AMERICA'S CHRISTIAN HERITAGE HOMEPAGE
Week 2 - American Law: Biblical Foundations and Godly Beginnings
Biblical Principle and Reference: Deuteronomy 25:1 - When men have a
dispute, they are to take it to court and the judges will decide the case, acquitting the
innocent and condemning the guilty.
5) American Law : Laws against excessive punishment (Cruel and Unusual
punishment?)
Biblical Principle and Reference: Deuteronomy 25:3 � but he must not give
him more than forty lashes. If he is flogged more than that, your brother will be
degraded in your eyes.
6) American Law : Testimony of at witnesses required to convict a suspect.
Biblical Principle and Reference: Deuteronomy 19:15 �One witness is
not enough to convict a man accused of any crime or offense he may have committed.
A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
Matthew 18:15-16 � "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault,
just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.
But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may
be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."
7) American Law : Laws against murder
Biblical Principle and Reference: Exodus 20:13 � You shall not murder.
8) American Law : Laws against perjury (false wiriness)
Biblical Principle and Reference: Exodus 20:16 �You shall not give false
testimony against your neighbor.
Deuteronomy 19:16-19 � If a malicious witness takes the stand to accuse a man of a
crime, the two men involved in the dispute must stand in the presence of the LORD
before the priests and the judges who are in office at the time. The judges must
make a thorough investigation, and if the witness proves to be a liar, giving false
testimony against his brother, then do to him as he intended to do to his brother.
You must purge the evil from among you.
Proverbs 12:17 � A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies.
Proverbs 19:9 �A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who pours out lies will
perish.
9) American Law : Death penalty
Biblical Principle and Reference: Throughout the Old Testament