By Douglas Wilson
Revised by Bill Peacock*
* The original Liberty Catechism was written by Pastor Douglas Wilson. I found it to be an excellent help in a high school government and economics class I teach, and also in my personal and professional efforts to apply Scripture to the problems we face in the public square. You can see from the John Adams quote below that Pastor Wilson seemed to have children particularly in mind when he wrote this. As I worked my way through it in class with my students, it occurred to me that most Christian adults could also benefit from being catechized on this topic as well. So, over the last couple of years, I have revised it by making additions to the text, combining old and adding new questions, and adding scriptural proof texts. The combinations of questions are not readily visible, but additions to the questions and answers and new questions and answers are noted in italics; all of the proof texts are new. I think it is still fairly child friendly, but believe it is also well suited to adults. As you will see, the bulk of it is still Pastor Wilson’s. My contributions reflect my own thoughts developed through years of public policy work, teaching, and discussion in my church; any errors I have introduced into it are my responsibility. Pastor Wilson’s original may be found here.
“Children should be educated and instructed in the principles of freedom.” — John Adams
1. Who is God?
A: Almighty God, Father, Son, and Spirit, is the only true God.
Proof Texts: Deuteronomy 6:4. “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Jeremiah 10:10. But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King. At his wrath the earth quakes, and the nations cannot endure his indignation. Matt. 28:19. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 2 Cor. 13:14. The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. John 15:26. But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, the will bear witness about me. John 1:1–4: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 1 Timothy 1:17. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
2. What is this God’s relationship to the created order?
A: God is the uncreated Creator of all things. He owns and is sovereign over the world and those who dwell therein, and as such has the sole right to determine how we must live.
Proof Texts: 1 Tim. 1:17. Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Psalm 90:2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Gen. 1:1–31. In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. Psalm 24:1–2. The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Rom. 11:36. For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. Jer. 10:12. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. Rom. 2:14–15. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another. Jeremiah 18:5–6. Then the word of the LORD came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. Romans 9:20–21. But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? Acts 17:24–25. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. Gen. 2:16–17. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. Hos. 6:7. But they like men have transgressed the covenant: there have they dealt treacherously against me. Matthew 4:8-10. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’”
3. How does God communicate our relationship with Him?
A: God uses covenants and the law to communicate the binding, structural nature of our personal and societal relationships with Him and with each other.
Proof Texts: Genesis 1:26. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 2:15–17. The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 9:8–10. Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, “Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you, and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth. Genesis 17:7. And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you. Psalm 119:2–6. Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. Jeremiah 31:31–33. “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the LORD. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Matthew 5:18. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Acts 3:25. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ Matthew 22:36-39. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Romans 14:22–23. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Galatians 3:10. For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” James 1:25. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
4. What is the chief covenantal obligation of mankind in history?
To exercise dominion over the earth until we have prepared it as the eternal dwelling place of God with man. We will accomplish this under the governance of Jesus Christ and through the provision of the Holy Spirit as we faithfully walk in liberty.
Proof Texts: Genesis 1:28: And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Psalm 8:4–6. What is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet. Isaiah 9:6–7. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. Isaiah 61:1. The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn. Ezekiel 37:27: My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Malachi 3:1. “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. John 14:2–3. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:23. Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Romans 6:12–13: Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. Acts 20:28: Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. 1 Corinthians 15:25–27. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” 2 Corinthians 6:16: What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” Philippians 1:18-19. Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Revelation 21:2–3: And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.”
5. What is liberty?
Liberty is the privilege of living under the blessing of God, with freedom to worship Him in accordance with His Word. This includes obeying His commandments, honoring our covenantal obligations to Him and our neighbors, and faithfully exercising our rights given us by Him in pursuit of His purposes.
Proof Texts: Titus 2:13–14. waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. John 4:22. You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. Acts 5:27–29: And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest questioned them, saying, “We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. Acts 22:25: But when they had stretched him out for the whips, Paul said to the centurion who was standing by, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen and uncondemned?” Galatians 5:1. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Corinthians 3:17–18. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.
6. Where does human liberty originate?
A: All human liberty originates from outside our created order and is grounded in the transcendent will of the Creator, who is the sole giver of our liberty.
