Constitutional Idolatry

by Oliver Woods
(Portland, Oregon)

Calf Worship In America

The editorial published Sunday, August 2, 2009 in the Digital Journal entitled "Opinion: The Case For The Constitution" is yet another example of how American Conservatives just don't get it. The piece may be read in its entirety at Digital Journal.

The governmental train has derailed with wreckage strewn all over the landscape. The best conservatives can come up with to fix it is going back to the point where we ran off the track and doing it all over again.

Through the prophet Jeremiah, God accused the people of Judah of committing two great evils. The first was forsaking Him, "the fountain of living waters" and the second was hewing for themselves "broken cisterns that can hold no water." (Jer. 2:13).

It's high time we woke up to the fact that the reason government under the U.S. Constitution isn't working is because the U.S. Constitution is full of holes. It is leaking like a sieve because it was a "broken cistern" from the day it was cast.

The reason it was broken from its inception is because it rejected the source of all truth, God and His revealed Word. The name of God is not even mentioned in the entire document -- what an insult to His majesty and authority. And yet conservatives insist on referring to this "broken cistern" as if it were an inspired document. Consider these statements from the Digital Journal editorial:

1. Our liberty, our rights and our freedom is solely based on one document: The United States Constitution. This is the greatest document on the face of the Earth.

Excuse me -- the greatest document on the face of the earth? For the devout Constitutionalist, the U.S. Constitution has replaced the Word of God as the supreme source of authority and devotion. To elevate any humanistic governing document above the law of God in this fashion is a form of idolatry. Or as the Bible puts it Calf Worship.

Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" and "I am the way, the truth, and the life." Freedom is not based on the U.S. Constitution, but on Christ, Whom the U.S. Constitution ignores and rejects.

2. The United States Constitution gave us the guiding principles of the rule of law and common sense. A non-interventionist foreign policy, limited government, sound money and, most importantly, freedom.

Patrick Henry certainly didn't think that the proposed Constitution was giving us "limited government" or "freedom." Time and again in the Virginia ratifying convention he insisted that the Constitution stripped the states of all the essential powers of government. He believed it was especially dangerous to have consolidated the power to tax and the power to raise a standing army under the same branch of government.

3. Voters want solutions to the problems by adding more government to solve our problems. However, that is what has gotten us into the troubles we are facing now. The only solution to our problem is to follow the Constitution.

The United States Constitution is, and always has been an open invitation to an expansion of the power of government. Anti-Federalist critics pointed out from the beginning that the "general welfare" clause and the "elastic clause" were egregious loopholes that would most certainly be abused.

Following the Constitution is the source of our problems, not the solution. The only solution to our problem is to follow the one true God and His civil law code. The U.S. Constitution knows nothing of these.

4. "We The People"? These are the most important three words in any document in the history of the world. "We The People" is exactly that. We the people have the power to control our own lives. We the people have a right to our liberty and freedoms. We the people have the right to take down our own government if it becomes gigantic.

On the contrary, "In the beginning, God" are the most important words in any document in the history of the world. When we reject the true God for a humanistic god like "We the People" we lose any right we may have had to liberty and freedom.

5. Until we have respect of our Constitution, we will never again escape the oppressive nature of Government and maintain our liberties, which, under the Constitution, is our right.

This concluding statement exposes the black heart of our social malady. As long as we look to this man made document for the source of our liberties we can never maintain or regain those liberties. Until we repent and reverence God we will experience nothing but a prolonged descent into "the oppressive nature of Government", the Constitution of the United States notwithstanding.

Returning to Jeremiah, the very next verse (Jer. 2:14) asks, "Is Israel a slave? Or is he a home born servant? Why has he become a prey?"

Substitute the word "America" in that first question: "Is America a slave? Or is she a home born servant? Why has she become a prey?"

The answer is revealed in verse 17, "Have you not done this to yourself, By your forsaking the Lord your God, When He led you in the way?"