What Does It Mean To Be Created Equal?

by Barbara Latta

The Declaration of Independence states that all men were created equal. 

The Declaration of Independence states that all
men are created equal.

It’s obvious all people on the earth are not equal. Many are enslaved, reduced to poverty, suffer from social injustice and abuse. So where does equality come from and what does it really mean?

The signers of our independence document recognized God as the Creator of all men. As the sovereign Lord, He made mankind in His image.

Each person is born as a human being with the ability to commune with their creator if they so choose.

And that is the key. Choice.

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28 NASB).

Adam and Eve had a choice and they chose to rebel against God.

That rebellious spirit has been passed on to every human born since that time.

Because of that rebellious spirit, those who choose to continue to disobey God exalt themselves in some positions of authority and inflict oppression on to others.

This is what causes humanity to be in classes of inequality today.

Oppression comes from other people. Dictators choose to inflict domination onto citizens; human traffickers take it upon themselves to think they can own another person because of their own selfish desires; socialism prevents citizens from owning their own property.

The earth is the Lord’s and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it (Psalm 34:1).

The signers of the Declaration of Independence
recognized God as the Creator of all men.

God created the earth and gave it to the people He created. But He intended that creation to be used for good and not evil. Romans 13:1-4 tell us that God ordained the authority of government because people choose to be rebellious. But because there are evil leaders who obtain high positions, wisdom is required as to how far obedience should go.

And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s,” (Mark 12:17).

But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men,” (Acts 5:29).

The Founding Fathers of America recognized that God is the giver of rights. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is a God-given gift. But because of the selfishness of mankind those rights are denied to parts of the world by ungodly leaders who want to be in charge. 

Those of us who live in the United States have been given a gift that most of the world does not have. America has been a light and supportive arm to the nations of the world who have been attacked and oppressed. If that light is put out, how can others be helped? We have a foundation that was built on righteousness and that’s why our enemy, Satan, opposes it.

People are created equal in God’s eyes. Inequality comes from mankind and because of sinful rebellion the rights of equality had to be fought for. That’s what the American Revolution was all about.

Join the conversation and share your thoughts.

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The Revolutionary War Almost Ended in Mutiny

by Barbara Latta

The Country that Almost Wasn't

George Washington thwarted a mutinous attempt. 

When thinking about George Washington and the Revolutionary War we think of winning battles, crossing the Delaware on Christmas Eve and the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Newburgh Conspiracy, so called because the Continental Army was housed at Newburgh, New York in 1783,  is not one of the popular topics of discussion in our historical recollection of our country. But the Revolutionary War almost ended in mutiny.

The Articles of Confederation did not allow for taxation. Congress did not have a way to finance the war and relied on the states to make voluntary payments known as requisitions. Since the financial distribution was voluntary, payment was seldom made and the military suffered. Lack of supplies and no pay for the soldiers created unrest among the ranks.

Do you know why the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed?

by Barbara Latta

Revolutionary soldiers

We celebrate our Independence Day on July 4, but the Revolutionary War started about a year earlier when shots were fired at Lexington and Concord.

King George of Great Britain denied the citizens of the colonies the basic rights entitled to them as a settlement of the British crown. Each time these disputes were brought to light they were either ignored or punishment was rendered. The colonists put up resistance and fought against such tyranny.

On April 19, 1775, British troops marched into Lexington with the intent of destroying military supplies. Shots were fired and both the British and Militia suffered casualties. As the abuse of power continued from the seat of Britain, the leaders of the colonies met in early June of 1776 in Philadelphia to debate whether to break away from the mother country. Thomas Jefferson was elected to draw up the first draft of their document declaring the reasons for the colonies act of independence.

After much meeting, debating and redrafting, Congress met on July 1 and took up the

Declaration of Independence

resolution to break away from England’s rule. On July 4, twelve of the thirteen state delegations adopted the final draft of the Declaration (New York adopted it on July 9). Only John Hancock, president of the Second Continental Congress, and Charles Thomson, the Congress’s secretary, put their signatures on the document that day. It then went to a printer so copies could be distributed to other states.

On July 8, the Liberty Bell rang out in Philadelphia calling all citizens to gather and hear the reading of the Declaration. George Washington ordered that it be read to his troops in New York City on July 9. All across the land, Americans heard the words of the document and pulled down images of George III and symbols of Britain’s authority.

On July 19, Congress ordered that the Declaration be written on parchment and signed by all its members. On August 2, the copy was ready and the members of Congress who were in Philadelphia that day gathered and signed the document knowing full well they were signing their own death warrants. Delegates who were out of town signed in the following weeks.

On January 18, 1777 it was ordered that new copies be printed showing the names of all the signers. Today that original document is housed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

There are 27 violations of  human and governmental rights listed on the Declaration of Independence that were inflicted upon the colonists by King George. Peaceful resolution was tried and failed because of the tyranny of the monarchy. The only choice the colonists had was to become pawns of the British government without any rights or representation, or to rebel against abuse and become independent.

Independence Day celebration

Copies of the Declaration of Independence are widely available. If you don’t have one, I encourage you to find one and read the entire document.

After you read it, post your thoughts in the comments below and share some things you didn’t know about how our freedom was established.

Happy Independence Day and may God bless America!

The Birthpangs of A Nation

Each July 4, we celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, barbecues, and sales. How often do we think about the great cost of adopting this document that birthed our nation?

Signed by 56 men comprised of teachers, farmers, ministers, sailors, university professors, and business men each took upon himself the possibility of execution by the British government for treason.

As the great responsibility of their actions loomed ahead, Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the signers and the man labeled the father of American Medicine wrote to John Adams in 1781:

“Do you recollect the pensive and awful silence which pervaded the House when we were called up, one after another, to the table of the President of Congress to subscribe to what was believed by many at that time to be our death warrants? The silence and gloom of the morning was interrupted, I well recollect, only for a moment by Colonel Harrison of Virginia (a big guy) who said to Mr. Gerry (small in stature) at the table: 'I shall have a great advantage over you, Mr. Gerry, when we are all hung for what we are now doing... From the size and weight of my body I shall die in a few minutes, but from the lightness of your body you will dance in the air an hour or two before you are dead.' This speech procured a transient smile, but it was soon succeeded by the solemnity with which the whole business was conducted.”[1]

This young country not only had no organized army at this time, there also were no financial resources to fund a war. No other country wanted to take a chance on financing a fledgling republic against the British monarchy and suffer future repercussions. For three years, the young American government was funded by individuals who risked and lost all they had to secure the independence of the colonies. France and Holland finally saw the investment was worth the risk after some colonial victories.

Homes were torched, families were separated, health deteriorated, and ultimately lives were lost in the midst of much suffering. Our independence came at a great price.

May we continue to fight to retain the freedoms these great men of valor purchased for succeeding generations.  It’s because of their faith in God, their integrity, and their love for freedom that they had the strength and determination to stand for the rights the Bible promised each one of us.

God bless America!

What does Independence Day mean to you?

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[1] www.wallbuilders.com, 4^th of July article by David Barton