Morality has always been a key factor in how a country’s future unfolds. Values and principles have a major role in the decisions people make and how they behave in a society.
A Reminder from History and Our Founding Fathers
History reminds us that from the beginning our great nation was based on religious freedom and a strong dependence on God. Our founding fathers acknowledged that Christianity was the core of our country. John Adams, second president of the United States, stated, “The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity.” John Hancock was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and Governor of Massachusetts. While governor, he called on the state to pray that “All nations may bow to the scepter of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and that the whole earth may be filled with His glory.”
America was Built on Godly Principles
As one investigates the beginning of our nation, the fingerprints of God are unmistakable. Our founding fathers made it clear that their view on morality came from the God of Christianity. The Declaration of Independence has four direct references to God. He is referred to as our Creator, Lawgiver, Judge, and Protector. Our third president, Thomas Jefferson, stated: “The practice of morality is necessary for the well-being of society. He (God) has taken care to impress its precepts so indelibly on our hearts.”
“Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.”
Jeremiah 7:23
America’s Moral and Spiritual Decline
Our nation once had a strong moral fiber and was blessed abundantly for many generations. Regrettably, that path has been changing. Study of the history of civilizations indicates morality always spirals downward when God and His principles are left out of any society.
In 1963 the Supreme Court removed prayer from public schools. Noted historian David Barton made a revealing study on the American time period of 1963–1993. He noted an alarming social trend. Consulting Human and Health Services and the Census Bureau’s statistics, He noted the following information about that thirty-year period:
Single-parent households increased by 25 percent.
Birth rates for unwed teenage girls increased by 300 percent.
The cases of teens having gonorrhea increased by 400 percent.
The number of violent crimes committed increased by 600 percent
(the U.S. currently has the highest
prison population of any free-world
country).
These statistics are a disturbing profile of what happens when God is left out of our society. They illustrate the heavy toll on our culture.
A Solution to America’s
Moral and Spiritual Dilemma
The Bible provides instructions on how we can solve our moral problems in America. Proverbs 14:34 states that God is pleased when nations abide by His righteous values. In Exodus 20:1–17 God revealed His standard for morality when he gave mankind the Ten Commandments.
In 1 Corinthians 6:18–20 we are told that sex outside of marriage is SIN!
In Ephesians 6:1–4 we have instructions for parenting. Parents are responsible for the upbringing of their children in the ways of God. Children are to obey and respect their parents.
God’s moral verdict in Psalm 33:12 is to bless the nation whose God is the Lord.
In Romans 13:1–7 we are given instructions on how to live as responsible citizens. We are to:
• submit to our governing authorities,
• do what is good in society, and
• pay our taxes.
The Place of Prayer in Society
The Bible exhorts us to pray for one another and for our leaders and all those in authority so that we might live in peace (1 Timothy 2:1–2).
God is honored when we pray and worship Him for who He is and what He has done for us.
America Must Turn to God
The Bible tells us that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on a cross for our sins. Three days later Jesus was raised from the dead, and now He offers all who believe in Him the gift of everlasting life.
Change in America can come about only when we turn to God for help. Since God is the author of morality, we must make Him a significant part of our lives. That begins when we place our trust in Jesus Christ.
Don Anderson
Are you willing to allow God to make a difference in your life and see change come about in America? Then place your trust in Jesus Christ today and receive Him as your Savior. The Bible says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).