I began hearing scripture as a boy. I began reading it for myself in the 3rd or 4th grade, when Gideons distributed pocket size leather covered New Testaments, at their own expense, to each child in our elementary classroom. I carried it with me until I wore it out. I memorized many passages in it.
Little did I know, it gave me power. It was actually the source of authority.
Our Bible in English was translated from Greek, the language spoken by Jesus and the Apostles. They quoted the Septuagint version of the Old Testament, that was also translated into Greek from the original Hebrew or Aramaic. Greek language is more precise than English. It has two words for power. One is exousia, the other is dunamis. The first means “authority.” the second means “power.”
If you are a student of language, you may see the prefix “ex” in the first, meaning out of or derived, and the similarity of the second world to dynamite. Authority is derived and power is inherent.
Every human being has rights that are inherent, that are not derived, by virtue of being created in the image of God with those rights. The Founders of America recognized the unique rights of human beings, and designed the Constitution to protect those rights.
No Amendment to the US Constitution should ever be allowed that grants rights to any person or group. It would violate the principles of Constitutional law, since the Constitution does not grant rights, it only recognizes and preserves them.
You have authority now, In this life. It is temporary, since life itself is temporary. It is “on loan from God.” Use it wisely while you can.
Your rights, that is your authority, derive from your Creator. They were place in you when you were created. They belong to you. They are part of your identity and personhood. They cannot be separated from you or delegated to others.
Other nations with origins in ideologies other than the Bible, seek to recognize, grant, or limit “state created rights.” America is unique. It seeks to preserve and protect “God given rights.” While America’s origin had some influence from Greek thought and European enlightenment, by far the greatest influence was the Bible.
We all owe our liberty to the faith of our real founding fathers, the Bible heroes we read about as children and continue to revere as adults.
Don’t allow false religion or political ideology or science fads to cause you to willingly lose your heritage of liberty. Know what you received and why it is worth preserving.
In other words, read your Bible!
Think about it!
