Re: Pulpit Bullies
- Paul Blair
- Oct 2, 2008
Dear Cal,
First, I wanted to tell you what a refreshing voice you are for a national columnist. I appreciate your conservatism and boldness to tell it like it is. Knowing that it is your desire to be correct, I hope to be able to help you with a misstatement and then a false assumption that you made in your column Pulpit Rebellion Misses the Mark.
Your interpretation of Romans 13 differs from the clear teaching as was understood by the Apostles and also our founding fathers. The government is to serve as a minister of God under the authority of God not to terrify those that do good but those that do evil.
When Peter and John were commanded by the Sanhedrin to no longer preach the name of Jesus (Acts 4:18) they disobeyed proclaiming We ought to obey God rather than men. (Acts 5:29)
Under Roman rule, the Romans didnt care what gods you worshipped, however every citizen in the empire was forced to confess that Caesar was lord of all. The early Christians refused to obey the law and paid with their own blood, as to them, Jesus alone was the LORD!
Our Patriot Forefathers believed these things and stated such in the Declaration of Independence:
When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God (Gods Laws as recorded in the Holy Scriptures Blackstone Commentary on Law, Book 1, Section 2) entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (The right to obey the Word of God and the will of God. Being in the will of his Creator is the only way that a created being can be happy. Blackstones Commentary on Law, Book 1, Section 2) That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.
The Patriots cried out We have no king, but King JESUS and Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God. Jesus is either Lord of all or He isnt Lord at all.
By your interpretation of Romans 13, the Bible would have ended in Acts 4 and Christianity would have died in the cradle. By your interpretation, we would still be subject to the British Crown.
Cal, your second claim was that we were preaching politics. Wrong. We preach as much Bible in our church as any church I know. In fact, we had so much gospel in this weeks Pulpit Freedom Sunday that one person accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior. I spoke at another church on Saturday morning to a mens prayer breakfast and talked about Americas Christian Heritage and one man accepted Christ during that presentation. In addition, this past week we saw eleven truck drivers saved in our truckers ministry. In total, this past week we (Fairview Baptist Church) have helped a homeless man providing food and shelter and helping him find work, we have counseled two struggling families, seen thirteen people accept Christ as their Lord and Savior, and performed one funeral service. Last Wednesday, we did a verse by verse study of Zechariah 13. Last Sunday night, we did a verse by verse study on Ruth 2. On Sunday morning, we preached a message on issues of morality that are important to evangelical Christians, compared where the two presidential candidates stood on these issues and then told our people to study the issues and vote the Bible. I then closed by stating that as an American and as a Christian, I would be casting my ballot for Sen. McCain.
Thank you for your time. Keep up the good work and may God Bless America!!
With much Respect and Sincerity,
Paul K. Blair
