Benjamin Franklin said that “as nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.” He was arguing that only virtuous people can be free. He believed corruption and viciousness lead to our need for masters. Sam Adams said we’d be “the most abject slaves” if we are not virtuous. So why do we “have more need of masters”? Why are we slaves in 2010?Now, the problem with the previous quotes, and the problem with our last post is the effect of sin. We are a fallen people, and we are not virtuous, except through what God has done in the lives of those who trust Him. I know the Framers knew this (they weren’t fools, after all), and because they knew this they worked safeguards into the system, aligning our young nation’s system of law with God’s law, and working a system of checks and balances into the three branches of government so that no one branch could get away with unlawful activity.
Next, we must consider society as a whole—when Franklin and Adams wrote these words, were there sinners? Surely. But on the whole, was America a more virtuous nation? Absolutely. Please—no one argue that there are no differences between the two.
Consider the Israelites. When they obeyed God they were blessed with life and liberty, but when they sinned they were cast out of God’s gracious care (see Deuteronomy 28). When they were a virtuous people they were free. When they were “universally vicious and debauched in [their] manners,” they were enslaved. It happened time and again and again and again and again. Sin led to slavery.
And that’s where we find ourselves today.
we get the government we deserve, right? i guess that's true, but what about the man who's been on the right side of the debate every time. hes a good conservative and always takes christian stances. does he deserve this government?
ReplyDeleteNo--he doesn't. And that's the shame. He is paying the consequences for others' mistakes. And that's shown to be true Biblically: our fallen world suffers from the sins of others.
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