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7/27/2019 1988 Issue 1 - The Religious Roots of the U.S. Constitution - Counsel of Chalcedon
1/5
The Religious Roots
of
Wbct
~ ~ ~ o t t s t t t u t t o t t
On October 4, 1982, Congress pas
sed Public Law 97-280, which states
that Biblical teachings inspired con
cepts of civil government that are o n ~
tained
in
our Oeclaration of Independ
ence and the Constitution
of
the United
States; that the Bible is 'the rock
on
which our Republic rests; ' that ''the
history of our nation clearly illustrates
the value
of
voluntarily applying the
teachings
of
the Scriptures
in
the lives
of individuals, families and societies;
that the renewing
of
our knowledge of
and faith in
God
through Holy Scripture
can strengthen us as a nation; that Con
gress recognizes the normative influ
ence the Bible has been
for
our nation,
and our national need to study and apply
the
teachings
of
the Holy Scriptures.
This
law
is reflective
of
the fact that
our views of God, human nature, and
life in general profoundly affect, and
even determine
our
views of politics.
The current controversy is precisely
over this point: the relation
of
religion
and politics. But the proper phrasing of
the question is not WHETHER
we
shall mix religion and politics, but
WHICH religion shall we m x with
politics. Our deepest religious presuppo
Sitions about God and man and our
inner moral convictions inescapably
shape our opinions about everything
else. This is
not
to blur the distinctions
between church and state. They are
separate institutions with separate juris
dictions, to be sure. But the issue
re-
mains: which religious commitments
will give shape to American politics,
those
of
the Bible or those from another
source? One religion will triumph; but
which one: the religion
of
our Found-
by
Joe Morecraft, III
ing Fathers which, as
we
built America
on mat founda:tion, made us
t be the
greatest and freest nation on earth; or
the religion of hwnanism, Marxism,
Islam,
or
the like, which enslaves and
k lls millions?
The
Constitution
of
the United
States has survived as the supreme law
of the land for a longer period of time
than any modem constitution. It lies at
the . foundation of our history and it
defmes what
we
are as Americans. Ap
preciation of
it
and faithfulness
to
it has
secured for us
two
centuries
of
strength,
security, justice, prosperity, and liberty.
It is not an infallible document; and our
history has not always been a righteous
one; but both
our
Constitution and our
history
are
unique and superior
to
those
of
other nations. Moreover, the U.S.
Constitution could not have been
written in any other religious and his
torical context than the one similar to
that in America in the 1700's, where
the consensus
of
opinion and overall
w o r l ~ v i e w of the vast majority of
Americans, Christians and non-chris
tians alike, were distinctly biblical.
It
was our biblical understanding
of
God and man that is the root of our
Constitution. God alone is the abso
lute, unrestricted sovereign
of
the uni
verse, who governs every aspect of hu
man life and society. There are no
limits
or
restraints
to
his sovereignty
over us. Therefore our Constitution
establishes a limited civil government
for our nation. Its powers are clearly
defmed and limited by the constitution
to
the
administration
of
justice and the
protection
of
our general welfare as a
people. Its jurisdiction
over us
is
limited.
It
does not have the authority
to regulate over and intervene into every
aspect
of
our lives, homes, businesses,
communities, schools, churches, etc.,
as i
t Were God. Only God has that pre
rogative.
For
our
Founding Fathers; God is the
fmal Source
of
Law for men and na
tions. He judges or blesses nations in
his providence according to their faith
fulness to his revealed law. Therefore,
they founded a REPUBLIC, NOT A
DEMOCRACY, wherein all men--citi
zens, rulers, and even majorities-would
be governed by law and not by the
whims and fancies
of
men, which al
ways lead to totalitarianism. America is
a republic governed by constitutional
law rooted n biblical law; not a demo
cracy governed by the ever-changing
opinions
of
the majority manipulated
by media
or
elitist power-brokers
of
some sort. The civil government
of
the
United States, then, must see itself
as
accountable to its Source
of
Law, Who
also stands over us as our Judge. His
system
of
morality and His righteous
standards
must
give direction and defini
tion to
our
administration
of
public jus
tice, i liberty and justice for all are
to
prevail.
