Transcript

Stephen McDowell: All creation reflects the Creator and the principle of individuality

>> Stephen McDowell: Welcome to America's Providential History Podcast, where we talk about the real story of America and explore the hand of God in our history. Now, here's your host, Stephen McDowell. Hello. Glad you're joining us for this edition of America's Providential History Podcast. Today we will be continuing to look at the Pillars of Liberty. Last podcast, we began to examine fundamental principles of the American Republic. And we're presenting, looking at seven fundamental principles that underlie the, unique American nation. And the first two principles that we looked at were the principle of self government and Christian union. The founders of America understood these pillars of liberty, these foundational principles. Principles. And they understood if the citizens don't embrace, understand and live in accordance with these fundamental principles, then we cannot remain a, free flourishing and prosperous society. We want to pick up the story and take a look at some more of these Pillars of liberty, these principles that form the foundation of the American Christian Republic. So, number three, the third principle is individuality. Now, all creation reflects the Creator and the principle of individuality. See, God created all things as creator. Everything he created, reflects who he is. Paul tells us this in Romans 1:20, that his divine creation, nature's eternal power and attributes, are reflected in what has been made in his creation. So this principle of individuality recognizes that the creation reflects the Creator. Now, another way that we could, represent this principle of individuality is with unity with diversity. All creation reflects this concept of unity with diversity because God Himself is a picture of unity with diversity. See, that is everything we see that's created. we call it a universe. And it's a universe because it's united by one common Creator. That's what unifies all of existence, all of creation. That's why it's called a universe, is because there is one God that created it all. And that God, God is in the nature and character and attributes of God are revealed or reflected in what he created. So there is unity among all creation. Yet there's great diversity as well. Because we see God Himself is a picture of unity with diversity. Scripture teaches that the Lord our God is one. Yet God manifests Himself in three persons or three personalities. He's more than a person, but the Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God. God Himself is three in one. He is a triune being. So there's great diversity among the Godhead Himself. and that diversity is reflected in his creation. So we could look at any one little aspect of creation. You know, for example, you look at German shepherds, all German shepherds, there's a unity among them. There's common traits that this particular breed of dog represents, that make them the same. Yet no two German shepherds are alike. There's a great diversity. And that's true of flowers and tulips and trees and stars and animals and penguins and koala bears or whatever it is that we look at in regards to God's creation. It depicts this principle of individuality. There is unity with diversity. Now around the turn of the 1900s, there is an American by the name of Wilson Bentley, who began to fulfill his calling or mission in life. See, Wilson Bentley loved precipitation. As a young man he fell in love with all kinds of precipitation, but especially snow. Snow and snowflakes were something that were a marvel to him. And he began to study them all that he could. and he decided, I want to photograph snowflakes. Now this was quite a challenge, you know, around 1900 because one, to get a camera, cameras were expensive. This was a new thing. And his parents mortgaged their farm in order to get him a camera. But having a can, this was an old box, wooden camera, you may have seen pictures of these, but once you had a camera, he still had a whole lot of problems because you had to catch individual snowflakes without them melting and then take an image of it. So he had many difficulties to overcome in fulfilling his desire to photograph snowflakes. But he finally accomplished that and in his lifetime he photographed over 5,000 different snowflakes. He became an expert in snowflake imagery, if you will. He never went to college, but he was self taught. But he would lecture at colleges on all that he had discovered about precipitation and was, was known as an expert. But as you take a look at some of the pictures of the snowflakes that he captured, you we notice, some interesting things. One, we notice that these snowflakes, you know, depict this principle of individuality with unity, with diversity. See, there's a unity among all snowflakes. All snowflakes are made of frozen H2O, frozen water. And when the snowflakes grow, they grow with a pattern where there's angles, there's 60 degree angles between, each of the sides of the snowflakes. But no two snowflakes are alike of the thousands that he photographs. And as far as we know, of all the trillions of snowflakes that have ever been formed since God created the world, no two of them are alike. They are a marvel. They reflect this principle of individuality, unity with diversity. Common creator, common things that unite all of his creation, but great diversity, because God's not a socialist. God doesn't pump out things all in a mold. Everything's not the same, like socialist man would do, building everything the same. God is creative now, all of his creation reflects this principle. Certainly man does. Man is God's highest creation. We read in Genesis 1 that the very last thing he created, he created men. And he created men, male and female, in his image. So man, many ways, is like God. We reflect God, especially uniquely, since we're made in his image. Men certainly display the principle of individuality, with unity, with diversity. And it does this in many different ways.

