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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - America Is A Christian Nation (Part 1) | July 3, 2025
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- ♪♪♪
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- Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church
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- Of dallas, texas, this is "pathway to victory"
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- With dr. robert jeffress.
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- Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress
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- And welcome again to "pathway to victory."
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- In recent decades, our government has taken
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- Drastic measures to ensure that church
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- And state remain completely separate.
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- And while many have applauded these efforts for upholding
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- American values, our modern-day interpretation of the separation
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- Of church and state actually goes against the vision
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- Cast by our founding fathers.
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- I'll explain why america is and always has been
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- A christian nation on today's special edition
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- Of "pathway to victory."
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- ♪♪♪
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- Announcer: jesus declared, "you are the salt of the earth
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- And the light of the world."
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- With so much darkness creeping into our schools and
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- Communities, now is the time to answer that calling.
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- Become the salt and light
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- The world desperately needs through
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- The "pathway to victory" salt
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- And light matching challenge.
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- Your gift today, doubled in ministry impact, will empower
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- "pathway to victory" to proclaim the gospel and stand for
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- Biblical truth.
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- Push back and hold strong against moral decline by joining
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- The salt and light matching challenge.
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- ♪♪♪
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- Jeffress: listen long enough to the arguments of the american
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- Civil liberties union or the freedom from religion foundation
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- Or other left-wing groups, and you will come to believe this
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- Version of america, america's history, you'll come to believe
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- That america was founded by a wide diversity of people
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- From many different faiths: some deists, some atheists,
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- And yes, a few christians.
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- But the founders had one goal and that was to build a
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- Completely secular nation that was devoid of any religious,
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- Especially christian, influence whatsoever.
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- You'll be told that our founders wanted to erect this unscalable
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- Wall around our country that would keep any
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- Spiritual influence from seeping into public life.
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- That version of american history belongs in the same category
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- As the story of george washington
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- And the cherry tree.
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- It is an absolute myth.
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- As we're going to discover today, the truth is america was
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- Founded primarily, not exclusively, but primarily
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- By orthodox christians and they founded this country upon
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- The unchanging foundation of god's eternal truth.
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- And furthermore, our founders believed that our success
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- As a nation depended upon our faithfulness
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- To god's eternal word.
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- And though it is completely politically incorrect to say,
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- The truth is this: america was founded as a christian nation
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- And our success as a nation depends upon our fidelity
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- To god's word.
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- Now today, we are going to look at the historical evidence by
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- Which we can say that america was truly founded
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- As a christian nation.
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- You won't hear this in the secular media, you won't
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- Hear this in the classroom, but you will come to understand
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- The historical truth when i'm finished today.
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- First of all, let's look at the spiritual beliefs
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- Of our founders.
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- Were they neutral toward christianity?
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- Hardly.
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- Fifty-two of the fifty-five men who attended the constitutional
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- Convention were orthodox conservative christians.
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- In fact, two of those founders who attended the constitutional
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- Convention, elias boudinot and john jay, the first chief
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- Justice of our supreme court, later went on to be the head of
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- The american bible society.
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- And the purpose of the american bible society was to distribute
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- The bible to as many people as possible, believing that the
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- Message of the bible would transform lives and set the
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- Nation on a proper moral course.
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- Yes, two of our founders were deists.
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- And make no mistake about it, deists are not christians.
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- Two of our founders,
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- Thomas jefferson and benjamin franklin were deists,
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- But even these men understood the importance of a spiritual
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- Foundation for our country.
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- It's interesting that thomas jefferson and benjamin franklin
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- Worked together to create, to propose,
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- A national seal for our country.
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- Do you know what that national seal was?
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- It was a depiction of moses leading the children of israel
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- Out of egypt, following god, the pillar of cloud.
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- Benjamin franklin believed that the continental congress should
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- Begin the session seeking the favor of god through prayer.