Poof Texts: Matthew 22:36–40. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” 2 Samuel 23:3. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. Romans 13:8–10. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Luke 4:18. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed.” Jeremiah 34:17. “Therefore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the LORD. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
7. Why is this important to understand?
If such were not the case, then we have no liberty and no rights from God or no obligations to Him or our neighbors. Instead, we have only privileges granted to us by fellow creatures who at the moment are stronger than we are. Whatever they give, they may also take away.
Proof Texts: Jeremiah 34:16. but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves. Isaiah 10:1–2. Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! Psalm 14:1–3. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.
8. What is the foundational government that God has established among men that we might walk in liberty?
The foundational government is self-government, or self-control, which is a fruit of the Spirit.
Proof Texts: Genesis 2:15–17. The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Proverbs 25:28. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. Romans 6:12–13: Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. Ephesians 4:26–27. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Ephesians 6:5–9. Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him. James 1:25. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
9. Why was it necessary for God to give this gift?
Because of the rebellion of our first parents in the Garden of Eden, we were born into slavery, a slavery to our passions and desires.
Proof Texts: Genesis 3:6. So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Psalm 51:5. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Proverbs 20:9. Who can say, “I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin”? Numbers 11:18–20. “And say to the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat, for you have wept in the hearing of the LORD, saying, “Who will give us meat to eat? For it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the LORD who is among you and have wept before him, saying, “Why did we come out of Egypt?”’” John 8:34. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. Titus 3:3. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.
10. What is the nature of slavery to sin?
A slave to sin wants freedom from responsibility and maturity. He consequently wants freedom from the consequences of his actions.
Proof Texts: Genesis 3:12. The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 1 Samuel 15:17, 19–21. And Samuel said, … “Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you pounce on the spoil and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?” And Saul said to Samuel, “I have obeyed the voice of the LORD. I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me. I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have devoted the Amalekites to destruction. But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.” Proverbs 9:9, 12. Fools mock at the guilt offering, but the upright enjoy acceptance. … There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. Lamentations 3:39. Why should a living man complain, a man, about the punishment of his sins? Matthew 7:3–4. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 1 John 1:8. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
11. How does liberation from this slavery to sin come about?
Through the objective truth of the gospel, that being the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Christ, and this gospel is apprehended subjectively by faith alone, by faith from first to last.
Proof Texts: Romans 1:16–17. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 6:6–9. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. Romans 10:9-10. because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Titus 2:13–14. waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
12. Is widespread slavery to sin consistent with political or social freedoms?
No. Political or social freedoms are only possible for a “moral and religious people,” i.e., those to whom Jesus Christ has proclaimed liberty and set free. They are “wholly unfit for any other.”
Proof Texts: Luke 4:18. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. John 8:34–36. Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. 1 Peter 2:16. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. 2 Peter 2:19. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved. Romans 3:10–12. as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
13. What are the three governments among men that God has directly established to aid them in their self-governance?
They are (a) the government of the family, (b) the government of the civil order, and (c) the government of the church.
Proof Texts: (a) Genesis 2:22–24. And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. … Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. Exodus 20:12. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. Matthew 19:4–6. He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” (b) Proverbs 8:15–16. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. Romans 13:1. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (c) Acts 20:28: Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. Ephesians 4:11–12. And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. Hebrews 13:7, 17. Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. … Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.
14. Are there other human governments besides these three?
These are the only three directly established by God. Other human governments exist—clubs, teams, societies, schools, businesses, and so on, but they merely have a human authority, and thus must fall under the authority of one or more of the governments established by God.
Proof Texts: Exodus 20:12. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you. Romans 13:1. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 1 Peter 2:13–14. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good.
15. What are the responsibilities of these three governments?
Respectively, (a) the family is the ministry of welfare, education, and commerce, (b) the civil government is the ministry of justice, and (c) the church is the ministry of Word and sacrament.
