Many False Judgments

Fred R. Coulter—September 12, 2003

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We find ourselves confronting today is the rulership of an oligarchy of federal judges who owe no allegiance to anyone or the Constitution. We just need to understand that anyone who believes in Christ—whether a Sunday-keeper or Sabbath-keeper—you're on a collision course with the government and you're going to have no place to hide, and that's just the way it's going to be.

So you might as well learn to stand up for the Truth, not hide it. Let your light shine and don't worry about it. Christ will take care of it.

I just might mention that all of your knowledge of a conspiracy, and all of the players in it—whatever theories that come up with it—is not going to get you off the hook.

Let's look at the system of judges beginning in the Old Testament, because God setup a system where there was combined civil and religious. Today we're not under that kind of system. Here is the principle, and there are many principles we can get out of it.

For those that think that Exo. 18 is talking about a church hierarchy, this is not! This is talking about the civil government within the nation of Israel. To handle the things pertaining to God, who did you have?

  • Moses
  • Aaron
  • the priests
  • the Levites

And in the advice that Moses father-in-law Jethro gave him, you don't find anywhere that Moses appointed Levites to this duty. So, this is civil! These are civil governments, civil judgments.

Moses was handling everything himself and wearing himself out, and Jethro said, 'You're killing yourself, wearing yourself out, why don't you share the burden of some of this? So, Moses gave the answer:

Exodus 18:15: "And Moses said to his father-in-law, 'Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a matter, they come to me. And I judge between one and another…'" (vs 15-16).

Not every matter was a question on how you worship God. Most of the matters were, 'He got something out of my tent, which belongs to me.' Or you had a matter of maybe sexual impropriety with a tent neighbor next door and his son and your daughter, which then became a civil and also a religious thing.

Moses said, "'…and I make known the statutes of God and His laws'" (v 16). What does this tell you? Where were they?

They hadn't yet come to Mt. Sinai, so how did Moses know the statutes and laws of God? God hadn't given them to him, yet, had He? No! Very simple, the statutes and judgments of God were well know going way back, and they probably came down to Moses through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. They took them into Egypt when they went in, and they still had them, and still had the elders of Israel in Egypt.

The only problem is that they were living under Egyptian slave law, but they still had the laws and statutes of God. So, if anyone says that there was nothing written down until Moses wrote it down, what does v 16 tell you? "'…and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.'"

Verse 17: "And Moses' father-in-law said to him, 'The thing that you do is not good. You will surely wear away, both you and this people that are with you, for this thing is too burdensome for you. You are not able to perform it alone. Hearken now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God will be with you. You be for the people toward God… [in other words, you take care of the major issues] … that you may bring the causes to God. And you shall teach them ordinances and laws, and shall make them know the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do. And you shall choose out of all the people able men… [it doesn't say Levites; this the civil duty of civil judges] …such as fear God, men of truth…'" (vs 17-21). Very profound!

A judge cannot be single-minded toward anything except the truth.

"…hating covetousness…. [can't bribe him] …And place them over the people to be leaders of thousands, and leaders of hundreds, leaders of fifties, and leaders of tens" (v 21).

This is like Moses was the Supreme Court Chief Justice; later it was the high priest and the priests were the Supreme Court. The Levites would assist them, but not in the judgment. The priests would do the judgment. The Levites were the workers for the sacrifices, taking care of the temple and they were used as teachers throughout all of the tribes of Israel.

So, these are civil leaders, and here's what they were to do, v 22: "And let them judge for the people at all times…." This is like your municipal court judge, superior court judge, state judge and your federal judge, very similar to it.

"'…And it shall be, every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge. And make it easier for yourself, and they shall bear the burden with you. If you will do this thing, and God… [go check with God first] …command you so, then you shall be able to endure, and all this people shall also go to their place in peace.' And Moses hearkened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said" (vs 22-24). Moses chose them out and set them over that and gave them the instructions.

The Ten Commandments were given, then we have the civil code. There are laws where we have false prophets (Deut. 13); witches and necromancers, times and things like that (Deut. 18).

But what we have in Exo. 21-23 the civil laws. We come to the sacred laws in Exo. 23: Sabbath, Feast days and so forth. Let's look at some of the civil laws and let's see exactly what they were to do. These were the laws that the judges that Moses appointed, and they would have a copy and knew how to write then. These were not cavemen coming out grunting in burlap bags and furs. These were people who had an education.

It talks about slaves and how to handle them. Since we don't have slaves today, that part is not necessary.

