Hi Friend,

There are crimes which rise to the level of forfeiture of life itself.  They are called capital crimes.

One such, the sin of presumptuousness, is described in the Old Testament.  When a disagreement arose between citizens in which one suffered loss, they were to bring the matters before the elders of the community for a resolution.  This allowed both parties to air their grievances before unbiased men who were well versed in the law and therefore capable of rendering a wise judgment.  The goal of this exercise was for the differing parties to agree to an equitable resolution.  Here’s the catch—after all this effort to achieve a just outcome, if one walked away and violated the agreement, the offender was to be stoned to death.

As harsh as this punishment may seem, it is the expression of two fundamental factors of life.  First, human interaction is governed by a code of morality that is universal to mankind.  Second, God expects men to develop a system of mutually agreed upon standards of justice that operate within these natural laws.  When men follow this process, God Himself becomes involved in the agreement.  He agrees to uphold the decisions of a group of men to establish governing policies.

Jesus used this principle as a basis for his statements in Matthew 18 where he instructs a Christian who has a disagreement with a brother to resolve it privately.  “If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” (verses 15-16)  If Christians followed this command the burden on the court systems would be dramatically lessened.

But what if one of the parties involved in the conflict still rebels?  Jesus continues, “And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (verse 17) For a believer, that is a severe penalty—but that isn’t all.

What Jesus says next is astounding.   “Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (verse 18)  “Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.” (verses 18-20)

What flows naturally from this promise is how it rises to the government of a nation or state.  At least fifty-six Founding Fathers came together in Philadelphia to ask God for guidance—one prayer lasting for over two hours.  What happens when men form a government and then a constitution agreed upon by the citizens of the nation?  What is the result when men carve the image of Moses holding the Ten Commandments over the Supreme Court Building?

There is accountability in the Third Heaven when men place their hand on the Bible and swear to uphold the laws of the constitution.  If such a person breaks their oath, is it a capital crime?

In America, citizens come together in agreement on how we are governed.  We arrive at common decisions principally through voting.  When we elect a citizen to represent our interests, we require that he or she place their hand on the Bible and “swear” an oath before God to uphold the Constitution.

What happens when that person—a judge or member of Congress, or President—acts contrary to the constitution they have sworn to uphold?  They have not only betrayed their agreement with the citizens—that person has violated his oath before God.

Whenever any member of the government—even if he occupies the capitol—violates the constitution, he has committed a capital crime.

Until next time,

Jim O’Brien