ARE “THE TRUEST FRIENDS TO LIBERTY” BEING TRUE?

Samuel Adams recognized the essential role of America’s preachers in maintaining our existence as a free people. He said, “He therefore is the truest friend to the liberty of his country who tries most to promote its virtue, and who, so far as his power and influence extend, will not suffer a man to be chosen into any office of power and trust who is not a wise and virtuous man.”

From the earliest days of our Republic, most Americans understood what Samuel Adams was talking about, and that the primary responsibility for the promotion of virtue rests squarely on the shoulders of parents and pastors. Today, though not impossible, it's very hard, to find parents or pastors who understand this. The reason they don't understand or apply themselves to the promotion of virtue  isn’t because they are more intelligent, biblically informed or spiritually discerning than people like Samuel Adams and his contemporaries. Quite the contrary.

The root reason for why America has become rotted out by sin, is enshrouded in evil and is in a state of chaotic freefall is the advanced state of ignorance and indifference that exists among parents and pastors today relative to the importance of individual virtue. This explains the compromise churches have made with the godless world, the corruption of our society and the impending collapse of our nation.

"Virtue" wrote the ancient Jewish philosopher Philo, "is the art of the whole life." "It shouldn't," said Joseph Butler (1692-1752), "be considered in the light of mere innocence, or abstaining from harm; but as the exertion of our faculties in doing good." As soon as possible, wherever possible and however it is possible, people need to revisit and refresh themselves as to what it means to be virtuous. Start with a dictionary and proceed to the Ten Commandments and New Testament passages such as Matt. 5-7, Gal. 5:22, 23 and 2 Pet. 1:5-8.