Take a minute and hold in your hands a copy of the English Bible. In 14th century England, had I done this and encouraged this as a pastor (priest), the authorities would arrest, defrock, find me guilty of insurrection against the Church and State, and burn my body at the stake.
Thank God you have a readable Bible
The history of Protestants is a costly one. They paid dearly for wanting to know God. Today we hold in our hands a costly item. It cost our predecessors their lives in order for us to own a reliably translated, accurate to the original language, and readable Bible in our own language.
For centuries Bibles were unavailable to the general public. We can date the availability of Bibles in the English language to John Wycliffe. He was an English reformer who, through translating the first Bible into English, laid the groundwork for Luther, Calvin, the Puritans, and later, the Pilgrims under the governorship of William Bradford, as they sought religious freedom.
Thank God for Christian leaders like John Wycliffe
Wycliffe was a Christian philosopher at Oxford University. The Pope condemned his religious views in 1377. What did Wycliffe believe that was so heretical? He rejected the teaching that the bread and wine were literally turned into Jesus’ body (transubstantiation). Wycliff believed priests were unnecessary for mediating one’s relationship with God (priesthood of all believers). He taught that God’s Word was not just for the scholastic elitists. It was to be read and understood by the common folk (freedom of religion and family responsibility to perpetuate Christianity).
In Wycliffe’s day, the Church was in charge of all aspects of society. Today we face a government wanting to dictate rules for all aspects of society. In the 14th century, the Roman Catholic Church in Europe and England controlled the political, social, and spiritual aspects of life. The Church told people who to follow, what they could and could not do in public and private, and what to believe. The authorities expected the population to trust the Church completely, without accountability, and that the Church would do and say the right things. Again, today local, state, and federal governments are following the pattern of the abusive medieval Church. Are we entering another dark age?
If there is one thing on Thanksgiving Day for which I am deeply thankful it’s the ability to hold in my hands a copy of God’s Word that is readable and understandable.
Thank God you live under His authority
After Wycliffe translated the Bible into English, his followers raised up priests for the main purpose of preaching God’s Word in a manner people could understand and so they could apply the Bible to their lives.
With the ability to understand what God required of them, people were able to learn how to be self-governing. That is, to live and be accountable for their actions, intelligently under God’s rule. This produced a moral fabric upon which society and individuals could build their lives.
With the Bible in the hands of the general population, people could judge for themselves what was right, true, and honorable. Wycliffe stated, “The Bible is for the government of the people, by the people, for the people” (1384). You probably know this three-part phrase as it appears in the Gettysburg Address. Lincoln learned it from Theodore Parker, a Boston minister, who quoted Wycliffe in a sermon. He said, “Democracy is direct self-government, overall the people, by all the people, for all the people.” Lincoln believed that this rule “under God” meant that democracy “shall not perish from the earth.”
Thank God for what the Puritans stood for
For two hundred years the English people struggled with what it meant to have a righteous self-government and a godly civil government under the crown of Christ. One group, known as the people of the Book, were Elizabethan Puritans. They wanted the pure Word of God preached. They paid a heavy price for establishing God’s Word as the basis for Civil law.
Those in power, the royalty and gentry, didn’t submit to the truth that “no man is above the law” without a fight. Eventually King Henry the eighth bowed to the law and allowed the establishment of self and civil government. But before God’s Word became the foundation for civil law, in 1401, Jan Hus declared a heretic and burned at the stake. Also, the Church exhumed Wycliffe’s body, burned his bones , and threw the ashes into the River Swift in 1428.
The persecution that followed Wycliffe’s death caused many to flee to Europe. They hoped to establish religious freedom. They wanted to hear and apply God’s Word without state interference. In the first century, Paul was regularly thankful to God that those whom he led to Christ received the word of God, accepted its authority over their lives, and allowed God’s Word to work divine righteousness in them (1 Thess 2:13).
Thank God for what the Pilgrims established
One group of Puritans, known as Pilgrims, sought a land where self and civil government could be established under the Crown of Christ. They attempted their experiment first in the Netherlands but found the most success in the new world of North America.
In 1620 a small ship called the Mayflower landed in what was later called New England. The next year, native Indians joined the Pilgrims for a Thanksgiving Day celebration.
The year 1621 was a difficult one. A drought caused the New England crops to wither in the intense summer heat. The Pilgrims, humbled and concerned, resorted to fervent prayer. The Indians watched as these contrite believers prayed to a god they called by the name—Jesus Christ. The Governor, William Bradford, wrote this about the context of the first Thanksgiving Day.
