The most oft quoted passage within the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America reads "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". As I have been given cause to ponder these beautiful words, and the state of our union today, I question whether or not we the people have the wisdom and heart to preserve these unalienable rights. For that matter, is life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness rights or blessings granted by our Creator to those who obey Him?
Our nation declares that we are "one nation under God". We are a nation that has opened it's doors to the world and welcome all who seek freedom to come to our shores. The first amendment of the Constitution protects our individual religion and expression. We pride ourselves in our right to chooose how we will live. Within our borders are a multitude of beliefs, faiths and cultures; a true melting pot. But, what is our creator's definition of "one nation under God"?
If we look into the word of God, we read the account of the only nation that was ever called out to be His. The children of Jacob (Israel) were separated as a set-apart people to enter into a covenant with their God, whereby they were to become a nation of kings and priests. Their exodus from Egypt remains one of the most awesome displays of God's power on behalf of any people. I want to focus on two very important aspects of this exodus. First, when they escaped Egypt, a mixed multitude came out with them. Not all who departed Egypt were of the twelve tribes of Israel. People from many different nationalities, no doubt many of them slaves as well, joined themselves to Israel, having witnessed the plagues and the power of God on behalf of his people. They were among the "whosoevers" that John 3:16 speaks of. In Acts 10:34-35 Peter testifies, "Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him".
When this mixed multitude came out with Israel, they became assimilated into the families of Israel, and were considered one with them. Second, and this is very important, upon entering into covenant with the God of Israel, they were accepting the Torah along with the children of Israel. The nation of God is a nation that obeys it's God. God is it's King, priest, judge and lawgiver. They were saved by grace but, in order to remain his people, they were to live as the set-apart people of God by obeying his instructions for righteous living. They would be a blessed people, an example for all nations upon earth. God's ways make no provision for every man doing what is right in his own eyes. God instructed Moses in Ex 12:49, "One law shall be to him that is homeborn, and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you". All were welcome, but were expected to live according to God's ways.
Those who would pursue life, liberty and happiness will only find it by obeying their God. Often we, in Christianity, bristle at the mention of keeping the law or commandments of God. We love to counter with, "We are not under law, but under grace". The King James translators' rendering of the word Torah as law is unfortunate. Torah is not defined as a list of do's and dont's. It means instruction and comes from the root "Yarah", meaning to teach, the point out as aiming the finger, to lay a foundation.
God's Torah is meant to instruct us in the ways of life, liberty and happiness. Jesus, as the living Torah, tells us in the Gospels that he came to give us life, abundant life, John 10:10. He told us that he is the way, the truth and the life, John 14:6. James 1:25 tells us, "But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed". In the beatitudes, the word "blessed" can also be rendered "happy".
When Jesus sets up his kingdom upon the earth, there will be one law, God's Torah. Isa 2:3 prophesies, "And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem".
Only God's ways can bring us real life, liberty and happiness. Disobedience brings destruction and, ultimately death. God saved Israel from Egypt by grace through faith, but then brought them to Sinai to enter into covenant with them, to make them his covenant people. Their subsequent disobedience separated them from their God and resulted in ten tribes being removed from the promised land, finding themselves once again a slave people. The United States would do well to learn from their experience, lest we suffer the same fate.