God alone is the source
of
salvation
and provider
of
security for men and
women. Therefore, our Founding Fath
ers did
not
see the civil government
as
the provider of salvation and security
for the citizenry. This is one
of
the
prime reasons behind our founders limit
ing the role
of
civil government
to
the
protectibrt
of
the citizenry, rather than
expanding it to become the bloated,
savior-like, socialistic welfare state it
Page 4
Th e
Counsel or Chalcedon
January,
988
7/27/2019 1988 Issue 1 - The Religious Roots of the U.S. Constitution - Counsel of Chalcedon
2/5
has become,
which is providing less
and less welfare and security for any of
its people.
A nation's constitution is also shaped
by the views of man and of human na
ture by the people of that nation. Our
Founding Fathers believed that all
people
are
sinners by nature, capable
of
some
civic vjttue, but basically self
centered and self-seeking.
In
Seven
teenth Century America John Cotton
wrote: Let all the world learn to give
mortal man no greater power than they
are
content they shall use, for
use
it
they will: and unless they be better
taught of God, they will use it ever and
anon . . . . And in Eighteenth Century
America, James Madison wrote in THE
FEDERALIST, that there is a degree
of depravity in mankind which requires
a certain degree
of
circumspection and
distrust, (no . 55). He wrote of the
caprice
and
wickedness of
man,
(no.
55), and of the infrrmities and depravi
ties of the human character. Alexander
Hamilton, apother author of THE
FEDERALIST, spoke
of
the folly and
wickedness of mankind, (no. 78). Even
Thomas Jefferson pointed out that free
government is founded on jealousy, not
in confidence; it is jealousy and not con
fidence which prescribes limited consti
tutions, to bind those we are obliged to
trust with power. In questions
of
power, let no more be heard of confi
dence in
man
but bind him down from
mischief by the chains of the constitu
tion , (Resolution Relative to the Alien
and
Sedition Laws, 1798).
It is
this
bi.blical view of human na
ture that motivated our founders
t
in
corporate into our constitution
its
bril
liant and wise separation of powers: the
separation of the judicial, executive and
legislative; and the balancing of power
between the federal government and the
state governments. Socialism, Marxism
and other coercive utopian political
philosophies are based on the erroneous
idea that man is basically good and trust
worthy
and
perfectible by education, po
litical regulation, etc.
John
Eidsmoe, in his book, CHRIS-
TIANI Y ND THE CONSTITU-
TION: The Faith of Our Founding
Fathers
g i v ~
us several illustrations of
biblical principles contained in the
Declaration of Independence aild th
Constitution of the United StateS.
First, the providence
of
God. The
last sentence of the Declaration speaks
of
our firm reliance on the protection
of
Divine Providence. Providence re
fers to God's governing, superintending,
sustaining, and caring for his creation,
especially for man Contrary to popular
opinion, these men were not deists,
who believed God was totally detached
from and disinterested in the affairs of
men. They believed he was directly and
personally involved in them, especially
in the founding of the United States.
Second, the law of God. The
o u n
ing Fathers fmnly believed that the God
of
the Bible is the source
of
just law,
and that he has revealed that law to
men. It is the higher law to which
all
men and nations are accountable. The
Declaration speaks
of
the laws
of
nature's God. The source of law for
any society is the God of that society.
Third, the creation by God. They be
lieved that the world and everything in
it, including every human being, was
created by the God of the Bible. Men
and women are created in the image
of
God, and that image entails human
dignity. With that dignity comes certain
God-given rights and liberties, which
must be respected
by
all people. This
fact also gives a sanctity
t
human life.
The Declaration states that God has
given to all people the right to life,
beginning with their creation, not
simply with their birth.
Fourth, the equality of men. Our
Founding Fathers did not believe that
all people are equal in size, intellect,
oral developments or social capacity,
and they opposed all leveling in
society. When they wrote of all men
being created equal, they were referring
to equal political liberty, and equality
of
standing
of
citizens, rulers and majori
ties before the law
of
God, Acts 10:34;
Exod 23:6. Abraham Lincoln wrote
that: The authors of that notable n s t r u ~
ment. . . .did not intend to declare all
men equal in all respects. -- They de
fined with tolerable distinctness,
in
what rights they did consider all men
created equal--equal in 'certain unalien-
able rights, among which are life,
liberty nd the pursuit of happiness. '
Fifth, the consent of the governed.
