It is a shock to many to discover that our Constitution so blatantly and purposefully violates the two most basic tenets
of God’s biblical model for a biblical civil government, the Hebrew Republic. Those violated tenets are the first two we discussed last week: 1.) the unity of God, and 2.) the spiritual unity of the citizens. As we investigate these ideas, keep in mind that I believe our current Constitution is the most insightful, complete and powerful governing document ever written by man—but it is not the Word of God!
In fact, these two, violated biblical principles are the most crucial characteristics of the Hebrew Republic—the spiritual unity of both God and the citizens of the country. These are the foundational tenets of a THEOCRACY (a reviled, pejorative concept today), which simply means there is only one “final authority”—the Triune God of Christianity!
On the other hand, our U.S. Constitution tells us that determining a “final authority” is at our discretion; humanly speaking. It is our choice In America, and it doesn’t matter who your God happens to be. This is called POLITICAL PLURALISM, which violates those first two Hebrew Republic tenets.
Satan, as you would expect. has deceived Christians again As Paul said, “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3).
I struggled for some three years with the issue of theocracy vs. pluralism in our Constitution until I saw the simple solution. I had been rejecting HISTORICAL THEOCRACY (rightfully so—it has been horribly misapplied!), not BIBLICAL THEOCRACY (what the Bible actually teaches). I also didn’t realize that there can be NO RELIGIOUS NEUTRALITY IN GOD’S WORLD! [“He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Luke 11:23)]. For me, a biblical theocracy was the only possible result of those two insights!
As we attempt to use the Bible for our foundation and legal authority (the case in a biblical theocracy), there are adjustments to the Constitution that will have to be made. What I am presenting here are only suggestions, a starting point for discussion. Once the permanent authority, the Word of God, is established, the application of that Word in both federal and state constitutions is determined by men of God in Congress, coming together and passing laws seeking to solve the problems of the nation with biblical solutions.
Here are some issues that will be different from our current U.S. Constitution in a theocratic, Christian one:
I. Who is a citizen in the Christian nation that is the United States? Currently, all those who are born on American soil or who are born to one or more American citizens are natural-born citizens of the United States. Currently, citizenship is based on the location of birth or the citizenship of parents only. One’s religion is irrelevant
In the biblical pattern, for the nation Israel, citizenship was based on one’s covenantal relationship with Jehovah God. This national covenant was based on 1) one’s ethnicity (Jewish) and 2) circumcision as the sign of being a member of the covenant people.
However, under the New Covenant, the covenant “children of God” are no longer an ethnic people group, the Jews, but now they come from every nation, tribe and tongue. Membership in God’s covenant people is not by birth or circumcision but solely by faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and His death on the cross for our sins!
There were those who lived in Israel, and may have even been born in Israel, who were called “strangers,” or “sojourners,” because they were not members of this national covenant. They were not “citizens” with full national privileges, but they could work, own businesses, participate in national life and enjoy all the blessings of living in a nation that had Jehovah as its God. They were honored, accepted, and not discriminated against in any way.
However, they could not hold leadership positions and help to determine governmental policy. If, after a period of time, they determined that the God of Israel was the God they would like to make their own God, they could convert to Judaism as a proselyte, become circumcised and be a fully participating member of the covenant people.
Throughout the history of Israel, proselytes played a prominent role. Rahab and Ruth, both non-Jews are in the lineage of Jesus. Under the kings, strangers rose to influential positions [Doeg the Edomite (1 Samuel 21:7), Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 11:3)[.
So, historically, God’s people do not represent a “closed shop,” only for a select few from a favored nation, race or ethnic group. Membership in God’s covenant people is open to ALL WHOSE “GOD IS THE LORD!”
With this biblical perspective, I want to present a modern-day application of this principle, attempting to follow scriptural principles in the Constitution as closely as possible.
A. A citizen of the United States is a professed, Trinitarian, baptized Christian, who is a member in good standing of a Trinitarian church with a functioning church government that holds to the Apostle’s Creed.
This IS NOT the establishment of a particular denomination or theology, but simply the recognition by the state as meeting the above requirements. The individual churches can be denominational or independent, as long as the church has an accountable membership, is Trinitarian, and subscribes to the Apostle’s Creed. The civil government has no say as to the church’s theology or doctrine, but all the church’s adult members, in good standing, are eligible to be citizens of the United States.
Some would question the necessity of belonging to a church rather than simply claiming to be a Christian. However, a willingness to submit to church authority and have the fruit of one’s faith publicly recognized and evaluated is a good (although not perfect) indication that one’s faith is genuine.
This church membership is a prerequisite for citizenship and, obviously, for holding public office.
B. There is no citizenship based on birth. When a child reaches 21, if he is a Christian, he can make a profession of faith, join a Trinitarian church or remain a sojourner, experiencing all the privileges of citizenship, except voting and running for public office. Only adult citizens can vote and run for office.
First, Article 6 section 3 of the Constitution will be revised. It currently says: “The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States.”
The italicized text shall be amended to read:
“All office holders must be United States citizens who subscribed to the Apostle’s Creed and be a member in good standing in a Trinitarian Church in order to hold any office or public trust under the United States.”
Next week we will continue this investigation by looking at other adjustments to our Constitution that would conform it more closely to the biblical, Hebrew Republic model
