Our Christian Heritage: God's Laws
By Angela Wittman
"We, the People of the State of Illinois - grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He has permitted us to enjoy and seeking His blessing upon our endeavors - in order to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the people; maintain a representative and orderly government; eliminate poverty and inequality; assure legal, social and economic justice; provide opportunity for the fullest development of the individual; insure domestic tranquility; provide for the common defense; and secure the blessings of freedom and liberty to ourselves and our posterity - do ordain and establish this Constitution for the State of Illinois."
(Preamble to the Illinois Constitution)
Dear Friends,
I recently came across our state preamble and found myself in awe at the expressed acknowledgement of "Almighty God for our civil, political and religious liberty." This humble petition for "His blessing upon our endeavors" was written in a much different spirit than the atheistic attitude of many lawmakers, judges and influential special interest groups/lobbyists of today. I am thinking in particular of the recent controversies in Ohio and Alabama concerning the removal of the monumental displays of the Ten Commandments on public property.
The controversy in Ohio concerns the removal of the monuments on public school properties that are supported by tax dollars paid by the public. Here is the text of an editorial written by Dave Daubenmire who is a veteran high school football coach and was sued by the ACLU for leading his teams in prayer:
To the Editor:
On June 9th, the 10 Commandments were pulled off of the lawn of the four high schools in Adams County, Ohio.
I was there and was one of 35 brave souls who were arrested for defending the Decalogue.
Despite surveys that show that 85 percent of the residents of this rural Ohio county wanted the monuments to remain, the terrorists in black robes, under the unction of the Secular Taliban known as the ACLU determined that they knew best what to teach the children of Adams County.
It didn't matter to them that thousands of citizens had privately funded the monuments. It didn't matter that thousands of citizens had paid to defend them.
It only mattered that one man had been offended. More tyranny of the minority.
As hundreds of citizens stood and watched, a crane hoisted the 800 pound tablets from their foundation.
The Word of Almighty God, the only Scripture carved by His Finger, pulled out like an in-grown toenail, from the foot of Caesar.
In the week that followed I heard the refrain again and again.
Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. And render unto God, that which is God's.
I asked the Sheriff of Adams County, a self-proclaiming Christian, before he lead me away, "Who owns this property?" "This is public property", he replied.
"Who is the public?" I followed up.
"The citizens of Adams County own this property", he informed me.
"So let me get this straight, Sheriff. You are about to arrest citizens of Adams County for trespassing on property that they own...property their tax dollars operate?" I queried.
"Sir, the courts say these monuments have to come down." Ordered this Christian sheriff.
There it is. The "courts" say. Render unto Caesar...
What a sad commentary on this once great Christian nation.
Christian America must awaken. Pastors must open their eyes. Where are the Shadrach's Meshach's and Abednago's who will not bow to the King? Where were the men of God as the Commandments of the King they say they serve were being ripped from their rightful place? Most were on their knees, bowing to Caesar.
We have lost our fear of God.
Where would America be today if Rosa Parks had moved? What if Martin Luther King Jr. had bowed to Caesar? Does Caesar own the children of Adams County or does God? Does Caesar own the pulpits in America or do they belong to God? A coup has taken place in America. The word of Caesar now trumps the Word of God.
Our Christian culture is under attack...The Pledge...the Motto...the Decalogue. All mention of God is being stripped away by Caesar, as Christians bow and salute.
"Thou shall have no other God's before me."[p] It is time to stop rendering unto Caesar that which is God's.
Dave Daubenmire
(Source: Letter To The Editor, CovenantNews.com)
You may have also heard of the injustice occurring in Alabama as Supreme Court Justice Judge Roy Moore had placed a monument of the Ten Commandments in the lobby of the state supreme court building. A federal judge then ordered the removal of the Ten Commandments monument. Judge Moore has appealed the ruling and it is currently in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. (No final decision had been made as of June 4th, 2003.) Judge Moore was sued by the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2001 to remove the monument, charging it is an unconstitutional establishment of religion.
(Source: Appeals Court Weighs Moore Arguments, By John Aman, ReclaimingAmerica.org)
What is our position as Christians in society and what does God's Word say about following His Laws and Civil Government?
I think this excerpt from the article "There Is One Lawgiver" by William O. Einwechter published in the March-April 2003 edition of the "Christian Statesmen" says it best:
" There is only one supreme lawgiver over men, and that lawgiver is God Himself. The essence of human rebellion is the belief that man can be his own god and determine good and evil for himself; i.e., be his own lawgiver. Sinful men believe that they are autonomous -- a law unto themselves. As James [Chapter 4, verse 12] boldly proclaims, "there is only one lawgiver." Men are bound to submit to this truth. They must abandon their claim to autonomy in every aspect of life: personal, family, church, and state. The guiding presupposition that must control all of their thinking in regard to the law, morals, ethics, rules, etc., is that God's position as lawgiver is second to none, and His revealed law is the righteous standard of truth for determining what is right and wrong...
Since there is one Supreme Lawgiver, there can be no difference between the moral and legal standards of the Old and New Testaments. It is fashionable among some Christians to advocate that the New Testament holds to a different standard of law and morality (at least in some cases) than the Old Testament. This cannot be. If there is one God who is the sovereign lawgiver, (and there is), and if this one God never changes, (and He doesn't), then the moral standards of His law must remain unchanged from dispensation to dispensation and from age to age....."
Dear Friends,
I am of the belief that if we, the Church, will rise up and take a bold stand for Jesus Christ and the Laws of our God, we will "secure the blessings of freedom and liberty to ourselves and our posterity." Won't you please stand with Coach Dave Daubenmire and Judge Roy Moore as they bring glory to our God?
---------------------------------
Originally published in 2003.
