Late in his life John Adams wrote about his concern that America would not maintain its moral and religious foundation. He warned Americans of his day that the Constitution could not help people who could not govern their personal conduct. Samuel Adams echoed the same concern. Here is how the two men expressed it.
"Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other." -- John Adams
"Neither the wisest constitution nor the wisest laws will secure the liberty 
and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt." -- Samuel Adams
and happiness of a people whose manners are universally corrupt." -- Samuel Adams
Bible verses to read:
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law." -- Galatians 5:22
"Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." -- Romans 1:28-32
Discussion questions:
- Why do we have rules at school?
- What would happen if everyone decided not to follow the rules?
- Do laws make us do good things or only punish us when we break them?
- How does being controlled by God's Spirit make for a better American society?
- What is an example of how a certain law or rule would not have to be written if people exhibited the "fruit of the Spirit?"