The Reformed Bible Church In Central Virginia

Issue 1

The Organic Law of All Authority


In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

(Genesis 1:1 AV)

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 

(John 1:1-5 AV)

 

 

     These verses set the stage for all law, authority, and practice. Established in these true statements of reality and doctrinal fact, lies the essence of personal, family, ecclesiastic and civil life. It is In the Beginning that God clearly, and irrefutably, declares that He alone is both Creator and Owner of all that exists. As a direct result of this Biblical truth, God thus reveals Himself as the Sovereign, Legitimate King and Lawgiver of all the universe.

 

...He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him [are] called, and chosen, and faithful.               

(Revelation 17:14b AV)

 

Thus saith the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me.   I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded.

(Isaiah 45:11-12 AV)

 

 

      Although many try, there can be little debate concerning the creation power, ownership, and dominion of GOD, the Lord over the entire earth. Speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Scriptures decree:

 


He shall have dominion also from sea to sea, and from the river unto the ends of the earth. They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him; and his enemies shall lick the dust. The kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

(Psalms 72:8-11 AV)

 

By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

(Proverbs 8:15 AV)

 

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power [lit. authority] is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

(Matthew 28:18 AV)

 

For every beast of the forest [is] mine, [and] the cattle upon a thousand hills.  I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field [are] mine.  If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world [is] mine, and the fulness thereof.

(Psalms 50:10-12 AV)

 

 

AN ABSOLUTE STANDARD


     Since God has established the world and all that therein is, He is the Sovereign Ruler and Lawgiver over it and its inhabitants. This is why such a bold and vehement effort is made by those in opposition to the Lord to solidify the notion of an evolving earth and evolving life forms.

     Evolution is nothing less than a direct attack upon the Sovereignty and Dominion of God as Creator and Lawgiver. Evolutionists attempt to distract the masses by creating an alternative to the origin of life. The humanist proposal of evolution seeks to cloud the truth in order to make it easier to de-throne God from His High and Lofty position of Sovereign Ruler-ship. If evolutionists can seduce the populous into accepting the heresy of evolution, then an absolute standard of law becomes non-existent. Law and authority become "evolutional", and thus relative to the ideas and whims of sinful mankind.

 

[There is] a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.  [There is] a generation, whose teeth [are as] swords, and their jaw teeth [as] knives, to devour the poor from off the earth, and the needy from [among] men.

(Proverbs 30:13-14 AV)


 
    Since, however, God is the Creator and only Lawgiver-King, then it is His Law that must establish all law. Thus, the Law of God is the "organic" Law of mankind. This "organic Law", or instrumental foundational Law of God, is the basis from which all "legitimate law" must stem. All law and authority that does not conform to the Law of God and of His Word is "illegitimate" and anti-Christ in both its formation and intent.

 

They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew [it] not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.

(Hosea 8:4 AV)

 

     From this passage we can see how God negates, by direct condemnation, the laws of man when they do not conform to His "organic" and absolute standard of Law, the Holy Scriptures.

     Today's Gospel message has failed miserably in being faithful to the entire counsel of God. Even in the most faithful churches, the idea of becoming civilly or politically active is frowned upon. It is as if the church is commissioned to survive by existing in a vacuum, totally negligent and uninvolved in the affairs of the community around them. The church, which once was characterized by being "militant and triumphant", is now "monastic" and "impotent" in the affairs of real life.
 

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.  

(Matthew 5:13-17 AV)

 

Salt [is] good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

(Luke 14:34 AV)

 

     It is a basic assertion of the Scriptures that God is concerned with all aspects of life. He is Lawgiver in matters of personal life, family life, economic life, social life, business life, international affairs, domestic affairs, military affairs, political affairs, judiciary affairs, as well as affairs concerning legislating and law enforcement. There is not a single aspect of life that God does not clearly give His perfect and Just Law as the rule and standard.

And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?  He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.  Then came also publicans [i.e. Tax collectors] to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?  And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse [any] falsely; and be content with your wages.

(Luke 3:10-14 AV)

 

     If God has given such precise regulation over all affairs, it must logically follow that He demands that they be obeyed and exercised in time and in history. To propose that the Word of God concerns itself only with the personal pilgrimage of the soul is to deny the entire witness of both the Old and New Testaments. To deny that the Scriptures are the only and absolutely perfect standard, so as to be applied to every aspect of life, is also a direct and wicked perversion of God’s Sovereignty and Dominion. Any attempt to twist God’s requirements for mankind is an attempt to retreat from the clear commission God places upon man to be responsible in the social and civil realm.