Exodus 21:12: "He that strikes a man so that he dies, shall be surely put to death." That conforms with the Ten Commandments: You shall not murder.

What happens when a man dies and it wasn't a planned thing? We call that 'manslaughter' today.

Verse 13: "And if a man does not lie in wait, but God delivers him into his hand, then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee." This is a family revenge for murder.

The family had the right of revenge, but if God delivered him into the judge's hands, then he would go to the city of safety/refuge. They could not take him out on any charge. If they couldn't prove the charge, get the evidence to go get him out of the city of safety, then when the high priest died, he was released and could go anyplace.

Verse 14: "But if a man comes presumptuously upon his neighbor to slay him with guile, you shall take him from My altar so that he may die."

In other words, he cannot even appeal to God, if he's guilty and he's holding onto the altar, you will loose his hands from the altar and take him and do him in.

Verse 15: "And he that strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. And he that steals a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. And he that curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death. And if men strive together, and one strikes another with a stone, or with his fist, and he does not die, but is confined to his bed; if he rises again and walks abroad upon his staff, then he that struck him shall be set free…. [of the crime] …Only he shall pay for the loss of his time and shall cause him to be completely healed" (vs 15-19)—compensation!

Verse 22: "If men strive and strike a pregnant woman, so that there is a miscarriage, and no harm follows, he shall surely be punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him. And he shall pay as the judges determine."

God's way in civil matters was compensation. You would pay! That's the system we're supposed to be under in America, but we're going to see that it isn't that way anymore.

I'm bringing all this up here to show the basis of where we get what is called 'common law.' I couldn't believe when I saw this woman who was against the Ten Commandment monument—she was on Fox News—and someone brought up about the heritage of what we have with the Bible, God and the Ten Commandments in America. She said, 'Oh no! We had the writings of Hammurabi and some other people.' And I thought: what an ignorant, absolute leftwing atheist, God-hating woman, who want to uphold the agenda of the destroyers of America.

Let me tell you one thing, it will not pay to enter into the political foray of it. But we have to stand our ground and let it be known what the Bible says.

Verse 23: "And if any injury occurs, then you shall give life for life… [people misunderstood this] …eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe" (vs 23-25).

People say that what you do is you cut off a hand, foot or gouge out an eye. It means, v 22: "…And he shall pay as the judges determine."

If he killed an infant in the womb, he probably could compensate them and pay
,, because it is not murder; it is manslaughter because they were fighting and she didn't have enough sense to get out of the way. Some women, when two men are fighting, don't have enough sense to keep out of it until it's over. They run and get in the middle of it and lose the baby.

What if you lost your eye? or a tooth? or a hand? or a foot? You pay! Today we have insurance policies. If you have an accident insurance policy it says so much for an eye, so much for a hand, so much for an arm, so much for a leg, and so forth, so you'll be compensated.

It's even right into our law. You can read the rest of them. Instead of car accidents, they had ox accidents, ox goring. If you've ever seen some of these Texas longhorns, you know that would be dynamite stuff!

Then it talks about stealing, Exodus, 22:1: "If a man shall steal an ox, or a sheep, and kill it or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep." One incident would cure him!

Don't send him off to jail to watch television and play chess with the other inmates, and go lift weights so you can be strong so you can come out and be a real thug! No! Put him to work! If he stole your Toyota and cracked it up, now he has to give you four of them! That would stop it.

Verse 2: "If a thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, no blood shall be shed for him." Now our courts have turned that around. You shoot someone coming into your house, you go to jail and the thug gets off! That's not righteous judgment.

Verse 3: "If the sun is risen upon him and he lives, there shall be blood shed for him…. [In other words, he can make an atonement, repent to God and offer and offering] …He shall make full restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. If the theft is certainly found in his hand alive, whether it is an ox, or a donkey, or a sheep, he shall restore double" (vs 3-4). You can read the rest of it; it's all very clear.

Now we get to the 'supreme court' (in Israel) and the religious laws. These were to be judged by the priests. Even here there was a division—you can't say separation—between the sacred law and the civil law; between the sacred judging by the high priest and the civil judging by able men.

Deuteronomy 17:2: "If there is found among you, inside any of your gates which the LORD your God gives you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, in breaking His covenant." Now you can see that it's totally different.

It's not a matter of theft or bodily injury, this is against God!

Verse 3: "And has gone and served other gods…" What we're saying here is that the difference in judgment was divided down by the commandments. The first four had to do with worshipping God. The last six had to do with between fellow men. Loving God on the one hand, worshipping Him, and loving your neighbor, or transgressing against your neighbor. So, we have the division there.

