The Perfect Law of Liberty
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass [mirror, NASB]: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. (James 1:22-25)1
The law of Yahweh2 is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of Yahweh is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of Yahweh are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of Yahweh is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of Yahweh are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward. (Psalm 19:7-11)
Why would anyone sacrifice what’s perfect, sure, right, pure, true, and altogether righteous for any substandard man-made replacement, such as provided via the Declaration of Independence and its brain-child the United States Constitution3?
For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water. (Jeremiah 2:13)
The Declaration Speaks for Itself
Paragraph #2
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—That has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
Paragraph #2, Sentences 1-3
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Note again Thomas Jefferson’s claim that governments are instituted for the alleged purpose of securing mankind’s rights. Not only is such a concept entirely foreign to the Bible, it’s impossible to secure what doesn’t exist.4
If ever there was a government that might have accomplished this, it would have been the United States Constitutional Republic. Its utter failure to do so only goes to prove it is utterly impossible to secure what was nothing but wells without water, guaranteed by swelling words of vanity, by men promising liberty who were themselves enslaved by their own corruption, per 2 Peter 2:17-19.
Consent of the Governed or Ordained by God?
[T]here is no authority but of God: the authorities that be are ordained of God. (Romans 13:1)
The biblical civil government depicted in Romans 13:1-7 is not instituted by man but ordained by Yahweh, not for securing alleged rights, but in order to accomplish His perfect will as provided in His commandments, statutes, and judgments,5 thereby providing government that continually blesses the righteous and perpetually punishes the wicked.6
Biblical Secular Governments
Secular civil governments are also biblical. However, their purpose is for an entirely different reason than what’s depicted in Romans 13 by the Apostle Paul.
There are two different types of civil governments with polar opposite purposes:
1) Governments that are a blessing to nations that look to Yahweh as their Sovereign and His moral law as supreme.
2) Governments that are a curse (or judgment) upon nations who reject Yahweh as their Sovereign and His law as society’s standard.
The results of these two polar opposite forms of government are enumerated in Deuteronomy 28. The first fourteen verses enumerate the blessings upon godly nations. The last fifty-four verses enumerate the curses upon ungodly nations.
Good and Bad Laws
Depending upon the character of the people, God provides both good and bad laws:
Then said I [Yahweh] unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am Yahweh your God. But they rebelled against me, and would not hearken unto me … then I said, I will pour out my fury upon them to accomplish my anger against them…. Wherefore I caused them to go forth out of the land of Egypt, and brought them into the wilderness. And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them…. Nevertheless mine eye spared them from destroying them, neither did I make an end of them in the wilderness. (Ezekiel 20:7-17)
Yet even in his anger Yahweh was longsuffering and initially gave the Israelites His law to be administered by godly men and good government. But His loving-kindness does not always reap obedience and, therefore, has its limits:
Notwithstanding the children rebelled against me [again]: they walked not in my statutes, neither kept my judgments to do them…. Because they had not executed my judgments, but had despised my statutes, and had polluted my sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers’ idols. Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live. (Ezekiel 20:21-25)
Bad laws to be administered by wicked men and evil government:
[T]o the intent that living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He wills, and setteth up over it the basest of men. (Daniel 4:17)
The best of them is like a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge…. (Micah 7:4)
Righteous leaders are God-ordained authorities, per Romans 13:1-6. Unrighteous rulers are God-established powers, per Daniel 4:17.7
Case in point: the biblically egregious Constitutional Republic, born of the biblically adverse Declaration of Independence, ruled by wicked men and women, precisely as depicted by the Prophets Daniel and Micah. Whereas 1600s America was governed by godly leaders governing by God’s good laws (His perfect law of liberty),8 the United States of America is ruled by wicked rulers ruling by bad laws that have only proved to be a curse to her.
Righteous Government
Romans 13 has nothing to do with secular civil government. It is instead a mandate for Christians9 to take dominion over society by establishing local biblical governments,10 aka as ecclesias.11
The Apostle Paul provides therein the two-fold reason for biblical government:
1) For blessing the righteous.
2) For judging the wicked.
This can only be accomplished by means of the Bible’s perfect law of liberty. What’s righteous and what’s wicked can only be determined by Yahweh’s morality as reflected, codified, and defined by His commandments, statutes, and judgments.12
If only this had been the intent of the Declaration’s signatories and the design of the Constitution’s framers and America had remained faithful to the same. Were this true, today’s America would not be teetering on the precipice, cursed by God rather than blessed.
Paragraph #2, Sentence 4
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.
Very true and very evident in today’s America. Talk about suffering abuses! However, regardless how much suffering the unregenerate, blinded masses are willing to endure, as Christians, we’re commissioned to overcome all evil with good, per Romans 12:21—including evil government with good government.
Overcoming Evil With Good Now!
As Christians we’re not to wait until things have become insufferable. We’ve been commissioned to immediately work toward establishing fully functioning biblical communities,13 established upon the Bible’s triune moral law,14 and governed by godly elders, some of whom function as judges on behalf of Yahweh:
Moreover thou shalt provide out of the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers…. (Exodus 18:21)
He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. (2 Samuel 23:3)
And he [King Jehoshaphat] set judges in the land … city by city, and said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for Yahweh, who is with you in the judgment…. And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of Yahweh, faithfully, and with a perfect heart. (2 Chronicles 19:5-9)
It’s this very same civil government New Covenant Christians are commissioned with in Matthew 6:10 & 33, Romans 13:1-7, 1 Corinthians 6:1-6, 2 Corinthians 10:4-6, and 1 Peter 2:13-15.15
In other words, as subjects of the King of kings, we’re not to procrastinate until things have gotten so bad they are no longer tolerable. We are to ever be about our heavenly Father’s business and, therefore, always looking to overcome evil with good regardless the extent of evil. In fact, the sooner the better!