The Bible makes clear that there was a
democratic process in the Old Testa
ment, in which the people of Israel
were allowed to elect those who were to
rule over them. The preservation
of
this
freedom is essential to the maintenance
of liberty and the absence of totali
tarianism. See Judg.
8:22; II
Sam.
16:18;
II
Kings
14:21;
eut
16:18.
Sixth, the republican form of govern
ment
The constitution guarantees a re
publican fonrt of government (Art. IV,
The Counsel of Chalccdon, January, 1988 Page 5
7/27/2019 1988 Issue 1 - The Religious Roots of the U.S. Constitution - Counsel of Chalcedon
3/5
Sec. 4) to every state in the union. This
is rooted in the
biblical
idea of
cove
nant. God entered into a covenant with
his people, Gen. 17:1f; in which bond
God
pledged
himself to
certain obliga
tions and his people were obligated
to
clearly defined duties. That covenant
was the basis of Israel's life. She was to
strictly interpret it
and
not move away
from
it
in the smallest degree, Deut.
12:32. Federal
comes
from the Latin
wordfor covenant. Ourfederal govern
ment, our republican form
of
govern
me
nt
is in
covenant
with our people
and our
states. The federal government
has no powers
other
than those express
ly defined in the Constitution. And the
Tenth Amendment is the cornerstone
of
our freedom and
of
limited government.
This American Republic differs from
a democracy
in
several ways: (a). a
republic is a government by representa
tives,whereasdemocracyisdirectmajor
ity rule. The representative represents
the Constitution he vows
to
uphold and
defend.
He
is to think
and
vote FOR his
constituents, not simply WITH them
or
AS they dictate. They elect him because
they respect
him
and his judgment; not
because he
will be
their rubber stamp.
If
his values differ from theirs they may
choose another. (b). A republic restricts
majority rule--both
Houses of
Congress
must
approve a bill,
and
the President
must sign it before it becomes law; and
then the Court may rule on its con
stitutionality. (c). A republic respects
indivi
dual
rights, whether or not the
majority agrees. And (d). a republic is
an
empire
of
laws
and not of
men.
No
man is above the law. The law is above
the subject, the rulers and even above
the majority.
For
example, if the major
ity want to legalize murder, murder is
still outlawed
and
forbidden, because it
violates the supreme law of the land
Seventh, the rights
of
criminal
de
fendants. Our founding fathers knew
that civil
and
capital p1,1nishment is
necessary in a
just
order, and necessary
to deter crime, Gen. 9; Rom. 13.
How-
ever
, they also were aware that an order
ly administration of ustice is necessary
to distinguish between the guilty and
the innocent;
and
in a
free
society based
on the Bible, the accused is presumed
innocent until proven guilty. Therefore
the Constitution provides numerous
protections for accused persons: protec
tion against unreasonable searches and
seizures, grand jury indictment in
serious cases, privilege against self-in
crimination, speedy and public trial,
the
right to subpoena witnesses, protection
against excessive bail and cruel and un
usual punishment, etc. This concern
to
protect the rights
of
the defendant
comes
right
out
of
the Bible, wherein
we find that Israel's
system of
justice
appears as the most advanced
and the
most
just
in the world, Exod. 18:13f;
Deut. 1:16f; 19:15ff; Exod. 23:1ff;
Deut. 17:6; 19:16ff.
Eighth, the private ownership
of
pro
petty.
The
Fifth Amendment guarantees
that no private property
shall
be taken
for public use without just compensa
tion.
The
Bible's laws,
Thou
shalt not
steal and Thou shalt
not
covet both
clearly imply private property rights.
The Constitution even goes so
far as to
prOhibit governmental ownership of
property except for military outposts,
post offices, andnecessary federal build
ings.
Ninth, the sanctity of contract. The
right
to
make
contracts voluntarily,
to
expect others to obey and respect them,
the courts to enforce them, and the
federal government
not to
violate them
is essential to liberty and is the basis of
the free market economy, the free enter
prize system that has
made
America
such a strong
and
prosperous nation.