All the while, God was supreme over both of them. The civil judges had to be God fearing and loving Truth. Here we have the priests, and this is transgressing the covenant,

Verse 3: "And has gone and served other gods and worshiped them, either the sun, or moon, or any of the forces of heaven, which I have forbidden, and if it is told you, and you have heard and inquired diligently, and, behold, it is true and the thing is certain, that such abomination is done in Israel; then you shall bring forth that man or that woman who has committed that evil thing to your gates, even that man or that woman, and shall stone them with stones until they die" (vs 3-5).

However, one caveat, v 6: "At the mouth of two witnesses or three witnesses shall he that is worthy of death be put to death. At the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death." So, you have to have at least two witnesses!

Today you can be convicted with no live witness, and you can be convicted with circumstantial evidence. How many people have been let out of prison after spending years and years in prison because you've got crooked prosecutors, investigators and police? Let out on such cases as rape. But an undeniable witness in those cases today is the true forensic genetic information (DNA), and that's how most of them got off.

But it shows the political deviousness and political ambitions of prosecuting attorneys who want to further their political careers.

God also had that if anybody brought forth false witness it would first have pangs of conscience; v 7: "The hands of the witnesses shall be the first on him to put him to death…" if there was a false witness he would suffer exactly the same judgment that he falsified against the person.

If that were in effect today we would not have these lying zealous district attorneys putting people away so they can build their political career over the ruined lives of innocent people by fudging on the information and the evidence to make them guilty. Or police who collude together to falsify reports. You expect the police, the prosecuting attorney, the investigators and detectives would tell the truth. But they don't! What's wrong in America goes clear down to the local level.

"…So, you shall put the evil away from among you. If a matter is too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of strife within your gates, then you shall arise and go up to the place which the LORD your God shall choose" (vs 7-8). This is taking it up to the 'supreme court.'

Verse 9: "And you shall come to the priests, the Levites… [now they get involved] …and to the judge that shall be in those days…" So, the judge would bring it up, the people would bring it up, and they would come to the priests and the Levites.

"…and ask. And they shall declare to you the sentence of judgment. And you shall do according to the sentence, which they declare to you from that place which the LORD shall choose. And you shall be careful to do according to all that they tell you. According to the sentence of the law, which they shall teach you and according to the judgment, which they shall tell you, you shall do. You shall not turn aside from the sentence, which they shall show you, to the right hand or the left. And the man that acts presumptuously and will not hearken to the priest who stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or to the judge, even that man shall die. And you shall put away the evil from Israel. And all the people shall hear and fear, and do no more presumptuously" (vs 9-13). That's based upon:

  • God's Laws and statutes
  • honest men who did not take bribes

But the system broke down, just like it's breaking down today. The truth is, in America we are under a system of judges. The Supreme Court is the final word on interpreting the law. It should never be the final word on creating new law contrary to the Constitution. A very clear distinction.

Judge Roy Moore was entirely correct in what he did in the stance that he took on the Ten Commandment monument issue in the early 2000s.

Judges 2—Joshua called them together because they didn't get rid of all of the people of the land as God had told them to do, so God said:

Judges 2:3: "…I will not drive them out from before you, but they shall be thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you." The people boo-hooed and the people left.

Verse 6: "And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel left, each man to his inheritance, to possess the land. And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD that He did for Israel. And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being a hundred and ten years old. And they buried him on the border of his inheritance in Timnath Heres, in Mount Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash. And also all that generation were gathered to their fathers…." (vs 6-10).

We're reaching this point in America. The only ones holding back legalization of homosexual marriages are those of us who are over 60-years-old. Seventy-eight percent of those people are totally against legalizing same-sex marriages. When this generation goes, give it another ten or twelve years, guess what? The majority—since they don't go by law—go by opinion. Please understand that the news is not news. They are creating their own opinion and impression of what their own political agenda tells them to do, regardless of whether it is CNN or Fox.

"…And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD… [Do we have that generation? Yes, indeed!] …nor even the works which He had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim" (vs 10-11). That's going on right now!

Verse 12: "And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, Who brought them out of the land of Egypt. And they followed other gods, even the gods of the people who were around them, and bowed themselves to them, and provoked the LORD to anger. And they forsook the LORD and served Baal and Ashtaroth" (vs 12-13). Sunday and Easter, you've got it right there! The same sin that Israel has always had! Israel has always wanted Sunday, not the Sabbath! That's not talking about the Jews, but all 12 tribes!

