An atheist would be displeased to learn how many common law principles, conventions, and statutes stem not from the Enlightenment, but from the Bible. To understand why some of these passages are applicable to our laws, it is important to recall the formation of Western nations and to the culture and thinking of that era. The leaders of nations like Great Britain, the U.S. and Canada were once steeped in Biblical thinking. They drew from Biblical examples and looked for ideas about government from Scripture.
Here are some salient examples:
(1) Sovereign authority of God, not sovereignty of the state, or of mankind—Exodus 18:16, 20:3, Deuteronomy 10:20, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Psalm 83:18, 91:2, Isaiah 9:6-7, Daniel 4:32, John 19:11, Acts 5:29, Romans 13:1, Col 1:15-20, and 1 Tim 6:15;
(2) Existence of objective, moral values, fixed legal standards, absolute truth, and the sanctity of life—Exodus 20:1-17, Dt 10:20, Psalm 119:142-152, Proverbs 14:34, Isa 5:20-21, John 10:10, Romans 2:15, and Hebrews 13:8;
(3) Rule of Law, rather than authority of mankind—Exodus 18:24-27, Dt. 17:20, Isa. 8:19-20, Matt 5:17-18;
(4) Equality—Gen 1:26, Acts 10:34, 17:26, Gal. 3:28, Peter 2:17;
(5) Separation of powers into judicial, legislative, and executive branches—Isa.33:22;
(6) Religious Freedom—1 Tim. 2:1-2;
(7) Establishment of a justice system—Ex. 23:1-9, Lev. 19:15, Dt. 1:17, 16:19-20, 24:17-19, 1 Sam. 8:3, 2 Sam. 8:15, 1 Kings 3:28, 10:9, Mic. 6:8, Rom. 13:4;
(8) Right to Fair Trial with witnesses—Ex. 20:16, Dt. 19:15, Proverbs 24:28, 25:18, Matt. 18:16;
(9) Private Property Rights—Exodus 20:15-17;
(10) Liberty & Free Enterprise—Lev. 25:10, John 8:36, 2 Cor. 3:17, Gal. 5:1, James 1:25, 1 Peter 2:16;
(11) Biblical, not Darwinian capitalism, i.e. service and fair play over the law of the jungle—Ex.20:17, Matt. 20:26, 25:14-30, 2 Thes 3:6-15, 1 Peter 2:16; &
(12) Restitution—Lev. 6:1-15, Num. 5:5-7, Matt. 5:23-26.
We should relish the freedom of expression that a Christian culture put in place for all of us—including atheists. We must be thankful that our culture was not founded upon atheism, given the horrific record of secular governments of the 20th century and today.
Jesus did not usher in a political kingdom; but Christianity has been the single greatest influence upon Western society, culture, and law. The Fathers of Confederation and America’s Founding Fathers benefitted from millennia of history to draw upon in establishing governments. They could see what had failed in the past. There had been times when the state had absolute authority and persecuted the church. At others, the church had effective control over the state. These founders saw that neither such extremes were ideal. They therefore developed systems that stood the test of time by achieving a solid balance between church and state, while remaining true to Biblical concepts.
For example, in a decade long study undertaken at the University of Houston, researchers examined over 15k documents from America’s founders and discovered that over one third of their cited quotations came directly from the Bible—the highest by far of any source. Despite this, many people in the West today reject the notion that the Bible should form the basis for our civil law. They think this narrow, minded and outdated. Consider the outrage to a recent Louisiana law requiring The Ten Commandments to be posted in school classrooms, or public reaction last year when Oklahoma mandated teaching of the Bible in state curricula.
Ideas have consequences, especially bad ones. Let us examine for a moment the implications if the Bible were not the basic standard for society and our legal system. Without an objective standard of truth upon which to base society, whomever gains the most political power can and will dominate. Christians believe that the Bible offers ultimate, objective, absolute truth—as opposed to relative ‘truth’ expressed as arbitrary absolutes. There was once a general consensus on this point from the time of the earliest settlers on this continent until quite recently. Founding father and educator Noah Webster (1758-1843) had this to say on the point:
“The moral principles and precepts contained in the Scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evils which men suffer from: vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.”
So it was natural for British North American pioneers to turn to the Bible for guidance about how to make civil law. This was the standard for the law, beginning with the Mayflower Compact all the way through the constitutions of each individual state. Contrary to revisionist history, the stated purpose of the Mayflower Compact was not to secure religious freedom—they already had found that in Holland. Their mission was instead expressed as being for the “Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith.” The Pilgrims were missionaries.