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- Franklin said, quote, "i have lived, sir, a long time and
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- The longer i live, the more convincing proofs i see of this
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- Truth--that god governs the affairs of men.
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- And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice,
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- Is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?
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- We have been assured, sir, in the sacred writings that
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- 'except the lord build they labor in vain that build it.'"
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- That was benjamin franklin.
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- Consider also the state constitutions.
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- Every state had their own constitution and almost all of
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- The 13 colonies prior to the constitutional convention had
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- A state-sponsored religion.
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- And you see this in the qualifications that every state
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- Had to go to the constitutional convention.
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- For example, if you were from delaware and you wanted to hold
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- Public office in the state of delaware, if you wanted to go to
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- The constitutional convention, listen to one of the things you
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- Had to subscribe to.
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- Article 22 of the delaware convention said, quote,
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- "every person who shall be chosen a member of either house,
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- Or appointed to any office or place of trust, shall make and
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- Subscribe to the following declaration: 'i do profess faith
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- In god the father, and in jesus christ his only son, and in the
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- Holy ghost, one god, blessed for evermore; and i do acknowledge
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- The holy scriptures to the old and new testament
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- To be given by divine inspiration.'"
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- Today we don't even require some seminary professors
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- To believe that.
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- Just listen, for example, to george washington in his first
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- Inaugural speech.
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- He said, "it would be improper to omit in this first official
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- Act, my fervent supplications to that almighty being.
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- No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the
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- Invisible hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the
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- People of the united states."
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- Or consider the words of the second president
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- Of united states, john adams.
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- He said, "the general principles,
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- On which the fathers achieved independence,
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- Were the general principles of christianity.
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- I will avow, that i then believed, and now
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- Believe, that those general principles of christianity
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- Are as eternal and immutable,
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- As the existence and the attributes of god; and that
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- Those principles of liberty, are as unalterable as human nature."
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- Or consider this amazing observation by adams.
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- He said, "our constitution was made only for a moral
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- And religious people.
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- It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
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- John jay, as i said, was the first chief justice of
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- The united states supreme court.
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- He was the co-author of the federalist papers.
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- He said, "providence--" they referred to god as "providence,"
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- "has given our people the choice of their rulers, and it is the
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- Duty, as well as the privilege and interest, of our christian
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- Nation to select and to prefer christians for their rulers."
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- Boy, today he would be hauled into court and sued down
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- To his socks for making a statement like that.
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- But this is the first chief justice of our supreme court.
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- John quincy adams, the son of john adams, was the sixth
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- President of the united states.
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- You won't believe what he said about the christian foundation
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- Of our nation.
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- He asked, "why is it that, next to the birthday of
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- The savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated
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- Festival returns this day, july 4?
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- Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of
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- The nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday
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- Of the savior?
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- Is it not that the declaration of independence first organized
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- The social compact on the foundation of the redeemer's
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- Mission upon earth?
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- That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first
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- Precepts of christianity?"
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- That was john quincy adams.
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- Perhaps the most amazing quote by john quincy adams is one that
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- Has been disputed by some, so we went back to find the source of
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- This, and we found this quote appeared in a publication of
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- Harvard university in 1860, so if i'm wrong, harvard university
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- Is wrong too.
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- But we're not wrong.
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- This is what john quincy adams said, quote, "the highest,
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- The transcendent glory of the american revolution was this
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- That it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles
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- Of civil government and the precepts of christianity.
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- If it has never been considered in that light it is because its
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- Compass has not been perceived."
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- Do you hear that?
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- There is an indissoluble bond between the founding of our
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- Country and christianity.
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- That was john quincy adams.
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- You say, "well, pastor, what about the wall of separation
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- Between the church and the state?
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- I thought that was the founding principle of our nation?"
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- I was talking to a reporter this week and he asked
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- The very same thing.
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- He said, "pastor, what about the constitution and the separation
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- Of church and state?"
- 00:11:29.378 --> 00:11:31.781
- I said, "that's not found anywhere in the constitution."