The family dispute hasn't come up, yet. The Jews have assumed the identity of all 12, meaning that they have assumed the identity of all eleven of their brothers. If that were a small family, there would be big feud! Remember the feud that took place between the sons of Israel concerning Joseph? Was that one big feud!

So, Reuben did the same thing that France did to us and sold Joseph off into slavery. So, when we need the help of Reuben, he abandons us. There are a lot of parallels; they're amazing! Then God got angry! Is God angry at us today? Yes, indeed!

Then they decided that the judgeship form of government wasn't working. It wasn't the government that was wrong, it was the people who didn't keep the statutes, judgments and laws of God. Whether they be the four commandments toward God, or the six commandments toward neighbor. So, they said they needed a new system.

Judges 21:25: "In those days there was no king in Israel. Every man did what was right in his own eyes."

  • Do we have that today?
  • What is your opinion?

no one asks:

  • What is the truth?
  • What does God's Word say?

they ask:

  • What's your opinion?
  • What do you think?

I saw a CNN poll that says 58% of the people don't think that Geo. W. Bush has an effective plan for Iraq.

  • How do they know?
  • Have they talked to him?

Opinion is cheap! A matter of personal opinion and belief, if it's not grounded in truth, is trash! It's not worth the paper it's written on, or the words that come out of the mouth. Yet, people revere their opinion as if it's the Word of God.

Here, 'Look! These judges didn't work!' The last great judge that they had, who was also a high priest and judge, was Samuel.

Let's see how they got rid of the judge system, and we're going to see a parallel here, because today they are getting rid of the Constitution and common law in America by re-interpreting the Constitution under an oligarchy of federal judges who are accountable to nobody and you can't get rid of them!

Samuel's sons took bribes, weren't honest and weren't seeking the Truth.

1-Samuel 8:4: "And all the elders of Israel gathered… [like the combined Congress of the United States] …themselves and came to Samuel to Ramah. And they said to him, 'Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.'" (vs 4-5)—to be like the nations! Brethren, that's what's wrong with the judge system in America today.

You're going to be astounded what I'm going to read to you in just a little bit.

Verse 6: "But the thing was evil in the eyes of Samuel when they said, 'Give us a king to judge us.' And Samuel prayed to the LORD. And the LORD said to Samuel, 'Hearken to the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them'" (vs 6-7).

Have we also done that? Yes, indeed; beginning with the Scopes trial and everything on down the line. They got rid of prayer in school, the Ten Commandments in school, reading the Bible in school. Teaching evolution, changing and distorting the true history of the whole world, to make it politically correct.

So, God said, 'All right, if you want a king, I'm going to give you a king. He told them what kind of king they would have.' And then He said, 'Nevertheless, in spite of the fact that you've handicapped yourself with wanting a king, to be like all the other nations of the world, instead of being My nation, I will still work with you and your king if you keep My commandments and obey My voice!'

They said, 'Okay, we'll do that.' But the first king right out of the shoot—Saul—didn't do it! Finally, God raised up David, who was probably the only king that was really righteous among all the kings of Israel to the degree. Other kings were righteous like David in their personal lives, but not like David in running the nation the way that David did, although he did have his affair with Bathsheba.

So, the kings didn't work, because of carnality!

Let's look in the New Testament, because with the coming of the New Covenant, and the preaching of the Gospel going to the whole world, now you are going to have a conflict of interest if you had the Church administering civil law in all of those nations.

God took away, took out of the New Covenant, all the civil enforcement laws that the judges were to do. The Church was not to execute the death penalty. The reason being: After the Flood God gave the civil judgment to the sons of Noah—Shem, Ham and Japheth—and made a covenant with them and the whole earth, and they were to execute the Administration of Death.

When God called Israel, He put that together with the proper worship of God and the civil administration. Whereas, the other nations out there had their gods and their civil administration.

When we come to the New Testament, all of the civil administration—execution and judgment of those laws—was not given to the Church, called the Administration of Death. 2-Cor. 3 tells that it's called the Administration of the Spirit.

However, there is still civil government. So, let's look at the New Testament and let's see some things concerning that.

Romans 13:1: "Let everyone be subject to the higher authorities because there is no authority except from God; and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God… [He gave it to them] …so then, the one who sets himself against the authority is resisting the ordinance of God; and those who resist shall receive judgment to themselves" (vs 1-2).

In matters of conscience before God it's a different story. We will see that in just a bit.