Proof Texts: (a) (welfare) Ephesians 5:28–30. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. Deuteronomy 15:7, 11. “If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother … For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ 1 Timothy 5:8. But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever. (education) Deuteronomy 6:6–7. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. Proverbs 1:8–9. Hear, my son, your father’s instruction, and forsake not your mother’s teaching, for they are a graceful garland for your head and pendants for your neck. Ephesians 6:4. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. (commerce) Proverbs 31:10–18. An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar. She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard. She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night. Matthew 4:18–22. While walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (who is called Peter) and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him. Leviticus 25:14–17. And if you make a sale to your neighbor or buy from your neighbor, you shall not wrong one another. You shall pay your neighbor according to the number of years after the jubilee, and he shall sell to you according to the number of years for crops. If the years are many, you shall increase the price, and if the years are few, you shall reduce the price, for it is the number of the crops that he is selling to you. You shall not wrong one another, but you shall fear your God, for I am the LORD your God.
(b) Romans 13:3-4. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. 1 Peter 2:13–14. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. Jeremiah 21:11-12. “Hear the word of the LORD, O house of David! Thus says the LORD: ‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of your evil deeds.’”
(c) Ephesians 4:10–12. He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ. Genesis 14:18. And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine (He was priest of God Most High). 1 Peter 5:1–3. So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.
16. How many of these governments are absolute?
Only the government of God is absolute. No human government is or can be absolute. God has delegated some authority to mankind, yet it must be exercised subject to His sovereign will.
Proof Texts: 1 Chronicles 29:11. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. Daniel 4:3. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation. Matthew 4:8-10. Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Matthew 28:18. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Romans 13:1. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
17. How are they to be kept from thinking of themselves as absolute?
Human government must confess the only true God, and the Christ He has sent. If there is no God above a human government, then that human government will want to deify itself. So kings and princes must kiss the Son; a reluctance to do so publicly demonstrates a lust to be the only true God.
Proof Texts: Psalm 2:10–12. Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Acts 12:21–23. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last. Daniel 4:30–31. King [Nebuchadnezzar] answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you. Matthew 22:19–21. “Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
18. Should we trust the governments to make this confession, or hold to it if they make it?
No. Because all men are sinners, we must constantly guard against the tendency to abuse power that all those who are entrusted with such power will face.
Proof Texts: 1 Samuel 15:10–11. The word of the LORD came to Samuel: “I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me and has not performed my commandments.” And Samuel was angry, and he cried to the LORD all night. Daniel 9:7–8. To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. To us, O LORD, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you. Acts 6:10–12. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which [Stephen] was speaking. Then they secretly instigated men who said, “We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God.” And they stirred up the people and the elders and the scribes, and they came upon him and seized him and brought him before the council.
19. How should we guard against this kind of abuse in the civil realm?
We must adopt a constitutional order based on two sources. First from the Scriptures as God’s special revelation to us. Second, from natural revelation—how God created the natural world, together with our consciences that instinctively recognize how He made the world.
Proof Texts: Hebrews 1:1–2. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 2 Timothy 3:16–17. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. Romans 1:19–20. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
20. What two blessings does constitutional government hold in balance?
The two great values of constitutional government are form and freedom together, such that the people enjoy the blessings of both structure and liberty.
Proof Texts: Psalm 119:101–104. I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word. I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Romans 3:19. Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. Romans 13:3–4. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Romans 10:5. For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. James 1:25. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. Galatians 5:13. For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
21. What are the basic limitations that should be placed on civil government?
The limitations against absolutism flow out of Scripture’s teaching on the decentralization of human authority and power. They include recognition of the sovereignty of God, the authority and responsibilities of self-governance and family and church governments, the limitations of enumerated powers, the separation of powers between the legislative, judicial, and executive, and the hierarchy of powers in federalism.
Proof Texts: Genesis 1:28. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.” Genesis 10:1, 32. These are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood. … These are the clans of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, in their nations, and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood. Genesis 11:8–9. So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth. And from there the LORD dispersed them over the face of all the earth. Genesis 49:28. All these are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them as he blessed them, blessing each with the blessing suitable to him. Proverbs 1:20–21. Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks. Proverbs 25:28. A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls. Romans 13:1. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. Titus 1:5. This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you. 1 Peter 4:7. The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.
