The founding fathers understood that the form of government that they were creating was dependent upon the virtue of the people being governed.  Without virtue the republican form of government wouldn’t work.  Benjamin Franklin said, “Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.  As nations become corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters (Smyth, Writings of Benjamin Franklin, 9:569).”

 George Washington held a similar view and commented that the American Constitution is the “palladium of human rights”, but pointed out that it could survive only “so long as there shall remain any virtue in the body of the people (The Washington Papers, p. 244).”

 The concept of “Public Virtue” was one of the core values of the founding fathers, which they considered a special quality of character and service much like the Golden Rule.  But it went deeper than “doing on to others as you would have them do onto you.”  Public virtue was the idea that an individual would give up his personal rights for the greater good of the whole nation.  This high ideal of altruistic patriotism was exemplified by the founding fathers.  Without virtue in the people it was believed that a popularly based government would not survive.

 As I reflect on public virtue, I realize that this is a Biblical concept.  Think of how Jesus totally suspended his rights as he was pulverized by his enemies and crucified for the greater good of the entire human race, so that all who come to him by faith can receive eternal life.  Jesus said, “The Son of man didn’t come to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45).”  Jesus provided us, in my humble opinion, with the greatest example of public virtue ever!

 Consider the apostle Paul, who regularly gave up his personal rights as an apostle of Christ (read 1 Corinthians 9 to get a feel for Paul’s sense of public virtue).  He preached the gospel free of charge, and to the weak he became like the weak, to those under the law he became like one under the law, and to the Gentiles he became like a Gentile, all for the purpose of winning more people to Christ.  That was Paul’s purpose in life; to lead people to the Lord Jesus Christ!  His highest goal in life was accomplishing that task and in the process he had to--at times—give up his personal rights for the greater good of Christ’s mission.

The Bible calls all believers to the concept of public virtue.  The apostle Paul referred to public virtue as suffering for the gospel.  He told the Philippians in his letter, written from Rome when he was under house arrest:  For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for him.  We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it (Phil 1:29-30).  This is a hard truth to accept for many disciples of Christ, but the gospel spreads through the suffering of His people.  As believers suspend the use of their rights and suffer for people by praying for them, loving them, taking time out of their busy schedules to “hang out” with them and tell them about Jesus; that’s how the gospel spreads!

The founding fathers understood public virtue would occupy a key place in founding the new America.  James Madison said, “If there be sufficient virtue and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men (elected officials), so that we do not depend upon their virtue, or put confidence in our rulers, but in the people who are to choose them.”   What a unique concept!  The virtue of the people who choose the elected officials is of primary importance.  That the collective wisdom and virtue of the people will safeguard us from corrupted leaders, and keep us on the right track of liberty was a central concept to the founders of the new America.

John Adams said, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people.  It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other (The Changing Political Thought of John Adams, p. 189).”  The founding fathers knew that the virtue of the people and their moral integrity was the key to national survival.  History bears this belief to be true!  Consider for a moment the ancient Greeks.  When they were at the zenith of their culture they had produced some of the greatest thinkers the world has ever known.  Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Solon, and so forth, were some of the brilliant people emerging from Greek society, yet despite all their intelligence they couldn’t govern themselves!  Their city-states were constantly at war with each other.  The only time they united was when a common enemy was present.  Once the threat passed, they would default into their normal pattern of warring against each other.   Additionally, one only needs to do a cursory reading of 1 Corinthians to see the depth of depravity that existed in Greek culture.  It was a culture of vices and immorality. Had the Greeks been better equipped with virtue their dominance could have survived much longer than it did.

Consider the Romans, whose legions had conquered the Mediterranean world and extended all the way into Great Britain.  They were a culture of power, conquest, and law, but their moral decadence was unparalleled!  They left the world with a legacy of conquest, impressive architectural accomplishments, but the corruption and vices inherent in their culture plunged to new depths.  Both the Greeks and Romans lacked sufficient virtue to ensure the continuation of their empires.

Many people were amazed at the rapid progress that the new America made.  Tocqueville attributed “American Exceptionalism”, in a big way, to the faith of the Christians.  The American order of the soul would be Christian, he observed, and the responsible freedom of Americans came from Christian mores—from the habits, thoughts, and actions by which men regulate their conduct.

In conclusion, believers in Christ are called to be people of virtue, which is done by displaying the fruit of the Spirit.  Additionally, believers are called to live a life of “public virtue”!  Living your life for a higher ideal—the greater good of the people—is a Christian value that the founding fathers lived out in their own experience.  We can all live a life of public virtue by sacrificing for our community, family, friends, our church, our nation, and our Lord.  May God bless you in your quest to be a virtuous American and disciple of Christ.

 

Dr. Bruce Guckelberg