Verse 3: "For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil works. …"—unless you have an evil government, and sooner or later there's going to be a profoundly evil government, which will come against all of those who profess Christ.

"…Do you desire not to be afraid of the authority? Then practice good, and you will have praise from it; for he is a servant of God to you for good…." (vs 3-4).

If you get in a wreck coming to church on the Sabbath, aren't you glad the highway patrol is going to come? Aren't you glad that they have ambulance service so you won't die bleeding to death alongside the road? Like the self-righteous priest and Levite did in the parable of the Good Samaritan and the one who was robbed? The priest and the Levite passed by and said, 'Oh, I can't get unclean, I'd better hustle on up to Jerusalem and do my duty.'

"…But if you are practicing evil, have fear! For he does not wear the sword in vain because he is a servant of God, an avenger for wrath to the one who is practicing evil" (v 4). Therefore, the civil governments have the instrumentality of authority,  war, etc.

Verse 5: "Consequently, it is necessary to be subject to authority, not only because of wrath, but also because of conscience. For this cause, you are also obligated to pay tribute…" (vs 5-6). We should pay our taxes. I don't think at any time anywhere that anyone ever liked to pay taxes. But God says, 'Do! Render to Caesar that which is Caesar's.'

What is more important? Render to God what is God's! Too many people rob God, because they think that they're not to live by every word of God. Unfortunately! But God has a way of handling everything!

God is judging everyone everywhere all the time! How else are you going to give account for every idle word that you speak? You need to understand that! God is judging everyone everywhere all the time! We're being judged for eternal life! The world is being judged whether they will follow the precepts of the commandments of God for the civil government. Murderers are also being judged by God.

This is not to preclude and say that there is no repentance and they can't have salvation. What is the ultimate judgment for good and sincere people in the world who are not called? What is next to the ultimate judgment for them? The first death and the second resurrection! We're being judged unto the first resurrection! If the 'judgment begins with the house of God,' and 'the righteous are saved with difficulty' where will the sinner and the ungodly be?

Most people don't think of it that way. Is God constantly judging those who have their soul set for pervert sex? Yes, indeed! There are 60 sexually transmitted diseases! Which even carnal people in the world who are married to one husband or one wife, and stay faithful, never have sexually transmitted diseases.

  • Had God judged them? Yes!
  • If they repent to Him, can He forgive them? Yes!
  • May they still bear the judgment for their wrong? Yes!

Not many people have figured that out. That's why God gave everyone a conscience. If people have their behavior and it comes to the point that they sear their conscience, then they go into more depth of evil and depravity and hence you have Rom. 1. Let's see that this is so on a micro level and a macro level.

  • micro being the individual level of anyone's life
  • macro being cities, counties, states, nations, countries.

But there is also another judgment that is always going on from the individual, from a civil servant or the judge toward God. Most people have never thought of that either.

Romans 3:1: "What then is the advantage of the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way. Primarily in that they were entrusted with the oracles of God. For what if some did not believe?…." (vs 1-3). We have that today!

  • in religions they don't believe God; they have their own ideas
  • you have corrupt police
  • you have corrupt judges; they don't believe in truth

Same thing!

Just because people don't believe in God, or believe in the Laws of God, that doesn't cause God to go away in a corner. He's still there! He's still judging those people! Did God judge the Jews? Yes, and they're still smarting under it today!

Same way today: Mel Gibson comes out with a good portrayal of the brutality of the sacrifice and beating of Jesus Christ in the movie Passion of the Christ. And the Jews say to this day say anti-Semitism! It's a historical fact! I've got a Jewish publication at home that I keep, just in case that someone thinks I'm anti-Semitic. I'm not anti-Semitic! I view the Jews in the same way that the Bible does: Old Testament and New Testament.

This is The Christian Jew magazine, where a Jew wrote to Jews and told them that 'the reason you suffer anti-Semitism and hatred is because you're obnoxiousness toward the Gentiles. And because our forefathers said that let the blood of Jesus be on us and on our children.' A Jew told that to other Jews. So, don't anyone accuse me of being anti-Semitic.

Why is that Jews are allowed to be anti-Christ and no one raises a finger; no one says a word. But if you point out an historical accuracy that is true, you're an anti-Semite.

Verse 3: "What if some of them didn't believe? Shall their unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God? MAY IT NEVER BE!…." (vs 3-4)—Greek: 'me genoito'—don't let this thought come into your mind. God is not going to forbid it. He has allowed it!

