America's 250th Year
- Word Of Life
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
America's 250th Year
Quick Civics Lesson
Declaration of Independence
[Explains why America became a nation]
Constitution of the United States
[Explains how the nation is governed]
1. Legislative branch
2. Executive branch
3. Judicial branch
Bill of Rights
Ideas about liberty, rights, and limited government helped form these Amendments.
• First Amendment [Freedom of Speech/Religion]
• Second Amendment [Guns]
Right to keep and bear arms.
• Fourth Amendment [Search & Seizures]
Warrants for probable cause.
• Fifth Amendment [Plead the 5th]
Due process, No self-incrimination
• Sixth Amendment [Right to an Attorney]
Fair, speedy, impartial jury trial
• 13th Amendment (1865): [No Slavery]
Abolishes any slavery
• 15th Amendment (1870) [Right to Vote]
Prohibits denying based on race
• 18th Amendment (1919) [Prohibition of liquors]
(21st Amendment repeals it)
• 19th Amendment (1920) [Women votes]
• 25th Amendment (1967) [Succession of leadership and procedures]
The adoption of the United States
“Declaration of Independence”
July 4, 1776
[13 Colonies formally declared they were no longer under British rule and were becoming independent states.]
1. Taxation without representation
[Stamp Act 1765 and Tea Act.]
No voting representatives.
2. British control overruled colonial laws and could appoint royal governors.
3. Military occupation and coercion
British troops/police were stationed in the colonies.
4. Restrictions on trade and expansion
Britain regulated colonial trade.
“Big Brother”
Mentions of God in the “Declaration of Independence”
Declaration of Dependence [on God]
1.“Nature’s God”
2.“Creator”
3.“Supreme Judge of the world”
4.“Divine Providence”
[The following slides can be found in the video between
18:20 - 27:45 if you'd like to pause and view.]
Our Priorities
[Make America Christian Again]
1. Spiritual Identity (God First)
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
-Mark 12:30
2. Faith Identity (in Christ)
“Our citizenship is in heaven.”
-Philippians 3:20
Our citizenship of the USA is secondary.
[Other world religions do NOT use the terminology of spiritual “Citizenship”]
3. Relationship Identity
(Family, Job, etc)
What is a “Patriot”
[A person who loves, supports, and is devoted to their country]
• Valuing a nation’s history and ideals.
• Wanting the country to flourish.
• Serving or sacrificing for the common good
• Not defaming national symbols
The Pledge of Allegiance
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands,
one nation [under God]
[Added 6.14.54 by Congress & Dwight D. Eisenhower] indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all.”
“I pledge allegiance
to the Christian Flag,
and to the Savior
for whose Kingdom it stands;
one Savior, crucified, risen,
and coming again,
with life and liberty
for all who believe.”
Freedom “From” not Freedom “To”
[A Calling, not a License] Not a hall pass
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh…”
— Galatians 5:13
it’s part of your identity in Christ.
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
-Galatians 5:2
“As I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ… 19 Their mind is set on earthly things. 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ…”
-Philippians 3:18-20
* Christians honor earthly authorities
(Romans 13)
* Christians have dual citizenship:
1. Earthly citizenship
Responsibilities here
(obey laws, vote, serve, love neighbor)
2. Heavenly citizenship
Loyalty to Jesus
Our greatest hope has never been found in a nation.
Our greatest hope has always been found in heaven.
“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”
-Romans 12:12
“God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”
-Philippians 4:19
“Righteousness exalts a nation,
but sin condemns any people.”
- Proverbs 14:34
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.”
-Psalm 33:12
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