Protecting Life and Liberty:

Interposition at the

County Level

Biblical InterpositionBiblical InterpositionGod is

Sovereign, Holy and Perfect

Man is Finite,

Sinful and Depraved

THE ATONEMENT“For there is one God, and one mediator

between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” – 1st Timothy 2:5

Steps of Lawful ResistanceSteps of Lawful Resistance Matthew 5:38-41 – avoid Matthew 5:38-41 – avoid personal offensespersonal offenses Matthew 18:15-18 - Matthew 18:15-18 - AppealAppeal for resolution for resolution Matthew 10:14 - Matthew 10:14 - BoycottBoycott – economic – economic

resistanceresistance Acts 25:11 - Acts 25:11 - Civil interpositionCivil interposition – by lower – by lower

magistrate, resistance must be magistrate, resistance must be under under authorityauthority

Matthew 10:23 - Matthew 10:23 - FleeFlee – avoid greater – avoid greater conflictconflict

Acts 5:29 - Acts 5:29 - DisobeyDisobey – commanded to disobey – commanded to disobey God’s Word; could result in martyrdomGod’s Word; could result in martyrdom

Luke 22:36 - Luke 22:36 - Forceful resistanceForceful resistance – – underunder authorityauthority

Thomas AquinasThomas Aquinas Believers are to honor and obey civil Believers are to honor and obey civil

magistratesmagistrates If civil magistrates command us to If civil magistrates command us to

disobey God, then we must disobeydisobey God, then we must disobey If it is not an excess of tyranny, If it is not an excess of tyranny,

tolerate ittolerate it The only form of justified resistance…The only form of justified resistance…“...it seems that to proceed against the

cruelty of tyrants is an action to be undertaken, not through the private presumption of a few, but rather by public authority.”

Calvin’s Lower Magistrate Calvin’s Lower Magistrate PrinciplePrinciple

…For when popular magistrates have been appointed to curb the tyranny of

kings... so far am I from forbidding these officially to check the undue

license of kings, that if they connive at kings when they tyrannize and

insult over the humbler of the people, I affirm that their dissimulation is not free from nefarious perfidy; because

they fraudulently betray the liberty of the people, while knowing that, by the

ordinance of God, they are its appointed guardians….

Levels of InterpositionLevels of Interposition

NationNation

StateState

CountyCounty

Town / Town /

ChurchChurch

FamilyFamily

IndividuaIndividuall

NationNation – among the – among the nationsnations

TribeTribe – rulers of – rulers of 1,000’s1,000’s

HundredHundred – rulers of – rulers of 100’s100’s

VillageVillage / / LeviticalLevitical Tribe – rulers of 50’sTribe – rulers of 50’s

FamilyFamily – rulers of 10’s – rulers of 10’s

TongueTongue - Individual - Individual

Exodus 18:20-23 – Government of Israel

Acts of InterpositionActs of Interposition

NationNation

StateState

CountyCounty

Town / Town /

ChurchChurch

FamilyFamily

IndividuaIndividuall

Independent Independent SovereigntySovereignty

1010thth Amendment Amendment InterpositionInterposition

Resist State / Federal Resist State / Federal Control Control

Self Governed FundingSelf Governed Funding

Community ServiceCommunity Service

Family BusinessFamily Business

Jury NullificationJury Nullification

History of the History of the HundredsHundreds Galatian believers convert Celts by 100 ADGalatian believers convert Celts by 100 AD Celts conquered by Saxons; but convert Celts conquered by Saxons; but convert

themthem Patrick finds Patrick finds Liber ex Leigi MoisiLiber ex Leigi Moisi among among

the Celts – carries it to his 300 church the Celts – carries it to his 300 church plantsplants

King Alfred codifies O.T. Law & King Alfred codifies O.T. Law & Government as the “law common to all” – Government as the “law common to all” – common lawcommon law

HundredsHundreds were a division of the Shire, to were a division of the Shire, to support 100 familiessupport 100 families

The The HundredsHundreds were the most important were the most important unit of self-government through 1066 ADunit of self-government through 1066 AD

Government of the Hundreds Government of the Hundreds (County)(County) An earl (elder) was head of the Shire An earl (elder) was head of the Shire

(State)(State) Hundreds were divided / called CountiesHundreds were divided / called Counties

A shire-reeve (A shire-reeve (sheriffsheriff) served in the County) served in the County KnightsKnights were controllers of the County Court were controllers of the County Court Records were kept by the Records were kept by the ClerkClerk ConstableConstable was to keep the peace within the was to keep the peace within the

CountyCounty Purpose of the County was two-fold:Purpose of the County was two-fold:

To maintain law and order within the townsTo maintain law and order within the towns To lawfully resist encroachment from aboveTo lawfully resist encroachment from above

County government (and interposition) County government (and interposition) the strongest level within the American the strongest level within the American system…system…

Interposition vs. Interposition vs. NullificationNullification

InterpositionInterposition – – the constitutional the constitutional resistance of a sphere of government resistance of a sphere of government that is operating outside of its lawful that is operating outside of its lawful jurisdictionjurisdiction Resistance through the “lower magistrate”Resistance through the “lower magistrate” Utilizing an appeal already defined by lawUtilizing an appeal already defined by law

NullificationNullification – – the rendering of a law or the rendering of a law or mandate “null and void” by a single mandate “null and void” by a single individual, state or sphere of sovereigntyindividual, state or sphere of sovereignty Ignoring a law presumed to be Ignoring a law presumed to be

unconstitutionalunconstitutional Utilizing undefined or unwritten appealsUtilizing undefined or unwritten appeals

Committees of Committees of Correspondence:Correspondence:

germ of the Continental germ of the Continental CongressCongress Started by Sam Adams in November, Started by Sam Adams in November,

17721772 It united It united townstowns through communication through communication

and instruction of their God-given and instruction of their God-given rights as Englishmen and Christiansrights as Englishmen and Christians

It inspired interposition at the It inspired interposition at the CountyCounty level, resisting the encroachment of the level, resisting the encroachment of the English Parliament through English Parliament through constitutional meansconstitutional means

It was the source of electing “lower It was the source of electing “lower magistrates” who would resist tyrannymagistrates” who would resist tyranny

Boston Tea Party, December Boston Tea Party, December 16, 177316, 1773

Interposition of a Town by

Boycott

The Mecklenburg The Mecklenburg Resolves – 1775Resolves – 1775

Interposition at the County Interposition at the County LevelLevel Resolves of resistance to unjust Resolves of resistance to unjust

government were declared at the County government were declared at the County level…level…

On May 19, 1775, inspired by Lexington On May 19, 1775, inspired by Lexington and led by the Scotch Presbyterian pastors, and led by the Scotch Presbyterian pastors, they drew up a Declaration of they drew up a Declaration of Independence…Independence…

They resisted encroachment from above, They resisted encroachment from above, and restored and restored “each and every of our former “each and every of our former laws”laws”

They declared They declared “every member present” “every member present” as a as a civil officer to maintain law and order…civil officer to maintain law and order…

The 254

Texas Counties are more than any

other State in the Union