The dream of America did not begin only 250 years ago.

In many ways, this dream reaches back thousands of years — to a man named Abraham who believed God for the impossible.

God promised Abraham a legacy of blessing. He declared that “all people on earth will be blessed through you.” God made covenant with Abraham, swearing to bless him and multiply his descendants. From the beginning, God’s covenant was never just about one man or one family. It was about blessing generations.

Centuries later, another story began to unfold.

About 400 years ago, the King of England wanted control over the people. He did not want anyone ruling over them but himself — not even God. Many Christians who held tightly to covenant truth were persecuted because they believed God, not the king , was the highest authority.

So in the early 1600s, the Puritans began fleeing persecution in England. By the thousands, they came to America seeking freedom to worship God and live under His truth.

That hunger for freedom helped shape the heart of a new nation.

Over time, the principle of covenant began to influence the framework of a brave new government. America would not be built like the top-down monarchies of Europe. It would be built as a republic — a nation where the people carried responsibility, stewardship, and freedom.

After the Revolutionary War, delegates gathered to write the Constitution. The founders understood that liberty could not survive without truth, responsibility, and virtue. America became a republic — ruled by the people, not by a king.

When Benjamin Franklin left the Constitutional Convention, he was asked:

“Have we got a republic or a monarchy?”

Franklin replied:

“A republic, if you can keep it.”

That statement still speaks to us today.

Freedom is a gift, but it is also a stewardship.

Jesus said, “You will know the Truth, and the Truth will make you free.”

God has always worked through His covenant and His truth. He set Abraham’s children free from slavery in Egypt. He loved the world by sending His Son, Jesus — the Truth — for all humanity. And America, at its best, reflects the power of God’s covenant truth: freedom, responsibility, justice, courage, and blessing for generations.

For more than 250 years, people have fought, lived, worked, sacrificed, and died for the American dream.

But this dream did not begin with politics. It began with covenant. It began with God’s desire to bless people and nations through His truth.

This July 4th, let us remember: freedom is a gift, truth is the foundation, and covenant is the legacy worth keeping.

Happy Independence Day.

Stephen Marshall