Liberty: A Gift From God, Not Government
Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 07/06/2025
Foundation Scripture:
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV
1. A Nation Built on Divine Liberty.
a. Liberty is the very essence of the Gospel.
b. When Thomas Jefferson wrote, “The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time,” he echoed a biblical truth—that freedom is not man’s invention, but God’s intention.
c. The Declaration of Independence proclaims that we are “endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
d. The Constitution was written to secure—not grant—those God-given liberties.
e. The Founding Fathers understood that government does not give liberty—it is only meant to protect it.
f. And long before America was born, the Bible declared liberty to be the will of God for His people.
2. God Is the Source of True Liberty.
a. Liberty is not a political invention; it is a spiritual birthright.
b. From the Garden of Eden to Calvary’s cross, God has always desired for His children to walk in freedom.
c. Freedom from sin.
d. Romans 6:18 KJV –– Being then made free from sin…
e. Freedom from fear.
f. Romans 8:15 KJV –– Ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear…
g. Freedom to serve God.
h. 1 Peter 2:16 KJV –– As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
i. Any liberty not rooted in God is temporary and incomplete.
j. Real liberty begins in the heart, not in legislation.
3. The Founders Recognized God as the Giver of Liberty.
a. The Founding Fathers may have been diverse in beliefs but were united in this: Rights are not granted by kings, parliaments, or presidents—but by God.
b. Thomas Jefferson: “The God who gave us life gave us liberty at the same time.”
c. George Washington: “Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.”
d. Benjamin Franklin: “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.”
e. The Constitution does not create rights—it recognizes them.
f. It limits the power of government so it cannot take away what God has already given.
g. To deny that our liberties come from God is to open the door for tyranny.
h. If man gives your rights, man can take them away.
i. But if God gives them, they are eternal and unchangeable.
4. Liberty in Christ.
a. Liberty in Christ is the Gospel’s foundation.
b. John 8:36 KJV –– If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
c. Jesus came to break every yoke of bondage—spiritual and personal.
d. The Gospel message is one of liberty:
- Freedom from the chains of sin.
- Freedom from condemnation.
- Freedom to walk in love, truth, peace, and purpose.
e. Liberty is the essence of salvation.
f. It is not just political freedom, but heart and soul liberation.
g. Luke 4:18 KJV –– He hath sent me… to preach deliverance to the captives…
h. Where Jesus is preached, liberty is released.
i. Every nation, family, and heart that honors Jesus Christ will walk in greater freedom.
5. Guard the Liberty You’ve Been Given.
a. Galatians 5:1 KJV –– Be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
b. Liberty must be cherished, protected, and defended—both spiritually and civically.
c. The Early Church had to contend for the faith.
d. The Founding Fathers pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor for liberty, and so must we.
e. Stand against sin, not just in culture, but in your own life.
f. Resist tyranny in both spiritual and political forms.
g. Raise your children to know that their freedom comes from God.
h. Liberty is not automatic.
i. It must be taught, lived, and sometimes fought for.
6. Liberty Is God’s Will.
a. Liberty Is God’s will for His people and His nations.
b. God is a God of freedom.
c. The Gospel is a message of deliverance.
d. America’s Founding was deeply rooted in this truth: We are created by God, and we are free because of Him.
e. Let us not forget these things:
- The government may protect liberty, but only God provides it.
- Man may write laws, but only God writes truth on the heart.
- Constitutions may change, but God’s Word is forever settled in Heaven.
f. . Leviticus 25:10 KJV –– Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.
g. 2 Corinthians 3:17 KJV –– Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
h. Let us forever remember and proclaim that liberty begins with God—and with God, it can never be taken away.