In the United States of America, God’s law is being removed from the halls of government. It is not by popular vote, but by the law of man that this action is justified. How far has America come as one nation under God? How far will America fall should she step aside from this call?
To look upon a US dollar bill, one will see two printed statements “This Note is legal tender for all debts. Public and private.” and “In God We Trust.” If one were to look upon a credit card, they will see neither statement. They will see a name and a number which is assigned to that name. They will see the name of the credit card company and they will see an expiration date.
These things are very important. The value of a grain of rice when used in trade is its ability to nourish the body. What is the value of the dollar bill? what is the value of credit?
Based simply on what is printed on the dollar bill, i deduce that the value of the bill is based on God’s ability to back it up. I deduce that i am legally permitted to use this note for trade in the US. Looking upon the credit card i deduce names and numbers. The credit card itself is worth nothing for trade, nor is the dollar bill. It is what these things represent that determine their value.
In matters of law, the word trust refers to “confidence placed in a person by making that person the nominal owner of property to be held or used for the benefit of one or more others.” When our dollar bill says in “In God We Trust,” We The People are making a binding statement that the value of the dollar bill is owned by God.
The credit card is a different story. The ownership of value in that credit card is three fold. There is a trust that the card holder has in the credit company, that the card will allow them to purchase items. There is a trust the seller has in the card company, that the the transaction will be reimbursed. And there is a trust the credit company has in the card holder that they will pay back what was lent by the card company.
How will the card holder pay back the credit company? Will they pay in cash? a check? or a transfer of funds? will they pay with another credit card? will they wash dishes at the credit card company for a number of years?
More often, these days, companies are paying their employees electronically. Come pay day, a set amount of money appears in said employee’s bank account. Often times, card holders pay their bills, including their credit card bills, electronically. The terms and conditions of “In God We Trust” is not used in any such transaction.
I move now to our tax system. If a government taxes its people, who owns that money? If the democratic republic of the united states is a government “of the people, by the people, for the people” then those tax dollars belong to the people. The government is merely a delegated group of people who steward those funds for the benefit of the people. I ask, in this system, whose trust is placed in whom?
Is the value of the dollar placed in the government, the people, or God?
What i see happening is that the government is trusting the American people to pay the debt. Simultaneously, reference to God in our public places are being removed. The laws and standards of the Ten Commandments and the Bible are being stricken from the halls of government. No longer are we being governed, based in the laws of God, but in the laws of man. No longer are we trusting in God, but slowly our trust is being placed in man.
Again i ask– if America came this far while echoing the Law of God in her halls of justice, and claiming a trust in God upon her money, How far will America fall should she abandon these principles so vital to the well being of her people.
March 8th, 2009 at 2:22 pm
I can’t argue that things aren’t happening, but have a different view about a Christian’s involvement in these matters…
First, you take issue with the fact that “one nation under God” is being removed from our governance. It’s worth noting that some of the Jews wanted to make Jesus a king, but He escaped from them, not wanting to become a natural king… why? Because he wasn’t interested (or called) to become the ruler of a nation, but He wanted (and was called) to rule in the hearts and souls of individual men, women and children. He wanted to have a family of believers for himself.
So, as much as we have wanted, as a collective nation to be under God’s rule (honourable as it is), God has not asked to rule over any particular nation… only that men, women and children everywhere would fear Him, believe on Jesus and love His family.
Just as the laws of a nation cannot create faith or inspire love, so the laws of a nation cannot destroy faith or destroy love. The nations are but dust in God’s sight, and that includes our own. We have many special blessings in this country, and we are to be thankful for the blessings and privileges that we do have.
It should come as no surprise, then, when people in the world (unbelievers) do things contrary to God’s law, because it has been prophecied since the beginning of time that the world would take their own way, and even puff themselves up in pride against God.
Should it disappoint us? Sure, just as it disappointed Jesus when He walked on this earth. But is it our duty to change that? No, just as it wasn’t Jesus’ duty to change or join the political landscape. He focused on instructing and teaching the religious people of his day, with the ultimate goal of finding lost sheep and calling together a family. Which leads us to the second issue that you mention…
You take issue with the fact that our economic system is not founded on trust in God. It’s a fact that the success of any economic system is based partly on the ability of market participants to trust each other. Nowhere is it important for a successful economic system to have trust in God. The argument could be made, however, that those who trust God are more trustworthy themselves.
Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers in the temple. We don’t read of him lecturing the Roman empire about corruption in their government, but instead he was concerned about corruption of His Father’s place of worship… the temple, the church. Jesus even said “render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s”, implying that money doesn’t belong to God, and God doesn’t care about money… those things are the tools of man, and He doesn’t need money, much less does He want to back it up.
And with the tax system, it is absolutely scriptural to pay tribute to whom tribute is due. In the New Testament era, there were some horrible, morally disgusting and harsh leaders. Paul’s instruction to believers was to “pay tribute to whom tribute is due”. Period.
