Line Upon Line

"After the wall was finished and I had hung the doors in the gates, the gatekeepers, singers, and Levites were appointed. I gave the responsibility of governing Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah, the commander of the fortress, for he was a faithful man who feared God more than most. " Nehemiah 7:1,2 (NLT)

Our nation and the world are observing the passing of the 40th President of the United States, Ronald Wilson Reagan. Ronald Reagan is being remembered for his courage, conviction, and determination. But what was the source of his strength of character and eternal optimism? It was his unwavering faith in the faithfulness of God.

Paul Kengor, associate professor of political science at Grove City College, and author of, God and Ronald Reagan: A Spiritual Life, researched the numerous writings and speeches of Ronald Reagan, and discovered the deep, abiding faith that guided the personal, public, and political life of this extraordinary man. The following is from Mr. Kengor's lecture, "The Intellectual Origins of Ronald Reagan's Faith," presented April 30, 2004, at the Heritage Foundation:

"History has aptly acknowledged Reagan's legendary sense of conviction. Americans never had to struggle to figure out where this man stood on any particular issue. And yet, while Reagan's key political beliefs remained consistent from the late 1940s onward, his religious beliefs were consistent even longer. The historical record abundantly reflects that Reagan was driven by those core political convictions. What the record has overlooked is that his core religious convictions carried him yet longer.

"Where did he get his spiritual values? There were a number of influences. First and foremost was his mother, Nelle Reagan. I'm confident that had Nelle Reagan died in the winter of 1918-19--a near-victim of the devastating influenza epidemic that killed millions of healthy, middle-aged mothers around the world--Ronald Reagan very likely would not have become President. It was Nelle who insisted her boy go to church--a request he happily obliged--and it was in church that Reagan picked up not only those core beliefs and values, but also the intangibles so vital to his success: his confidence, his eternal optimism (which he called a "God-given optimism"), and even his ability to speak. Indeed, history has also overlooked the fact that the Great Communicator found his first audiences in a church. He learned to speak in a church."

Walking in the Light

In a March 24, 2004 World Net Daily commentary, "The Passion of Ronald Reagan," minister Jerry Falwell shared his personal observations of the faith of Ronald Reagan:

"I had the unique privilege of knowing Ronald Reagan and seeing firsthand his markedly Christian faith. It was my pleasure to personally discuss matters of faith with Mr. Reagan on a few occasions. These times were quite humbling for me, really just a country preacher who God saw fit to place in the public spotlight. It was truly awe-inspiring to experience intimate Christian fellowship with the man I have long considered my ultimate political hero. I truly believe that it was Ronald Reagan's deep faith in Christ that defined him as a man and molded him as one of our nation's finest leaders.

"I know it's not accepted these days to live out one's faith in the public spotlight, but maybe that's the primary problem with our nation."

When President Reagan proclaimed 1983 The Year of the Bible, not everyone was thrilled. The following year, Reagan answered his critics:

"I was pleased last year to proclaim 1983 the year of the Bible. But, you know, a group called the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) severely criticized me for doing that. Well, I wear their indictment like a badge of honor."

Ronald Reagan took seriously Jesus' admonition to, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven" (See Matthew 5:10-16). He never hesitated to share his faith in God.

"I Am Not Ashamed..."

The apostle Paul often got himself in trouble, too, for sharing his faith. Nevertheless, he was not deterred. He declared, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek (Romans 1:16). In one of his letters to a young minister named Timothy, he wrote:

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day (2 Timothy 1:7-12 NKJV).

Ronald Reagan will be remembered for many things, but in all our remembering, this one thing should not be overlooked: his unashamed and unwavering faith in God. He has left us all a shining example to follow.

think on these things...

1 Peter 3:15,16 (LVB)
Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way. Do what is right; then if men speak against you, calling you evil names, they will become ashamed of themselves for falsely accusing you when you have only done what is good.

"And I hope that when you are my age, you will be able to say as I have been able to say: We lived in freedom. We lived lives that were a statement, not an apology." Ronald Reagan

"When the Lord calls me home ... I will leave with the greatest love for this country of ours and eternal optimism for its future. I know that, for there will always be a bright dawn ahead." Ronald Reagan, November 5, 1994

"My father is dancing with God now, which is where he wanted to be." Michael Reagan, son of Ronald Reagan

You might enjoy reading these articles, also:

An interview with author Paul Kengor, "The Christian Faith of Ronald Reagan", by Insight on the News senior writer, Stephen Goode.

A tribute by Barbara Stock, titled, "Ronald Reagan: The Passing of a Great American."

"Ronald Reagan, R.I.P.," by Joseph J. Sabia, a Ph.D. candidate in economics at Cornell University.

And this revealing look at Ronald Reagan by Jeremy Reynalds: "Former President Ronald Reagan: 'I am Born Again and I am a Bible Believer.'"