The first state constitution was the 1639 Fundamental Orders of Connecticut. Its framers desired that every aspect of it be based upon the Bible. This document was a model for other constitutions, including the U.S. Constitution. The foundational concepts listed earlier in this commentary show the widespread influence of Scripture throughout the common law. Biblical absolutes enshrined into law offered a consensus that meant freedom without chaos. One aspect of this is the concept of inalienable human rights. Rights were inalienable because in most societies, such rights either do not exist or are conferred at the whim of whoever is in power.
Since the Western consensus was that the Bible is Truth, the tyranny of a few or even of the many could be overcome by one person standing up and appealing to the Bible. Freedom of expression stems from the Bible, and is endangered today throughout the West by secularism. Those who feel free today to condemn the Bible are—ironically—among those who benefit most by the freedoms inherent in our Biblical system.
An important aspect of our system of government is that it is based upon the Rule of Law. This concept is a direct descendant of Hebrew law and the Ten Commandments. Together with the concept of inalienable rights from God, these concepts helped ensure a way of life that respects the dignity of each individual. The combination of these Biblical concepts is a foundation of democratic government that helps subjugate political power of would be tyrants. It is characteristic of every tyrant to change their nation’s constitution to suit themselves or to butter the bread of those who brought them to power.
In this respect, it is useful to contrast the American Revolution of 1776 with the French Revolution of 1789. While the American Revolution began with an appeal to the supremacy of God, the French Revolution was founded upon the sovereignty of man. The French movement was a product of Enlightenment philosophy, which specifically attempted to replace Biblical Christianity with human reason as the ultimate standard of truth, of reality, and of law.
The French Revolution was a disaster. Anarchy and tyranny reigned, with 40k people murdered. The favourite method of execution was the dreaded guillotine. Their new ‘constitution’ lasted all of two years. France had 7 constitutions during that time. In a 10 year span, they overthrew an absolute monarch in Louis XVI only to crown Napoleon Emperor by 1799. Another important aspect of America’s constitution is that it has as its basis the distinctly Christian idea that we are inherently sinful. The Christian founders of the U.S. (50 out of 55) and Canada understood this truth. It has been said that 16th century Protestant Reformer John Calvin—the theologian most associated with the Biblical doctrine of human ‘depravity’—was the single most influential person to the U.S. Constitution. Consequently, the founders built into the Constitution an elaborate system of checks and balances. This is evidenced in the horizontal plane of executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government; and also in the vertical plane of federalism setting out state or provincial powers versus federal jurisdiction.
Other systems are based upon the idea that mankind is basically good, or at least corrigible by law and education. This is the basis for communism as well as the religious states of Islam. However, state governments founded upon these Utopian ideals always fail and are particularly repressive and even murderous to their citizenry. They end up as police states which routinely abrogate individual rights.
One of our essential Constitutional rights is equality. The concept of universal human rights and equality comes exclusively from the Biblical ideas that we are created in the image of God, and from Christ’s sacrifice on the cross to save us all. These concepts were unknown to history outside of Biblically based cultures. There are however two areas in which our Western system of laws can be faulted: (1) racial slavery and (2) ruthless wealth inequality. However, both of these actually arise from failure to follow Biblical Christianity.
A few comments about slavery are important here, since so many people today throw this in the face of Christians. Racial slavery is not a Biblical concept. Yes, a form of slavery— indentured servitude—is condoned in the Bible; but this was a method by which debtors could repay creditors, and not what we think of as racial slavery. In fact, the Bible specifically condemns the slave trade (see Ex. 21:16 & 1 Tim. 1:10). The Bible offers a unique framework for people as equals: the Imago Dei. We are all made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) and are equal in God’s sight (1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:28). Interestingly, race is never once mentioned in the Bible.
In his book entitled Why You Think The Way You Do, historian Glenn Sunshine explains that:
“Christians were the first people in history to oppose slavery systematically. Early Christians purchased slaves in markets simply to set them free.”