Yes, the world is trusting in man. This is nothing new, and it is all accounted for in the plan of God. We cannot change the course of this world and of unbelievers, nor is it our duty to do so. Instead we are to focus on preparing the bride of Christ (the church) and ourselves (a member) for the day of redemption.
Only God knows when that day is… He is waiting for the fields to be ripe for harvest (the fruit of the believers), a perfect bride to be ready (the church), and he is concerned with the affairs of His kingdom (a spiritual kingdom made up of believers).
March 9th, 2009 at 3:00 am
“In God We Trust” is printed on the coinage of the federal reserve. it is not a motto of the United States Government. To me the governance of the United States of America is just that, a governance. It is an agreement among people to coexist under certain guidelines, and those people select certain peers to oversee the matters of their common defense, general welfare and protection of inherent rights. If you could name for me the members of the federal reserve, perhaps then we could delve deeper into this matter. Until then, i am simply pointing out that “trust” is in fact an economic term, and that the coinage of the USA says “In God We Trust.” mind you this coinage is not based on a gold standard… if not a gold standard, then upon which standard is it based?
In terms of Nations, i would suggest that the USA is unique in that it is a nation whose core identity and constitution are based in self governance by a free people. We have no king. this allows Christ to be our King. i would argue that the USA, at its best, is a framework within which the kingdom of God can co-exist with unbelievers in relative peace. i base this on the parable of weeds being planted with the wheat, and with paul’s writing that believers should not hold unbelievers accountable to the Word, for they do not have relationship with God.
In terms of our nation honoring God, i believe God will honor those who honor Him. i believe this nation is a collection of communities, whose people honor God or do not honor God. I believe those communities have the right to sort it out among them, so long as they do not violate each others rights. I believe Daniel honored God, but Israel was destroyed. I believe that in the USA, the people have a role in determining public policy, and that the policy of any nation will either honor or not honor God.
my deeper concern is that the relative peace that has existed among these fifty states for such a long time is something to be noted. We have been at peace with canada and mexico for many years. we have protected the people within our borders, and sought justice in protecting nations outside our borders on a number of occasions. these things have not occurred without bloodshed, nor is our nation innocent from injustice. we have however, as a people, consistently moved forward, and i believe the Grace and Mercy of God has been upon the Union of these many States, because of our repentance and pursuit of justice.
i could agree with you and not care about the policies and future of the USA, however i care too much for the residents of the USA– both believers and unbelievers. Christ died for all man’s sin, and as far as i know, He asked that we minister to all men.
I do not wish to condemn, but discern. If it is better that my child live in a clean home than a polluted home, than i believe it is my duty to investigate the source of the pollution. The question of what a pollutant is and what right i have to remove it is an age old question.
March 9th, 2009 at 3:15 am
ps- thanks for the reply :o) i look forward to your thoughts!
March 13th, 2009 at 1:58 pm
Likewise my goal is to discern, that is a worthy goal.
First, I don’t think we have any disagreement with what is happening.
And yes, it is important to be a concerned and good citizen of our country and to care about the welfare of our state (just as it’s important to be a responsible member in our household and a Godly helper to our neighbors). And I would agree. That is Godly. I didn’t intend to imply that we should not care.
Furthermore, in the Old Testament David and Solomon were kings of Israel, and Joseph and Daniel were cabinet members of foreign nations.
Now, I think we can agree that in the New Testament, Jesus was focused on a spiritual kingdom. At one point He said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.” Also, many many other times He makes reference to the fact that His kingdom is not of this world.
That doesn’t mean He didn’t care about the kingdoms. Judging by the New Testament letters, He very definitely would have prayed for the nations, that God’s will would be carried out. Also, many believers in the New Testament were put on trial, and even witnessed to the kings and those in authority. And the church was admonished to keep pure from the wrong influences that were around them in the world.
I can’t say that it’s wrong to be involved in worldly politics. And yes, it is good to care. Yes, I believe that God honors those who honor him. And we both know and realize that we have an entirely individual choice to make about whether or not to honour God. I firmly believe that.
Now, this may sound radical… but I do not think, since the New Testament days, that if a nation honors God that will stop the course of His plans for the nations. It comes back to the notion that disasters are a punishment for sin. In the Old Testament I would say that was true, however, in the New Testament Jesus brought a new age. Just as I think that disaster and hardship can come to anyone and everyone regardless of their faith in God, I think the same applies to nations.
Rather, I believe that God protects His people from spiritual disaster (the power of Satan to destroy faith and ruin love). Job was an example of “bad things happening to good people”… the result was a test of his faith, but he was not being punished for any evil that he had done. Likewise, when bad things happen to unbelievers, the result may be to bring them closer to God, but it’s not punishment for any evil that they have done.
There is a day of punishment, but now is the day of mercy. The “bad things” happen by the hand of man and Satan, as allowed by the plan of God, but God’s hand is held out to save and to bless.
We both know (and I’m glad we’re on the same page about this), that I’m not right, and that you’re not right. But rather that Christ is right. And that is true wisdom. And that is life. And that is power.