"…Rather, let God be true but every man a liar, exactly as it is written: 'That You [God] might be justified in Your words, and might overcome when You are being judged by men'" (v 4). Is that not a judgment that people make every day against God one way or the other?

  • by their conduct?
  • by their words?
  • by their philosophy?
  • by their education?

Yes, indeed! And the judges by their judgments!

What they do when they bring some of these judgments, they're actually judging against God! When God requires even civil governments in the world to acknowledge Him. Not unto salvation! He's not calling everybody! But that's so that in the society in general you can have the physical blessings of God. That's why!

Verse 5: "But if our unrighteousness brings to reality God's righteousness…"—by comparison of the evil human beings, and then you look at the righteousness of God, and it brings out how righteous God is

 "…what shall we say? Is God unrighteous to inflict His wrath? (I am speaking according to man's view.)…." (v 5):

  • through storms
  • through tornadoes
  • through accidents
  • through floods
  • through drought
  • through disease
  • through enemies

He says:

Verse 6: "MAY IT NEVER BE! Otherwise, how shall God judge the world?" There are two judgments going on that most people don't realize. God is judging everyone everywhere all the time, even down to a sparrow. If a sparrow falls, God knows it!

Let's talk about how this nation was founded. I'm not advocating getting back to the Constitution once delivered, because that will never happen. We are not advocates of returning to the Constitution as a movement. We want the Kingdom of God to come, and that's what we're qualifying for. But living in this land, they should stick to the Constitution.

  • Did they not call upon God?
  • Did they not have the precepts of God when the founders made it? Yes!

They even say that the Constitution was formed because of the preachers preaching. How that these men were taught in their education in America.

Does God Belong in Civil Government: A Biblical Perspective by: Charles P. Beall {https://www.givemeliberty.org/FreedomDrive/FDmisc/DoesGodBelongInCivilGovernment.PDF}

This essay is not an attempt to convince non-believers that God's Word, the Bible, is the ultimate source of truth and righteous power by which all legitimate government authority on earth has been established. My purpose here is twofold: I intend to illuminate the irrefutable fact that America's history is a Providential history. And, that it was God's Word that most inspired America's founders in their vigilant quest for freedom over 225 years ago.

America's founders clearly understood and accepted God's design and purpose for civil government, and were willing to sacrifice everything to live free in their own country….

with the memory of Europe, only 100 years back

…They established a Constitutional Republic that recognized the unalienable rights of all men to their lives, their liberty and their property, with minimal government interference. Thus, America was conceived as a magnificent experiment in freedom that was unique in the annals of human history….

That's because it was founded by the descendants of the ten tribes of Israel. God knew that they wouldn't wholly keep to His Word. He knew that Israel always flattered God, but nevertheless, they were to receive the blessing that God gave to Joseph—Ephraim and Manasseh—through Israel. Some minister in the Church of God has the gall to say that the United States is Babylon the Great!
…And while the journey was tumultuous at times, the freedom won by our forefathers was ultimately extended to all citizens regardless of race, color, religion or national origin—a testament to who we are as Americans, and what we truly stand for, as "One Nation, Under God."

Then he talks about right out of the New Testament where it says 'render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, the things that are God's, to God.' And the separation of government and church. But not the exclusion of God! There's a difference! Vast difference!

Historian Jonathan Trumbull wrote that during the 50 years leading up to the American Revolution, "colonial pastors used every opportunity possible to educate the people in the principles of liberty."

Historian Alice Baldwin said, "the Constitutional Convention and the written Constitution were the children of the pulpit."

Before and during the time of the Revolution, hundreds of colonial pastors were courageous, resolute defenders of God's sovereign authority over civil government. John Witherspoon was a minister and President of Princeton College. He trained James Madison, the chief architect of the Constitution. Rev. Witherspoon had this to say: "God grant that in America true religion and civil liberty may be inseparable."

James Madison wrote: "To preserve the Republic, it is in the hands of the people. We have staked the whole future of American civilization not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government…

That's what God teaches! You govern yourself with God's Law before God yourself! You don't need someone looking over your shoulder to do it—whether in the Church or in the world!

…upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments."

They were not deists! That is politically correct historical revisionism!

John Adams wrote: "The Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other."….

Samuel Adams, one of our country's greatest patriots and the "Father of the American Revolution", in his widely circulated letter to the Colonists in 1772 wrote: "The Supreme Power (British Parliament) cannot justly take from any man any part of his property, without his consent. The natural rights of the Colonists are these: First, a right to life; Second, a right to liberty; Third, to property; together with the right to support and defend them in the best manner they can. The rights of the Colonist as Christians may be best understood by reading and carefully studying the institutes of the Great Law Giver and Head of the Christian Church, which are to be found clearly written and promulgated in the New Testament."….