Most are under the false impression that America’s founding fathers overwhelmingly supported racial slavery. This has been debunked by many historians, most notably Barton. Professing Christians who held slaves prostituted the Bible by letting culture influence their faith, just as some do today on issues such as LGBTQ rights and abortion. Yet, the abolition movement was fundamentally Christian. Slavery was stopped in England largely due to the tireless advocacy of an evangelical Christian named Lord William Wilberforce, who was a close friend to then Prime Minister William Pitt. Through Lord Wilberforce’s work in British Parliament, England ceased the slave trade in 1807 and abolished it totally in 1833. There was no leader like Wilberforce in the U.S. until Abraham Lincoln arrived on the scene in the 1860s.
The other systemic problem in Western culture has been unequal wealth distribution. The Bible does not seek to produce equality of outcomes. We are all created equal and have an equal opportunity to pursue our dreams; but are not expected to all live equally. Industrialization of the West brought great wealth to a fortunate few, while others were exploited. It can thus be argued that the working class was victimized to a degree in the early days of the Industrial Revolution. Subsequently, laws have been passed to protect workers, including protection of the freedom to associate and form trade unions.
Christianity is integral to capitalism because it places a moral restraint upon our actions. If we feel that there is no consequence to our actions beyond civil law, then we are less constrained to treat others fairly. Conversely, Christians have a moral restraint because we believe that we are ultimately accountable to God for our actions, and by the Lord’s 2nd commandment to love our neighbours—even our enemies!
The real issue is unrestrained, avaricious capitalism. In Canada and the U.S., we have enacted laws to protect property, to enforce contracts, and to punish fraud. Eventually, anti- trust and environmental protections were also passed. Such laws are consistent with Biblical capitalism or Christian capitalism, as distinct from Darwinian capitalism. Instead of economics based solely upon survival of the fittest, modern Western capitalism uses law to make the playing field more fair and provides equal protection under the law—while still encouraging entrepreneurship. Appropriate and useful laws assist free enterprise, placing moral boundaries around actions—without restricting freedom or interfering with competition. For example, anti-trust or anti-competition laws are only valid to the extent that they truly augment capitalism and free enterprise. Sometimes, they have been applied to restrain capitalism by protecting a large corporation.
A free society must have an over-arching objective moral constraint upon its people.
An absence of this moral constraint will destroy not only government but business as well. As we have seen during the Covid-19 Pandemic and its aftermath, politicians without such constraint will find ways to destroy the Constitution to suit their desire for absolute power. It is such moral constraint that monitors business people to charge fair prices, pay reasonable wages, not cheat customers or employees, to help the poor, etc. I once asked a young lawyer whether he believed in moral absolutes. Reflecting the secular attitude of his law school background, he quickly replied “no”. I then asked him, “then how do we know that you will not cheat our clients?” He was dumbfounded.
As a general principle, it is an intrinsic truth of capitalism that in the long run people succeed in business if they provide services and goods that people desire. Biblical capitalism —even more so—emphasizes service over strictly selfish ambition. It must however be stressed that capitalism has Christian roots. The uniquely Christian work ethic is Biblically based. Even God Himself works! Christians have thus seen an inherent goodness in labour and productivity. We have all heard of the so called “Protestant work ethic”. The importance placed upon work is a vital reason for the West’s economic success.
Today, we in the West have fewer and fewer people in the workforce, partly due to liberal social welfare programs. Many have become addicted to government handouts. This is neither good for those involved, or for the economy as a whole. It is a major reason why we are sliding into mediocrity; ultimately, liberal policies could be a key reason for our downfall.
Another key component of capitalism is private property. The Old Testament focuses upon rules around property rights and ownership. Throughout history, societies influenced by Christianity have had a stronger emphasis upon property rights than other cultures. The idea that we are entitled to the fruits of our labour, together with property rights and the rule of law, laid a firm foundation for capitalism and the unprecedented economic success that we have enjoyed. Just as in life itself, there have been many booms and busts; but we have always come through stronger than before because of our fundamentally successful system. That said, we may be on the precipice of losing it all precisely because we have forsaken the Biblical underpinnings of our economic and social culture.
As we have seen, the flaws in our society today are not in Biblical Christianity, but rather in the failure to implement it. If the voluntary individual compassion of Christ were to dominate society, poverty would certainly be lessened, if not eradicated (see Mark 14:7). The solution is not forced redistribution of wealth, which is theft. Instead, the solution is public emphasis upon Biblical ethics.
God, liberty, and justice. All three must be there. If God is absent, then ethics and rights are defined by those with the most power. In order to have liberty, we must have justice. The first role of government is to prevent evil (see Romans 13:1-5, 1 Peter 2:13-17), so that those of us in society can live peacefully. Evil is only meaningful within a Biblical context.