22. What is meant by enumerated powers?
The only authority humans have is the authority delegated to them by God. Thus, civil rulers possess only those powers delegated to them in Scripture and expressly granted in their country’s constitutional framework.
Proof Texts: Matthew 28:18. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Romans 13:1, 3. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. … For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Matthew 22:21. Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. Jeremiah 21:12. O house of David! Thus says the LORD: ‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of your evil deeds.’
23. What is meant by separation of powers?
It means the basic functions of governance reflected in God’s rule over us—making laws, interpreting laws, and enforcing laws—are entrusted to different institutions within one government.
Proof Texts: Isaiah 33:22. For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us. Psalm 9:7–8. But the LORD sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness. Psalm 103:19. The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. Isaiah 51:4. “Give attention to me, my people, and give ear to me, my nation; for a law will go out from me, and I will set my justice for a light to the peoples.
24. What is meant by a hierarchy of powers?
All magistrates, whether at the county level, municipal level, state level, or national level hold their position in trust from God. This means lesser magistrates at the state and local level provide an additional balance to the authority of the national government.
Proof Texts: Genesis 23:10. Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city. Numbers 13:1–2. The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.” Deuteronomy 16:18. You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. 1 Samuel 7:15–16. Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah. And he judged Israel in all these places. Daniel 2:37. You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory.
25. Is this all?
No. In addition, to better maintain decentralization of power, these basic limitations may be intermixed, such as dividing the legislative body into two houses with one house appointed by lesser magistrates.
Proof Texts: Matthew 28:18. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Isaiah 33:22. For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us. Genesis 23:10. Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites, and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city. Exodus 18:21–22. Moreover, look for able men from all the people, men who fear God, who are trustworthy and hate a bribe, and place such men over the people as chiefs of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens. And let them judge the people at all times. Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they shall decide themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. 2 Samuel 12:7, 9. Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul. … Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight?
26. Is this constitutional form of government consistent with arbitrary rule by one branch or level of government, such as regulation through executive agencies, coercive federalism, or a tyrannical local government?
No. All forms of arbitrary government are antithetical to a biblical form of governance.
Proof Texts: Exodus 1:12-13: But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. So they ruthlessly made the people of Israel work as slaves. Proverbs 28:16: A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor, but he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days. Isaiah 5:20. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Isaiah 10:1-2. Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! Isaiah 13:19. Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them. Acts 5:29. But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.
27. How does the character of God affect the laws that He gives to mankind?
God is immutable, and God is holy. This means that law that is grounded in His character will be law that is fixed and unchangeable, and is law that will be good.
Proof Texts: James 1:17. Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. Malachi 3:6. “For I, Yahweh, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” Isaiah 6:3. And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is Yahweh of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory.” Psalm 119:68. You are good and do good; Teach me Your statutes. James 1:25: But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
28. How does the character of man affect the laws that he seeks to give to mankind?
Man is changeable, like water, and he is a sinner, unholy. This means that law that is grounded in his character will be constantly shifting, and will be corrupt and unholy.
Proof Texts: James 1:6-8: But he must ask in faith, doubting nothing, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Psalm 12:1-2. Save, O Yahweh, for the holy man ceases to be, For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men. They speak worthlessness to one another; With a flattering lip and with a double heart they speak. Genesis 6:12. And God saw the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth. 2 Timothy 3:2. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy.
29. What rights and obligations has God consequently given to us?
Because we are made in the God’s image, He has given us the rights of life, liberty, and property, which correspond to our covenantal obligations to respect the life, liberty, and property of others.
Proof Texts: Isaiah 61:1. The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Matthew 7:12. So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. John 13:34. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. Exodus 20:13. You shall not murder. Exodus 20:15. You shall not steal. Jeremiah 34:15. You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name.
30. What is entailed in the right to life?
The right to life means that the life of every person as created in the image of God is to be respected as inviolate, and is not to be taken, except as a sentence passed by a lawful court operating within the framework of biblical justice, or taken in the course of a just war, or as a direct and clear matter of defending others or one’s self.