“For all the morning, and greatest part of the day, it was clear weather and very hot, and not a cloud or any sign of rain to be seen, yet toward evening it began to overcast, and shortly after to rain, with such sweet and gentle showers, as gave them cause of rejoicing, and blessing God. It came, without either wind, or thunder, or any violence, and by degrees in that abundance, as that the earth was thoroughly wet and soaked therewith. Which did so apparently revive and quicken the decayed corn and other fruits, as was wonderful to see, and made the Indians astonished to behold; and afterwards the Lord sent them such seasonable showers, with interchange of fair warm weather, as, through his blessing, caused a fruitful and liberal harvest, to their no small comfort and rejoicing. For which mercy they also set apart a day of thanksgiving.”
Thank God for religious and civic freedoms
The stories of the British reformers, the Elizabethan Puritans, and the American Pilgrims, who sought religious freedom are the heritage of American government. It’s a story of God’s hand upon the foundation of a nation under God. This is a blessing few nations have experienced. And this is the reason to be thankful this Thanksgiving Day.
The Pilgrims established a colony where they could practice life under God with no governmental interference. They established a foundational principle of government for Americans. It’s that civil government is self-government under God. This is the basis for a civil and just society.
Although Scripture often speaks of how believers are to relate to governing authorities (Rom 13:1 ff), there is only one place in the whole Bible where the noun “government” appears. Twice Isaiah used the word “Misrah”. It refers to those who rule or have dominion over others.
Thank God for resourcing you to self-govern under Jesus’ authority
“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this: (Isa 9:6-7 ESV).
The context of “Misrah” is a promise that in the future a divine male child will be born who governs as the Lord God. He will carry the weight of the whole world upon his shoulders and govern with justice and righteousness. The Lord’s authority establishes God’s moral laws. His reign increases peace. His government lasts forever. Moreover, His reign will be over all aspects of life. He is described as the Wonderful Counselor (personal life), the Might God (political life), Everlasting Father (eternal life), and Prince of Peace (civic life).
We know after his resurrection from the dead, this was and is Jesus Christ. The reformers sought to live under His ultimate authority. God’s Word convinced the Puritans to live under God’s rule. Thus, Jesus directed the Pilgrims to establish a community that was self-governing under God.
Thank God Jesus Reigns
On Thanksgiving Day, rejoice in the truth that Jesus is on his throne reigning. He is the Lord of lords and King of kings. The cost of knowing this information was extreme. But the results have been religious and social freedoms not seen elsewhere in history.
Good government comes from people who see it founded upon the authority of God and not a majority vote. President Ronald Reagan, in his Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1985 said, “Although the time and date of the first American thanksgiving observance may be uncertain, there is no question but that this treasured custom derives from our Judeo-Christian heritage. ‘Unto Thee, O God, do we give thanks.’”
According to Isaiah, “The zeal of the LORD of hosts” establishes good government. The Psalmist sang, “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law” (Pr 29:18 ESV). By prophetic vision, the Psalmist was referring to God revealing His will.
It was the rediscovering of Bible content , clearly readable and understandable, that laid the foundation for a self-governing society. For that society to obtain peace, prosperity, freedom, and happiness, it must self-govern under God. It begins with personal self-governance lived under God’s moral rules. This in turn will influence local, state, and federal civic institutions. This is how culture transforms into a godly society. One person at a time living under God’s rule is what brought western society out of the dark ages.
We have a lot to be thankful for this Thanksgiving Day
Thank God when you see individuals in your community and nation governing themselves under His rule. And thank God for self-governance. It’s only possible if God reveals Himself so you can recognize Him as the Sovereign Lord over all.
This Thanksgiving day, place a Bible on the table. Talk about what it cost to have free access to a translation in your native language. The thank Jesus for bring the truths of the Bible into your life causing you to develop self-governing behaviors. And thank God for those you share your Thanksgiving meal with that they know the Lord and are self-governing under his Lordship. And finally, pray God sustains our society and keeps it from returning to a dark age of total institutional control over all of life by transforming people through His Word one heart at a time.
Picture Attributions:
Stack of Bibles from Pixabay.com, Wycliffe portrait By Bernard Picard from Wikipedia, By Jennie Augusta Brownscombe from Wikipedia, Thank God from Pixabay.com, First Thanksgiving Day by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris via Wikimedia Commons.