Every individual has a unique purpose and a unique destiny

One we know that every individual has a unique purpose, a unique destiny. God creates individuals and he gives us a mission. Now we all have a common mission. That Creation Commission, Genesis 1 tells us the original mission to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, take dominion over the earth, rule over the earth, cultivate the earth. This was man's original mission. when man fell, he lost the capacity to fulfill the original mission. Christ came to restore to man the capacity to accomplish the purpose God created him for in the first place. First, he restored our relationship to God and planted his word in our heart. He gave us the power to be self govern, do what we're supposed to do, and gave us the power to fulfill, that original mission. Of course, that's been expanded to include the evangelistic mandate because we need to redeem man. Man needs to be redeemed so he can fulfill the original creation commission to rule over the earth. So we all have unique purpose. The general purpose is the same, but the specific calling that each one of us has is different for every one of us. And part of our task as parents is to help our children identify. Well, what's God called me to do, what needed good or service can I produce. To be a blessing to fellow man and to honor God and to bring flourishing to the earth. And so God then in his goodness, gives each of us unique characteristics that will help enable us to fulfill our unique purpose and calling. See, God gives every man unique internal and external characteristics. You know, every individual has things about them that set them apart and make them different than every other person. One we have fingerprints that are unique. You know, no two people's fingerprints are alike. It's how you can identify someone. Crooks have tried to get rid of their fingerprints, as an identifying characteristic. But God made us unique that way. In fact, the book of Job says that he gives each of us unique Footprint. Because what he's declaring is, you're the one and only you. There's no one like you. He gives us unique profile. A voice print is unique for every individual. The way that dogs identify humans is through the unique scent that they have. And hopefully it's only dogs that be able to tell that unique scent. if not, we ought to go take a bath so we can smell good for our fellow man. But, we have unique scent. Years ago, I went to the eye doctor for the first time. And when I got there, the first thing she did, she set me in front of a machine, put my chin on this, told me to look inside this machine. And she said, you see that red dot? I said, yeah, I do. And then all of a sudden, a, blinding light hit me because she had taken a picture of the back of my eyeball. With modern technology, don't have that blinding light so much now. But she then developed the picture and began to explain to me that pattern, the retina, and nerves on the back of the eyeballs, unique for every individual. It's a way that you can be identified uniquely. And of course, today, iPhones use face recognition to allow you to unlock your phone because you have a unique, face. God makes us this way because God himself is unique and he makes us unique. We have unique external characteristics, but we also have unique internal characteristics. the calling, the talents and skills that God gives us. And of course, we need to work to develop these talents and skills. We have unique thoughts, unique opinions. We emote in situations differently than others. Our attitudes are different. I've been married for 46 years, but when I first got married, I learned very quickly that my wife emotes, much different than I do. And that at first I thought, what's wrong with her? but I needed to discover that God gives us great compliments so that we can learn from one another. But we're all different. God made us that way. He didn't make us all the same. He doesn't want us all the same because we are unique. We have unique purpose, and he gives us unique characteristics that we need to accomplish our unique purpose. There's things that we might have a desire to do and have, an ability to do them better than other people. This is part of identifying the calling, the occupation that we're called to. What can I do better than most other people? What do I enjoy doing? And, find a way to get to work, in those areas so that we can be most, productive. So mankind Displays the principle of individuality. But so do nations display that, that principle. You know, God creates the nations. Acts 17:26 says that God determines their boundaries, their times and boundaries of the nations. So God created nations because he has a unique purpose for the nations. He gives nations unique characteristics in order for those nations to fulfill their unique purpose. Now we know the nation of Israel. God had a unique purpose for it. And he was very much concerned about many aspects of the nation of America. One, nation of Israel, that he gave Israel unique external and internal characteristics in order for it to fulfill its unique purpose. External characteristics like boundaries, its geographic location, the structure, the natural resources. but he also gave it unique internal characteristics, that kind of power, the national spirit, the principles, the ideas, the time that it existed. So he placed it on the earth at the right time, brought forth at the right time in order to fulfill its, its mission ultimately to bring forth the Messiah and to be the, the beachhead through which God would re establish his kingdom in the earth. So he raised up Israel, but it wasn't just Israel. He used all kinds of nations. He used non Christian nations like Pharaoh and the nation of Babylon was his servant to accomplish his purpose. But during the Christian era, he's raised up nations like Ireland and England and certainly the United States of America, bringing them forth at the time in history, giving them the characteristics they needed in order to fulfill the unique purpose that he has for that nation, in history. Now the founders of America understood that God is the one who was giving birth to the United States of America. John quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, in 1837, he gave a July 4th oration. And in that oration he speaks of the purpose of America. He said, is it not that in the chain of human events the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets 600 years before? In other words, what John Quincy Adams is doing, he's asking the question, lord, what is your purpose in America? He recognized God is bringing forth, has brought forth this unique nation of America because it's part of God's plan to advance the kingdom of God in the earth in the chain of human events. The birthday of the United States is linked with the birthday of the Savior. Christ came into the world to liberate mankind, bring liberty to man, to enable him to cultivate the earth, to flourish in the earth. And that the impact of the work of Christ the Savior then changed nations. And it's through the birth of these nations that God was helping to advance his purpose. It was a part of the progress of the gospel dispensation. He said the Declaration of Independence was organized upon social combat on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission. He recognized the uniqueness of the form of government of the United States. It laid the cornerstone of human government upon the precepts of Christianity.

