Reproach of Men

A Wednesday night lesson on what constitutes rebellion and what is authority and what is the extent of it. This is the first lesson in a series on the Christian’s relationship to government.

This lesson is now located on Ebenezer Baptist Church’s Messages and Lessons page. It can also be reached at the direct link: Rebellion and Authority.

In Christ,

Paul W. Davis

I believe governments are ordained of God as a result of man’s wicked, sinful and rebellious nature. Government is necessary for the good order and beneficial interest of all mankind. A government reflects the society it governs as it is the LORD God that raises up the leadership of a nation for either the blessing, or judgement of that nation. I believe government is authorized by God to judge those under it, even to bring the penalty of death upon they that shed the blood of others without cause. As such, those in authority are to be prayed for that they may make right and proper decisions.

References

Romans 13:1-7; John 19:10-11; Exodus 9:13-16; Isaiah 44:24-28; 45:1-3; Daniel 4:34-37; Acts 17:24-28; Genesis 9:4-6; Exodus 21:12-17; Acts 25:9-11; I Timothy 2:1-4; I Peter 2:13-17; Matthew 10:28.

Scriptures:

No, the title is not lightly chosen. Neither is it a joke. Rather, it is a serious matter and worthy of sober consideration. The link given below is about a Federal firearms case. What is so striking about it is the blatant hypocrisies that are plainly evident in the case:

Velte pointed out that “There is no way for a citizen to know who is here legally or not. In fact, under Austin’s ‘sanctuary city’ policy, not even the police officer at the door of the gunshow was allowed to ask a person’s immigration status, yet the average Texan inside the show is expected to assume that a person standing before them with a Texas driver’s license is in the country illegally just because they look Mexican and speak Spanish.” Velte noted that the federal government’s lawsuit against Arizona was based on that very type of conduct: Concluding someone could be here illegally based on their looks or their language. Velte said gun owners in his group are outraged, and they want to know:

1. Why is the illegal alien who purchased the gun, Leonel Huerta Sr., still living in Austin?
2. Why does he still have a Texas Driver’s license?
3. Why is ATF using illegal aliens to set up and convict American citizens?
4. What has he been promised for his cooperation?
5. Why has he not been prosecuted? He committed three distinct crimes: he purchased a firearm knowing he was an illegal alien, he possessed the firearm, and he transferred the handgun to another illegal alien (Hippolito Aviles, who was convicted and given time served on June 30, 2010).
6. Why has Huerta Sr. not been deported?

The really sad part is that a jury of the defendant’s peers believed the hypocrisies told them by the Federal prosecutor and convicted the defendant, rather than simply refusing to convict. In English jurisprudence, the refusal of a jury to convict has always been an option when they believe the law has been misapplied or an individual wrongly prosecuted. It is one of the protections we enjoy(ed) from would be tyrants who exercise the law improperly.

You may read the rest of the article by going to the link below, and consider why the LORD God has allowed this to come upon us.

FEDS CONVICT TEXAN FOR SELLING A GUN TO ILLEGAL ALIEN WITH TEXAS DRIVER’S LICENSE

This lesson is probably misnamed somewhat. But perhaps not, as it addresses the issue of reproof and our attitude about it. Nonetheless, any society, any nation is made up of its people. Hence, its character is defined by its people. If its people will not bear reproof, will not bear correction, then there is little that can be done for that society, that nation.

This lesson is in two parts.

Part One:

Part Two:

For those wishing to download the file or the podcast does not work, the following link to the mp3 files.

Setting A Society Up For Failure – Part 1

Setting A Society Up For Failure – Part 2

This message addresses the issue of the LORD’S judgment how it is not contradictory for the LORD to demand that we do not put someone to death for the sins of another. Yet, in His judgment He takes entire families, cities and nations. The requirement for us is to understand why.

I pray it is profitable for you.

For those who cannot use the embedded player, wish to use a different player, or want to save the file, the following link is provided:

A Father’s Responsibility

In Christ,

Paul W. Davis

This is the sixth in a series addressing those who profess Christ and consider themselves Americans first and foremost. The point of this series is to educate everyone (not just born-again believers) on what the Scripture actually states concerning a proper attitude toward authority and toward those around us, both the froward and the good. As always, my prayer is that everyone learn what is the heart and mind of the LORD God. — In Christ, Paul W. Davis

In the last five posts addressing this subject, we have dealt with the heart and mind of the LORD God toward the lost, and how Steven L. Anderson departed from that in his sermon of August 16^th, 2009, in which he loudly and strongly proclaimed that he was praying for the LORD to slay Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, and send him to Hell for his advocacy and support of abortion, among other egregious things.