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- He said, "what?"
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- I said, "look at the constitution.
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- Never once do you find the words 'the separation of church and
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- State,' and yet today 69% of americans still believe that
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- That phrase is found somewhere in the constitution."
- 00:11:46.462 --> 00:11:51.133
- It's not in the constitution, and we'll see in just a moment
- 00:11:51.133 --> 00:11:54.703
- Where that phrase originated.
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- In fact, the first mention of that phrase, "the wall of
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- Separation between church and state," doesn't appear
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- In a government document.
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- It appears in a private letter from newly elected president
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- Thomas jefferson and a group of baptists
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- In danbury, connecticut.
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- In 1801, almost every state,
- 00:12:16.192 --> 00:12:20.095
- As i said, had a state-sponsored religion.
- 00:12:20.095 --> 00:12:24.033
- Even after the 1st amendment was ratified in 1792, "congress
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- Shall make no law respecting the establishment of a religion,"
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- Even 7 years after that, most every state had
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- A state-sponsored religion.
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- They were christian denominations, they were
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- Christian religions, but they were different denominations
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- According to the state in which you lived.
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- It so happened in connecticut that the congregational church
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- Was the state-sponsored denomination
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- In the state of connecticut.
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- And so, part of people's tax dollars in connecticut
- 00:12:56.532 --> 00:12:59.702
- Went to support the congregational church.
- 00:12:59.702 --> 00:13:02.972
- Well, the baptists didn't like that very much, and so they
- 00:13:02.972 --> 00:13:06.976
- Would petition the government every year for the tax dollars
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- That had gone to the congregational church to be
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- Redirected toward their church.
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- And they were tired at having to go through that hassle.
- 00:13:15.284 --> 00:13:18.454
- So when thomas jefferson became president on
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- January the 1st, 1802
- 00:13:20.956 --> 00:13:23.859
- Thomas jefferson wrote this letter in response to their
- 00:13:23.859 --> 00:13:27.129
- Earlier letter, and listen to what he said: "i contemplate
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- With sovereign reverence that act of the whole american people
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- Which declare that their legislature should,
- 00:13:35.304 --> 00:13:38.440
- 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion
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- Or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'"
- 00:13:42.945 --> 00:13:46.782
- He's quoting the 1st amendment.
- 00:13:46.782 --> 00:13:48.317
- "thus, building a wall of separation
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- Between church and state."
- 00:13:51.253 --> 00:13:54.556
- Now, i want you to notice the context.
- 00:13:54.556 --> 00:13:56.892
- The context had to do with the establishing of one christian
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- Denomination as the state religion which people were
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- Coerced to support financially.
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- And it was in that context that thomas jefferson said,
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- "no, we are not to establish a state church
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- That coerces people to worship.
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- We're not to elevate one christian denomination
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- Over another."
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- That is clearly the context.
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- Look at the early court rulings in addition to the utterances of
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- Our founding fathers.
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- I mention just several of these cases that show that not only
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- Did our judiciary affirm our christian foundation, but they
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- Also encouraged government support of the christian faith.
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- First of all, the case of runkel versus winemiller in 1799.
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- In that case, the supreme court of maryland said in its
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- Decision, quote, "by our form of government,
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- The christian religion is the established religion."
- 00:14:58.821 --> 00:15:05.394
- Now stop there and think about that.
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- This is 7 years, just 7 years, after the 1st amendment
- 00:15:06.829 --> 00:15:11.567
- That says: "congress shall make no law regarding
- 00:15:11.567 --> 00:15:13.936
- The establishment of religion."
- 00:15:13.936 --> 00:15:17.172
- And now, 7 years later, the united--
- 00:15:17.172 --> 00:15:20.542
- Or the maryland supreme court says, "we have an established
- 00:15:20.542 --> 00:15:24.380
- Religion in this country.
- 00:15:24.380 --> 00:15:25.948
- It is the christian religion."
