Deuteronomy 16 - God-Fearing Judicial Authority: A Requirement for the Preservation of Humanity

In stark contrast to the way typical libertarian Americans would view freedom, God makes it clear that a judicial magistrate is essential to preserving justice and peace within even a God-fearing nation. These magistrates are to be subject to God, however, which is to say, not secular. Many people including myself have been raised with this warped perception that the separation of Church and State means that the State is to be an atheistic entity that is not to follow and enforce the Law of God. This is absolutely incorrect even when taking the founder's intentions into consideration. The power of the State is meant to exact justice within society for those who break God's law, while the Church's role is to inform the State of those laws that are to be kept morally. The separation of Church and State is simply a prevention of the State attempting to enforce a specific faith upon the people or become the Church itself somehow. They are to remain distinct entities which is the only purpose of this idea and that does line up with how God lays it out in His law.

Are the judicial magistrates we are supporting and appointing people who are submitting to the Church of Christ? If not, why do we as Christians continue to further this false libertarian idea that freedom involves the freedom to practice any religion on planet earth within our nation including those that directly blaspheme and oppress followers of Jesus Christ? The State should be a reflection of a God-fearing population and it usually is a reflection of the general population itself. Why are we complaining about those who claim to represent us while we actively participate in and further the idea that they should be the ones representing us in the first place? Foreign agents loyal to other nations are somehow allowed to have immense influence and power within our nation as a result of this abandonment of God's principles for our State magistrate.

You shall appoint judges and officers in all your towns that the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment.

Notice that God understands the tribal nature of humanity and makes sure to emphasize that the judges and magistrates within a nation are to represent the tribes of the distinct peoples. This is to preserve the power dynamics from being abused within nations and keep justice from being abused to oppress those of different backgrounds. This is the complete inverse of what we are told today. Diversity and inclusion as America, the Melting Pot is a power that brings peace? How ignorant of us as Christians to latch onto this false idea of how humans are meant to live in peace and collaboration with each other as distinct peoples. Look at how the tribes of Israel loved and respected each other while remaining distinct. It obviously is not possible to do this perfectly as humanity is fallen, but this is clearly the most effective way to make sure people are not abused and oppressed.

This outline is given to us by God for our own good out of pure love and mercy. We should consider the benefits that God has in mind for us when giving us these statutes rather than letting our feelings and prejudices get in the way. Far too many modern Christians including myself do this with the law and we ought to be reading the law from this perspective to understand what God's design for His people is rather than rejecting it the same way the progressive Christians reject other portions of God's law on the arrogant assumption that it is "intolerant" or "outdated" for a modern multicultural society. Perhaps the careless blending of cultures is precisely what God was trying to prevent with these statutes to preserve the beauty of the differences and distinctions between His creations and image-bearers. We see this reflected in the Tower of Babel as well and should think of this more carefully, not our of prejudice or hatred against fellow image-bearers of God, but out of a fearful concern for the consequences of rejecting God's statutes for His people and a love and respect for Him.