Proof Texts: Exodus 20:13. You shall not murder. Genesis 9:5–6. And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” (ESV) Joshua 7:22, 24–25. So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and behold, it was hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. … And Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver and the cloak and the bar of gold, and his sons and daughters and his oxen and donkeys and sheep and his tent and all that he had. And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. And Joshua said, “Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD brings trouble on you today.” And all Israel stoned him with stones. They burned them with fire and stoned them with stones. Joshua 10:12–13. At that time Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the sons of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, “Sun, stand still at Gibeon, and moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, until the nation took vengeance on their enemies. Esther 8:10–11. And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king’s signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the king’s service, bred from the royal stud, saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods, (ESV)
31. What is entailed by the right to liberty?
The right to liberty means the right to pursue any activity not proscribed as criminal by the law of God.
Proof Texts: Romans 14:4. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. Acts 4:19–20. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.” Acts 17:11. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
32. What is entailed by the right of property?
Basic property rights are foundational to all human rights. The right to property means that a man is free to apply his labor and creativity to God’s creation in order to use, buy, sell, inherit, or trade it and the goods he makes from it, and to own and keep the profits from his industry or good fortune.
Proof Texts: Psalm 24:1. The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. Exodus 20:15. You shall not steal. Exodus 22:1, 3. If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it or sells it, he shall repay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep. … If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft. Leviticus 19:13. You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired worker shall not remain with you all night until the morning. Deuteronomy 17:16-17. Only [the king] must not acquire many horses for himself or … acquire for himself excessive silver and gold.
33. Does this mean there is a limit on the power of civil government to tax?
Yes. A civil government that taxes to fund activities that are not in accord with its biblical or constitutional responsibilities or sets a tax rate exceeding 10%, the tithe that God requires, reflects the character of man rather than of God and sees itself as a rival to God.
Proof Texts: Matthew 22:20–21. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Romans 13:7. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed. Deuteronomy 17:17. And he shall not acquire … for himself excessive silver and gold. 1 Samuel 8:15–17. He will take the tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. … He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.
34. What specific rights are entailed under these three headings?
Rights such as the right to freely assemble, or to free expression, or to keep and bear arms, or to be secure in our person and possessions, are all specific instances of, and protections for, the right to life, liberty, and property.
Proof Texts: Matthew 18:20. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them. Acts 2:42. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Malachi 1:11. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts. Nehemiah 4:17-18. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. Psalm 122:6–7. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you! Peace be within your walls and security within your towers!”
35. What role does the civil magistrate have with regard to our rights?
The civil magistrate does not grant us our rights, which come from God alone. The magistrate, however, must recognize, honor, and protect our rights, just as all other creatures must do.
Proof Texts: John 14:15. If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Galatians 5:1. For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Samuel 23:3. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. Romans 13:3. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Leviticus 19:15. You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.
36. How are rights and obligations related?
If a man has a right to something, then all other men have an obligation to recognize and honor that right. Every right comes with a corresponding covenantal obligation.
Proof Texts: Genesis 1:26. Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Exodus 20:3, 13–17. You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. Romans 8:29. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. Colossians 3:9-10. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. 1 John 2:3. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. Galatians 3:28. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Isaiah 44:24. Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself. 2 Corinthians 3:17. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
37. On whom does a right place this obligation?
Upon everyone: on the one who possesses the right in question, and upon all others as well—including rulers.
Proof Texts: Exodus 23:6–7. “You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in his lawsuit. Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked. Ecclesiastes 12:13. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Proverbs 8:15–16. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly.
38. Are there two rival conceptions of rights?
Yes. One conception of rights, which relies on the promises of God, liberates a people, while the other conception of rights, which relies on the promises of men, enslaves them.
Proof Texts: Psalm 37:5-6. Commit your way to Yahweh, trust in Him, and He will do it. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. Proverbs 29:25. The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe. John 8:31-32. Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 1 Corinthians 7:22-23. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. 2 Peter 2:19. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
39. How does the concept of “corresponding obligation” illustrate the difference between these rival kinds of rights, such as the right to own property and the right to free dental care?
In the first instance, all others respect his right to property by not stealing from him. This is not a burdensome requirement. The second instance requires the conscription of dentists, or the conscription of those who must pay for the dentists.