- 00:15:25.948 --> 00:15:28.317
- Were these judges ignorant of the 1st amendment?
- 00:15:28.317 --> 00:15:32.388
- Of course they weren't.
- 00:15:32.388 --> 00:15:34.223
- They understood the 1st amendment better than you do,
- 00:15:34.223 --> 00:15:36.859
- Better than i do, and certainly better than some liberal judge
- 00:15:36.859 --> 00:15:39.995
- Does today.
- 00:15:39.995 --> 00:15:41.530
- The founders were still alive, the framers of the constitution.
- 00:15:41.530 --> 00:15:44.600
- If there was any question, maryland's supreme court could
- 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:47.636
- Have gone and asked the founders what they mean.
- 00:15:47.636 --> 00:15:50.272
- No, they said, "we have an established religion," but look
- 00:15:50.272 --> 00:15:53.242
- At the second phrase: "and all sects and denominations of
- 00:15:53.242 --> 00:15:57.079
- Christians are placed upon the same equal footing, and are
- 00:15:57.079 --> 00:16:01.450
- Equally entitled to protection in their religious liberty."
- 00:16:01.450 --> 00:16:05.788
- What they were saying was: yes, we have an established faith,
- 00:16:05.788 --> 00:16:10.125
- The christian faith, but no christian denomination is to be
- 00:16:10.125 --> 00:16:14.096
- Elevated over another christian denomination.
- 00:16:14.096 --> 00:16:16.899
- And that, again, was the intent of the 1st amendment.
- 00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:21.336
- The second case, a court case, the church of the holy trinity
- 00:16:21.336 --> 00:16:25.741
- Versus the united states, 1892.
- 00:16:25.741 --> 00:16:28.977
- This was a case that went before the united states supreme court.
- 00:16:28.977 --> 00:16:32.514
- The case dealt with a church that was being sued by the
- 00:16:32.514 --> 00:16:35.818
- Government for employing a pastor from england which
- 00:16:35.818 --> 00:16:39.288
- Supposedly violated federal immigration law.
- 00:16:39.288 --> 00:16:42.424
- Even a hot topic back then.
- 00:16:42.424 --> 00:16:44.793
- Isn't that amazing?
- 00:16:44.793 --> 00:16:47.029
- Some things never change.
- 00:16:47.029 --> 00:16:48.730
- But anyway, they were going to sue this church for hiring a
- 00:16:48.730 --> 00:16:51.934
- Preacher from england.
- 00:16:51.934 --> 00:16:53.869
- The united states supreme court rejected that application of law
- 00:16:53.869 --> 00:16:57.473
- To the church, and listen to what the supreme court said.
- 00:16:57.473 --> 00:17:01.410
- They said: "no purpose or action against religion can be imputed
- 00:17:01.410 --> 00:17:05.547
- To any legislation, state or national, because this is
- 00:17:05.547 --> 00:17:08.650
- A religious people."
- 00:17:08.650 --> 00:17:10.786
- This is historically true.
- 00:17:10.786 --> 00:17:12.721
- From the discovery of this continent to the present hour,
- 00:17:12.721 --> 00:17:15.524
- There is one single voice making this affirmation.
- 00:17:15.524 --> 00:17:18.560
- And then the court recited a plethora of evidence that this
- 00:17:18.560 --> 00:17:22.464
- Nation was founded on christian principles and then the court
- 00:17:22.464 --> 00:17:26.168
- Said this, quote: "these, and many other matters which might
- 00:17:26.168 --> 00:17:31.573
- Be noticed, add a volume of unofficial declarations to the
- 00:17:31.573 --> 00:17:36.378
- Mass of organic utterances that this is a christian nation."
- 00:17:36.378 --> 00:17:42.718
- The united states supreme court,
- 00:17:42.718 --> 00:17:45.087
- In fact, notice what else they said.
