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John 8:32-36. 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33 They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?. John 8:32-36.
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John 8:32-36 32And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
John 8:32-36 34Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. 35And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. 36If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed.
University of Houston Study • 15,000 documents studied • 3,154 direct quotes found and traced to their original source • Findings compiled in “ORIGIN OF AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONALISM”
Findings from Document Study • 8.3%...Baron Charles D Montesquieu • 7.9%...William Blackstone • 2.9%...John Locke • 34%...The BIBLE
Christianity and the Declaration of Independence • Paragraph 1…”Nature’s God”… William Blackstone • All men are created equal…John Wise • Endowed by their creator… • Unalienable rights…
Christianity and the Declaration of Independence • Deriving just powers from consent of the governed…Locke, Wise • Right of the people to alter or to abolish it…Jonathan Mayhew • Appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world…
Christianity and the Declaration of Independence • With a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence
Delaware, (Article 22) Every person who shall be chosen a member of either house or appointed to any office or place of trust shall make and subscribe the following declaration to wit: “I ______, do profess faith in God the father and in Jesus Christ His only son, and in the Holy Ghost, One God blessed forever more, and I do hereby acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be given divine inspiration.”
Pennsylvania, (Section 10) And each member of legislature, before taking his seat shall make and subscribe the following declaration: “I ______, do believe in one God, the Creator and Governor of the universe, the rewarder of the good, and the punisher of the wicked, and I so acknowledge the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to me given by divine inspiration.”
Massachusetts, (Chapter 1, Article1) All persons elected to state office or the legislature must make and subscribe to the following declaration: “I, _______, do declare that I believe the Christian religion and firm persuasion of its truth.”
Tennessee, (Article 8, Section 2) “No person who denies the being of God or a future state of rewards and punishments shall hold any office of the civil department of this state.”
Constitutional Convention Members • 29 Anglicans • 18 Presbyterians • 2 Methodists • 2 Lutherans • 2 Roman Catholics • 1 Quaker • 1 Deist (Ben Franklin)
Biblical Principles in Constitution • Article I, Section 8 – Uniform immigration laws…Leviticus 19:34 • Article II, Section 1 – President must be natural born citizen…Deuteronomy 17:15 • Article III, Section 3 – Witnesses and capital punishment…Deuteronomy 17:6 • Article III, Section 3 – Provision against attainder…Ezekiel 18:20
Biblical Principles in Constitution (Cont.) • Three branches of government…Isaiah 33:22 • Separation of powers…Jeremiah 17:9 • Tax exemption for churches…Ezra 7:24 • Article IV, Section 4 – Concept of republicanism…Exodus 18:21 • Article I, Section 8 – Noah Webster cites Exodus 18:21
Indications of a Godly World View • Article VII – In the year of our LORD one thousand seven hundred and eighty seven… • Article I, Section 7 - Recognition of Christian “Sabbath” • Preamble presupposes a Christian world view • In four places and oath is required