From Brexit to Liberty and Hopefully So Much More
From Brexit to Liberty and Hopefully So Much More
by Jake MacAulay
“The dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom. Let June 23rd go down in our history as our independence day!” said Nigel Farage, leader of the U.K. Independence Party, after the historical vote for Britain’s Independence from the European Union.
Presidential hopeful Donald Trump declared, “The people of the United Kingdom have exercised the sacred right of all peoples”, and that “they have reasserted control over their own politics, borders and economy.”
The God of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the source of this sacred right of Liberty as written in British foundational freedom documents such as the Magna Carta and later in our own American freedom document, the Declaration of Independence.
When speaking with my wife about “Brexit” she made a very observant comment. “Right action with the wrong foundation can become destructive action.”
As I pondered this statement, I reflected upon the dialogue of pundits, politicians, and even citizens, and there has been a missing component: the mention of a Biblical foundation for Independence.
As Americans, we at one time determined to dissolve the political bands which had, quoting the Declaration of Independence, “joined us with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them.”
The foundation of our call for Independence was the Laws of Nature and Nature’s God.
Since the early 1600’s, America was known as the place where people could go to start a new life with freedom of religion, the liberty to choose your own occupation, and a place of refuge from oppressive governments.
The Mayflower Compact states why the Pilgrims came to America:
In the name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord, King James, by the Grace of God, of England, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, e&. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honour of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia…
I fear at this time in history we place far too much emphasis on our politics, borders and economy, and too little attention on the One who grafted the fundamental rights to these blessings of liberty into the citizens of every nation.
While I agree with Great Britain’s exercise of the sacred right to liberty, I pray that Britain and those around the world with amazing foundational documents – like the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence – return to their foundations so that we may see much needed lasting examples of liberty in our world. As the Proverb says, “If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do?”