The Foundation

This moral code is the foundation-stone of all ordered society. As the foundation is compromised, the structure and institutions crack and crumble.

The founding fathers recognized that the new Republic must be a nation of laws. The Republic would not be a theocracy. It would not bind a man’s conscience, and it would not establish a national, state-sponsored church.

Personal liberty under God would be the creed. The founding fathers agreed that all civil and criminal law must be founded upon the principles established in the moral code. They were trained in the Judeo-Christian Commentaries of legal scholar William Blackstone (1770).

Self-Government

Upon the foundation of the moral code rests self-government - the personal rule of the will by a tender conscience. The conscience must be trained in the truth and submissive to the Creator.

Without self-government there is anarchy – the complete absence of liberty. You cannot hire enough law enforcement officers to keep order in a society where people have no conscience, where people will not govern themselves.

Family Government

Built atop of self-government is family government. It is the first line of defense against anarchy. Families should nurture and admonish children in the moral code raising up well-disciplined, God-fearing citizens.

Husbands should rule their households well, loving their wives. Wives should respect their husbands. Children should obey the moral code taught by their parents. Family members should hold each other accountable to obey God.

Church Government

Built atop of family government is church government. Churches must instruct the people in all spiritual truth. They must proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in order that sins may be forgiven, salvation may be granted and hearts may be renewed unto obedience to God.

Without the gospel of the Spirit of Christ we are all like thieves upon a cross, and prone to rebellion against God and man.

Church government is the second line of defense against anarchy. Churches must discipline wayward members holding them accountable to obey God. Church members must admonish one another in love.

Civil Government

Also built atop of family government is civil government. While church government rules in matters spiritual, civil government rules in matters temporal. Civil government must not infringe upon the domain of the church.

Civil government is the sovereign upon the earth (though imperfect), charged with establishing and enforcing the laws and keeping the peace. It is not the savior of the people, providing every unmet need!

Civil government is the final line of defense against anarchy – representing a failure of both self-government and family government. In the case of law-breakers who are church members, it also represents a failure of church government.

FIRST TABLE – Duty to God

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment [Matthew 22:37, 38]

Values – In God We Trust, Righteousness toward God

I. Thou shalt have no other gods before me

Values – Esteem God First, Undivided Loyalty to the Creator, Man is Not God, Flee False Gods

II. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them

Values – No Substitutes for Almighty God, Avoid Idolatry, Worship in Spirit and in Truth

III. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain

Values –Reverence God’s Name, Walk in the Name of the Lord, Walk the Talk, Oath to Tell the Truth, Speak No Blasphemy, Avoid Profanity

IV. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God

Values – Worship God, Honor the Lord’s Day, Day of Rest from Labor, Time Management

SECOND TABLE – Duty to Man

This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets [Matthew 22:38-40]

Values – The Golden Rule, Esteem Others Better than Yourself, Bear No Grudge, Righteousness toward Man

V. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee

Values – Children Obey Your Parents, Obey All Lawful Authority as from God

Crimes – Treason, Insurrection

VI. Thou shalt not kill

Values – All Souls are Created in God’s Image, Do Not Hate Others

Crimes – Murder, Manslaughter, Infanticide, Assault, Battery

VII. Thou shalt not commit adultery

Values – Faithfulness, Marriage Covenant for Life, Flee from Lust

Crimes – Rape, Incest, Sodomy

VIII. Thou shalt not steal

Values – Stewardship, Restitution

Crimes – Robbery, Burglary, Larceny, Usury, Extortion, Theft by Deceit, Arson, Kidnapping

IX. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

Values – Truthfulness, Put Away Lying, Avoid Slander and Libel

Crimes – Perjury, Obstruction of Justice, Fraud, Deceit

X. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's

Values – Learn to be Content, Avoid Envy, Avoid Covetousness

Crimes – Conspiracy (crimes of intent)

SCRIPTURAL LAWS

Law is Holy 
Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good. 
Romans 7:12

Law is Spiritual 
But sin, that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful. For we know that the law is spiritual. 
Romans 7:13, 14

Our Schoolmaster 
Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 
Galatians 3:24

Live by Faith 
But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 
Galatians 3:11

As He Walked 
He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. 
I John 2:6

Obeyed from the Heart 
But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. 
Romans 6:17

Establish the Law 
Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law. 
Romans 3:31