FEDERALISTS AND ANTIFEDERALISTS
By David J. Riggs
(Editor's note: The first part of this lesson is from a sermon by the
same name in Hardeman's Tabernacle Sermons).
Intro.
A. By way of introduction, I want to take a few minutes to present
some historical events which lead to the development of our
nation.
B. From these historical events, we will make application
concerning the same situation in religion today.
I. HISTORICAL EVENTS REGARDING OUR COUNTRY.
A. In the year 1774, when the American colonists could no longer
withstand the oppression that was bearing down on them, they
began to devise ways and means to rid themselves of the yoke
that was upon them.
1. An announcement was made throughout the colonies, which
eventually culminated in the wonderful document known as
the Declaration of Independence.
B. At that time, the colonies entered into the bitter war with the
mother country, and as result of several years' fighting, in
1781, freedom from the yoke of England was finally gained.
1. Freedom had been bought at a terrible price with many lives
lost on both sides.
C. Two more years rolled by before the Treaty of Peace was
formally fixed and signed.
1. The colonies were then left to direct their own course of
action.
2. At first, they had a system known as the Articles of
Confederation, which was lacking in that it had no executive
department of government.
D. In the year 1787, the people sent their respective delegates to
the general convention, the object of which was to revise the
Articles of Confederation and make them adequate to the demands
of the colonies.
1. After a great deal of discussion, the consensus was to do
away with the Articles of Confederation and adopt a
Constitution for the United Colonies or States.
E. Four months were spent in discussion, investigation, and
deliberation.
1. One idea of government was championed by Alexander
Hamilton, the other by Thomas Jefferson.
2. Mr. Hamilton's concept was: "The States should sacrifice
their powers and form a strong federal government."
3. Mr. Jefferson said, "We have just fought, bled, and died in
order to get rid of a monarchial form of government. Let the
States retain their powers. Let the doctrine of 'States'
Rights' prevail, not yielding too much to the central
government and not giving too much authority to our capital
city."
4. These two ideas having been thoroughly discussed and
various compromises suggested, finally, on the seventeenth
day of September of 1787, the Constitution was adopted.
F. They then started out to elect a President, a chief executive
of the nation.
1. It was unanimously conceded that George Washington
should be the President. John Adams was elected as Vice
President.
2. As soon as Mr. Washington was inaugurated, in 1789, he
looked around to select the cabinet members which, at that
time, were four in number.
3. At the head of the Treasury Department, Washington
selected Alexander Hamilton, who came to be known as a
"Federalist."
4. As Secretary of Foreign Affairs, now called "Secretary of
State," he appointed Thomas Jefferson, who came to be
known as an "Antifederalist."
5. Mr. Henry Knox was made Secretary of War, and Mr.
Edmund Randolph was made Attorney-General.
G. Soon after the government was formed, it was understood and
generally known that the country was deeply and woefully in
debt due to the expenses of the war.
1. Alexander Hamilton had a master mind along that line, and
he devised ways and means, in harmony with the
Constitution, to obtain funds for a working government.
2. He put a tariff on foreign trade, liquors, and many other
things.
3. In time, streams of revenue began to flow into the treasury,
and as Daniel Webster eloquently said of Hamilton, "He
struck the rock of internal resources, and abundant streams
of revenue gushed forth; he touched the dead corpse of
public credit, and it sprang to its feet."
H. Just after that step, Hamilton proposed another matter.
1. He insisted that the government should establish a Nation
Bank.
I. It was at this point that Thomas Jefferson, the Secretary of
State, objected and with this the first great fight in the new
government began, with these two champions on either side.
1. Jefferson said, "The Constitution is the supreme law of the
land; and while, indeed, it is not an infallible document,
as is admitted by provision being made for its amendment,
yet if we launch our ship of state on the Constitution we
have adopted, we cannot establish a nation bank, because
there is no provision for it."
2. Hamilton said, "There is nothing in the Constitution
prohibiting the establishment of a national bank. The
Constitution says not a single word about a national bank.
There is not a single line in it that says: 'Thou shalt not
have the government engaging in the banking business.'"
J. These two ideas laid the foundation for the first two great
political parties in this country, known as the Federalists and
Antifederalists.
1. Hamilton's party, the Federalists, came to be known as
"Loose Constructionists"; that is, to construe loosely the
Constitution, on the grounds that we are at liberty to do
anything that it does not specifically prohibit.
2. Jefferson's party, the Antifederalists, was known as "Strict
Constructionists"; that is, we must be governed strictly by
what's written.
K. At first, Mr. Hamilton's idea prevailed and John Adams, who was
a Federalist, was elected as the second President.
