Read
Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
Romans 13:1
Reflect
It’s summer, and you probably aren’t looking to get a history lesson while class is out. But today is also the Fourth of July, so we’ll take a detour into American history for just a minute or two.
Today’s scripture causes some problems for a lot of people because it says that all authorities are established by God and that anyone who resists those authorities is resisting what God has appointed. On the surface, that might make George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and the rest of the founders look pretty bad. It also feeds the criticism of those who say that America isn’t a Christian nation and never has been.
But the truth is a bit more complicated.
The colonists had serious problems with King George III and the British Parliament, and they tried to resolve them through petitions, appeals and negotiation. Again and again, the response was silence, higher taxes, tighter control or force. In 1770, British troops fired into a crowd in what became known as the Boston Massacre. In the years that followed, the conflict only grew worse.
Because of these things, many colonists saw themselves not as rebels trying to escape all authority, but as people defending themselves against tyranny. They believed their lives, liberty and pursuit of happiness were being threatened, which is why those ideas were placed so prominently in the Declaration of Independence. The founding fathers were not trying to get away from government altogether. They were seeking to establish a government in this country that would more fairly represent its people.
Now, 250 years after the Declaration of Independence, the United States is still going strong. As the nation marks America 250, our semiquincentennial, we have a special opportunity not only to celebrate our history but to give thanks for God’s providence and mercy. Sure, we have our share of problems, but there’s no doubt, at least in my mind, that God had a hand in establishing this nation and helping it prosper over the years. One thing many of our founders agreed on is that God had to be honored, not only in establishing the United States but in moving it forward.
Today, give thanks to the Lord for allowing us to live in such a great nation, and pray that He will turn the hearts of its people back to Him.
Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!
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Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
