1828 dictionary – ACH Study Groups

Expanding The 3-legged Gospel

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Law without liberty is slavery.

Liberty without law is anarchy.

Liberty with law is Christianity!

Words mean things. What is “Christianity”?

C̵HRISTIAN´ITY, n. …

The religion of christians; or the system of doctrines and precepts taught by Christ, and recorded by the evangelists and apostles.

Whilst politicians are disputing about monarchies, aristocracies, and republics, christianity is alike applicable, useful and friendly to them all. [Paley]

[Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary] (emphasis is mine)

Thus – “Liberty with law is, ‘the system of doctrines and precepts taught by Christ, and recorded by the evangelists and apostles.’”

“Christianity” is not found in the Bible – However: “Christian” appears twice –

Then Agrippa said unto Paul, ‘Almost thou persuadest me to become a Christian’. [Acts 26:28]

Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf. [1 Peter 4:16]

In both Biblical references, “Christian” is associated with the choice to be governed by the teachings of Christ.

NOTE – The only alternatives to being governed by the teachings of Christ are slavery (external rule by another man), or anarchy (internal rule by your own will and appetite). In either case you will be ruled by a tyrant!

In my last column, “The third leg”, I opined that whereas the Colonial American church was aflame with the concept of liberty under God, today’s American churches are ignorant, even hostile, to Biblical principles of government.

Christ taught us to love God (vertical) and love our neighbor (horizontal) as the whole essence of Biblical law. [Matthew 22:37-39] Liberty rests upon family-, church-, and civil-government (direction, regulation, control, restraint) as taught by Christ.

HOWEVER – “Liberty” is NOT “license”. That is why Colonial churches taught “Liberty under God”. It was not lawless freedom to run wild. Human nature is ever at war with what is right! The American war for Independence was won by people who honored chrstian principles. Later the French Revolution, also focused upon individual liberty, neglected the limits of Christian principles. It ended in a blood bath.

I yearn to see America’s churches alive with a message that includes Christian liberty. Their ignorance and apathy toward creeping socialism in their homes, churches and government is producing sheep that are governed by wolves!

Some will object that the church must focus upon “salvation” (turning from rebellion, to conformity with God’s law of liberty). “Loving God and loving neighbors” is more than a heavenly insurance policy!

Will teaching “liberty under God” be well received by individuals? Yes indeed. Will it be welcomed by civil authority? Not at all. Civil and Church authority nailed Christ to a cross! England did her best to compel American submission. Today’s news shouts about the same conflict.

What about “Liberty under God” added to the Christian missionary message overseas? I suspect it would resonate and perhaps overturn many tyrants. On the other hand —

“Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf.” [1 Peter 4:16]

— Is Christian liberty worth the price? It was to Peter!

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The Price of Ignorance

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(View online at: http://patriotpost.us/fqd/17089)
“But while property is considered as the basis of the freedom of the American yeomanry, there are other auxiliary supports; among which is the information of the people. In no country, is education so general — in no country, have the body of the people such a knowledge of the rights of men and the principles of government. This knowledge, joined with a keen sense of liberty and a watchful jealousy, will guard our constitutions and awaken the people to an instantaneous resistance of encroachments.”
–Noah Webster, On Education of Youth in America, 1790

Noah Webster, nicknamed “America’s Schoolmaster”. In 1790, fourteen years after we declared our belief in the “Laws of Nature, and of Nature’s God”, which included eight years of war, on our soil, to defend that belief, Webster pointed out, “In no country, is education so general — in no country, have the body of the people such a knowledge of the rights of men and the principles of government.”

That was then – This is now!

Citizen friend of mine – Men of whom the world was not worthy, suffered, bled and died to leave that heritage to you and your decedents. For decades “We the people” have tacitly taken the easy way rather than, “guard our constitutions and awaken the people to an instantaneous resistance of encroachments.”

The very same forces our nation was formed to protect against, have been nibbling at our belief in individual liberty for decades. We have become a collective flock of tacit “sheeple”. What is more, we are actively choosing to remain so.

The fruit of an evening of passion involves accepting responsibility for raising up a child in the way that he should go. Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary states, “EDUCATION … … To give children a good education in manners, arts and science, is important; to give them a religious education is indispensable; and an immense responsibility rests on parents and guardians who neglect these duties.”

For generations American society has been dumbed down. Just compare last century’s text books with today’s socialistic garbage! [Were it not for politically correct restrictions I would tell you what I really think!] The reason many, perhaps most, parents leave “religious education” to others – They do not feel qualified. It is easier to leave it to someone else because their own was left to someone else.

The early American parents and their children understood “natural state of nature.” They understood God-given rights to life, the liberty to gather necessities to sustain it, and the requirement to possess those necessities as private property before they could be of any use to them. (Life, Liberty, Pursuit of happiness [Property]). They were aware of the liberty they had just won and they respected it – for a time.

Then the nibbling began. Slowly, we exchanged our birth-right for a mess of pottage.

On June 1st and September 9th we will begin our next “Principles of American Government” 3-month online courses. Adults and teens need to take this course. Homeschool parents – This is “the place to start”. We need to go back to First Cause and reset our foundations.

Call me and discuss it.

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Expanding The 3-legged Gospel

The Price of Ignorance

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Ben Gilmore 1929-2023