"We, the People of the State of Illinois - grateful to Almighty God for the civil, political and religious liberty which He has permitted us to enjoy and seeking His blessing upon our endeavors - in order to provide for the health, safety and welfare of the people; maintain a representative and orderly government; eliminate poverty and inequality; assure legal, social and economic justice; provide opportunity for the fullest development of the individual; insure domestic tranquility; provide for the common defense; and secure the blessings of freedom and liberty to ourselves and our posterity - do ordain and establish this Constitution for the State of Illinois."
(Preamble to the Illinois Constitution)
Dear Friends,
I recently came across our state preamble and found myself in awe at the expressed acknowledgement of "Almighty God for our civil, political and religious liberty." This humble petition for "His blessing upon our endeavors" was written in a much different spirit than the atheistic attitude of many lawmakers, judges and influential special interest groups/lobbyists of today. I am thinking in particular of the recent controversies in Ohio and Alabama concerning the removal of the monumental displays of the Ten Commandments on public property.
The controversy in Ohio concerns the removal of the monuments on public school properties that are supported by tax dollars paid by the public. Here is the text of an editorial written by Dave Daubenmire who is a veteran high school football coach and was sued by the ACLU for leading his teams in prayer:
To the Editor:
On June 9th, the 10 Commandments were pulled off of the lawn of the four high schools in Adams County, Ohio.
I was there and was one of 35 brave souls who were arrested for defending the Decalogue.
Despite surveys that show that 85 percent of the residents of this rural Ohio county wanted the monuments to remain, the terrorists in black robes, under the unction of the Secular Taliban known as the ACLU determined that they knew best what to teach the children of Adams County.
It didn't matter to them that thousands of citizens had privately funded the monuments. It didn't matter that thousands of citizens had paid to defend them.
It only mattered that one man had been offended. More tyranny of the minority.
As hundreds of citizens stood and watched, a crane hoisted the 800 pound tablets from their foundation.
The Word of Almighty God, the only Scripture carved by His Finger, pulled out like an in-grown toenail, from the foot of Caesar.
In the week that followed I heard the refrain again and again.
Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's. And render unto God, that which is God's.
I asked the Sheriff of Adams County, a self-proclaiming Christian, before he lead me away, "Who owns this property?" "This is public property", he replied.
"Who is the public?" I followed up.
"The citizens of Adams County own this property", he informed me.
"So let me get this straight, Sheriff. You are about to arrest citizens of Adams County for trespassing on property that they own...property their tax dollars operate?" I queried.
"Sir, the courts say these monuments have to come down." Ordered this Christian sheriff.
There it is. The "courts" say. Render unto Caesar...
What a sad commentary on this once great Christian nation.
Christian America must awaken. Pastors must open their eyes. Where are the Shadrach's Meshach's and Abednago's who will not bow to the King? Where were the men of God as the Commandments of the King they say they serve were being ripped from their rightful place? Most were on their knees, bowing to Caesar.
We have lost our fear of God.
Where would America be today if Rosa Parks had moved? What if Martin Luther King Jr. had bowed to Caesar? Does Caesar own the children of Adams County or does God? Does Caesar own the pulpits in America or do they belong to God? A coup has taken place in America. The word of Caesar now trumps the Word of God.
Our Christian culture is under attack...The Pledge...the Motto...the Decalogue. All mention of God is being stripped away by Caesar, as Christians bow and salute.
"Thou shall have no other God's before me."[p] It is time to stop rendering unto Caesar that which is God's.
Dave Daubenmire
(Source: Letter To The Editor, CovenantNews.com)
You may have also heard of the injustice occurring in Alabama as Supreme Court Justice Judge Roy Moore had placed a monument of the Ten Commandments in the lobby of the state supreme court building. A federal judge then ordered the removal of the Ten Commandments monument. Judge Moore has appealed the ruling and it is currently in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. (No final decision had been made as of June 4th, 2003.) Judge Moore was sued by the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2001 to remove the monument, charging it is an unconstitutional establishment of religion.
(Source: Appeals Court Weighs Moore Arguments, By John Aman, ReclaimingAmerica.org)
What is our position as Christians in society and what does God's Word say about following His Laws and Civil Government?
I think this excerpt from the article "There Is One Lawgiver" by William O. Einwechter published in the March-April 2003 edition of the "Christian Statesmen" says it best:
" There is only one supreme lawgiver over men, and that lawgiver is God Himself. The essence of human rebellion is the belief that man can be his own god and determine good and evil for himself; i.e., be his own lawgiver. Sinful men believe that they are autonomous -- a law unto themselves. As James [Chapter 4, verse 12] boldly proclaims, "there is only one lawgiver." Men are bound to submit to this truth. They must abandon their claim to autonomy in every aspect of life: personal, family, church, and state. The guiding presupposition that must control all of their thinking in regard to the law, morals, ethics, rules, etc., is that God's position as lawgiver is second to none, and His revealed law is the righteous standard of truth for determining what is right and wrong...
Since there is one Supreme Lawgiver, there can be no difference between the moral and legal standards of the Old and New Testaments. It is fashionable among some Christians to advocate that the New Testament holds to a different standard of law and morality (at least in some cases) than the Old Testament. This cannot be. If there is one God who is the sovereign lawgiver, (and there is), and if this one God never changes, (and He doesn't), then the moral standards of His law must remain unchanged from dispensation to dispensation and from age to age....."
Dear Friends,
I am of the belief that if we, the Church, will rise up and take a bold stand for Jesus Christ and the Laws of our God, we will "secure the blessings of freedom and liberty to ourselves and our posterity." Won't you please stand with Coach Dave Daubenmire and Judge Roy Moore as they bring glory to our God?
---------------------------------
Originally published in 2003.
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