THE CONSTITUTION IS KING
Romans 13:1 says, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities.”
Does that mean that apart from clear violations of scripture we have to do everything we are told to do by any government official?
Does it mean you can’t gather to worship during COVID simply because a government official say, “NO!”?
Does “Separation of Church and State” really mean you can’t pray or talk about God or the Bible in the classroom?
Does it mean a high school coach can’t pray on the 50-yard line because a school administrator tells him “No!”?
Is it ever okay with GOD to engage in civil disobedience?
Is it even civil disobedience to disobey a government official in order to UPHOLD the US Constitution?
Great questions. Let’s talk about it.
Many followers of Jesus in America are sincerely confused about their role as citizens of the United States when it comes to the intersection between faith, & culture… not because they don’t understand God’s point of view, but because they have not deeply considered the unique and distinctive implications of God’s command within the context of a constitutional republic.
So let’s go back to Romans 13:1.
It commands, “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.”
In Jesus’ and Paul’s day this meant, first and foremost, obeying Caesar, the HEAD of the government.
In Acts 26, Paul appealed to Caesar when he did not receive justice from Festus, the governor of Judea.
He appealed to the higher, God-established, authority.
Jesus instructed the Pharisees, “Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, and unto God what is God’s,” rather than, “Render unto Herod what is Herod’s.”
In the United States the highest of our “governing authorities” is not Caesar. Who is it?
- The president,
- The Congress,
- The Senate
- The Judiciary,
- The Supreme Court?
- The chief Justice of the Supreme Court?
Who is the HIGHEST of our governing authorities?
Who do every one of those people swear allegiance to?
The CONSTITUTION.
Every one of them take an oath swearing to support the Constitution.
For example, the Presidential Oath of Office says: “I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will to the best of my ability preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Every Supreme Court justice pledges: “I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States….”
All the other oaths are similar.
Here’s the point.
In the United States of America, every government leader swears allegiance to the US Constitution. Therefore, the Constitution is king — as “established” by God, according to Romans 13:1.
Therefore, when forced to choose between obeying the Constitution or a rogue official, we must always obey the Constitution. Based on Romans 13:1, it is our duty before God.
In light of that, it is not civil disobedience to oppose a gov’t official who violates the Constitution (our king).
This is critical to understand.
Instead, it is our spiritual duty to oppose officials who oppose the Constitution.
Based on Romans 13:1, submitting to a law or judicial ruling that violates the Constitution is sin, UNLESS the Constitution itself violates God’s law.
In such circumstances the critical question is: “Will I OBEY or DISOBEY the Constitution of the United States?” our God-ordained king.
When a judge’s ruling violates a citizen’s freedom of speech, freedom of religion, right to bear arms, due process or equal protection under the law, it is always our SACRED OBLIGATION to uphold the Constitution (our king), and oppose the rogue official.
The CHOICE is between obeying a government official who has sworn to uphold the Constitution, or the Constitution itself (our God-ordained king).
Therefore, when a government official or judge says you violated “separation of church and state” by praying in school or a government facility, you have ZERO moral or legal OBLIGATION to comply.
Why? Because “separation of church and state” is not in the Constitution, but the “free exercise” of religion is, which means, the federal government may not censor or prohibit your religious speech or activity. Again, the Constitution is king.
But that’s not all. A government official only has moral & legal authority because the Constitution bestows it.
When a government official violates his oath of office by ignoring or twisting the Constitution, he forfeits his moral and legal authority. He may still retain coercive power, but never confuse power with legitimate authority.
Think Hitler: he had great power but no moral authority. Just because a judge, the president or a bureaucrat has the power to do something, does not mean they have the authority to do it.
For instance, the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act prohibits businesses from discriminating based on sexual orientation.
Therefore, the Colorado Civil Rights Commission ordered Jack Phillips to bake a cake celebrating the marriage a gay couple, contrary to his religious beliefs.
However, the US Constitution (the king) says the government may not violate your religious beliefs.
Only the Constitution has the moral authority to create exceptions to this right; the State of Colorado does not.
In the case of Jack Phillips, Colorado tried to force him to violate his religious beliefs, but it did not have the moral or legal authority to do so because the Constitution is clear that the government may not violate your “free exercise” of your religious beliefs.
And the Constitution is king—established by God Himself.
Why do I even address this issue?
Every Christian needs to understand that when a judge, politician or bureaucrat violates a clearly enumerated Constitutional right, we have a MORAL OBLIGATION to vigorously oppose all such faithless gov’t officials who set themselves up against the Constitution (our king), even if they are a Supreme Court Justice.
It is not an issue of CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE. Let me repeat. It is not an issue of civil disobedience.
It is an issue of whether we will OBEY or DISOBEY the Constitution, and therefore God’s command.
And remember, disobeying God is sin.
This is why it is vitally important to elect a President and US Senators who will appoint judges to the federal courts and the Supreme Court who are most likely to uphold the US Constitution.
Knowingly voting for a presidential candidate or US Senator who does not support
- free speech,
- the free exercise of religion,
- freedom of the press,
- the right to life,
- the right to bear arms,
- the right to own property,
- or the right to due process,
is a choice to undermine the Constitution, our God-ordained king — and therefore God Himself.
Therefore, even voting for a US senator or presidential candidate who disregards both the 5th and 14th Amendments, which guarantee that no person may be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process, is setting yourself up against the Constitution, our God-ordained king.
The 5th amendment was in the Constitution from the beginning.
The 14th amendment later on re-stated these God-given rights.
Now then, If you can’t deprive a person of life without due process then abortion is contrary to the Constitution—our king. If you can’t deprive a person of liberty without due process then race-based slavery is contrary to the Constitution — our king.
From the very beginning the founders established the basis for eradicating race-based slavery in the US.
The abolitionists then pushed to enforce the clear edict of the Constitution—their king.
The abolitionists were not engaged in civil disobedience or rebellion.
On the contrary, they were seeking to enforce the clear command of their God-ordained king — the Constitution.
But here’s the catch, in order to obey the Constitution (our God-ordained king) we must know what the king commands.
Beyond the first two amendments, most Christians in America have no idea what the Constitution says.
As I mentioned earlier both the 5th and 14th amendments guarantee you the right to life, liberty and property?
The Constitution states it twice. Did you know that?
If you don’t know what the Constitution says, how on earth are you going to obey the Constitution (our God-ordained king)?
May I suggest you download or pick up a copy of the US Constitution and read through it once a year.
You don’t have to be a scholar, just be generally familiar with the rights and obligations GOD has given you through the US Constitution.
That way, when a local schoolboard official says, “You can’t do that,” you can look in the Constitution for yourself to see if they are telling you the truth or not.
If not, at the next school board meeting, read them the relevant edict from the king. Hold them accountable.
It is your moral and spiritual obligation before God.
If you want a FREE POCKET copy of the U.S. Constitution, go to the Hillsdale College website, and they will send you a free copy. Or you can order an inexpensive version online. Just make sure you get a copy — then read it.
God, in his sovereignty, placed you in a constitutional republic, not a monarchy, not a dictatorship. In a constitutional republic, the constitution is the God-ordained king.
If you obey the US Constitution, you are obeying God. If you disobey the US Constitution, you are disobeying God.
The only escape clause to this principle is if and when the Constitution clearly requires you to do something contrary to the Word of God.
Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. Render unto the Constitution what is the Constitution’s. And render unto God what is God’s.
GOD is the issue — in every issue.