Now, we turn to how Pastor Anderson justifies his heart and attitude from Scripture. The reason we do this is so we also can understand how not to depart from the truth of the word of God. We know from Scripture that God cannot lie (Titus 1:2), and that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God. Moreover, I (and many others) hold that the King James Version of the Bible is the word of God (the Scripture) for the English-speaking people — worldwide.1 This means that we must interpret the texts of the Scripture in such a way that they do not end up conflicting with other passages in Scripture. By that, I do not mean wrestling them until they finally fit the way we want them. Rather, what I mean here is that we allow the construct, the grammar, and the setting (context) be the drivers of our interpretation. This does not mean they are the sole factors in driving our interpretation, but that they have a major influence on how we determine what the passage states. The true driver or influence is what we perceive by and through the operation of faith. The proper operation of faith will insure that we never interpret a passage so that it is in conflict with other passages of Scripture.

That stated, we turn our attention to the passage used by Steven L. Anderson to justify his belief: Psalm 58

Do ye indeed speak righteousness, O congregation? do ye judge uprightly, O ye sons of men? Yea, in heart ye work wickedness; ye weigh the violence of your hands in the earth. The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; Which will not hearken to the voice of charmers, charming never so wisely.
Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces. As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun. Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. (Psalm 58:All)

What are we to make of Psalm 58?

First, it states this psalm is “To the chief Musician, Altaschith, Michtam of David.” Knowing this, let us begin with understanding something more of David in relation to his service to the LORD. In Acts, we are told by the apostle Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, that king David was a prophet, and that he particularly prophesied of Christ. As we shall see, this bears heavily upon the interpretation and application of Psalm 58.

Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. (Acts 2:29-31)

The above passage from Acts is a quotation from the 16^th Psalm, and is speaking of Christ as the apostle Peter confirms. We can also see in Psalm 22, Psalm 40, Psalm 69, and many others where king David speaks of Christ to come and the work of redemption Christ would accomplish. This should give pause to consider whether Psalm 58 applies to David only, all saints everywhere and at all times, or to the Lord Jesus Christ only. To gain that understanding, it is necessary for us to examine other psalms and see if we can find a consistency of thought with Psalm 58.

And indeed we do find a consistency of thought to two other psalms, both of which are quoted in the New Testament. The first is Psalm 82:

God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations. (Psalm 82:All)

Which is quoted by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself:

The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God? (John 10:33-36)

To be continued . . .

1. Here we must clarify something for American English-speakers: the King James Bible is written in formal modern British English. This makes it acceptable and accepted worldwide. Were it written in the American dialect of English, it would only be acceptable in America and perhaps Canada. But since England (specifically Britain) is the birthplace of English, and thus the source from which all English dialects come, formal British English is acceptable worldwide. [↩]

Yesterday, President Barack Obama spoke in Minneapolis, MN and decided to invoke the name of God to support his contention that we all should have government mandated and managed health insurance forced upon us. Fundamentally, I disagree, Moreover, I have major problems with him invoking God in any way to support his socialist cause. The passage where he mentioned God follows:

In the last 12 months alone, 6 million more Americans lost their health insurance — 6 million more. Today, we received more disturbing news. A new report from the Treasury Department found that nearly half of all Americans under 65 will lose their health coverage at some point over the next 10 years. Think about that. (Boos.) More than one-third will go without coverage for longer than one year. We’ve got to do something. (Applause.) We’ve got to do something because it can happen to anyone. There but for the grace of God go I. It could happen to anyone.1

Mr. President, nice of you say it is the grace of God that gives us health insurance and by implication, it would be the grace of God that gives us a government mandated health plan, as if your health plan were somehow equal to the grace of God.

No Mr. President, you do greatly err, the grace of God brings salvation of the soul, not a cheap, two-bit, government mandated “health plan,” as it is written:

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, . . .(Titus 2:11)

The LORD rebuke you, Barack Obama.

