Galatians 5:13 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
While officiating a promotion ceremony immediately in front of the Liberty Bell was meaningful (see the prior post), it was the backdrop of Independence Hall that made the location especially poignant. It was at this location that the founders crafted both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. With this location in the background, I led my friend in the following pledge:
“I (full name), having been appointed a Colonel in the United States Air Force, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion, and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter. So help me God.”
This oath of office is similar to those taken by various public servants in our nation, and is meaningful because of its focus. The oath is not to a leader, a military service, or even the Commander-in-Chief. Instead, it is an oath to the Bible-based concepts contained in our founding documents. It is an oath to commit one’s career and even one’s life to these concepts, and to invest one’s liberties to protect and defend them against all enemies – foreign and domestic.
There are plenty of enemies from which we need protecting. We face physical adversaries and moral adversaries, attacking from every direction. We need those who would commit themselves to defeating them. We need those who would rely upon the same source of strength as did our founders. PLEASE PRAY THAT AMERICAN CHRISTIANS WOULD ENGAGE IN PROTECTING OUR FREEDOMS FROM ALL ADVERSARIES. As we do, we must plead the following – So help me God!
