holy scriptures

Christians Should Not Be Distracted By Government

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That sentiment, my fellow Christian, is the greatest impediment to world-wide evangelism!

Christ was asked, “Which is the first commandment of all?” And Jesus answered, “The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord’: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

He continued, “And the second is this: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself’. There is none other commandment greater than these.” [Mark 12:28-31]

I find ONLY three human organizations in the Bible, created by God, and through which He has worked: the family; the church; and the state (i.e. civil government).

All three are governmental, i.e. all three have rules for direction, regulation, control, restraint.

There is yet a forth category of government: self-government. The quality of family-government, church-government, and civil-government rests squarely upon the corporate quality of its members’ self-government.

Both natural law (discovered through observation and reason), and revealed law (found ONLY in the Holy Scriptures) originate with God. These laws contain direction, regulation, control and restraint rules for governing self, family, church, and state.

Active Christians are well founded in rules for self, family, and church government. That does not appear to be the case with God-ordained rules for civil-government.

Thus, because we have forfeited the field, through ignorance and apathy (“I don’t know and I don’t care”), ungodly forces have taken dominion of the rules of civil-government. Civil-government, in the hands of the ungodly, is the greatest impediment to world-wide evangelism!

It is nothing new. Civil-government was involved in the crucifixion of Christ. Civil-government was involved in the exodus, and even at the Tower of Babble!

What IS NEW is a God-ordained nation, the U.S.A., founded upon Christian self-government, and purposely subscribing to “the laws of Nature, and of Nature’s God” (natural law and revealed law).

These laws are far superior to the “laws” of ungodly humanists.

Let’s look at fundamentals. Everything for a happy, healthy, productive life is on the earth. A man is placed in this garden. He is designed to be at perfect liberty, within the laws of nature. Then another person is introduced. The laws of nature now restrict each from violating the other’s liberty.

A guy and a gal make a baby and we have a family and the rules that govern it. The built-in desire of each family member for a relationship with something greater (God) manifests itself as worship and we have church. Families join together for mutual benefits and we have state.

Families are the building blocks of every society. There will develop a corporate relationship with some sort of god – or with the God. That corporate relationship will ALWAYS determine the horizontal relationship (civil-government).

NOW

Please re-read the words of Christ (above) and ask your Lord if it is important for us to retake the field of civil-government for Christ.

Afterthought – The phrase, “in the world, but not of the world” comes to mind. While we are in this world, I think we should learn and apply the biblical rules for horizontal relationships.

Another, “So heavenly minded – no earthly good!” Granted: We should focus upon our vertical relationship – but – That also involves our horizontal relationships while here!

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It is Not Debatable

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Same sex marriage is derived from homosexuality, which is a derivative of rebellion, which is a derivative of universal depravity, which is a choice.

As I listened to the talking heads on TV news, it occurred to me that depravity is destined to win todays debate. In our “Principles of American Government” online course, we make a point of recognizing and not accepting false presuppositions. If you permit a false idea to be introduced at the beginning of a discussion – The whole structure of the discussion is built upon sand, NOT solid rock.

What is the false presupposition in the “same sex marriage” discussion?

God does not exist. Therefore the “laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” are invalid. Therefore the opinions, and not the sound reasoning, of humans is supreme (i.e. humanism).

Our unique American culture, based upon Christian self-government, has become so eroded that we are debating the un-debatable!

Liberty is not license. Nothing and no one is without a set of rules (laws) that govern it. Step outside those rules – chaos. Stay within those rules – peace. America’s founders understood that. Their reference to “natural law” and “revealed law” presupposed that God exists. (“We are endowed by our Creator … “.

Natural law may be discovered by observation and reason. We see the “edge” of the earth and conclude “the earth is flat”. Human reason is not always correct. Navigation based upon that false presupposition will not work! The truth – the earth is round – was not changed by faulty human reasoning.

Revealed law is found ONLY in the Holy Scriptures. Since there is a mountain of evidence that they resulted from the direct inspiration of God, “revealed law” is infinitely more authoritative than “natural law” which is based upon human observation and reason.

It is important to note that – natural law and revealed law will never be in conflict – since they come from the same source.

BUT – You say, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof: … “. [1st Amendment to our Constitution] Therefore, you can not involve God and either natural law, or revealed law (the Bible), in discussing “same sex marriage.”

I believe “religion” here, refers to systems of doctrines and beliefs, created by man.

Separation of church and state makes sense. Our founders feared a state-sponsored church. Separation of God and state is insanity! Both the Declaration and the Constitution presuppose a supreme lawgiver. We are wrong to equate God and His will, with man-created systems. Fellowship with believers (i.e.”church” ), is a good thing. – BUT – It is not a substitute for a personal relationship with God.

Both human reason and the inspired word of God will validate the wisdom of staying within the laws of Nature and of Nature’s God. Any law outside those limits should be no law at all.

This is the discussion we should be having — Do God and His rules exist? We will agree in advance to accept a better, more proven, set of rules. What have you to offer?

Let us agree – It would be unwise not to live and govern by the best set of rules available.

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Ben Gilmore 1929-2023

On March 30, 2023 Ben Gilmore, the co-founder of ACHStudyGroups (co-founded with his wife Fran), went to be with the Lord in Glory.

A Memorial: https://www.mykeeper.com/profile/BenGilmore/