And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them…. Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time [making the most of your time, NASB], because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:11-17)
Hell’s Gates
If only the previous generations had been diligent to do so. America’s suffering could have been halted long ago. As it is presently, the job before us is much more daunting than it would have been before the gates of hell were swung wide open. Hell’s gates are wide open because past generations of Christians have failed to be the salt of the earth and are now instead being trampled under the feet of the heathen, per Matthew 5:13.
Presently we find ourselves once again at the very beginning of restoring the righteous foundations, putting us right back at our 2 Corinthians 10 mandate, an expanded form of Romans 12:21:
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6, NASB)
The objective of this charge from the Apostle Paul is the biblical government Paul commissions Christians with in Romans 13.15
Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ includes identifying and addressing America’s two greatest icons—the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution16—for the national idols they are. These two strongholds must eventually come down in order for Christians to establish local biblical ecclesias17 in their place. Only in doing so will America again experience the blessings of God rather than His curses.
Paragraph #2, Sentence 5
But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
As Kingdom ambassadors, it’s our responsibility to do so, for our posterity’s security, by the only means possible, per Yahweh’s perfect law of liberty.
Paragraph #2, Sentences 6-7
That has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
Lord willing, in Part 7 and those to follow, we’ll begin biblically examining each of twenty-seven grievances (Facts) cataloged in what follows these opening paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence.
See Part 7.
Related posts:
“Biblical Examination of the Declaration of Independence” (Audio series)
“Biblical Examination of the Declaration of Independence, Pts. 1-5” (Blog article)
A Biblical Constitution: A Scriptural Replacement for Secular Government
“Ecclesia vs. Church: Why Understanding the Difference is Critical to Our Future”
Law and Kingdom: Their Relevance Under the New Covenant
Bible Law vs. the United States Constitution: The Christian Perspective
End Notes
1. All scripture is quoted from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.
2. YHWH, the English transliteration of the Tetragrammaton, is most often pronounced Yahweh. It is the principal Hebrew name of the God of the Bible and was inspired to appear nearly 7,000 times in the Old Testament. It was unlawfully deleted by the English translators. In obedience to the Third Commandment and the scriptures that charge us to proclaim, swear by, praise, extol, call upon, bless, glorify, and hold fast to His name, I have chosen to memorialize His name, per Exodus 3:15, in this article.
For a more thorough explanation concerning important reasons for using the sacred name of God, see Thou shalt not take the name of YHWH thy God in vain, the third in a series of ten free online books on each of the Ten Commandments and their respective statutes and judgments.
3. See Bible Law vs. the United States Constitution: The Christian Perspective
4. See Part 4 for more regarding the Declaration’s and Constitution’s alleged rights.
5. For more regarding how the Bible’s immutable/unchanging moral law applies today and should be implemented as the law of the land, see Law and Kingdom: Their Relevance Under the New Covenant.
7. See Chapter 2 “The Apostle Paul is Not Addressing God-Established Powers but God-Ordained Authorities” of The Romans 13 Template for Biblical Dominion: Ten Reasons Why Romans 13 is Not About Secular Government.
8. See Chapter 3 “The Preamble: We the People vs. Yahweh” of Bible Law vs. the United States Constitution: The Christian Perspective.
9. Not everyone claiming to be a Christian has been properly instructed in the biblical plan of salvation. Mark 16:15-16; Acts 2:36-41, 22:1-16; Romans 6:3-4; Galatians 3:26-27; Colossians 2:11-13; and 1 Peter 3:21 should be studied to understand what is required to be covered by the blood of Jesus and forgiven of your sins.
For a more thorough explanation concerning water immersion and its relationship to salvation, the bookBaptism: All You Wanted to Know and More may be requested from Bible Law vs. The United States Constitution, PO Box 248, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69363, for free.
Additionally, listen to audio series “I Had a Dream: Judgment’s Coming. Are You Under the Blood?” Part 1 can be found here. Or a MP3 CD, containing all ten messages, can be requested from Bible Law vs. The United States Constitution, PO Box 248, Scottsbluff, Nebraska 69363, for free.
10. See A Biblical Constitution: A Scriptural Replacement for Secular Government.
11. See Ecclesia vs. Church: Why Understanding the Difference is Critical to Our Future.
12. See Part 1 for evidence that the perfect law of liberty equates to the Ten Commandments and their respective statutes and judgments.
13. See Ecclesia vs. Church: Why Understanding the Difference is Critical to Our Future.
14. For more regarding how the Bible’s immutable/unchanging moral law applies today and should be implemented as the law of the land, see Law and Kingdom: Their Relevance Under the New Covenant.
See also A Biblical Constitution: A Scriptural Replacement for Secular Government.
16. See Bible Law vs. the United States Constitution: The Christian Perspective
17. See Ecclesia vs. Church: Why Understanding the Difference is Critical to Our Future