A Limited Civil Government
God ordained civil government—but it has limits!
And it’s important to know the origin of those limits!
God ordained civil government for our good. But like all other realms of government, it has limited authority under God. The primary duties of civil authorities are to use its power to punish those who do evil and to commend those who do good, according to God’s moral law.
Our nation’s founders’ genius is in the system of government they established. God, not a Pope or a King, is sovereign. Our inalienable rights come from God. This was revolutionary for its day. The founders feared the power of government in the hands of self-serving men. So they divided, limited and enumerated the power of the civil government.
All legitimate rights, liberties and authority come from God, and are granted to every realm of government.
(From “Well Versed”/Chapter 4: “The Four Governments”)
All Religions are Not the Same
To say all religions are the same and should be treated equally, I say, “all religions are not the same!
Every religion has a corresponding system of ethics that produces its own culture.
The heightened cultural tensions we have in America are a tug of war between competing religious ideologies of humanism, and our Judeo-Christian heritage. Freedom of religion and its corollary, the freedom of speech, are paramount to a free people and for government of, by, and for the people. Biblically speaking, we’re tapping into a tradition dating all the way back to the Old Testament when Nathan exposed King David for his sin, and to the New Testament when John the Baptist called out a Herod.
No legitimate government can infringe on our private or corporate worship of the Lord—giver of our rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of virtue!
(From “Well Versed”/Chapter 7: ”First Amendment and Religious Liberty”)
Actions Speak Louder Than Words
That old phrase—“actions speak louder than words”—couldn’t be more applicable than on our university campuses!
A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that “the University of California, Berkeley, is debating bringing in conservative faculty to broaden the spectrum of political discourse on campus.”
Pardon my skepticism, but it’s difficult to imagine that one of the most liberal campuses in the U.S. is putting free speech above political correctness! A professor of political science at Berkeley apparently agrees. In the article he’s quoted: “… there’s a lot of embarrassment on campuses, so some kind of statement from the top might have good-sounding words but actions speak louder than words.”
Firmly ensconced in most secular universities is a so-called “new liberating tolerance” which merely advances its own brand of intolerance.
Jesus warned us to be “wise as serpents and gentle as doves” followed by, “be on your guard!”
(From the Wall Street Journal, June 26, 2017/”Colleges Pledge Support for Discourse”)
(Scripture from Matthew 10:16-17 as quoted in “Well Versed”/Chapter 29: ”Political Correctness”)
Christian Non-Profits Labeled “Hate Groups”
Christian non-profits opposing same-sex marriage are being flagged as “hate groups!”
If an organization has non-profit status with the federal government, likely they’re listed on the GuideStar website—one of the largest sources of financial information about non-profit organizations on the Internet. Any interested persons can go to the website to peruse the tax returns of non-profits for important information on programs and fundraising.
Forty-six organizations listed are known to oppose same-sex marriage. Recently, a statement across the top of their page flagged them as a “hate group” as designated by the Southern Poverty law Center. GuideStar received 41 letters expressing disagreement with the labeling. They’ve removed the statement—for now.
GuideStar acknowledged, “there is a deep, nuanced conversation to be had with Americans of all political, cultural, and religious backgrounds regarding how we address, and identify, hate groups.”
We’ll keep you posted!
(From a June 23, 2017 article in Crisis Magazine titled: “Guidestar Joins the Targeting of Christian Groups, including Alliance Defending Freedom and Family Research Council.)
Follow-up article from BreakPoint >>
The Primary Purpose of Government
What is the primary purpose of Government? When we know and understand the answer—the surrounding issues begin to fall into place!
Succinctly stated: The primary purpose of government is to protect its citizens by restraining evildoers. It was written best 2,000 years ago by the apostle Paul: “Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.”
Earlier, Isaiah said: “For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver . . . ”. Contrary to the wishful thinking of revisionist historians, our national founding fathers borrowed heavily from the Bible and biblical themes. Benjamin Franklin even proposed that a depiction of Moses parting the Red Sea should be the Great Seal of the nation.
To affirm God’s role in government is to affirm what our Founders affirmed: Our rights come from God!
(From “Well Versed”/Chapter 5: ”The Purpose of Government”)
Back to School Mini-Series: Preparing Children for the Future
At the end of the day—we’re forced to acknowledge what’s at the heart of our failing education system!
Education is failing largely because of a failed government education system. But it’s also due to a lack of parental choice to be involved in their child’s education.
If Jesus “increased in wisdom and stature,” as he grew up—the implication is that education was part of the process. Then how much more important is a solid education to prepare your children for the future?
We’ve allowed ourselves to be pushed away from the decision table. Allowing policy makers to decide what’s best for our children has to change!
George Washington wrote in 1784: “The best means of forming a virtuous and happy people will be found in the right education of youth. Without this foundation, every other means, in my opinion, must fail.”
(From “Well Versed”/Chapter 10: ”School Choice and Parental Authority”)