Proof Texts: Exodus 20:13–17. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 2 Corinthians 11:9. And when I was with you and was in need, I did not burden anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied my need. So I refrained and will refrain from burdening you in any way. 1 Kings 12:3–4. And they sent and called him, and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.” 1 Samuel 8:10, 14, 17. These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots. … He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. … He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.
40. What is tyranny?
Tyranny is arbitrary government in violation of the covenantal obligations placed upon civil rulers, detached from the authority of the Creator.
Proof Texts: Romans 13:3. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Isaiah 5:20. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! Exodus 1:10-11. Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.” Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. Isaiah 10:1-2. Woe to those who decree iniquitous decrees, and the writers who keep writing oppression, to turn aside the needy from justice and to rob the poor of my people of their right, that widows may be their spoil, and that they may make the fatherless their prey! Daniel 3:14-18. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”
41. What is the duty of Christian citizens when confronted by tyranny?
It is the right and the responsibility of every Christian to resist tyranny as it arises.
Proof Texts: Acts 5:29. But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” Exodus 1:11–12. Therefore they set taskmasters over them to afflict them with heavy burdens. They built for Pharaoh store cities, Pithom and Raamses. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad. And the Egyptians were in dread of the people of Israel. Daniel 6:10. When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. Matthew 22:18–21. But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 1 Corinthians 7:22–23. For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
42. How may we resist tyranny?
In the first instance we may do so by preaching, protest, or legal action. In the second instance, we may do so by fleeing. And in the final extremity, we may do so by taking up arms, but for defensive purposes only.
Proof Texts: Acts 16:37–39. But Paul said to them, “They have beaten us publicly, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and do they now throw us out secretly? No! Let them come themselves and take us out.” The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens. So they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. Acts 25:11. If then I am a wrongdoer and have committed anything for which I deserve to die, I do not seek to escape death. But if there is nothing to their charges against me, no one can give me up to them. I appeal to Caesar.” Matthew 10:23. When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. Hebrews 11:37–38. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. Judges 9:52–53, 56. And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. … Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers.
43. How may lesser magistrates resist tyranny?
As lesser magistrates (such as commissioners, mayors, and governors) generally don’t have the option of fleeing, their resistance will be limited to protest, legal action, and taking up arms, all in defense of those under their protection.
Proof Texts: 1 Chronicles 12:22-23. For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God. These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the LORD. 1 Samuel 23:13–14. Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah, and they went wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. And David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God did not give him into his hand. 2 Kings 8:17-18, 20-22. [Jehoram] walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. … In his days Edom revolted from the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. Then Joram passed over to Zair with all his chariots and rose by night, and he and his chariot commanders struck the Edomites who had surrounded him, but his army fled home. So Edom revolted from the rule of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.
44. Do a Christian people have the right to resist tyranny directly themselves?
In an extremity, yes. But we are Christians, not anarchists, and we should seek to locate our resistance under the authority of lesser magistrates whenever possible.
Proof Texts: Judges 9:52–53, 56. And Abimelech came to the tower and fought against it and drew near to the door of the tower to burn it with fire. And a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. … Thus God returned the evil of Abimelech, which he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers. Romans 13:1–2. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 1 Peter 2:13–17. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
45. Does this understanding of liberty disregard the need for a separation of church and state?
No. Church and state are distinct governments, and as such should be kept distinct and separate as institutions. But it is not possible to separate any state from its covenantal obligations to God.
Proof Texts: Mark 12:17. Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” And they marveled at him. Exodus 22:8. If the thief is not found, the owner of the house shall come near to God to show whether or not he has put his hand to his neighbor’s property. Deuteronomy 1:16-17: And I charged your judges at that time, ‘Hear the cases between your brothers, and judge righteously between a man and his brother or the alien who is with him. You shall not be partial in judgment. You shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgment is God’s. Proverbs 8:14-16. I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength. By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; by me princes rule, and nobles, all who govern justly. Acts 5:29. But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. Romans 13:1. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.
46. Why is it important for our liberties that nations and peoples honor their covenant with God?
Because it was the widespread acceptance of Christianity and nations’ covenantal relationship with God that recognized these liberties in the first place, and it has been the erosion of Christianity and the understanding of our covenantal relationship with God and each other that has resulted in the subsequent erosion of our rights.