At the very moment when our culture desperately needs what Christianity offers, the courts are foolishly removing the Bible. Liberty demands ethical obligation. We must have a common understanding of moral absolutes, or as John Adams so eloquently put it:
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
Government in Biblical thought is not just civil government. In fact, civil government is the least important aspect of governance. Government is first that of the individual being able to govern themselves. This is why religion must be encouraged, as John Adams noted. The second most important level of government is the family. The third is the church. Last is civil government. Within civil government, local and state or provincial government is more important than the federal level. Federalism specifically limits the powers of the federal government, even though this precept has been continually usurped, especially under Prime Minister Trudeau’s regime.
At 2 Corinthians 3:17, it states:
“Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”
Leviticus 25:10, inscribed upon The American Liberty Bell, calls upon us to “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
Liberals and secularists have it all backwards. They think that the federal government is most important. This is consistent with totalitarianism, but not with the Biblical concept of self-governance. Big government socialism is incompatible with the Bible. Not only is the government inefficient in delivering most services, it most often hurts those it pretends to help. The welfare mess is a classic example, now proven over decades of failure, with Covid spending as an exclamation point. In the immortal words of former American President Ronald Reagan:
“The nine scariest words in the English language are these—‘I’m from the government, and am here to help’.”
Finally, there is the philosophy of libertarianism. This is the idea that our system of government should permit complete freedom, except where one person directly harms another. Many Christians today claim to be libertarian. There are many problems with such an idea. Christian libertarians have been fooled into thinking like liberal secularists, rather than as Christians. Libertarianism is defined by a secular worldview, rather than a Biblical one. Some Christians even quote Ayn Rand in support of their theories. Rand was an ardent atheist and hater of Christianity. That alone should be disqualifying. While libertarianism is not exclusively atheistic, a Christian who walks into that sphere is giving the devil a foothold, against which there is a strong commandment from Scripture (see Ephesians 4:27).
Libertarianism is ultimately arbitrary. It is an attempt to define morality without God. As Dostoevsky wrote:
“If there is no God, everything is permitted.”
Any view of government not based upon an immutable objective standard like the Bible is subject to alteration at the whim of political power brokers. Christianity is not arbitrary; rather, it is objectively true. Whether it is Jean-Paul Sartre’s Existentialism, Darwinian Evolution, Marxism, or Rand’s Objectivism, any atheistic foundation bumps into nihilism—the idea that there is no basis for meaning and purpose in life. Despite attempts to meld it with Biblical Christianity, libertarianism inevitably interferes with Christian reliance upon faith as the sole lens through which to view the world. Libertarianism is a non- religious philosophy. Consequently, it can be a dangerous diversion for the Christian and insidiously damages our faith.
Our compassion as Christians demands that we institute Biblical values in society. What other basis for a successful and compassionate society could possibly be better than the Bible? Who are you going to go with: Any Rand or Jesus, who allowed no human partner?; we are either with Him 100% or we are against Him (see Matthew 12:30). The clear message to Christians and non-Christians alike is this: if you seek true freedom, a vigorous economy, and a compassionate society, then the answer is Biblical Christianity. As Dinesh D’Souza notes in his book What’s So Great About Christianity:
“Christianity enhanced the notion of political and social accountability by providing a new model: that of servant leadership. In Ancient Greece and Rome no one would have dreamed of considering political leaders anyone’s servants. The job of the leader was to lead. But Christ invented the notion that the way to lead is by serving the needs of others, especially those who are the most needy. Mark 10:43 quotes Christ: ‘Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant...for even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve.’ And in Luke 22:27 we hear Jesus say, ‘Who is greater, the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.’ In the new Christian framework, leaders are judged by how well they respond to the concerns and welfare of the people. Over time, people once known as ‘followers’ or ‘subjects’ become ‘customers’ and constituents’.
All of which begs the obvious moral question: Should Christians become involved in politics and government?
Christians ought to care about politics because, ultimately, we love our neighbours. Government today has an encroaching influence upon the lives of people, and so we cannot ignore politics. Moreover, most every law reflects someone’s notion of morality. Since God’s morality is ultimate and universal, society benefits from Christian participation in the public square; that is, society benefits when Biblical Truth is reflected in law. Indeed, Christians are called to be involved in all aspects of society, including religion, law, art, music, science, economics, and yes—even politics.
