Review hy Byron Snapp

With Liberty
&
Justice For All
Book Review
With Libeny &: Justice For All:
Christian Politics Made Simple by Joe
Morecraft, III (Introduction by Dr. RJ.
Rushdoony),CovenantHouseBooksP.O.
Box 4690 Sevierville, TN. 37864 $8.95.
Do Christianity and politics mix? In
this well-written book, the author
provides the reader with a clear, Biblical
answer of "Yes" and an explanation for
his position.
Based on a solid application of
Romans 13: 1-7 Pastor Morecraft brings
much SCripture into his work to show
the conrinuity of God's teaching on the
ovil government in the Old and New
Testaments. ThroughScripturewelearn
that what passes for liberty and justice
today is often slavelY and injustice. We
can expect nothing better when man's
imperfect laws and regulations replace
God's perfect laws.
This book shows the reader God's
political standards for any country,
includingthefunctionofcivilgovemment
and how its poweris to be used internally
and externally. We learn that many
cun'ent political beliefs held by church
members are really misconceptions and
anti-Christian. Forexamplewemustnot
aim for our nation or any nation to be
democratic. A country needs to be a
republic (ruled by law) rather than a
democracy (ruled by people). We are
taught that the function of civil
government is "to terrorize evil doers"
(p.39) (Romans 13:3,4) not to rnaintain
the health, education, and welfare of the
people. These needs are to be met by
other agencies such as the fumily and the
church. Answers are given to questions
regardingovil disobedience and taxation.
(p.30ff and pp. 107f1) We learn that no
nation is to be a God over the world.
Each nation is to rule under God, the
realm God gives it.
As imponant as all these lessons are,
the most important characteristic of the
book is its Christ-centeredness. The
author continually points the reader to
the true Lord of all governments, Jesus
Chiist. The followingis but one example.
"UntilAmericancitizenSquitlooking
to the state to be hislher lord and savior,
until he/she stands in opposition to that
view, there will be no change in the
present tax system or in the current
suicidaldirectionofourcivilgovernment.
It will become inCreasingly burdensome
and oppressive.
Writing letters to congressmen and
senatorsisimportant, butitisnotenough..
Complainingaboutthe IRS isnot enough.
Unless we are working personally week
in and week out 'begging' (II Cor. 5)
people to become real Christians, to
believe that Jesus Christ possesses all
ownership, sovereignty, and salvation
which is received by grace through faith,
we can expect no relief." (p.122)
Christ is more than the Savior of His
people. He is Lord of all things. In the
triune Godhead alone can liberty and
justice be defined. Thus to practice these
attributes one must first savingly know
the Savior, Jesus Christ.
The book is also characterized by
powerfu1sentencesthatrnakememorab1e
quotes: "!fa state does not terrorize evil-
doers by the enforcement of God's law,
the state and society will be terrorized by
evil-doers, as we have today." (p.43)
"Where the criminal is shown mercy, the
victim of his crime loses mercy." (p.44)
Finally the book is highly readable
and Biblical. This style is much needed
today. Many readable books are not
Scriptural. Many sound Biblical books
do not reach multirudes in the pews for
a variety of reason. This book should
reach multitudes. It is not loaded with
foomotes yet the reader knows that the
matertaliswell-researchedandapplicable
to civil governments worldwide.
Non-Christians cannot read this
book without being confronted with the
claims of Christ. Thus the book is
beneficial as an evangelistic tool.
As the state grows in power and
. futtherintrudes our lives, the message
of this book will become increasingly
important. People, disenchanted with
statism, will be looking for true
answers. This is an excellent book to
read and make available to others, by
means of church booktables, personal
distribution, and study groups in and
out of churches and schools.a
September 1991 TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 'I 29