constitution

2013-07-30 More – Reasoning together

ACH Study Groups

Ben & Fran Gilmore – Cofounders

7659 Gingerblossom Drive

Citrus Heights, CA 95621

916-722-2501 histbuff@garlic.com

www.ACHStudyGroups.com

July 30, 2013

This is a letter to our friends –

More – Reasoning together

Christ was asked, “What is the greatest commandment?”

He replied, “Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and all thy mind.

He added – The second greatest commandment, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.

He said everything else hangs upon these two commandments – Love God / Love others.

[MT 22:35-40; MK 12:18-31; LK 10:25-28]

I define “love” = Wanting the very best for the loved one. [John 3:16]

All the rest of the rules for life are wrapped up in these two simple commandments. Each of us, in our own special ways, has managed to make it seem a lot more complicated!

God created three human organizations to help us understand these rules of life: family, church and state. Example: Aaron was the high priest during the exodus. Moses was the civil leader. The society was organized upon families. (family, church, state). I find no other form of human organization, created and ordained by the God of the Bible.

Everything God creates has a purpose. His primary goal is to teach each of us how to love Him and to love one another. That is not an easy task (evidently!!). It took 1620 years to make a Pilgrim! Then it took another century and a half to build the Constitution!

Each of us has a free will. Each of us have different experiences and relate to the same things differently! Did you ever try to herd cats?

All that to say this – God is big enough and loving enough to deal with each of us as an individual. He will certainly use family, church and even state to help us learn – BUT – His primary goal for you is to help you learn to love Him and others.

When I was young, I thought I was right with God because I was American and went to church every week. That hardly qualifies for, “all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and all thy mind!

God ordained family, church and state and works through them – but – reason tells me that membership in these groups, though useful, is not a substitute for an individual, personal, loving, relationship with Him.

I can joyously testify that such a living relationship is life changing!

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Govt 101 – Separation of Powers

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Definitions  — [“government” is — direction, regulation, control, restraint]

 

  • First – You plan a project.
  • Second – You carry out the plan.
  • Third — You consider how the plan worked.

 

  • A football coach conceives a play and diagrams it for the team.
  • The team executes the play.
  • They judge whether it was executed according to the plan – AND – whether it worked.

 

Think about this –

 

Everything you do.  Every project – From planning the day before you get up, to brushing your teeth and getting dressed – Involves these three functions of “government”.

 

All government involves, legislative, executive, judicial functions.  These functions are represented in the departments of American civil government.

 

  • Congress legislates (makes a law).
  • The President executes the law.
  • The Supreme Court judges the law against the Constitution (the standard).

 

Each department of government is independent of the others:

  • The Congress is elected by the people.
  • The President is elected by the states (Electoral College).
  • The Supreme Court is appointed for life (i.e. independent of changing politics).

 

Our founders wanted each department to be jealous of its turf.  They called it “Separation of Powers”.

 

Note to reader – I lack the computer savvy to insert a diagram.  You do it below please.

Draw an equilateral triangle – but – DO NOT join the corners.  Label the legs, “Legislative”, “Executive”, “Judicial”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now – Pause and consider how each department functions and “checks and balances” the others.

 

Next – Pause and think about what would happen if any two departments were in one person’s hands.  Can you see how the combined departments would overrule the third.

 

When I was a boy, President Roosevelt was having trouble with the Supreme Court.  He proposed adding three more judges (would have given him a favorable majority).  Fortunately, it was not allowed.

 

Our governmental system is outstanding!  There is nothing wrong with the mechanics!  Today’s problem rests with those exercising the authority of each department.  The Legislature is gridlocked in partisan battles.  The President commits treason almost daily.  The Supreme Court Justices are twisting the intent of our Constitution.  Our unique system of government is imploding!

 

The solution to today’s problem rests in our hands.  The ONLY authority those in government have is what we give them.  The conflict between more or less power in government in unending.  It is “we the people” who have neglected and forgotten governmental principles.  It is “we the people” who have taken the lazy way out and permitted the statists to train up our children in the (unintelligent) way they should go.  It is “we the people” who are the ONLY ones, with God’s help, who can stand up and take responsibility for our actions and the means of correcting the damage.

 

By the way – “judicial”, “legislative”, “executive”, functions are Biblical concepts!

“For the Lord is out judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king, he will save us.”  [Isaiah 33:22]

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Ben Gilmore 1929-2023

On March 30, 2023 Ben Gilmore, the co-founder of ACHStudyGroups (co-founded with his wife Fran), went to be with the Lord in Glory.

A Memorial: https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/BenGilmore/