All freedom comes from God. The truest most perfect freedom existed only in the Garden of Eden. Ever since, the pride of mankind has caused power and authority to concentrate with time, resulting in the progressive loss of freedom. The nearly inescapable end result is tyranny. The loss of freedom has been experienced in all cultures and political systems throughout recorded history. When freedom exists to any extent, it will be lost unless it is fervently and aggressively protected, by the people (YOU). Consider the flow:
“…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” 2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV
“Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” Galatians 5:1 KJV
All civilizations begin in a condition of chaos and anarchy with no external control by government or any other authority. Consider what might happen if you went down in a commercial airliner crash and became part of 100 survivors stranded on a remote uncharted island with no means of communication and little chance of rescue.
You and the other survivors initially work together for survival determining how to meet the immediate needs for food and shelter. Soon, however, disagreements break out, tending to escalate with time. At some point, a council of volunteers or elected members forms to draft guidelines for assuring more harmonious living among the survivors.
The guidelines prohibit certain actions and mandate others. But the voluntary guidelines are only partially effective and conflict continues. A mechanism is designed and designated people are given the authority to monitor compliance with the guidelines, seek violators, and punish them in a predetermined fashion. The guidelines have now become the beginnings of enforceable law.
Whoa! What just happened? All freedom…that’s right, all freedom comes from God as the incredible gift of free will, bounded only by certain moral limitations that He applies for harmonious living and to protect you and others from physical, emotional, and spiritual harm. Those limitations are an expression of His infinite and enduring love. Any form of government can only can only limit or deny any particular freedoms. Governments can only wield money and power in an impersonal way; they have no moral authority or ability.
Government continues to be “of the people, by the people, and for the people” as long as the laws passed and regulations adopted conform to or are aligned with Scriptural mandates as indicated by the region in the Figure labeled “Representative Government.” Such laws and regulations protect freedom.
God-given freedom powered by His love and limited by Scriptural boundaries—primarily the prohibitions of the Ten Commandments and moral/ethical limitations on behavior—depend on voluntary restraint. The prohibitions and limitations were given for the benefit of mankind to assure the richness of the human experience.
“From the day of the Declaration…they [the American people] were bound by the laws of God, which they all, and by the laws of the gospel, which they nearly all, acknowledged as the rules of their conduct” John Quincy Adams
“Though, when a people shall have become incapable of governing themselves and fit for a master, it is of little consequence from what quarter he comes.” George Washington
When laws are passed and regulations adopted extend beyond the region designed to protect freedom, then freedom is progressively lost. There is no reliable barrier along the road to tyranny. What do you think?
Dr. Lloyd Stebbins 
Quality content that is relevant for our times. Thank you for sharing!
LikeLike
Your encouragement is refreshing. Thank you.
LikeLike
thank you, I think the loss of god and basic values is not only linked to bigger government but in some ways planed and supported by it. The weaker the moral values of the people the more the government can argue to have more control to “protect the people”.
The rise of progressive liberal power in this country was a long term plan and the destruction of christen values is a part of there plan along with the family. Manipulating a group of single minds is easier then if like minds are united under a set of values.
LikeLike
Founder and President John Adams said:
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion….Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
“Statesmen, my dear sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our people in a greater measure, than they have it now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty.
Religion and virtue are the only foundations, not only of all free government, but of social felicity under all governments and in all the combinations of human society.”
Why did he express those thoughts? It’s because a “moral and religious people” voluntarily restrain their behavior within moral bounds. When the moral boundaries are broken by a culture moving away from God, there are no limitations on behavior. Under such circumstances, there is no conceivable government that could pass enough laws and hire enough law enforcement officers to civilize a people who are no longer civilized.
For every freedom there is corresponding responsibility. For every “right” there is a responsibility. Today, the American culture, with the help and legal sanction of the judicial system working through activist judges, has severed the God-given freedoms and rights–codified in the Constitution–from their respective responsibilities. The myriad of examples include the rights in the Bill of Rights that have been pushed by judges to absurd extremes far beyond their original intention. The result is progressively increasing chaos.
LikeLike
The world has rebelled and an evil world system rameigns over us, yet God remains in control. All earthly governments are given a limited amount of autonomy, and while they frequently behave poorly, the Lord uses them to accomplish his purposes nonetheless. (Isaiah 45:1; Jeremiah 25:9; Daniel 4:32)
Romans chapter 13 is a great study on how earthly authorities are agents of law and order and how civil obedience allows us to fear God, not man.
LikeLike
Great comments, Scott. The United States Constitution is the world’s only founding anchor designed to resist or protect government encroachment on God-given freedom. Since then, the constitutions of other emerging countries have used the U.S. Constitution as a model.
Since both political parties are increasingly ignoring the Constitution without any apparent accountability, the rate of governmental overreach will continue to accelerate. The people must re-learn that the government is ultimately accountable to them and that the primary way the people exercise their authority is through the cautious and thoughtful use of their vote–what the Founders called their “sacred” vote. The Founders repeatedly admonished us to vote for candidates of strong character.
Contrary to a political slogan that was popular a few years ago, every vote does NOT count; every
informed vote DOES count. Anyone who votes for a candidate simply because the voter has seen a bunch of yard signs with the candidate’s name should feel ashamed. Only candidates of strong character are fully able to understand the vital importance and logical limitations of government. For candidates who lack strong character, there is no limit and the government will grow like a cancer until it self destructs.
LikeLike
I enjoy your blog posts, Lloyd!
LikeLike
Thank you, Ashley!
LikeLike
Really enjoyed this post and the following quote from one of your comments.
“Statesmen, my dear sir, may plan and speculate for liberty, but it is religion and morality alone which can establish the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue, and if this cannot be inspired into our people in a greater measure, than they have it now, they may change their rulers and the forms of government, but they will not obtain a lasting liberty.”
LikeLike
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. Virtue is the foundation of the Constitution because virtue inspires voluntary restraint of behavior. In the absence of virtue, no government can pass enough laws or hire enough law enforcement officers to restrain the “passions of men,” as John Adams and other Founders so eloquently expressed it.
LikeLike
“I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” — Thomas Jefferson
LikeLike
Under the conditions at the time, Jefferson’s insight is amazing. Clearly, that’s a big “if.” Star Parker, a female, black, syndicated columnist who lived in the “projects” for a number of years just published a outstanding column entitled. “Government Housing is a Bad Idea.” You can easily find her and her column on the Internte.
LikeLike