Faith
Faith can be divided into three levels: ego-centric—faith in oneself; ecto-centric—faith in others (or faith in things outside oneself); and Theo-centric—faith in God. The first two are seen as temporal, the third as spiritual; the first two visible, the third invisible. However, all are spiritual, and each is necessary for the full development of agency. When any of the three are diminished, then agency is diminished. It is only in the full, wise, and overlapping exercise of each level that faith can be fully realized in this earthly sphere. Furthermore, it is only through the maximum exercise of faith that maximum agency can be achieved in this life.
America was founded on the three attributes of faith.
(1) Faith in self.
Self-reliance is the hallmark of a democratic republic. Socialism, communism, and totalitarianism are supported by the idea that the individual is incapable of governing himself, that authority should be in the hands of the one, the few, or the elite. It gives rise to tyrants, to a chosen few, to dictators, to a class system, to tribalism.
(2) Faith in others.
Again socialism, communism, and totalitarianism are supported by the pernicious idea that government should have total power, that government should dictate what people say, what people do, what jobs they hold, what they are capable of, what salaries they should receive, where they should live, and what they should think, etc. In a democratic republic it is assumed that individuals will always become equal to the occasion—that doctors, scientists, inventors, business leaders, teachers, nurses, technicians, organizers, discoverers, skilled laborers, farmers, ranchers, small business owners, pioneers, visionaries, dreamers, writers, etc. will fill every need, meet every crisis, advance every good cause, fill every gap. That solutions will come spontaneously from the people. It is inherent in a republic that we are all the children of God endowed with special gifts, and that genius rests in the breast of every living soul. A free government has faith in the people, not in a select few. In fact, inherent in democracy is the idea that government should be of the people, by the people, and for the people.
(3) Faith in God.
Our nation was founded on faith in the Christian God, in Christ Jesus. People came here to avoid religious persecution, that they might worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. Churches sprang up in every settlement and every back woods. People gathered on the sabbath day to worship and give thanks to God for their blessings. Thanksgiving Day became a national day of thanks to God for his blessings. Christmas was a national holiday acknowledging Christ as our redeemer. It was universally felt that it was God who inspired our forefathers to write our Constitution, and it was God who aided our patriots in winning our freedom against insurmountable odds. “In God we trust” became our national motto. In addition, only through faith can miracles occur. Can any Christian imagine the state of things if we lived in a nation without miracles? And finally, only God is the author of The Law of Liberty and The Perfect Law of Liberty. As a nation we once believed the words of the Savior:
“Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
Sometimes I wish I could live life over with a complete memory of my mistakes. I would make many changes and reduce my sins considerably along with a million other changes. And one thing that I would put at the top of my list is the acquirement of faith. There is no greater power in the universe than faith. God himself works by faith. Is there any word or thought in his head that is not fulfilled?
God all the credit?
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