- 00:17:45.087 --> 00:17:48.223
- They quoted, thirdly, a case from the new york state
- 00:17:48.223 --> 00:17:51.460
- Supreme court, the people versus ruggles.
- 00:17:51.460 --> 00:17:54.963
- The supreme court in 1892 reached back to a prior court
- 00:17:54.963 --> 00:17:59.201
- Ruling in new york to substantiate their view and
- 00:17:59.201 --> 00:18:03.472
- Listen to what they quoted and affirmed
- 00:18:03.472 --> 00:18:05.908
- In this supreme court decision.
- 00:18:05.908 --> 00:18:08.510
- They said, quote, "nor are we bound by any expressions in the
- 00:18:08.510 --> 00:18:13.849
- Constitution, as some have strangely supposed, either not
- 00:18:13.849 --> 00:18:18.220
- To punish at all, or to punish indiscriminately the like
- 00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:21.690
- Attacks upon the religion of mahomet, that is, islam, or of
- 00:18:21.690 --> 00:18:27.029
- The grand lama, that is, buddhism, and for this plain
- 00:18:27.029 --> 00:18:30.365
- Reason, that the case assumes that we are a christian people,
- 00:18:30.365 --> 00:18:36.471
- And the morality of the country is deeply engrafted upon
- 00:18:36.471 --> 00:18:40.075
- Christianity, and not upon the doctrines of worship
- 00:18:40.075 --> 00:18:44.346
- Of those imposters."
- 00:18:44.346 --> 00:18:49.718
- Now isn't that an amazing ruling affirmed
- 00:18:49.718 --> 00:18:52.054
- By the united states supreme court?
- 00:18:52.054 --> 00:18:54.289
- Not only to say that this nation is engrafted upon the principles
- 00:18:54.289 --> 00:18:58.026
- Of christianity, but other non-christian religions: islam,
- 00:18:58.026 --> 00:19:03.265
- Buddhism, are imposter religions.
- 00:19:03.265 --> 00:19:07.736
- Again, the argument i'm making today is that our nation was
- 00:19:07.736 --> 00:19:12.941
- Founded upon christianity and our forefathers had a bias in a
- 00:19:12.941 --> 00:19:18.814
- Positive sense toward keeping this nation founded upon its
- 00:19:18.814 --> 00:19:23.185
- Christian principles.
- 00:19:23.185 --> 00:19:25.487
- One more i wanna share with you:
- 00:19:25.487 --> 00:19:27.990
- Vidal versus girard's executors, 1844.
- 00:19:27.990 --> 00:19:31.927
- This was a very complicated case, but the gist of it is
- 00:19:31.927 --> 00:19:36.131
- This: a man, very wealthy man, in philadelphia died and in his
- 00:19:36.131 --> 00:19:41.003
- Will he stipulated that the proceeds of his estate would be
- 00:19:41.003 --> 00:19:45.307
- Used to support a school for orphans.
- 00:19:45.307 --> 00:19:49.044
- They would call that a college back then.
- 00:19:49.044 --> 00:19:51.813
- But it was a school for orphans.
- 00:19:51.813 --> 00:19:53.482
- But he had one stipulation, and that is no christian clergymen
- 00:19:53.482 --> 00:19:57.519
- Could be allowed to teach in his school.
- 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:00.789
- Well, the people of pennsylvania were upset by that.
- 00:20:00.789 --> 00:20:06.828
- They were upset that you would have a school in which
- 00:20:06.828 --> 00:20:09.898
- Christianity couldn't be taught.
- 00:20:09.898 --> 00:20:12.134
- But the supreme court of the united states upheld that man's
- 00:20:12.134 --> 00:20:15.370
- Will, using this logic: they said the fact that you don't
- 00:20:15.370 --> 00:20:19.808
- Have a christian minister teaching doesn't mean the
- 00:20:19.808 --> 00:20:23.845
- Principles of christianity can't be taught or should be taught.
