Early America had a way of bringing new definitions to terms, such as federal, whether self-consciously or not.
The reason that happened is God’s Word and the work of His Holy Spirit.
Jesus’ primary work on the earth and cross was to restore broken relationship from the Fall.
Now, EVERYTHING in Christ militates toward relationship, increasingly restored and intimate—His will done on earth as it is in heaven. God first used the dire necessities under a cursed nature to force men to work together for economic survival. You might say externally disciplined relationship. It was His great blessing within His purposeful curse.
Christ then created a building of lively stones—a solidly formed structure of moving parts! (Chris Hoops used to love this figure.)
All this originates with the ultimate in Individuality and Relationship found in the Holy Trinity. Warfield’s treatment especially informed my vision on this point.
Thus, suffrage in republicanism isn’t merely a political choice, someone distant from me because it has to do with the community out there. That is the democratic way of looking at it—a mere power-base.
No, a vote in a proper republic is and must be relational. I choose someone who shares my morality, ethics, worldview, wisdom. It is essentially person to person—relational (Deuteronomy One). I expect my representative to act as I would on my behalf.
To answer the problem of scale, my more local and close representative likewise chooses his representative at the next expanded sphere—likewise relationally. This creates a chain of representative relationship that is totally lacking in a democracy.
If we are to survive and prosper as a people, if anyone anywhere ever will, we must return to, improve and perfect Christ’s relational model for all parts of our community existence. (This includes the free market, which only really works when love your neighbor is a functional reality.) We must identify and correct every vestige of democratic institution to restore the republican institution guaranteed by the Constitution.
