Independence Day Reading

I originally arranged these quotes for a July 4th reading at our church several years ago. The selections are meant to be read aloud, by three different speakers. One speaker always reads the historical quotes, one reads the scriptures, and the third speaker gives the references for both the quotes and the scripture passages. I'll show the different speakers here through different font colors.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 John 1:14

[Jesus said] I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

-- John 5:24

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

--John 14:6


We hold these truths

This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.

-- 1 Corinthians 2:13

 To be self-evident


 since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

--Romans 1:20

That all men are created

God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them

-- Genesis 1:27

Equal

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

--Galatians 3:28

And are endowed by their Creator

 Have we not all one Father? Did not one God create us? Why do we profane the covenant of our fathers by breaking faith with one another?

-- Malachi 2:10

With certain inalienable rights

What will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?

-- Job 31:14-15

That among these are life

 I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

-- John 11:25

 Liberty

Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

-- John 8:32

 And the pursuit of happiness

 I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

-- Philippians 4:11-12

 The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were...the general principles of Christianity

-- John Adams

 There is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

-- Romans 13:1

 If a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?

-- Benjamin Franklin

 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.

-- Joshua 24:15

Sir, I am not at all concerned [whether God is on our side], for I know the Lord is always on the side of the right. But it is my constant anxiety and prayer that I and this nation should be on the Lord's side.

-- Abraham Lincoln

 In my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!

-- Romans 7:22-25

 We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our constitution was made only for a moral and a religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

-- John Adams

 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

-- Deuteronomy 30:19-20

Can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis--a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with his wrath? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just: that his justice cannot sleep forever.

--Thomas Jefferson

 God bless America!

America, bless God!