Proof Texts: Deuteronomy 27:9–10. Then Moses and the Levitical priests said to all Israel, “Keep silence and hear, O Israel: this day you have become the people of the LORD your God. You shall therefore obey the voice of the LORD your God, keeping his commandments and his statutes, which I command you today.” Revelation 15:3. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Matthew 28:18–19. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Romans 13:1. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Deuteronomy 28:1. “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. Ezekiel 9:9–10. Then he said to me, “The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great. The land is full of blood, and the city full of injustice. For they say, ‘The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see.’ As for me, my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; I will bring their deeds upon their heads.” Luke 21:12–13. But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness.
47. What are the consequences for our rights if the prevailing worldview is that of secular atheism?
In such a scenario, our rights evaporate. Bits of protoplasm, the end product of time and chance acting on matter, that crawled out of a primordial swamp, and later climbed down from trees, don’t have rights.
Proof Texts: Psalm 10:2–4. In arrogance the wicked hotly pursue the poor; let them be caught in the schemes that they have devised. For the wicked boasts of the desires of his soul, and the one greedy for gain curses and renounces the LORD. In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, “There is no God.” (ESV) Psalm 14:1. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Ephesians 4:18–19. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 1 Peter 5:8. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
48. So then, is the confession Jesus is Lord the foundation of all true liberty?
Yes. It is Christ or chaos.
Proof Texts: Luke 4:18–19. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Romans 8:20–21. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. Romans 10:9–10. because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 1 Corinthians 12:3. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:17. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. James 1:25.But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 2 Peter 2:19. They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.
49. Are all these ideas a novelty, unique to this generation?
No. They are grounded in Scripture, and have been articulated ably for at least five centuries in Protestant resistance theory. This catechism is simply a summary of this historic theological tradition.
Proof Texts: Psalm 90:2. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. Isaiah 61:1. The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. Matthew 28:18. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Romans 13:1. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 1 Samuel 8:10, 14, 17. These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots. … He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. … He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves.
50. Why do they seem like such a novelty?
Because enlightenment philosophers secularized the covenantal foundation of government, which included replacing it with social contract theory. This secularization continues to affect the teachings of the church.
Proof Texts: Ezekiel 13:9. My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and who give lying divinations. They shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Matthew 16:11–12. How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 2 Timothy 4:3–4. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 2 Peter 2:1–2. But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. 1 John 4:5. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them.
51. What is to prevent them from seeming like a novelty?
Leaders in the church, especially the evangelical and Reformed church, must be true to the Scriptures, true to their theology, and true to their heritage. They must live up to what we have already attained.
Proof Texts: Acts 20:28–30. Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood. I know that after my departure fierce wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves will arise men speaking twisted things, to draw away the disciples after them. Philippians 3:12–16. Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Titus 1:9. He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it. 2 Peter 1:16. For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 2 Peter 3:15–18. our beloved brother Paul also wrote to you according to the wisdom given him, as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures. You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. 1 John 4:1. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
52. How do we restore a widespread biblical understanding of our liberties, obligations, and rights under God?
Preachers of the Gospel, politicians, and all citizens as they engage in discourse on culture and public policy should bear witness to the whole counsel of God’s Word on the kingdom of God, including our covenantal obligations to God and each other, our covenantal obligation to prepare the world as the dwelling place for God with man, and the authority of self-government and of family, church, and civil governments.
Proof Texts: Acts 20:26–27. Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all, for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God. Genesis 1:28. And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” Psalm 2:6–9. “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Genesis 22:17–18. I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” Matthew 4:17. From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 28:18–20. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Mark 1:14-15. Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” 1 Corinthians 15:24–27. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” Philippians 2:9–11. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Revelation 2:26-7. “The one who conquers … I will give authority over the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron.” Revelation 3:11. “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.” Revelation 11:15. “The kingdom of the world has become the Kingdom of our Lord, and of his Christ. He will reign forever and ever!” Revelation 22:12. “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.”
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
1 thought on “A Liberty Catechism”
Comments are closed.