“Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So, you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Therefore, since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:22-31 NIV)
In the Declaration of Independence, these wors are written: “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.” We must note that standing on these truths, was an unveiling of a united philosophy that prompted the start of the American Revolution began. These truths perpetuated the birth of a new nation, the United States of America.
Inarguably there have been instances in the history of this great nation, and even in current times, that have caused us to doubt the applicability and the authenticity of these truths to all people. From an historical perspective, consider the following.
Native Americans who were displaced from their homes by the movement west, called Manifest Destiny would argue the true application of the excerpt from the Declaration of Independence was never manifested. Those held in bondage by the slave institution, bondage in servitude and bondage by those who sought to fortify slavery; voices of the past would speak loudly in opposition of the reality of these truths, and even the subtle racism of our times would have difficulty in substantiating this great statement. Those denied freedoms by the discriminatory, prejudicial mindsets that prevailed and were passed down through generations after the emancipation of slaves would undoubtedly disagree with the so-called truth embodied in the Declaration of Independence. Asian Americans whose forefathers were locked in concentration camps in this country during WWII would disagree with the applicability of the Declaration regarding “all men.” There are other examples, many more exceptions to the premise in the Declaration that you can pull from history that will having you wondering if the words were just words. But let’s move on.
In spite of all the exceptions, from a general perspective, this theological anchored statement has been a platform that this country has continued to boast about for well over two centuries. That’s a long time, but in comparison, once you make a decision to take a stand on Christ, the solid rock; once you make a decision to stand on Jesus – the undeniable Truth; once you have decided to take a stand on the truths you read in the verses pulled from the Book of Acts above, you will be able to stand on them, if revered, for the rest of your life. I suggest that you stand on the fact that our Triune God is real…Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Read all the truths above, as presented by the Apostle Paul, one more time. Have a wonderful Wednesday! It is the second say in a row that I have called on you to stand. But I do so unapologetically. Be blessed!
“Jesus said to him, I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” (John 14:6 The Amplified Bible)
Mark L. King