On this Fourth of July, I preached a ninety minute message on “The Doctrine of the Civil Magistrate.” The message covered the duties of citizens living in a Republic; and the covenantal relationship of the civil magistrate with God and with the citizens. I addressed at length the covenantal meaning of Romans 13, and explained why the doctrine of pluralism when tolerated, accepted, or advanced by Christians is a First Commandment violation.

My message addressed the fact that the Constitution incorporates the Declaration of Independence such that the two need to be viewed as one covenantal charter statement. Notwithstanding the Founders’ non-requirement of a religious test for office holders, this national covenant does explicitly acknowledge the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ, as the source of laws, the predicate of freedom and the Lord of the signers. Careful examination was given to the Subscription Clause, as well as the clauses referring to the creation of the nation, the incorporation of the Christian calendar (and rejection of the Roman calendar), the Sabbath and other oft neglected aspects of our charter. I explained that though our Constitution (and Declaration) is man-made, and thus flawed, it is not only remarkable, but covanentally binding on Christians living in compact under a Republic, in so far as it is not amended or transformed to violate the law of God, in which case (at least as to those portions) it would be null and void. Furthermore, I argued that for the Christian to abandon his duty to hold the civil magistrate accountable through his voice and vote, whether it be in the name of societal pessimism, pluralism, idolatrous partisan loyalty, or new theories of covenantal abdication (i.e. “owning the curse”, etc.) is disobedience.