The
Bible
speaks
to this sanctity of con
tract in terms
of
the sanctity of oaths
and
vows, Psa. 15:1-4, etc.
The
Consti
tution forbids the civil government
from enacting any law impairing the
obligation
of
contracts. (Art. I, Sec.
10, Par. (1)).
Tenth, the necessity of two witnes
ses, Deut. 17:6; 19:15; Num. 35:30. In
Art
.
m Sec. 3, Par. (1) we read that:
No person shall be convicte
7/27/2019 1988 Issue 1 - The Religious Roots of the U.S. Constitution - Counsel of Chalcedon
4/5
two-kingdom concept in this one
nation under God. In
1833
Supreme
Court Justice Joseph Storey wrote in
his COMMENTARIES ON THE
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED
STATES:
The real object
of
the First
Amendment was not
to
countenance,
much less to advance, Mohammedan
ism
or
Judaism,
or
infidelity, by p r o ~
strating Christianity; but to exclude all
rivalry among Christian sects, and to
prevent any national ecclesiastical estab
lishment which should give to a hier
archy the exclusive patronage of the
national government -- Probably at the
time
of
the adoption of the Constitu
tion, and
of
the amendment
to
it now
under consideration, the general, if not
the universal sentiment was, that Chris
tianity ought to receive encouragement
from
the
state,
so
far as was not incom
patible with the private rights of con
science and the freedom
of
eligious wor
ship. An attempt to level all religions,
and to make
it
a matter
of
state policy
tQ hold all in utter indifference, would
have created universal disapprobation,
i f
not universal indignation.
Conclusion
1.
Without a solid knowledge
of
the
foundational documents
of
Christianity
and America, i.e., the Bible and the
U.S. Constitution, our nation
is
vulnerable to subversion and apostasy
from what we started out to be under
God's blessing. Surveys show that to
day Americans have
an
abysmal ignor
ance of and lack of appreciation for our
nation's founding documents. Now
more than ever we must promote a
clearerunderstanding
of
and a deep appre
ciation for the Constitution and the
biblical principles undergirding it. This
renewed education in what it means to
be an American must begin in the
schools
ofour
land.
2. President
John
Adams said: Our
constitution was made only for a moral
and religious people. It
is
wholly inade
quate for the government
of
any other.
In his Farewell Address, President
George Washington said: Of
all
the
dispositions and habits which lead to
political prosperity, Religion and
Morality are indispensable supports. In
vain would that man claim the tribute
of
Patriotism, who should labor
to
subvert these great pillars
of
human
happiness, these firmest props of the
duties
of
men
and
citizens. --
Let it
be
simply asked, where is the security .of
property, for reputation, for life, if the
sense
of
religious obligation desert
the
oaths which are the instrument
of
in
vestigation in courts. . .?
And let us
with caution indulge the supposition
that morality can be maintained without
religion. Whatever may be conceded to
the influence
of
refined education on
minds of peculiar structure,
reaso11
and
experience both forbid us to expect that
national morality can prevail in exclu
sion of religious principle. It is substan
tially true that virtue
or
morality is a
necessary spring
of
popular govern
ment.
It is obvious from Washington's own
words that when he spoke of religion
he
meant the Christian religion. For
example, in 1779,
as
General, he said:
You will do well
to
wish
to
learn our
ways
of
life, and above all, the religion
of
Jesus
Christ
These will make you a
greater and happier people than you
are. In 1776 he said
to
his chaplains:
The General hopes and trusts, that
every officer and man, will endeavor so
to live, and
act,
as becomes a Christian
~ o l d i e r
,
Gouverneur Morris insisted that
our
Constitution would never work in
France because of the French disrespect
for religion, love of violence, and sex
ual immorality. Can the Constitution
work in Twentieth Century America
that looks so much like Voltaire's
France? Without
a
return to the God of
the Bible and to the morality that un
dergirds our Constitution,
no
mere re
turn
to
the political principles of that
Constitution will preserve our nation
from revolution, collapse, anarchy and
chaos. f
this
free society is to con
tinue, we must return to the biblical
morality and religion of our Pilgrim
Fathers.
