Reaching US Schools with the Gospel
The Bible says that the invisible attributes of God, since the creation of the world, are clearly seen by the things that are made (Rom 1:20).
The attributes of God are found by separating the Ten Commandments into moral opposites. The moral positives of these moral opposites of the Ten Commandments are attributes of God known as the “Beatitudes” (Matt 5:3-12, Deuteronomy 30:11-15, John 12:44-50).
The same moral positives or attributes of God are contrasted against the moral negatives of the Ten Commandments in Colossians chapter 3. Verses 3:9-10 of Colossians specifically mention the image of God.
Both the book of Deuteronomy and the Gospel of John are structured using these same moral contrasts of the Ten Commandments in sequence.
See this reference under heading Biblical References/ Christ as Image for the specific divisions in Deuteronomy and John’s Gospel.
The invisible attributes of God from the first seven days of Creation that should be clearly seen are shown in John Chapter 1-12.
U.S. Declaration of Independence makes a reference to this image of God in John’s Gospel.
The U.S. Declaration of Independence says that it was the “Laws of Nature and Nature’s God” that compelled the separation from England.
Thomas Jefferson quoted Sir William Blackstone when he referenced the phrase “Laws of Nature and Nature’s God”
“These are the eternal, immutable laws of good and evil, to which the creator himself in all his dispensations conforms.” (Sir William Blackstone)
Thomas Jefferson is also referring to Sir William Blackstone with the phrase “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.
The phrase “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” originates from Blackstone’s interpretation of Matt 22:39.
Sir William Blackstone essentially says American law is based upon the second greatest commandment: Love your neighbor as yourself (Matt 22:39)
This is not the genius of the founding fathers.
It is the genius of THE FOUNDING FATHER.
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
(Rom 13:8-10)
In these last days, we forgot about the first and greatest commandment: Love God (Matt 22:37).
We can reach public schools with the Gospel of Jesus from the Apostle John’s Gospel using this approach.