1. However, Jefferson, the Antifederalist, continued to preach
the doctrine of respect for the Constitution, and later, he
was elected the third President.
2. Our chart (see Chart #1 below) gives a general synopsis of
these matters.
II. THE SAME PROBLEM EXISTS TODAY.
A. The problem back then regarding how the Constitution was to be
viewed is the same problem which exist today regarding the Word
of God.
1. Actually, this is the very heart of the matter regarding the
differences between religious people today.
2. In other words, shall we be "strict constructionists"
holding only to what's written, or will we be "loose
constructionists" at liberty to do anything not mentioned?
B. Consider how the Hebrew writer approached this issue. Heb. 7:14
1. Since Moses spoke nothing concerning anyone from the tribe
of Judah being a priest, Jesus could not have been a priest
under the Levitical system.
C. Jesus Christ legislated and announced to the world a Great
Constitution, the New Testament. 1 Cor. 14:37; 2 Tim. 3:16-27
1. If God has declared that the man of God is thoroughly
equipped for every good work through the Scriptures, who
has the right to say that the man of God is NOT thoroughly
equipped for every good work through the Scriptures?
D. Unlike the Constitution adopted by our forefathers, the New
Testament is not subject to amendment.
1. We need no general assembly, convention, conference, or
delegation of people to make amendments or resolutions
regarding the Lord's Constitution.
E. Thus, the vital questions is: "Shall we accept the N.T. as
God's Constitution and be guided solely and entirely by it, or
shall we assume the liberty to do anything not specifically
mentioned in it?"
1. To us, the answer is obvious.
III. CONSIDER SOME EXAMPLES. (See chart #2 below).
A. Heb. 11:4
1. Able offered his animal sacrifice "by faith." To do
something "by faith" is to do so in accord with God's
instructions.
2. Was the "fruit of the ground" just as good as the animal
sacrifice? Gen. 4:3-5
3. Could Able have offered both "an animal" and "vegetables"
and still be accepted?
B. John 4:20
1. Jerusalem was the place to worship. Deut. 12:5-7; 1 Kings
9:3
2. The Scriptures did not say, "Don't worship on the mountain
of Samaria."
3. Could one have worshiped in both places?
C. Mark 7:1-8
1. The washing of sacrifices was commanded. Ex. 29:1-4; Lev.
1:8-9
2. The washing of hands, cups, vessels as part of worship was
not commanded in their law, and thus it was wrong for them
to do so.
D. Acts 15:1,5
1. Not only did they bind circumcision, but were consistent in
binding the whole law.
2. Consider Peter's words: "...To whom we gave no such
commandment." Acts 15:24
a. There was no such commandment as circumcision in
order to be saved, and thus, it was wrong.
E. Eph. 5:19
1. Can we do both (play an instrument and sing) and still be
pleasing to God?
F. Phil. 4:14-16
1. Funds were never sent from one church to another for
evangelism.
2. Funds were never sent to a Missionary Society or anything of
that sort.
3. If we respect God and His Word, funds must be sent to the
preacher in doing the work of evangelism.
a. We cannot presume to do both (send to a preacher and
to another church or whatever) and be pleasing to God.
Psalm 19:13
G. 1 Cor. 16:1-2
1. Can a New Testament church go into the banking business in
order to obtain funds?
2. This was the very thing Mr. Hamilton proposed for our
federal government - that of going into the banking
business.
3. Mr. Jefferson rightly objected on grounds that there was no
Constitutional provision for it.
Concl.
A. Although governmental matters have some importance as to their
effect on the people, they in no way compare to the Spiritual
matters.
1. Spiritual matters have to do with our eternal salvation.
B. We must reverently respect what God has said, if we wish to be
pleasing to Him.
1. God's constitution has been established. We dare not delete,
add to, or make alterations to it in any way.
2. We close by considering these familiar, but important,
passages. 2 John 9; Gal. 1:8-9; Matt. 7:21-23
Chart #1
Early Governmental Issue
Alexander Hamilton
Federalist
"Loose Constructionist"
(The government can do anything not specifically forbidden in the
Constitution).
Thomas Jefferson
Anti-Federalist
"Strict Constructionist"
(The government can do only those things in the Constitution).
Chart #2
Identical Issue Today
Heb. 11:4 - - - Animal sacrifice - - - Fruit of the ground
John 4:20 - - - Jerusalem - - - This mountain
Mark 7:4 - - - Washing of sac. - - - Washing of cups
Acts 15:1,5 - - - Baptism - - - Circumcision
Eph. 5:19 - - - Sing - - - Play an instrument
Phil. 4:16 - - - To a preacher - - - To a church
1 Cor. 16:1 - - - Free will offerings - - - Banking business