More Thoughts on Government

Why are civil governments formed? Why do people unite together and form a civil government? There was a time in America where states sought to secede from the Union and this led to Civil War. Even today, with all the uproar against the present administration and its lack of listening to the American people because of its desire to promote a new agenda, there are rumblings of secession from the United States. So we must answer the question, "Why are civil governments formed?"

John Locke a political philosopher, who was probably the most read and quoted philospher among our founding fathers said in his work, Of Civil Government, that "the great and chief end therefore, of men uniting into commonwealths, and putting themselves under government, is the preservation of their property." Our forefather knew and stated in the Declaration of Independence that their rights were God-given and that governments were instituted among men for the preservation of these rights. By the way, the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness which our forefathers wrote in the Declaration was almost a direct quote from Locke who used the terminology of life, liberty and property. Our forefathers believed that the pursuit of happiness was not just doing whatever makes you happy, but enjoying the property rights that God had given man.

Our Constitution was written to further outline the form of government which would protect our God-given rights, our property. James Madison, the Architect of the Constitution, and the 4th President of our United States said this, "We have staked the whole future of American civilization,not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity for each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the 10 Commandments of God."

Madison was on the right track. He, as did our other framers of the Constitution, understood the importance of men governing themselves if their freedom was to be preserved. But we have chosen as a nation to allow the federal government to dictate to us what we should do. The Constitution was not a limit upon the individual, but rather a document which placed great limits upon the government. Government is not and was not designed to be the answer to our problems. Our Cosntitituion provided for free-market economics, where government was seen to protect the individual from theft and fraud. Our Constitution limited the powers of the Executive, so that he would not try to usurp authority and become a king. Our Constitution did not provide for healthcare, education, or disaster relief. That was the responsibility of the families and the church. Americans have been generous, loving people who have sought to aid and care for one another without the assistance of government. But we have bowed to the "nanny state" so much that now we feel like we are entitled to such things as national healthcare or education. Madison, Washington, Adams, and others would have thought it absurd for the federal government to be involved in education because they felt that education was the responsibility of the home as stated in the scripture and were "home-schooled" themselves.

As Americans, and especially those of us who call ourselves Ameican Christians, we need to analyze the purpose of government and then live in such a way that we take the responsibility of providing for our families and protecting our property. May God give us grace to do that in these days.