 

 

 

SOVEREIGN LAW TO BE OBEYED

     God has created and established the earth with very obvious natural laws associated with it. The law of gravity is a physical law as is the second law of thermodynamics, which declares that “things go from a state of perfection to a state of corruption over time”. Not only are there laws of biology, physics and chemistry, which are unchanging, but there are the laws of “natural order” such as the revolution of the earth, sun and moon which regulate day, night and the seasons. We see also God’s Law at work in the terrestrial kingdom as well as in the celestial kingdom. We see His glory in the geological realm, the cellular realm, and the atomic realm. All these areas are structured by the absolute Laws in which God Himself has established.

     Similarly, the Laws concerning man’s behavior and government are ordained by God. As with the laws of nature, so is it with the laws concerning man. When there is a shift from that which is ordained by God to something perverse or confused, the entire system becomes dysfunctional. Whenever mankind sets humanistic laws over Divine Law, the result is horrific.

     It is important to realize that God has not set His throne above the Heavens so that His Laws would be ignored. God’s Laws are made to be followed. Moreover, His Laws are established to benefit those who are of His rule. The Laws of God are always established in equity and justice. They set men at righteous liberty and conform them to behavior that is honorable to the perfect character of God.

     In light of these precepts we can understand how politics cannot remain neutral. In a universe which is governed and owned by God, there can be no neutrality. Any political, social or economic system divorced from the Standard of the Holy Law is destined for failure.

     Such a failure will result in civil tyranny, economic corrosion, social disorder, and moral decay. Thus, the entire fabric of the culture becomes leprous and decrepit.

 

 

ACCOUNTABILITY

    It must be evident by now that all those in any authoritative position have a unique relationship of accountability toward God. With every position of authority there comes a charge, a requirement, and a duty to that “higher authority” that has initially established the office and originally outlined the commission of that office.

     The intent, scope, duties and power of any officer are set forth clearly by that original legal document which has been issued by that higher authority. That document then becomes the force which defines and upholds the duties and lawful parameters of that office. Any deviation from the intent and regulation of that “original” document must be met with correction, and if need be, severe punishment.

 

WHICH DOCUMENT?

     A common misconception about the Law and the “rights” of man is in the idea that the United States people derive their “law“ and “rights” from the Constitution of the United States. This is not the case. Although a legal document of this republic, the Constitution is actually a reflection and a reinterpretation of the Sovereign Law of the Holy Scriptures. Its intention was to simplify that “organic Law” of the Divine so as to govern properly from a written article of law. What the framers failed to clearly define was that the Constitution had a higher authority, the Holy Scriptures. Although this was their belief and conviction, their wording could have been more precise, and some of the present day issues, which threaten both the Constitution and the Christian community, would be of little consequence.

     It can be easily proven that the framers of the Republic of the United States had the Holy Scriptures as their original document, and their original intent was that all law would be formed and regulated by the Holy Law.

     Thomas Jefferson prayed in his March 4th, 1805 National Prayer Address,

“Almighty God, Who has given us this good land for our heritage; we humbly beseech Thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of Thy favor and glad to do Thy will… Endow with Thy Spirit of Wisdom those to whom in Thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that through obedience to Thy Law, we may show forth Thy praise among the nations of the earth… suffer not our trust in Thee to fail; all of which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.”

     It was no mystery to the founding fathers as to whose Law was supreme. In fact, it was a common understanding that the Lord God of the Holy Scriptures reigned as Supreme Judge, Lawgiver and King. These truths were so much a part of their thinking, that they established the three branches of the united States Government from the direct counsel of the Holy Scriptures.

For the LORD [is] our judge, the LORD [is] our lawgiver, the LORD [is] our king; he will save us.

(Isaiah 33:22 AV)

     In this single verse lies the entire concept for the U.S. Judiciary branch, the Legislative branch and the Executive branch of government.

     If the Republic of the United States is to ever remain healthy, free, and blessed of God, His Laws must be acknowledged as supreme and authoritative over all man made laws that contradict the Divine. It is time for all who are in office to bow and submit to the Sovereign Lord of all the earth.

Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

(Psalm 2:10-12AV)

 

CM

 

 

 

The Civil Magistrate
is written by:
Pastor Paul Michael Raymond
and published by:
the Reformed Bible Church
PO Box 2397 Appomattox VA 24522
 

www.HisGlory.us

 www.HisGlory.com

 

 

 

Other articles by Pastor Paul Michael Raymond

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08/05/2004