3. John Eidsmoe concludes his book,
CHRISTIANITY
ND
THE CONSTI-
TUTION with these words: Christians
have a vital contribution to make
to the
health and well-being of America. They
are needed to articulate biblical princi
ples
of
government in every courtroom,
legislative hall, and precinct meeting in
the nation. --Christians are needed to
reestablish the moral tone
of
society.
The founding . athers recognized that
freedom cannot exist in an immoral
society--the nation will crumble from
within or be conquered from without.
Christians must
supply the moral fiber
that comes from obedience to God. .
, if America is to survive as a free
society. Christians must be the salt of
the earth and the light
of
the world.
4.
Finally, it should be pointed out
that the Constitution of the United
States affirms its distinctly Christian
character.
In
1863 B. F. Morris, in his
book, THE CHRISTIAN UFE AND
CHARACTER OF THE CIVIL IN-
STITUTIONS OF THE UNITED
STATES wrote:
The
seventh article
declares it to
be
framed and adopted 'by
the unanimous consent of the States,
the seventeenth day of September in the
year
of
our LORD, 1787, and
of
the
independence
of
the United States of
America
the
twelfth.' The date
of
the
Constitution is twofold:
fust
it is dated
from the birth of OUR Lord Jesus
Christ, and then from the birth of our
independence. Any argument which
might be supposed to prove that the
authority of Christianity is not recog
nized by the people
of
the United
States, in the first mode, would equally
prove
that
the independence
of
the
United States is
not
recognized
by
them
in
the second mode. The fact is, that the
advent ofChrist and the independence of
the country are the two events in
which, of all others, we are most inter
ested,--the former in common with all
mankind, the latter as the birth
of
our
nation.
The following bibliography contains
recommended books on
a biblical ap
proach
t
politics and law that have
been inunensely useful in my own
thinking.
1. u s h d o o n y ~ RJ., THIS INDEPEN-
DENT
REPUBCtC, Thoburn Press Fairfax,
VA
2. POLITICS OF
GUILT AND PITY Thobum Press Fairfax,
VA
3. , INSTITUTES OF
BIBLICAL LAW, Craig Press Nutley NJ.
The Counsel of Cbalcedon, January, 1988 Pag e 7
7/27/2019 1988 Issue 1 - The Religious Roots of the U.S. Constitution - Counsel of Chalcedon
5/5
4. --
TilE
NATURE
OF
THE AMERICAN SYSTEM, Thobum
Press, Fairfax, VA.
.,--,FOUNDATIONSOF
SOCIAL ORDER, Thobum Press, Fairfax,
VA. .
6.
DeMar,
G ~ .
RULER OF
TilE
NATIONS, Dominion
P r e s ~
Ft. Wor 1
1
TX.
7. Whitehead, John, THe STEALING OF
AMERICA, Crossway Books, Westchester,
L
8.
TilE
SECOND
AMERICAN REVOU)TION, David C.
Cook Pub. Co., Elgin,
IL. .
9 . ~
THESEPARATION
ILLUSION Mat t Medi3, Milford MI.
10.
RushdoonY.._RJ., CHRISTIANITY
AND THE STATE, Ross House Books,
Vallecito,
CA.
c J J i M ~ ~
0
~ t ~ N B W J 8 H ~ A L v ~ f
III,
No. 1.oSummer).,1976,_vallecitohC:A.
12. SKousen
c.,
TnE
M A K u ~ G OF
AMERICA, The National Center for
Constitutional Studies, Washmgtopl..PC
13. McDonald, Lam', WE HOLU THESE
TRUTHJ.76 r e ~ ~
Seal Beaclt, CA.
14.
wines, W.C.,
THE
HEBREW
R E P U B L I ~
American Presbyterian
Press,
x r ~ d g ~ i d s ~ ~ ~ Jo. ,_n..k
CHRISTIANITY
AND THE
C 1 ~ S T I 1
u uON,
Baker Book
House, Grand Rapids, MI. .
16.
Walton, Rus, BIBLICAL PRINCI-
PLES, Pl}'I louth Rock Foundation,
Marlborc>Ugli, NH.
17.
M"adison J
D .
Hamilton, TilE
FEDERALIST PAPERS, New Alnerican
Libr ).IY,
NY.