- 00:20:23.845 --> 00:20:28.150
- And this is what the supreme court said, quote, "why may not
- 00:20:28.150 --> 00:20:31.720
- The bible, and especially the new testament, without note or
- 00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:35.957
- Comment, be read and taught as a divine revelation in the
- 00:20:35.957 --> 00:20:40.629
- College, its general precepts expounded, its evidences
- 00:20:40.629 --> 00:20:44.700
- Explained, and its glorious principles
- 00:20:44.700 --> 00:20:47.135
- Of morality inculcated?"
- 00:20:47.135 --> 00:20:49.504
- There is no reason not to teach the bible in this school, and to
- 00:20:49.504 --> 00:20:54.710
- Treat it as the word of god,
- 00:20:54.710 --> 00:20:56.478
- And to teach its morality to students.
- 00:20:56.478 --> 00:20:59.181
- Likewise, the court said in the same ruling that we don't have
- 00:20:59.181 --> 00:21:02.684
- To worry about parity, what effect such a ruling would have
- 00:21:02.684 --> 00:21:05.787
- On non-christian rulings.
- 00:21:05.787 --> 00:21:07.856
- Listen to this. again, amazing.
- 00:21:07.856 --> 00:21:10.158
- "it is unnecessary for us, however, to consider what
- 00:21:10.158 --> 00:21:12.861
- The legal effect of a device in pennsylvania for the
- 00:21:12.861 --> 00:21:15.831
- Establishment of a school or college, for the propagation of
- 00:21:15.831 --> 00:21:18.767
- Judaism, or deism, or any other form of infidelity.
- 00:21:18.767 --> 00:21:27.676
- Such a case is not
- 00:21:28.643 --> 00:21:30.479
- To be presumed in a christian country."
- 00:21:30.479 --> 00:21:36.752
- Now that is how the early court felt about the christian faith.
- 00:21:36.752 --> 00:21:41.456
- It's interesting to note that the man who delivered
- 00:21:41.456 --> 00:21:44.493
- That opinion, the majority opinion in the gerard case,
- 00:21:44.493 --> 00:21:48.630
- Was justice joseph story.
- 00:21:48.630 --> 00:21:51.600
- I remember a few years ago, going through the capital at
- 00:21:51.600 --> 00:21:54.669
- Night and seeing a bust of joseph story and the old chamber
- 00:21:54.669 --> 00:21:58.607
- Where the senate used to meet.
- 00:21:58.607 --> 00:22:00.776
- Joseph story was appointed to the supreme court in 1811
- 00:22:00.776 --> 00:22:05.147
- By james madison.
- 00:22:05.147 --> 00:22:07.282
- Now, if you know anything about american history, you know james
- 00:22:07.282 --> 00:22:10.552
- Madison is said to have been the architect of our constitution.
- 00:22:10.552 --> 00:22:14.923
- So, james madison is the one who appointed joseph story who said,
- 00:22:14.923 --> 00:22:19.428
- "this is a christian nation,"
- 00:22:19.428 --> 00:22:22.130
- And talked about imposter religions.
- 00:22:22.130 --> 00:22:25.000
- Now, do you think james madison, who knew the constitution
- 00:22:25.000 --> 00:22:30.338
- Backwards and forwards, was its architect, would he appoint some
- 00:22:30.338 --> 00:22:34.843
- Imbecile to the supreme court who didn't understand the
- 00:22:34.843 --> 00:22:36.878
- Purpose of the constitution?
- 00:22:36.878 --> 00:22:39.214
- Of course not.
- 00:22:39.214 --> 00:22:40.782
- He appointed joseph story because he knew story
- 00:22:40.782 --> 00:22:43.251
- Understood the constitution.
- 00:22:43.251 --> 00:22:45.187
- Later on in his career, joseph story went on to write a
- 00:22:45.187 --> 00:22:48.256
- Commentary on the entire united states constitution that was
- 00:22:48.256 --> 00:22:52.961
- For years used in law schools around the country.
