Posted in The Principle Approach: Self-Directed Study

Welcom to the Christian Principle of Self-Government {Principle 2}... 

Week 9—Assignment

• Lesson 6
  • Christian Principle of Self-Government—2nd Principle section only
• Supplemental Resources:  
  • T&L pgs. 69-72; 118-121—Outlining Christian Principle of Self-Government
  • T&L pgs. 184-209—Key to Expanding the Principles
  • CHOC, I, pgs. Ia-xiv—
• Assignments:  None 

This week we are discussing the 2nd principle—Christian Principle of Self-Government.  You may want to review this principle in Week 4 of our “PA Summary”.

Lesson 6—Christian Principle of Self-Government

v   “He knows not how to rule a Kingdom, that cannot manage a Province; nor can he wield a Province, that cannot order a City; nor he order a City, that knows not how to regulate a Village; nor he a Village, that cannot guide a Family; nor can that man govern well a Family that knows not how to govern himself; neither can any govern himself unless his reason be Lord, will and appetite her vassals: nor can reason rule unless herself be ruled by God, and (wholly) be obedient to Him.”

Hugo Gratius (1654) 

            How is the Biblical principle of self-government defined in Scripture?

“He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.”  Proverbs 16:32 

            For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?”  1 Timothy 3:5

            We can see that learning to govern oneself through the leading of the Holy Spirit is paramount to us and our children being able to adequately run any aspect of our lives.    I love Hugo Gratius’ recognition that we cannot govern anything, including ourselves, without being wholly obedient to the Lord.  Isn’t it true that He is the one that provides “reason” to our “reasoning”?  What are we without Christ providing us with knowledge, wisdom, and understanding?

“All societies of men must be governed in some way or other.  The less they may have of stringent State Government, the more they must have of individual self-government.  The less they rely on public law or physical force, the more they must rely on private moral restraint.  Men, in a word, must necessarily be controlled,  either by a power within them, or by a power without them; either by the Word of God, or by the strong arm of man; either by the Bible, or by the bayonet.”[1]

            The principle of self-government is layered with The Noah Plan as follows:

Christian Principle of Self-Government 

Grade Level	Layer	Red Books
Primary	Learning Christian Self-Government in the Classroom	T&L pgs. 186-189
Elementary	Christian Self-Government in Virginia and Plymouth	T&L pgs. 189-194 CHOC, I pgs. 150A-175 (Jamestown) CHOC, I pgs. 176-240 (Plymouth)
Junior High	Government of the Parent Colonies Township and County Systems, Pennsylvania	T&L Pgs.   198-203 CHOC, I pgs. 16-19; 270A-282
Senior High	Locke—“Of the Beginning of Political Societies” Government by Consent Majority Rule	T&L Pgs.   204-209 CHOC, I pgs. 83-91 CHOC, I pgs. 149-150

 Note:  These are suggestions only and not necessarily the way you need to approach this and not necessarily the way I have approached these areas of learning.  We have freedom in education!

            Of course, to learn self-government we must start with ourselves as our children must start with themselves.  So the first layer of this principle is devoted to learning personal and classroom self-government as referenced above in the chart (see T&L and CHOC, I pages referenced).

            The next aspect of learning this principle will come when studying Jamestown & the Pilgrims.  The scope here is to identify the differences in self-government between Jamestown and Plymouth.  Some say that Jamestown was founded on desire for gold.  Others identify that Jamestown deserves more credit than that.  As described by Vision Forum—Jamestown was a land of Christians “firsts”.

Ø      First use of Christian common law

Ø      First republican government

Ø      First Christian church

Ø      First Christian conversion and baptisms

Ø      First “inter-racial” marriage [John Rolfe & Pochahontus]

Ø      First acts of lawful interposition against tyranny 

While Jamestown may be a land of Christian “firsts”, it was Plymouth that was founded on the desire for freedom of religion.  Jamestown was based on common law, as opposed to Plymouth’s colony being planted with the seed of Christian liberty and Christian self-government.  The problems were the same but the solutions were different.  Although Plymouth eventually became part of Massachusetts, the seed of Christian self-government was planted on which the foundations of our freedom were based.

            The third layer—The Local Self-Governments in the Colonies: Township & County”—further defines in great detail the differences between the growing governments of Jamestown, Virginia (County—see CHOC, I, pg. 270E) and Plymouth/New England (Township—see CHOC, I, pg. 270C).  The Pilgrims extended the congregational form of government recognizing that the sovereign power vested in the individual requires that the individual accept the internal government of God through Christ.  However, Jamestown was still attempting to function under common law and conformity with compulsory church. 

            The fourth and last layer of the Christian Principle of Self-Government relates to the writings of John Locke, a Christian Philosopher of the American Revolution.  He challenged the “supremacy of ‘the divine right of kings’ to rule over men” (T&L pgs. 204-205).  The ideas he set forth are that man is naturally free and government must be by consent of the people.  The Mayflower Compact is recognized as the first document of American Self-Government based on “express consent”. (T&L, pg. 206)  Of course, power in the hands of the people requires that the majority of the individuals can govern themselves.  As already set forth in the third layer, such sovereign power in the individual requires that the individual accepts internal government.  Since we can only find this in Christ, faith is essential in a republic.

Review of CHOC, I pgs. Ia-XIV— 

Preface to The American Revolution Bicentennial Edition—pgs. Ia-Id

            Why teach the Christian history of America? 

Preface—pgs. II-VI

            This Preface provides the reasons for the publication of CHOC, I (Christian History of the Constitution, Vol. I) and CHOC, II (Christian History of the Constitution, Vol. II)

CHOC, I, covers “the development of Self-Government from its beginnings in the primitive Christian churches through the American Revolution.” 

CHOC, II covers the “source of the idea of Union and its development in America from 1643 through the Articles of Confederation as well as contrasts the American and French Revolutions.”

            Introduction—pgs. VII-X

            The value in knowing the ideas basic to American Government and from where they originated as established in CHOC, I

The Christian Idea of Man and Government—pgs. XIII-XIV 

            “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”  2 Corinthians 3:17

            An introduction to the concept of the “Christian Idea of Man and Government” and an introduction to Samuel Adams—The Father of the Revolution 

I believe reading these pages of CHOC, I, will give a good overview of what the Red Books provide.   In the Introduction be sure to read Felix Morley’s recommendation on how to read and study CHOC, I on pg. X, paragraphs 2 and 3.

Overall, I now understand so much more why a republic requires internal self-government.  This is the principle that has had the greatest impact on the training of my children.  My children as well as I must be controlled by the Word of God within us or by the strong arm of man.

 Karen

 

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