Lesson One Part Two
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
Proverbs 14:34
1. What is the basic principle of American Federalism?
The legacy of liberty bequeathed to us by all those who helped establish Constitutional government is Christian self-government with voluntary union. This is the basic principle of federalism.
2. What is the greatest threat to our civil and religious liberty from within? The failures of our basic institutions, the home, the church and the school have eroded our capacity for self-government. The decline of Christian character in our nation presents the most serious threat to America’s capacity for self-government.
Sam Adams commented:
A general Dissolution of the Principles and Manners will more surely overthrow the Liberties of America than the whole Force of the Common Enemy.
If Virtue and Knowledge are diffused among the People, they will never be enslaved. This will be their great Security.
3. How do we begin to restore the roots of our “tree of liberty”? We begin with the basic institutions —home, school, church, business. We must return to the Holy Bible as our American Political, Economic, Social, Education and Civic textbook.
Teach the Children:
1. Men live to God when they live in accord with the will of God, to the glory of God and with God working in them.*
That He may live…by the will of God…according to God.
I Peter 4:2,6
2. Virtue (moral goodness) is a habit that trains your will to do well.
Virtue leans towards good.**
Virtue is nothing but voluntary obedience to truth. (Webster’s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language)
The Bible and the Constitution of the United States of America: A Primer of American Liberty, Verna M. Hall and Rosalie J. Slater (The Foundation for American Christian Education, 2012) “Our Heritage of Christian Character and Government”, pp. 14-16.
*The Marrow of Theology, William Ames, translated from the Latin by John D. Eusden, (United Church Press, 1968) p.77.
**Paraphrase from: The Marrow of Theology, William Ames, translated from the Latin by John D. Eusden, (United Church Press, 1968) pp. 224-225.