- 00:22:52.961 --> 00:22:56.998
- And in his notes on the 1st amendment, about the
- 00:22:56.998 --> 00:23:00.936
- Establishment clause, he said, "it is absolutely without debate
- 00:23:00.936 --> 00:23:05.040
- That the founders' intention in that establishment clause was to
- 00:23:05.040 --> 00:23:09.377
- Keep from elevating one christian denomination over
- 00:23:09.377 --> 00:23:13.014
- Another christian denomination, but never in the founders'
- 00:23:13.014 --> 00:23:17.252
- Imagination did they think that would be used to make
- 00:23:17.252 --> 00:23:19.988
- Christianity subservient to other non-christian religions."
- 00:23:19.988 --> 00:23:25.494
- Jeffress: there's much more evidence i wanna share with you,
- 00:23:29.664 --> 00:23:32.467
- All of it confirms that america was founded
- 00:23:32.467 --> 00:23:36.104
- As a christian nation.
- 00:23:36.104 --> 00:23:37.672
- So, make it a point to join us again next time
- 00:23:37.672 --> 00:23:40.075
- For "pathway to victory."
- 00:23:40.075 --> 00:23:41.910
- Well, the deadline is nearly upon us
- 00:23:41.910 --> 00:23:44.079
- For the salt and light matching challenge.
- 00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:46.348
- For just a few more days, your gift will be
- 00:23:46.348 --> 00:23:48.984
- Matched and therefore doubled in ministry impact.
- 00:23:48.984 --> 00:23:52.787
- But the countdown ends july 6 at midnight.
- 00:23:52.787 --> 00:23:56.925
- So please don't delay any longer
- 00:23:56.925 --> 00:23:59.160
- In sending your gift to "pathway to victory."
- 00:23:59.160 --> 00:24:02.397
- In today's world where god's design for marriage, family,
- 00:24:02.397 --> 00:24:05.967
- And life itself is being recklessly abandoned,
- 00:24:05.967 --> 00:24:09.738
- We need to take action.
- 00:24:09.738 --> 00:24:11.907
- Your support right now will help us boldly proclaim the
- 00:24:11.907 --> 00:24:15.310
- Gospel and defend biblical truth when our nation needs it most.
- 00:24:15.310 --> 00:24:20.715
- Thank you in advance for your generosity as together we push
- 00:24:20.715 --> 00:24:24.786
- Back against the moral and spiritual darkness of our day.
- 00:24:24.786 --> 00:24:29.224
- Now, stay right there.
- 00:24:29.224 --> 00:24:30.759
- I'll be back with more "pathway to victory" in just a moment.
- 00:24:30.759 --> 00:24:33.662
- Announcer: the moral decline in today's world can
- 00:24:34.963 --> 00:24:36.965
- Feel overwhelming, but god calls us to shine his light and make a
- 00:24:36.965 --> 00:24:41.169
- Difference for him in a world that has lost its way.
- 00:24:41.169 --> 00:24:44.306
- In his brand new book, "shine the light," dr. robert jeffress
- 00:24:44.306 --> 00:24:47.742
- Shows you how small faithful acts like teaching, serving, and
- 00:24:47.742 --> 00:24:51.246
- Encouraging can restore and renew christian values in your
- 00:24:51.246 --> 00:24:54.749
- Family, your church, and community.
- 00:24:54.749 --> 00:24:57.085
- Jeffress: the bible teaches that our primary purpose in life is
- 00:24:57.085 --> 00:25:00.555
- To influence the world with the gospel.
- 00:25:00.555 --> 00:25:03.558
- And in my new book, i'll show you how to live purposefully and
- 00:25:03.558 --> 00:25:07.262
- Leave behind a legacy of faith, wisdom, and compassion.
- 00:25:07.262 --> 00:25:11.733
- Announcer: the world may seem lost, but god's light has
- 00:25:11.733 --> 00:25:14.402
- Not dimmed, and neither has yours.
