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We should carefully take in the words of the Father of our country, George Washington.  In his first inaugural address he stated words of such wisdom that they should sober and inspire every one of us who are Americans.  If heeded, they will inspire us to become an instrument in the hands of Almighty God for the good of our children and the entire earth.

Just after Washington took the oath of office to defend and uphold the newly written Constitution of the United States, he spoke these words of wisdom:

“We ought to be no less persuaded that the…smiles of Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards the eternal rules of order and right which Heaven itself has ordained; …the preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government are justly considered as…perhaps finally, staked [with] the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people….”

(Tim LaHaye, Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth & Hyatt., 1987), pp.63-64, 107)

Let’s look carefully at Washington’s words, since they spell out for us the way of success in the effort to pass the torch of liberty to our children.

Washington tells us that God will not smile on this nation if we disregard His “eternal rules of order and right.”  We can expect the blessing of God if we are willing to walk in His Word.  But if we neglect or rebel against it, we can expect only misery and eventually slavery to a dictator.  All our forefathers believed this.  Patrick Henry later wrote on the back of his copy of The Stamp Act Resolves:

“This brought on the war which…gave independence to ours. Whether this will prove a blessing or a curse, will depend upon the use our people make of the blessings, which a gracious God hath bestowed on us.  If they are wise, they will be great and happy… Righteousness alone can exalt them as a nation. Reader!  Whoever thou art, remember this; and in thy sphere practice virtue [yourself], and encourage it in others.”

(John Eidsmoe, Christianity and the Constitution – The Faith of Our Founding Fathers (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, A Mott Media Book, 1987; 6th printing, 1993), p. 302.)

These words should determine our actions concerning abortion, homosexuality, transgenderism, sex outside of marriage, or any other social issue we face.

Next Washington identifies liberty as a “sacred fire.”  In other words it is a fire that naturally burns in the heart of every individual God has created.  We are to treat it as a precious treasure entrusted to us by Jesus Christ, the author of liberty.  Our children’s liberty or enslavement is literally in our hands!

Thirdly, Washington calls America, a “republican model of government.”  He’s not referring to a modern political party here.  He is using the word “Republican” as all the Founders did:  A government in which law, based on the law of God, is chosen by the people’s representatives to be the highest authority in the land.  This is in direct opposition to the idea of democracy, which is a government in which the people’s will is the highest authority.  Our Founders distrusted man’s will because of the sin principle at work in it.  They trusted only the ideas taught in the Bible as the rock on which a republic could be built.  If liberty is to continue, we must return to the Bible as the book we live by in America.

Lastly, Washington tells us that liberty on this earth will, most likely, live or die with us.  By living morally or immorally, Americans will determine whether or not the world experiences liberty.

Will you preserve the “sacred fire” of liberty?  Or will your selfishness drowned it out?

Think about it; because if you don’t, someone else will do your thinking for you—and for your children!  And you won’t like what that brings to you.  I’m Don Pinson; this has been Think About It.