The Bill of Rights, the First Ten Amendments

Too much bureaucracy, too many rules and regulations quickly leads to weakness and failure. It is better to maintain tranquility and non-action so we can subject to God’s law that is  impartial. God love righteous and unrighteous. Matthew 5:43-45, ⁴³You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. Ephesians 2:3, ¹As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. So, how can one be more righteous than another, if we are already dead in our transgressions and sins? It is not your righteousness but the grace of God you are saved. Titus 2:11-14, ¹¹For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. ¹²It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ¹³while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, ¹⁴who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Rather, we should forgive and not judge and condemn others. Luke 6:37, ³⁷“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. A dead person cannot make choices and a spiritually dead person most certainly cannot make a choice for God until he has been made a new creature in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17). We are at war with God and our sinful mind is hostile to God (Romans 8:7-8). The sinful mind does not submit to God’s law, so God created government to establish order, punish evil, and promote justice (Genesis 9:6; 1 Corinthians 14:33; Romans 12:8). God ask us to submit to governing authorities even when they are are difficult. For there is no authority except that which God has established. Authority figures are God’s servants and rebelling against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted. When the apostle Paul wrote to the Romans, he was under the government of Rome during the reign an evil ruler Nero. Paul still recognized Roman’s Law over him.

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Is the Law of the Land impartial? What if the Law of the Land benefits only the rich and powerful? Is there a time we should disobey the Laws of the Land? ” Acts 5:27-29, ²⁷Having brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. ²⁸“We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” ²⁹Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! This is clear that the Law of the Land must not contradict the Law of God. We are to disobey the Law of the Land and obey God’s law; however we must still accept government’s authority over us. This is demonstrated by Peter and John who did not protest being flogged, but instead rejoiced in the suffering for obeying God. Jesus also humbled himself to the authority of Rome when he was tortured under the ruling power of Pontius Pilate. Before Jesus was crucified, he knew Pontius Pilate only had authority over him because God, the Father gave it to him. John 19:10-11, ¹⁰“Do you refuse to speak to me?” Pilate said. “Don’t you realize I have power either to free you or to crucify you?” ¹¹Jesus answered, “You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you is guilty of a greater sin.” Jesus did not say much or do much because he knew his Father was at work in him.

Our mission as Christians is to share the Gospel of salvation with the world. When people are saved, the Holy Spirit will begin the work in them of changing their lives into conformity with God’s Word (Philippians 1:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). Once Christ died on the cross he indwells us in the form of the Holy Spirit giving us a new nature (2 Timothy 1:14). We are no longer slaves to sin, but to righteousness and can make good choices. Governments “enforce” their laws onto their citizens, but this will eventually fail. Changing people on the inside is God’s work through the Holy Spirit. God is interested in saving people’s souls rather than “forcing” people to obey His Laws.

God must be understood through faith, for “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). We must remain faithful and know with God all things are possible. Too many words without knowledge of God’s law leads to failure. It cannot compare to keeping quiet. The Law of the Land should parallel with God’s Law in everyway possible. James 1:26-27, ²⁶If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. ²⁷Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. And if we don’t like the Law of the Land, it is better to keep still and let God. Psalm 37:7, ⁷Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when men succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes .