From our Declaration of Independence, we find:

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

This sentence holds three profound topics, with two of the three often overlooked by many commentators.

The primary focus historically has been the ‘consent of the governed’ term. But let’s dive into the other two terms of great importance.

‘That to secure these rights’ Governments are instituted among Men. What is the purpose of government? Securing rights. Not taking them away. Rights that already exit, not ‘rights’ granted by government. Government can only grant privileges. Where do rights come from. God! Rights are humans’ birthright at our creation. Rights were in place before ANY form of man’s governance came on the scene. No man can take them away without our consent. Remembering that NO human holds inherent dominion over another human (parent/child relationship excepted, but only for a short while).

‘… deriving their just powers’ from the consent of the governed. JUST powers. What is just? From Black’s Law Dictionary, First Edition (1871), we find just defined as: Right; in accordance with law and justice. The people in our republican form of government, grant just powers to elected servants by our consent. The people cannot hand UNJUST powers to our servants. These are powers the people are not endowed with by our Creator. So, where do public servants attain their unjust powers from? And, do the people need to comply with the unjust (not right, not lawful, not in accordance with justice) mandates of the ‘ruling’, formerly the servant, class?

Some would argue, yes, read Romans 13. Ahhh, but read it carefully though. Proponents of the Romans 13 debate, argue that man should always obey their ‘rulers’ whether they be righteous or unrighteous. Are we to obey everything our ruling class demands of us, even if those commands cause us to violate God’s word? Human governments are to be … the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil (verse 4). Verse three states: For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. God expects the ‘rulers’ of men to be just in their actions, but if they become unjust, we are not to obey if obedience causes us to violate God and His word.

The order of things is: 1) God created man, 2) Man creates governments. The creator has dominion over the created, not the other way around. Therefore, back to the opening quote from the Declaration. If government ‘officials’ go rouge and violate God’s commandments, and especially attempt to force the people to violate the same, the people must resist and not comply. God’s law is paramount.

Food for thought.