Adopted on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was created with great hope. The courageous signers were expressing hope in basic beliefs that include (1) All men are created equal; (2) All men have basic human rights given to them by God; (3) Government is to be by the consent of the governed; and (4) The only reason to have a government is to protect these basic human rights.

Among those basic human rights Thomas Jefferson specified “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Without  hope for these rights, what chance was there for a group of 13 separate colonies to become a free, independent and unified republic, a beacon on a hill to shine liberty’s light to the world?

The signers’ hope was deep-rooted in faith in the Sovereign God to grant success in the dangerous endeavors they faced. They fully realized that they risked their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor by signing.

The Declaration of Independence and later the Constitution are more than historical documents. They are foundational to America’s continuing liberties. It is right to celebrate the day the Declaration was adopted. Failure to understand the importance of these two documents places us on a slope that slips toward loss of our basic human rights.

To maintain hope for America’s freedoms, we must maintain belief in the documents that form the foundation upon which our country stands.

Without hope on July 4, 1776, there would have been no United States of America, and without hope today there will be no United States tomorrow.