Patrick Henry stated: "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians, not on religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ! For this very reason peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here."

What kind of government do we have today?

What kind of government do we have in America today? Is it a government that functions as God's servant and minister of justice "to do us good," or is it a government that has attempted to separate God from His creation by removing Him from our schools, our government institutions, our courts, and our daily lives? Does our federal government function according to God's design and purpose, or according to the will of men? Do our federal, state and local government officials defend and protect the most vulnerable among us from evil and injustice, or do they conspire to expand their power and deny the American people of their rightful liberties? Are the majority of our highest elected officials and government leaders in Washington honest, honorable and loyal Americans who can be trusted to protect and defend our Constitution, or have most of them betrayed their oaths to God and Country? Is our income tax system the creation and instrument of God's "servants and ministers of justice," or of power hungry politicians and irresponsible bureaucrats who squander the fruits of our labor and arrogantly refuse to be accountable to the American people? Do our judges acknowledge God's ultimate authority over our nation and our nation's laws, or do they kneel at a different altar?

All Christians—whether true or professing—are on a collision course with the federal government, and I'll show you why.

Creeping Transnationalism
{http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/leo071403.asp}

Many people don't know that these things have been going on in the Supreme Court.

Here's A Useful Rule Of Thumb about international conventions, United Nations documents, and the findings of foreign courts: Anytime a judge cites one in an American court, something alarming is probably about to happen. The source of the alarm is usually that the judge has spotted some important "emerging world consensus" that requires him to defy the plain meaning of American law.

Hence the Constitution; hence God!

One example glares out from the Supreme Court's Grutter v. Bollinger decision prolonging racial preferences. In a concurring opinion, Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Stephen Breyer cited the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.

Is that in the constitution?

Uh-oh. The convention endorses "special and concrete measures to ensure the adequate development and protection of certain racial groups."

Which ends up being discrimination!

Moods and fads. Justice Anthony Kennedy spotted another emerging world consensus in the Texas sodomy case. He argued that the court's 1986 decision upholding sodomy laws failed to take into account the views of a wider civilization. He also referred to a brief arguing that America must bring itself into line with modern western thought….

Where is that in the Constitution? They are to interpret law, not create it!

I think sodomy laws are legally and morally unsupportable. But Kennedy's argument depends on selectively noticing nations that agree with him and ignoring the many countries and cultural traditions that don't. Justice Antonin Scalia's dissent made the obvious point: It isn't the Supreme Court's job to "impose foreign moods, fads, or fashions on Americans."

Justice Breyer is perhaps the court's most zealous advocate of finding legal answers abroad. In a case focusing on allowable delays of execution (Knight v. Florida), he said he found "useful" court decisions on the matter in India, Jamaica, and Zimbabwe.

All states in America???

Now, this next one has to do with Judge Roy Moore from the Wall Street Journal. I'm just going to read the underlying parts. This is the battle over the Ten Commandment Monument. There's another facet to it, because all these people say they want the Ten Commandments, we want the monument, but they don't obey it. They were all out there praying and saying, 'Why did God allow it to be taken away?'

All the atheists say, 'Where is God? Where is God? He didn't hear your prayer!' The reason why is that they don't want to obey it, because that big fourth one says: Remember the Sabbath to keep it Holy, and all during their rallies they say, 'We'll see you in church on Sunday.'

At issue in this case is, can the state acknowledge God?

Judge Roy Moore wrote a column for the Wall Street Journal, Aug. 25, 2003(https://www.fpparchive.org/media/documents/american_history_project/In%20God%20I%20Trust_Roy%20S.%20Moore_August%2025,%202003_The%20Wall%20Street%20Journal.pdf)

In God I Trust by Roy S. Moore (Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama)

We must acknowledge God in the public sector, because the state constitution in Alabama explicitly requires us to do so.

Of course, as well as the United States Constitution.

By telling the state of Alabama that it may not acknowledge God, Judge Thomas… [the Federal Judge] …effectively dismantled the justice system of the state.

By subjugating the people of Alabama to an unconstitutional edict…

Peter said, 'We are to obey God rather than men!' When it comes to worshipping God, that's what it is! This is what Judge Roy Moore is doing. They haven't heard the last of this! I think with this, God reaching out to a lot of people, because who has not heard about this. This is going to open doors for the preaching of the Gospel, whomever is going to preach it. 'Whether in sincerity and Truth or in contention,' as Paul said.