America's Providential History explores what is the providential purpose of America

So he recognized America was raised up by God. He had a purpose for it is built upon the precepts of Christianity. It gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies of God. In other words, it was an external expression, in the nation of God's desire to restore liberty to man as he intended it from the very beginning when he created man. And so Americans need to understand that we have a purpose. America's Providential History, that's the title of a book that we wrote and best selling book. It's been out for 35 years. You can get a copy@providencefoundation.com but we explore what is the providential purpose of America.

The birth of America was not the end all. It wasn't perfect

What did God have in store in giving birth to this unique nation? The birth of America was not the end all. It wasn't perfect, it wasn't the culmination of God's plan in history. But just like Israel played an important part in the redemption of mankind and Ireland played an important part when God used Patrick to transform it in the four hundreds. America has played a very important part in the advancement of liberty in the earth. Because with the birth of America, the nations of the world had an example of a new nation. A nation birthed in liberty, Christian self government and Christian liberty that flourished where the people's God given inalienable rights were recognized and protected and preserved by limited government. and that they in turn have began to apply principles in America. You know, when America's form of government was established nearly 250 years ago, it was really the first constitutional form of government in modern history as we know it today. It was the first nation with the constitution of higher Laws, and that now there's perhaps 175 nations that have some form of constitution and they're inspired by what happened in the United States. Now the fruit of that is not the same because they've just copied the form of government and have neglected these underlying principles like self government, Christian union, individuality that are essential for the form to work properly. But that was part of God's plan and purpose for America. That America was to fulfill a unique role. So God gives to men and nations the things they need to accomplish their purpose. Remember Snowflake Bentley Wilson Bentley. He was born at just the perfect place for someone who was going to photograph snowflakes up there in Vermont area, which is some of the most snow and the best snowflakes in the world are ah, formed there. He brought him forth there and gave him the things that he needed to accomplish that purpose. But he's done that for the nations as well. He did it for the nation of the United States. It was hidden for thousands of years between two wide oceans until God brought forth the Protestant Reformation in Europe, prepared a unique seed that came over to plant the United States of America. So God gives us individually and nationally the things that we need to help us accomplish the purpose. Now of course we've got to work with Him. We have a part to play in laboring hard to develop skills and knowledge and understanding, so that we can do the part that he's called us to play in advancing his kingdom. And so this principle of individuality is very important and the value of the individual as well, and the importance of the individual. This will manifest itself in protecting the life of all individuals, whether unborn in the womb or even those at old age who might not be able to contribute to the political fabric of the society. That life is still valuable. This is a Christian idea. So the application of this principle of individuality is quite broad. So we've looked at three of these seven pillars of liberty, Self government, union or covenant, individuality. And that leads us to a fourth principle, the principle of property. Principle of property are conscience. James Madison, the fourth president of the United States, wrote, as a man is said to have a right to his property, he may be equally said to have a property in his rights. Then he goes on to write, conscience is the most sacred of all property. So as a man is said to have a right to property, we have a God given right to possess property. The Bible teaches this many places. In my book Steward in the A Biblical View of Economics, I explore this in in Much detail. The right to possess property is very important. So we have a right to property, but we may be equally said to have a property in our rights. See, what he's saying is that our God given rights are a form of property. Our right to worship, our right to freely communicate ideas and truth is a form of property. That's why when he says conscience is the most sacred of all property, he's presenting, he's recognizing that we have an internal right to property as well as an external right to property. See, a person's property is whatever he has exclusive right to possess and control. Property is first internal. So there are two spheres of property. There's external and internal. External property are things like land, money, possessions, even freedom of speech and freedom of assembly or external actions that are part of this right, to property. So we have a God given right to possess external property things. But we also have an internal form of property. Our thoughts, opinions, our talents, our conscience, ideas, our mind and affections are internal aspects of property. So we have a God given right to property. We have a God given right to own material things. We have a God given right to freedom of speech, God given right to join together with others to assemble, whether that be to worship or to express concern of what's going on in society. These are all aspects of our property rights. But then we have a right to keep our conscience clear. We have a right to our own thoughts and beliefs and to communicate those thoughts and beliefs and opinions. These are also an aspect of property. Now, Scripture teaches that government exists to protect our property of every sorts. That includes external and internal property. James Madison also wrote that government is instituted to protect property of every sort. This being the end of government or the purpose of government. That is not a just government, nor is property secure under it. Where the property which a person has is violated by arbitrary seizures of one class of citizens for the service of the rest. So God created civil government in order to protect our life, liberty and property. And since our life is a form of property, our liberty is a form of property. We could say in general that governments exist to protect property of every sort. That is its purpose. That is what a just government will do. Unfortunately, throughout history, most m governments have not protected the God given property rights of its citizens. But more often they've plundered their property. They've stolen their property, external property through unjust taxes and regulations of business and land and everything else. But they've also, stamped upon our internal property rights, trying to force us to believe a certain way, to violate our conscience, to do things contrary to the word of God. Governments have been very good at not protecting our property rights, but plundering them. And so, governments that do plunder our property rights are acting contrary to their purpose and it's our responsibility to go and change them. And so we again I explore this much more and in future podcasts we'll look at this much more of our God given property rights and what's the role of government, in property.

