INSIDE:   The Declaration of Independence is our national birth certificate. It represents the civil government position of the states which make up our nation. 

Way back in the day, there was a significant problem in my 4th Grade class.  There were three of us named “Jason”, which apparently caused confusion for our teacher, Mrs. Rambo.  This was before the famous movie, Rambo, was released in 1982, and I have since wondered if perhaps my teacher’s actions that day inspired the lead character.   Mrs. Rambo’s solution to the multiple Jason problem was to direct all three of us to add our last names to the top of EACH and EVERY paper we turned in.  I know it sounds unreasonable – but believe me – it gets worse!

Not long after her tyrannical edict was published, I turned in a paper without my last name.  I mean, after all, “S-O-U-T-H-E-R-L-A-N-D” at the top of every assignment was asking A LOT of any 4th grade boy.  I was a busy dude and couldn’t invest that kind of time!  It wasn’t long before I was summoned to the desk at the back of the room to discuss my lack of compliance.   I was sure, as soon as Mrs. Rambo heard my rationale and proposed solution, she would understand, and things could get back to normal.  I have to admit, she did not appear too excited to hear what I had to say, but I was sure my flawless logic was about to fix everything. 

“My last name is really long”, I explained, “So if the other two boys add their last names, then you will always know the paper without the last name is mine…”  I anxiously awaited her response…  The next couple seconds seemed an eternity.  Undoubtedly, she was wondering why she had not thought of this fantastic idea, but nothing in her facial expression revealed these thoughts.  No wave of understanding swept across her face.  Was I not clear?  I began to wonder if maybe I needed to explain once more…  Then it happened.  Without any show of emotion, she picked up my paper, tore it in half, and dropped both pieces in the trash!  I got a zero on the assignment, and the popular movie series character was born! 

I learned from Mrs. Rambo that all that title information at the top of the page is important!  I want us to remember this important lesson as we continue to think about The Declaration of Independence, especially this year, the 250th birthday of our great nation.  My thought is to start at the top of the page of the Declaration, and to continue through the document in future articles, and just see how much of it we can get through this year… 

How does The Declaration of Independence start?  Unlike Mrs. Rambo’s class, the names of the men who signed are not at the top – they are at the bottom of the page so we will discuss them much later if we get that far…  (However, I will say it appears each of them also had to spell out their full last names!)

The Top of the Document- Our Birthday

The top of the document reads, “In Congress, July 4, 1776”.  In the last few years, there has been some discussion on the birth date of our nation.  Some people want to measure our nation’s birth from much earlier dates, like when slaves came to Jamestown in 1619.  Don’t get me wrong, I am great with discussing things that happened when we were British colonies, and many of those things certainly had big effects on the nation we would become, but we should all understand, we were not our own nation until the date at the top of the page…  July 4, 1776.  Before this date, we were part of Great Britain.  After this date, we are the United States.  The Declaration is our national birth certificate.

Unanimous Declaration

The next line, the title of the document, reads, “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America”.  As we have mentioned in other articles like “Love, Hate, and a Deadly Snake”, the word “Unanimous” means the things asserted in this great document are unanimous among the States!  They were unanimous among the original thirteen states, whose representatives signed the document, and even today, as part of the Organic Law of the United States, subsequent states signed up to this document as they joined the union.  There were some things in the original draft of the Declaration that had to be removed because they could not get unanimous agreement.  So, understand as we celebrate the 250th milestone birthday of this document, and our great nation this year, the truths presented in this great document are unanimous among the STATES! 

The Declaration of Independence represents the official position of the civil government of the states which make up our nation.  The truths in this document are not from just a few founders shooting the breeze in a tavern, and they are not limited to Christians or churches.  This is a civil government document and is unanimous among all the states.  The document has never been amended, repealed, or in any way changed.  It means today what it meant in 1776. 

The Official Position

If we find in the Declaration (spoiler alert), references to God, and evidence of how He made His creation, then we have to understand our nation – the civil government of our nation – was founded upon these principles.  Further, we have to admit that these truths are – even now still – UNANIMOUS among the states. 

I can hear it now, someone may say something like, “Well, maybe that’s what you believe, and that’s fine, but you can’t expect to cram your religion down my throat…”  What each of us believes as individuals is, indeed, our own business, and each of us should work that out with God.  However, there is no question whatsoever, that our nation was founded and UNANIMOUSLY built upon the principles we find in this great document.  So, I’ll have to tell this person I am sorry, but his Representatives already signed the document on his behalf. 

The Declaration of Independence was the very first document that we ever produced as a free and independent nation.  Even the text of the document, as we will see later, indicates that the founders thought it prudent to announce to the world who we were and why we were doing what we were doing.  As a result, if anyone ever has a question as to the founding principles of our nation, then the Declaration of Independence is the logical place to go for answers.  As we go through this document, we will see the foundational principles of our great nation clearly presented.  I can’t wait to get started… 

One More Logical Thought for Mrs Rambo

You know what?  Years later it hit me…  If the lack of my last name left Mrs. Rambo in a state of confusion, how did she know which Jason to call back to her desk?  She was apparently able to figure out whose paper she was dealing with…  maybe I should have explained that to her!?!   Yeah, maybe that would have helped…