…that public officials may not acknowledge God, the Attorney General and my colleagues have made the first opinion of a judge supreme over the text of the constitution…. and yes, God Himself….

No judge has the authority to impose his will on the people of a state. No judge has the constitutional authority to forbid public officials from acknowledging the same God specifically mentioned in the charter document of our nation, the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.

That's what the battle is about!

…revisionists jurisprudence have been working to strip the public sector naked of every vestige of God and morality….

And there is a backlash coming!

Here's one that wasn't in a newspaper that I'm going to read to you. This was not CNN, ABC, CBS or MSNBC.  This is from the father of Rachel Scott who was killed in the Columbine High School shooting:

Darrell Scott Testimony
Darrell Scott's statement before a House subcommittee on crime https://www.snopes.com/politics/guns/scott.asp

On Thursday, May 27, 1999, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High School shootings in Littleton, Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's sub-committee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful. They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert! These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

God has many witnesses:

  • civil witnesses
  • witnesses that stand on the principle of the Truth of the Bible whether they're converted or not
  • financial witnesses saying the end is coming financially

It is! How far down the road, we don't know!

  • political witnesses
  • parent witness

Now, here what he says:

Since the dawn of creation there has been both good and evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence.

The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.

The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart.

In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. I am not a member of the NRA.

I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA — because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.

I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy — it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies!
Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves.

I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. This was written way before I knew I would be speaking here today:

Your laws ignore our deepest needs
Your words are empty air
You've stripped away our heritage
You've outlawed simple prayer
Now gunshots fill our classrooms
And precious children die
You seek for answers everywhere
And ask the question "Why"?
You regulate restrictive laws
Through legislative creed
And yet you fail to understand
That God is what we need

Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, soul, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our 'make-up,' we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc.

Spiritual influences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence.

And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs — politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties.

We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre.
The real villain lies within our own hearts.

Political posturing and restrictive legislation are not the answers.

The young people of our nation hold the key. There is a spiritual awakening taking place that will not be squelched!

We do not need more religion. We do not need more gaudy television evangelists spewing out verbal religious garbage. We do not need more million dollar church buildings built while people with basic needs are being ignored.

We do need a change of heart and a humble acknowledgment that this nation was founded on the principle of simple trust in God!

As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes — He did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right!

I challenge every young person in America, and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools….

And I might add, no thanks to the politicians!

Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain.

Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him.

To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!

My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!

You never heard one word in the alphabet news!

That's why God judges everyone everywhere all the time! Those who without the knowledge of salvation uphold God, the Truth and Jesus Christ. They put to shame a lot of brethren in the Church who are supposed to be brethren.

  • we are the ones who are to be upholding
  • we are the ones to be standing for the Truth
  • we are the ones to be the lights of the world

Not to get involved politically, but for those people that we can affect, we need to affect.

The day is coming when the Bible is going to be declared hate literature! You're going to have to decide:

  • Do you love God more than our own life?
  • Do you love God more than spending time in jail?

God laying the choice out for everybody:

  • the world
  • the nation
  • professing Christians
  • His Church
  • What will our answer be?
  • Do we love God more than anything else?
  • I hope that will be your answer!

All Scriptures from The Holy Bible in Its Original Order, A Faithful Version

Scriptural References:

  • Exodus 18:15-24
  • Exodus 21:12-19, 22-25, 22
  • Exodus 22:1-4
  • Deuteronomy 17:1-13
  • Judges 2:3, 6-13
  • Judges 21:25
  • 1 Samuel 8:4-7
  • Romans 13:1-6
  • Romans 3:1-6

Scriptures referenced, not quoted:

  • Deuteronomy 13; 18
  • Exodus 23
  • 2 Corinthians 3
  • Romans 1

Also referenced:
Articles:

  • Does God Belong in Civil Government: A Biblical Perspective by: Charles P. Beall {https://www.givemeliberty.org/FreedomDrive/FDmisc/DoesGodBelongInCivilGovernment.PDF}
  • Creeping Transnationalism

       (http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/leo071403.asp)

  • Judge Roy Moore's column for the Wall Street Journal, Aug. 25, 2003(https://www.fpparchive.org/media/documents/american_history_project/In%20God%20I%20Trust_Roy%20S.%20Moore_August%2025,%202003_The%20Wall%20Street%20Journal.pdf)

Magazine: The Christian Jew

FRC: bo
Transcribed: 2/13/18

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