The right to possess property is fundamental to fulfilling God's mission

But this is one of the most fundamental, important rights that we possess, the right to possess property. Because as Noah Webster said, if you have property, you'll have power. Power to make sure that none of your other God given rights or liberties are threatened or taken away from you. That's why socialist statist governments, one of the first things they try to do when they take control is to take over your property, either directly through confiscation or indirectly through unjust taxes or excessive regulations and other things. Because if they control the property, they control the present, they control you and everything in it. But God has given that right to own property primarily to the individual, to the family. Now scripture teaches that we are to be good stewards of all property that God puts into our hands. In fact, that's the mission he gave us in the very beginning. He created all property, but then he created man and said, okay, I'm giving you authority to be my vice regent, to govern, to be good stewards, to cultivate, to rule over my property. And so property rights, managing property are essential for us to fulfill that original mission that God gave us. The Creation Commission in Genesis, chapter, one. And without this property, we're hindered in being able to do what God has called man to do in the very beginning. That's why Satan, Satan is really behind governmental systems that want to control and govern property. Because Satan knows if I can keep property out of the control of the family and of God's individuals, then I can thwart them from fulfilling the mission that God gave them. So the concept of being a good steward is taught many times in the scripture and future podcasts. We'll explore this in more detail. So we need to be good stewards of all the property that God puts into our hands. Now another concept the Bible teaches in relation to property that's very important is the idea of labor or work. For you see, labor is the title deed to property. Now all of us possess some property today. We might have clothes or automobile, perhaps a house that we live in. Or other things. We own properties. We need to ask the question, how did we acquire the property that we possess? Well, most likely we acquired it through work, through labor. We work in order to. Of course, today we make money. We use that money to buy possessions that we need, property that we need to keep ourselves alive and fulfill the mission. but labor is the means of acquisition of property. Now, inheritance is another biblical way to get property. But you might have inherited money, but someone labored in the first place to accumulate that wealth that you got through an inheritance. Now, some people, of course, acquire property, illegally or unbiblically through theft. But the Bible says you shall not steal. So if you have stolen, you need to pay back what you stole. We have the restitution, four or five or two, four or five fold, according to the Bible. So labor is the title deed to property. The way that we acquire more property is through labor. This is true of external property. If we need, you know, a house or more land or some material possessions, we go work, we go labor. We, are productive, and we take the product of our hands and using money, we exchange it with others for other types of property that we need. But this principle of labor being the title deed of property is also true of internal property. See, the way that we acquire new ideas, new thoughts, new talents is through labor. You've got to work hard and labor to develop your talents, develop your skills, obtain new things that we need to be, more productive. There's no easy way. You know, you can't just go up to someone and pray for them. You know, know the Book of Acts. That's not how God's world works. God's world works through work, through labor. Because God himself worked six days. He worked. And we were in Genesis chapter one and created everything that we see. And the fourth commandment says, six days you shall labor and do all your work. And the seventh is a Sabbath to the Lord. Lord. So part of that commandment we normally associate with the Sabbath, really the first part of it is work. Six days, you shall labor. So God created man in his image with the desire and capacity to work, because it's through our work that we are productive, that we are creative. Bring into being new goods and services that will bring flourishing and blessing to our fellow man. And the only way we get those is through work, through labor and God. The Bible has a whole lot to say about work and labor and future podcasts. We'll explore this more. And I also explore this in some of my books. I'd point you to my book Steward in the Earth A Biblical View of Economics which you can find at our website providencefoundation.com to learn much more about the principle of property, about work and other things. There's also another book I'd point you to. It's called Transforming Nations Through Biblical Work and that explores shows much more how individuals working in their specific area of calling have brought advancements in every sphere of life and brought advancement to mankind in general and universal flourish which is what God desires for man to experience here on the earth. Well we've looked at four of the seven pillars of Christian self government, Christian union, individuality and property or conscience. In the next podcast we will continue to look at these very important ideas that need to be part of the lives and thinking of the citizens of a nation if you want to build a flourishing society. So I hope you can join us next week. God bless.