well as others. The rules that they make for other men’s actions must…be conformable to the Law of Nature, i.e. to the will of God, of which that is a declaration, and the fundamental Law of Nature being the preservation of mankind, no human sanction can be good or valid against it.”

In other words, Locke is saying any law that violates Natural Law is neither good or valid. It is an un-law. That is why nations need righteous rulers, rulers who fear God and will rule over His people in order to protect them:

    “Now therefore, be wise, O kings; be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” (Psalm 2:10-11)

Looking forward to the messianic reign, King Solomon wrote of the type of ruler God expects:

    “Give the king Your judgments, O God, and Your righteousness to the king’s Son. He will judge Your people with righteousness, and Your poor with justice. The mountains will bring peace to the people, and the little hills, by righteousness. He will bring justice to the poor of the people; he will save the children of the needy, and will break in pieces the oppressor.” (Psalm 72:1-4)

Jesus is our model for all things in life. And the Bible is our instruction manual for life here on earth…call it basic instructions before leaving earth. Anything outside of God’s righteousness is wholly unacceptable in His eyes:

    “It is an abomination for kings to commit wickedness, for a throne is established by righteousness. Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and they love him who speaks what is right.” (Proverbs 16:12-13)

Some may be thinking, “Yeah, but what about separation of church and state?” My answer? What about it? The Bible was believed to be a blessing by those who founded our nation and those who influenced those founders. Read carefully Locke’s words:

    “The Bible is one of the greatest blessings bestowed by God on the children of men. It has God for its author; salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture for its matter. It is all pure, all sincere; nothing too much, nothing wanting.”

What more can mankind need or want as a guide? Moral relativism has destroyed the virtue of our nation and only a return to absolute truth as our guide will we recover as a country. I wrote in my book, “Understanding Evangelicals: A Guide to Jesusland,” about the need for absolute truth :

    “It’s really quite a simple concept. When you have and agree with a fundamental standard to live by, outside of your personal opinion, you can actually determine whether something is right or wrong. Why? Because as we agreed upon at the start of this chapter, absolute truth is something that is true at all times, to all people, everywhere. It’s like having a morality ruler, you can measure truth with it.”

We long ago threw out our morality ruler for anything goes. We are now living in the time of the Book of Judges where every man does what is right in his own eyes.

We think free will unleashed is true freedom. It is the opposite; it is bondage. True liberty comes from righteousness.

More on that tomorrow…

In Christ
Dave
Ps. 37:4

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    Copyright © 2012 David Jeffers

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