Ask the Pastor 64

Is the July 4th holiday, Christian?

The most often quoted and the most well-known line from the Declaration of Independence is “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”. On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence from the rule of Great Britain and its king was signed. The Declaration of Independence makes its appeal for justification to the Laws of Nature which appeal is consistent with the thinking of the Enlightenment and the Deist but that is quickly followed up with the acknowledgment of Nature’s God. The right to separate from England is based upon this appeal to the Lord God. They stated that all men are created, therefore, there is a creator and that the right to life has been endowed or comes naturally, a part of being created. Inasmuch as these rights are endowed by the Creator, it is possible to conclude that these rights are also defined by that same Creator. In other words, if killing your neighbor brings you happiness, this does not qualify as an endowed right because it is in direct conflict with the will of the Creator to love your neighbor. They would pledge their lives, fortunes and sacred honor upon the Protection of divine Providence. For many of the signers of this declaration they did indeed lose their fortunes and some lost their lives all the while resting upon the goodness and sovereign will of the Lord God. As a result, a great nation was conceived and born out of suffering and bloodshed, that nation under God. As Christians let us therefore celebrate and give thanks for this country that began with the pledge of being under God and His divine sovereignty.

Have questions about the Bible? Send them to Dr. Greg Koehn at gak4850@gmail.com and read the answer here in this article.