250 years ago, 56 men signed the Declaration of American Independence.
That declaration appealed to “Nature’s God”, our “Creator”, “the Supreme Judge”, and “divine Providence” for support.
Here are more declarations of freedom that were less celebrated over the next 250 years than they will be in eternity.
Dr. Benjamin Rush, signer of the Declaration, also declared:
“My only hope of salvation is in the infinite transcendent love of God manifested to the world by the death of His Son upon the Cross. Nothing but His blood will wash away my sins.”
Samuel Adams, signer of the Declaration and Father of the American Revolution, declared:
“I [am] relying upon the merits of Jesus Christ for a pardon of all my sins.”
Charles Thomson was the secretary of the Continental Congress. He signed the first printings of the Declaration and authorized the first printing of the KJV in America. He declared:
“I am a Christian. I believe only in the Scriptures, and in Jesus Christ my Saviour.”
The last surviving signer of the Declaration, Charles Carroll, also declared:
“On the mercy of my Redeemer I rely for salvation and on His merits, not on the works I have done in obedience to His precepts.”
John Witherspoon was the only signer of the Declaration who was a minister. When he preached on Galatians 6:14 he said:
“I will venture to say, in the spirit of the apostle Paul’s writings in general, and of this passage in particular, Accursed be all that learning which sets itself in opposition to the cross of Christ!”
It can be forgot that John Wesley was alive at the time. He did not sign the Declaration but spent his days in doing nothing “but to save souls” (according to his 11th rule). He preached:
“None can trust in the merits of Christ, till he has utterly renounced his own.”
It is hard for civil liberty to last 250 years. The liberty we receive in Christ is eternal. To maintain liberty in our country, Christ must be preached.
In a sermon preached a few weeks before the Declaration, John Witherspoon taught: “He is the best friend to American liberty, who is most sincere and active in promoting true and undefiled religion…”
Every man who pledged their lives by signing the Declaration has died. The declaration that matters most for them now is the one made 2,000 years ago.
“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.”
– Romans 3:26
This declaration is the most important of our time. It has the power to make men free til Christ returns to bring eternal righteousness, peace, and joy to every people and place.
For Liberty,
Justin “freeeedoooom” Johnson