In recognition of our country’s 250th anniversary, this is the second of two columns by Dr. Leroy Goertzen.
“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.”
Americans love liberty! The ideals of freedom are almost synonymous with the nation itself. Around the world, people equate liberty with the United States. Today, nearly 7 billion people live in some form of democratic republic, with only six countries denying democracy. This was not the world in 1776. To some extent, the liberty the modern world has come to experience is owed to the American experiment.
Similarly, freedom is why America has been an immigrant nation, beginning with the Pilgrims landing on the shores of Cape Cod aboard the Mayflower in 1620. No, they didn’t come strictly for religious freedom. They had already secured that in Leiden, Holland, after escaping from England. They sought an even broader freedom—self-government, the ability to create a world of their own making, including the establishment of communities with institutions that supported and encouraged spiritual and moral principles.
Since then, the US has remained the leading destination globally for international migrants. Since 1965, over 70 million immigrants have established residence in the US. In 2022, immigrants constituted nearly 14% of the population, totaling 46 million people. Regardless of individual views on immigration today, it is undeniable that the US’s opportunity for religious, economic, and political freedom makes it a top choice worldwide.
There is reason to wonder, however, whether the liberties Americans themselves seek today are the same as those our distant ancestors pursued. Personally, I’m quite certain they are not. Our language and attitudes have changed. We are more inclined to use the word “rights.” There is an air of entitlement. The rights we seek become deeply personal without keen awareness of their social impact today and on future generations. Today, rights seem to focus on personal choices that advance our desires and self-centered interests. Rights focus on personal independence, autonomy, and self-determination, such as the right to demand that others address them by their preferred pronoun.
What did the generation of the American Revolution understand liberty and freedom to be? What freedoms were they willing to sacrifice their lives for? How did this concept of liberty become so deeply ingrained in their consciousness, as scattered and diverse colonial societies?
A providential view of history suggests our Founding Fathers sought a liberty rooted in a Christian worldview, supported by over two centuries of biblical teachings. From the Mayflower Compact of the Separatist Puritans in Plymouth Colony in 1620 to the preaching of George Whitefield, the Wesleys, and Jonathan Edwards (1720-1750), there was a vast river of grace, with countless tributaries nourishing the colonies with the gospel that true liberty is found in Christ alone.
This message united the diverse colonies, fostering spiritual, moral, and social renewal. Even the religious skeptic Benjamin Franklin, walking through the streets, observing hymn singing and prayer gatherings, remarked that the colonies had grown altogether religious.
For the first time, the colonies shared more than trade; they were united in an experience of true liberty. This unity strengthened their resolve to face the looming threat of war with England. The Great Awakening not only fostered religious unity but also promoted political unity among the colonies. Having experienced spiritual rebirth and liberation from sin, the colonists embraced a life of freedom.
They followed Jesus’ teachings: “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (Jn 8:34-36). Consequently, these free-minded colonists sought liberty beyond the soul, which for them meant liberation from their overseas oppressor – King George. A prominent Revolutionary War motto was “No King but King Jesus!”
American patriot Patrick Henry echoed the sentiment of many a colonist: “Were my soul trembling on the wing of eternity, were this hand freezing to death, were my voice choking with the last struggle, I would still, with the last gasp of that voice, implore you to remember the truth: God has given America to be free.”
Again, what distinguishes our generation’s pursuit of liberty from that of the 1776 patriots? Could it be the integration of spirituality and morality advocated in the Scriptures? In their view, freedom was inseparable from the gospel, which worked to transform sinners into saints.
If only we could grasp this inseparable bond between true liberty and God’s moral principles. Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (Jn 8:31-32) True freedom comes from knowing and living the truth—which results from obeying Jesus’ teaching. Much of the clamor for rights in our day has little or nothing to do with truth or seeking to follow Jesus more closely. Often, the rights we seek lead only to greater bondage because they satisfy our fleshly nature.
But let’s not forget the nature of this struggle; freedom from tyranny was paid for with their blood. Hence, Patrick Henry would exhort his fellow citizens: “Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.” (Patrick Henry) Let’s not forget: Jesus chose death so that we might experience ultimate and eternal freedom.