- 00:25:14.402 --> 00:25:16.871
- Request your copy of, "shine the light" when you give a generous
- 00:25:16.871 --> 00:25:19.975
- Gift to the "pathway to victory" salt and
- 00:25:19.975 --> 00:25:22.177
- Light matching challenge.
- 00:25:22.177 --> 00:25:24.079
- And when your ministry gift is $100 or more, we'll also send
- 00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:27.749
- You the complete, "shine the light" teaching series on dvd
- 00:25:27.749 --> 00:25:31.152
- And audio disc.
- 00:25:31.152 --> 00:25:32.487
- Jeffress: light is of little value in the light.
- 00:25:32.487 --> 00:25:35.390
- If we're gonna be effective, we're effective for christ not
- 00:25:35.390 --> 00:25:38.627
- When we're around other light sources, other christians, it is
- 00:25:38.627 --> 00:25:42.664
- When we're in the darkness.
- 00:25:42.664 --> 00:25:45.100
- Jeffress: light has to confront the darkness.
- 00:25:45.100 --> 00:25:47.802
- Announcer: remember your
- 00:25:47.802 --> 00:25:49.137
- Gift today will have twice the
- 00:25:49.137 --> 00:25:50.505
- Impact thanks to the "pathway
- 00:25:50.505 --> 00:25:51.840
- To victory" salt and light
- 00:25:51.840 --> 00:25:53.174
- Matching challenge.
- 00:25:53.174 --> 00:25:55.010
- Thank you for partnering with "pathway to victory" as we
- 00:25:55.010 --> 00:25:57.712
- Boldly proclaim the gospel and equip believers to shine god's
- 00:25:57.712 --> 00:26:01.616
- Light in a world that has lost its way.
- 00:26:01.616 --> 00:26:04.586
- Jeffress: you can try to twist the facts any way you want,
- 00:26:06.388 --> 00:26:09.691
- But the truth is still the same.
- 00:26:09.691 --> 00:26:11.626
- America was founded as a christian nation.
- 00:26:11.626 --> 00:26:15.497
- Not only were most of our founding fathers godly men
- 00:26:15.497 --> 00:26:19.034
- Who revered the bible, early supreme court rulings
- 00:26:19.034 --> 00:26:22.637
- Clearly promoted and protected christian values.
- 00:26:22.637 --> 00:26:26.875
- So where did it all go wrong?
- 00:26:26.875 --> 00:26:29.010
- Well, next time, i'm going to identify the historic events
- 00:26:29.010 --> 00:26:33.014
- That derailed our nation from following god's will.
- 00:26:33.014 --> 00:26:36.985
- And finally, we're going to look at the consequences
- 00:26:36.985 --> 00:26:40.088
- Of renouncing our christian heritage.
- 00:26:40.088 --> 00:26:43.124
- Stay tuned for a preview of what's coming up next
- 00:26:43.124 --> 00:26:45.527
- On "pathway to victory."
- 00:26:45.527 --> 00:26:47.729
- Jeffress: how do you explain this shift?
- 00:26:48.596 --> 00:26:50.765
- What has happened in the last 60 or 70 years?
- 00:26:50.765 --> 00:26:54.436
- Has the constitution changed, and somebody didn't tell us?
- 00:26:54.436 --> 00:26:58.673
- No. what happened is this.
- 00:26:58.673 --> 00:27:01.643
- We've allowed the atheists, the secularists, the infidels
- 00:27:01.643 --> 00:27:06.481
- To pervert our constitution into
- 00:27:06.481 --> 00:27:09.150
- Something our founders never intended,
- 00:27:09.150 --> 00:27:12.554
- Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for part 2
- 00:27:12.620 --> 00:27:15.490
- Of the message, "america is a christian nation,"
- 00:27:15.490 --> 00:27:18.727
- Here on "pathway to victory."
- 00:27:18.727 --> 00:27:18.727