Presidential immunity, Chuphshâh, And the Fourth of July

This week, most Americans were shocked by the decision of the Supreme Court giving presidents some immunity for their actions. The decision only protects presidents for their “official” acts while in office.

Much to the dismay of former president Trump, he wasn’t awarded absolute immunity for all of his actions and lower courts must decide which actions are, “official”. The hypocrisy of a party of “Law and order” wanting to be free of the laws and immune to their consequences is shameful.

Immunity from the law means a president can do whatever he wants as long as he can justify it, without suffering the conferences of their actions.

• Lie
• Steal
• Kill
• Abuse their power

Many conservatives have forgotten the importance of being a party of law and order and how it reflects conservative and Christian beliefs (Proverbs 28:9, Romans 13:1-5.) Many have forgotten how to balance the law and our freedoms.

Laws began with God, not man. God knew man’s heart was corrupted by sin (Genesis 6:5.) No man is immune from his sinful nature. Our sin nature causes us to abuse our freedoms. Absolute immunity is a license to sin and do whatever one wants and that is both anti-American and anti-Christian.

Immunity

Immunity means “To be free from effects or consequences of an illness or actions.” In nearly 300 years there has never been a need or claim of presidential immunity in the United States, because we have a government of the people, for the people.

People only want immunity if they know they violated our laws and are trying to avoid the consequences. It is a twisted freedom to do whatever we want and not have to face the consequences, that is the perspective of a conman and the fallen world.

The Bible is clear there are consequences for sin (Romans 6:23.) As Christians and conservatives we have freedom from the consequences of sin, but not permission to continue sinning (Romans 6:1-8:39, Galatians 5:1-6:18, James 4:17, 1 John 5:18.) The Apostle Paul remembered his Jewish heritage and how to use his freedom correctly.

Chuphshâh

In ancient times Israel was exiled or enslaved to other nations often. God’s people belonged to and served other masters for hundreds of years. Freedom was a promise of God that came with consequences (Exodus 6:7-8.)

The Hebrew word often translated as freedom is Chuphshâh it also means liberty depending on how it was used. Liberties are actions we take due to our freedom. As God’s people, Israel didn’t have the liberty to continue living like the other nations around them.  So God gave them the 10 Commandments to help them not abuse their freedoms (Exodus 19-24.)

1. I am the Lord thy God who brought you out of bondage.
2. You shall have no other gods besides me.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Keep the Sabbath holy.
5. Honor your father and your mother.
6. Do not murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not bear false witness.
10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

God’s commands were set in stone because no one is immune from obeying God if they follow Him. Jesus taught his followers, that He did not come to do away with the law (Matthew 5:17.)

Jesus fulfilled the law, so we could have eternal life, not to continue living in sin like the world. Through Jesus, we have spiritual immunity, but we don’t have the liberty to continue sinning (Luke 6:46, John 14:15.)

God’s people don’t get to abuse their freedom, not to be happy, great, or comfortable. We don’t get to use our freedom for selfish gain, but to glorify God (John 3:1-36, Philippians 2:3.) God’s people can’t abuse their freedoms in Christ and live like the world. Jesus paid too high a price to set us free for us to go on sinning.

July 4^th

This week our nation will celebrate almost 300 years of independence from Britain on July 4th. The American colonists wanted to have religious freedom and to be free from the oppressive rule of the British monarchy.

They established a government of the people for the people. They wanted to bow to God, not a power-hungry ruler who thought he was above God. Like our Jewish stepfathers, God freed the American colonists from the oppressive rule of another nation. The American colonies declared independence from Britain and dependence on God.

• Truth
• Trust
• Humility
• Protection
• Provision
• Submission

Why would we want to go back to a dictatorship almost 300 years later? America didn’t become a great nation because of our own ingenuity or strength; we became a great nation because of God alone.

Americans have always been grateful for their freedom and respected the freedoms of others. As a nation of law and order, we know there are consequences to our actions. That is as American as apple pie. Abusing our freedoms is criminal and not Chuphshâ!