1. http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Remarks-by-the-President-at-Rally-on-Health-Insurance-Reform/ [↩]

This is the third in a series addressing those who profess Christ and consider themselves Americans first and foremost. The point of this series is to educate everyone (not just born-again believers) on what the Scripture actually states concerning a proper attitude toward authority and toward those around us, both the froward and the good. As always, my prayer is that everyone learn what is the heart and mind of the LORD God. — In Christ, Paul W. Davis

As is now noted in Scripture, the born-again child of God is plainly considered a “stranger and pilgrim” on this earth. In fact, all believers, from the very beginning have been, and are, “strangers and pilgrims” on this earth and are “a peculiar people,” and “an holy nation.” It is clearly stated in Hebrews, Chapter 11, this began with Abel, and was plainly seen in the life of Abraham. Moreover, nothing has changed in the intervening millennia between Abel and now, and thus the fact that a born-again Believer is a stranger and pilgrim upon this earth continues to this day. This gives rise to the question about the allegiance of the believer, and where it primarily lies.

Now, I know that the vast majority of individuals out there, including a lot of “fundamental, independent Baptists” would say their allegiance lies with whatsoever country they happen to be a “citizen” of, meaning the country in which they physically reside. However, I must bring up the old cliche (which is a truism actually) of “Home is where the heart is.” What I mean by this is the question:

What makes an American, an American?

I ask that question because being an American is unique in the world, in that one is an American regardless of skin color, heritage, national origin, religion, or a host of other physical attributes that men look at. No, one is an American because one holds to a certain ideal — from the heart. Thus, being an American is a wonderful example and picture of a spiritual truth — that it is the total change in heart that makes one no longer a citizen of this world, as the Scripture plainly states:

Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:11-22)

Though the above passage speaks to Israel and the church as covenanted institutions of witness, it also speaks very plainly of the citizenship of the born-again Believer and states:

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;”

By this, the Believer is NOT first and foremost a citizen of whatsoever country they happen to reside in. Rather, the Believer is first a citizen of the Kingdom of God, and second a citizen of whatsoever country they happen to reside in. It is this way because we are expressly told that we are, as born-again children of God, ambassadors to this world — and in the case of Steven Anderson (if so be he is born-again) and many others (myself included) — particularly to America:

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. (II Corinthians 5:17-20)

Since it is the case that Scripture demonstrates plainly that Believers are ambassadors to whatsoever country the LORD happens to place them in; as a born-again Believer, one should also understand what this demands of them:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1-2)

It always makes me smile to read the phrase “which is your reasonable service” . . .

To be continued . . .

This is the second in a series addressing those who profess Christ and consider themselves Americans first and foremost. The point of this series is to educate everyone (not just born-again believers) on what the Scripture actually states concerning a proper attitude toward authority and toward those around us, both the froward and the good. As always, my prayer is that everyone learn what is the heart and mind of the LORD God. — In Christ, Paul W. Davis

In looking at anything in Scripture, there must be a place to begin. With any subject in Scripture (or anything else for that matter) where you begin has a very great impact upon where you will end up, what conclusions you draw, and determinations you make concerning what is written. In short, where you begin is going to seriously affect your interpretation of Scripture. Thus, where we begin will also determine whether we are right or wrong before the LORD — and subsequently, whether we are in or out of the will of the LORD God. Additionally, the standard for saying what we say and doing what we do is not how men view us, our preaching, teaching, and our actions. Rather, it is whether the LORD God accepts what we say as being consistent with His word.1

Before we can make an accurate determination of whether it is right or not to call for the LORD God to slay someone and cast them into Hell for their behavior, we need to first establish what our own attitude and behavior ought to be. Now, I do not find Psalm 58 a proper place to begin to establish what our attitude and heart toward others ought to be. Why? Primarily because it is addressed to the wicked, and is a dissertation on judgement of the wicked. In short, it does not address the born-again child of God, and that child’s attitude and heart. To take it as an example of how one should set their heart and mind toward others is more than just a bit one-sided, and not balanced.

Thus, in beginning this examination of the Believer’s heart and mind and how it should be, we ought understand first that the LORD has already addressed in His word every situation we will ever encounter. Second, we should seek for a passage that does address a Believer’s heart, attitude, and behavior directly. Thus, we could understand from that point on, what the LORD God expects of us — His children. In addressing the Believer’s heart and mind (and thus attitude and behavior), I find in Scripture the following admonition with regard to the Believer’s interaction with this world:

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16)

Now, this admonition came as part of the instruction the Lord Jesus Christ gave to the twelve when He sent them out to preach the Gospel. . . .

Hmmm . . .

And just what were we left here for after we were born-again . . .?

