Bible Covenant vs. Social Compact

Many Christians argue that the social compact of the United States Constitution is identical to the covenant model for civil government laid down by the Bible. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Take the state of Massachusetts established by Puritans fleeing to the New World under the leadership of John Winthrop in 1630. It is a far cry from the social compact model that emerged from the Enlightenment a century later.

In 1787 James Madison adopted the latter and rejected the Bible covenant model of his Puritan forefathers. In so doing he led the nation to formally break covenant with God. It’s not just an imperfectly worded document – it is a formal slap in the face to Yahweh.

Covenantal Government

1) The Preamble to the 1780 Constitution of Massachusetts entered explicitly into covenant with the God of the Bible: “We, therefore, the people of Massachusetts, acknowledging, with grateful hearts, the goodness of the great Legislator of the universe…and devoutly imploring His direction in so interesting a design, do agree upon, ordain, and establish the following declaration of rights and frame of government….”

3) And from the very beginning, the Massachusetts Body of Liberties had tied the laws of the commonwealth to the Law of Moses, chapter and verse. For example, the statute dealing with murder specifies “If any person shall slay another through guile, either by poisoning or other such devilish practice, he shall be put to death. Ex. 21:14.” The statute cites a reference to Exodus 21:14, which states “…if a man come presumptuously upon his neighbour, to slay him with guile; thou shalt take him from mine altar, that he may die.”

In stark contrast, the United States Constitution of 1787 by social compact nullifies or ignores each of those three biblical imperatives. The social compact is a mere agreement among men based on Locke’s will of the majority.

Contractual Government

1) “We the people of the United States…do ordain and establish this Constitution…” Note how the consent of the governed has replaced the authority of God; there is no substantive mention of the Christian God in the entire document.

2) “No religious test shall ever be required for any office or public trust under these United States…” Note the emphatic exclusion of any requirement that a public official swear to govern according to the Bible.

3) “This Constitution and the laws of the United States which shall be made in Pursuance thereof….shall be the supreme law of the land….” Note theconspicuous absence of any reference to the higher law of God.

Thus, the U.S. Constitution abandons the Biblical covenant in favor of a social compact based on the authority and consent of the governed. In the Bible the people have been granted the privilege and responsibility to pick their leaders, governing authority flows from God alone (Romans 13:1). By contrast, consent of the governed is an Enlightenment concept.

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