18. Hei).IT, Mason, THE
ANTI
-
FEDERALIST PAPERS, New American
l i b { f Y s ~ r
Gregg, A THEOLOGICAL
INTERPRETATION OF AMERICAN
HISTORY, Craig
Press,
Nutley, NJ. .
0
Continuing the series
of taped sermons on
The Revival
o the Church
by
Joe Morecraft, III
The Revival
of he Church
and
the lory ofGod V
(Exodus
33)
The R ~ v i v a l of he Church
and the Coming of Christ I
II
(Is
a.
62-64)
The Way to Revival
I
l l
Chron. 7)
$4.00 per tape (cassette)
$14.00 for set
of
four
Order from:
Specialty Media Services .
P.O. Box
28357
Atlanta, GA 30358
God s Lawin America
According
to
Christopher Columbus'
diary from his 1492 voyage to America,
one over-riding compulsion which
drove
him
on
the
risky adventure was
his wish to expand the gospel of Christ
to the "isles at the ends of the earth."
This evangelical concern stands out
boldly in his diary. Later, the earliest
immigrants from Europe, those who
shaped America:s culture, law, tradition,
and ethics, were those who came
from
England.
Our
early forefathers were
Pil
grims
and Puritans - men and women of
devout Christian faith. (In fact, as late
as 1776 when the people declared in
dependence, Puritanism provided
the
moral and
religious background
of
fully
75 of the
population.)
The
earliest
English charters of
the
settlements in
Americamade unequivocal references to
their intent of spreading the Christian
religion in the New World. The frrst
charter of Virginia in 1606, the charter
of Maryland in 1732,
the
.charter of
Massachusetts in 1729 are a few ex
amples . The famous Mayflower Corn
pact
of
1620, which has been called the
"foundation stone
of
democracy in
America," states, "In the
name
of God,
Amen.
We
aving undertaken for
the glory of God, and advancement of
the Cluistian faith, and
honor of
our
king and country, a voyage to plant the
fust colony on the northern part of
Virginia." The Massachusetts Civil Bay
Code
of
1640
made
repeated references
to Biblical law by direct citation and
Scriptural annotation.
In 1644 a book was published in
England by Samuel Rutherford entitled
Robert Smith ls
a Presbyterian
layman who
lieads the
Christian
Food
Miss
ion
In
Laurel,
Mlss1sslppi.
by Robert Smith
Lex Rex.
In
1660
i t
was
co
ndemned
as a treasonable writing by the Com
mittee of Estates. On October 16, Lex
Rex was burned at the Cross
of
Edin
burgh and a few days later in
St.
Andrews. Rutherford, a Presbyterian
minister, was deposed from the min
istry, dismissed from his Chair of
Divinity at St. Mary's C_llege, placed
under house arrest and sent to be tried
before Parliament
on
March 29, 1661.
What was the center of this book which
caused
a
stonn of controversy to erupt
in
the streets
of
London? Lex Rex
means law is king." Previously it had
been unchallenged:
Rex
Lex, "the king
is
law." Lex Rex attacked the seven-.
teenth century political concept of the
Divine Right of Kings. Rutherford said
that civil government and law should be
based on God's law as revealed in the
Bible. All are under God's law. No t
even the king is above it. Rutherford
used Romans 13 to show that all power
is from God who ordains and insti
tu
tes
government. John Locke, who influ
enced
Jeffer
son, and
John
Witherspoon,
a signer
of
the Declaration
of
Indepen
dence, were influenced by Rutherford's
arguments
in
his book. James Madison
was later influenced by Witherspoon's
teach
ing
at the College
of
New Jersey
(Princeton) where he was president.
Madison was referred
to
as the "Father
of the Constitution."2
Our founding fathers established the
United States aS a
constitutional repub-
lic
not
as
a
democracy. In fact, they
wished to guard against the' rise of
democracy. The earthly magistrate was
considered to hold his position and
exercise power by a divine decree.
He
was looked upon as a minister of God
under common grace for the execution
of the laws of God among the people at
large, for the maintenance of law and
order, and
for
so ruling the state that it
would provide an atmosphere favorable
for the
preaching
of
the gospel.
In
Puri-
Page 8 The
Counsel of
Chalcedon, January, 1988