Aside from the fact that calling for the LORD God to slay someone and cast them into Hell goes far beyond the bounds of being “harmless as doves,” there is the larger, more fundamental issue of the Believer’s relationship with, and to, the world. Without establishing that relationship, the above admonition sits without a context to give it the full import and sense the LORD intended. Therefore, let us establish firmly what relationship the Believer has with this world and the people in it, beginning with te following definitive passage from I Peter:

But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. (I Peter 2:9-12)

And again:

Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city. (Hebrews 11:12-16)

I think the words “strangers,” and “pilgrims,” along with the phrases “a royal priesthood,” “an holy nation,” and “a peculiar people” ought to just stand out, especially since the idea of being a stranger and pilgrim is entirely foreign (no pun intended) to our basic nature, and also since the phrases speak of a people who are entirely different in the focus of their lives. Moreover, in the passage from Hebrews, Chapter 11, we are told that the heroes of the faith in the Old Testament sought an heavenly country, and had no desire to return to the country from whence they came. . .

To be continued . . .

1. There is a word of warning here in case those who do not know, neither acknowledge the LORD God, think this is somehow a pass to preach and teach wrongly. The word of warning in Scripture is this:

   Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:19-20)

   Therefore, be forewarned — there is a very heavy price to pay for being wrong when you teach and preach the word of the LORD. [↩]

This is the first in a series addressing those who profess Christ and consider themselves Americans first and foremost. The point of this series is to educate everyone (not just born-again believers) on what the Scripture actually states concerning a proper attitude toward authority and toward those around us, both the froward and the good. As always, my prayer is that everyone learn what is the heart and mind of the LORD God. — In Christ, Paul W. Davis

On August 16th, Steve Anderson, pastor of Faithful Word Baptist Church of Tempe, Arizona delivered a message in which he plainly stated the following:

“Yeah, God appointed him to destroy this country for the wickedness of the United States of America. God appointed him because that’s what our country has turned into. That’s who we deserve as a president.

But let me tell you something: I don’t love Barack Obama. I don’t respect Barack Obama. I don’t obey Barack Obama. And I’d like Barack Obama to melt like a snail tonight. Because he needs to recompense, he needs to reap what he’s sown.

You see, any Christian will tell you that someone who commits murder should get the death penalty. Because that’s what it says in Genesis Chapter 9, that’s what it says in the Mosaic Law, that’s what it teaches us throughout the Bible. ‘Who so sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.’ ‘From the image of God created he Man.’

And when Barack Obama is gonna push his partial birth abortion, his salty saline solution abortion, hey, he deserves to be punished for what he’s done. I’m not going to pray for God to bless Barack Obama. This is my prayer tonight to Barack Obama.”1

And again:

“… And yet you’re going to tell me that I’m supposed to pray for the socialist devil, murderer, infanticide, who wants to see young children and he wants to see babies killed through abortion and partial-birth abortion and all these different things — you’re gonna tell me I’m supposed to pray for God to give him a good lunch tomorrow while he’s in Phoenix, Arizona.

Nope. I’m not gonna pray for his good. I’m going to pray that he dies and goes to hell. When I go to bed tonight, that’s what I’m going to pray. And you say, ‘Are you just saying that?’ No. When I go to bed tonight, Steven L. Anderson is going to pray for Barack Obama to die and go to hell.

You say, ‘Why would you do that?’ That our country could be saved.”2

The above raises the questions:

Is it really our right and prerogative as born-again children of God, to pray that someone die and go to hell?

Is it Scripturally correct for a “Baptist pastor” to call for the LORD to smite President Barack Obama, and then use Psalm 58 for his justification?

Should we also openly call for judgement against this nation – or individuals in it?

Should we claim that the political leaders of this country are part of the “rulers of darkness” in this world?

What should we, as born-again believers in Christ, do with respect to situations such as this?

What should be our attitude and behavior be?

Without a doubt, we live in a most difficult time; without the wisdom of the LORD, we will not provide a right and proper witness to this country and its people. Without the wisdom of the LORD, we will end up subverting the will of the LORD in the things we say and do.

This series of articles is going to look into the issue of this pastor’s words, which spring out of his heart and mind, and will weigh them against the Scripture — the same King James Bible he uses.

To be continued . . .

1. http://crooksandliars.com/david-neiwert/gospel-hate-arizona-pastor-steve-and and on Youtube [↩]
2. ibid [↩]