The Christian and His Vote - Part 3 Governmental Issues and Social Issues Selected Scriptures Presented Live on October 14, 2018

Transcription

1 Week #3 The Christian and His Vote - Part 3 Governmental Issues and Social Issues Selected Scriptures Presented Live on October 14, 2018 I. Introduction and review A. We have been studying how, as Christians we should cast our votes B. We have determined that we should vote for the candidate whose principles and positions most closely line up with those found in Scripture 1. The Scriptures provide us guidance as to this 2. 2 Timothy 3:17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work C. First we considered five economic principles 1. The right to own private property 2. The right to pursue your own economic self interest 3. The proper view on the obligation to provide charity 4. Allowing the family to retain what it has accumulated 5. Opposition to excessive national debt D. Then we considered five governmental principles and have two more left to consider 1. The proper view on compassion 2. Recognition of the truth concerning global warming 3. Our obligation of environmental stewardship 4. Limitations on governmental power Page 1 of 8

2 II. 5. The need for capital punishment E. Today we will consider the final two governmental principles, which are: 1. The right to keep and bear arms 2. The selection of righteous jurists F. And once considered, we will move on to six social issues 1. Legal protection for the unborn? 2. Legal protection for the elderly? 3. Hetero-sexual monogamous marriage as the standard for society? 4. Parental authority over children? 5. Recognition of the family unit as the basic building block of society 6. Public expressions of Christianity? Right to keep and bear arms A. Consider the first ten amendments to the constitution, they all have opposing sides that is the desires and interests of the first side in juxtaposition to the desires and interests of the other side, consider 1. The First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. 2. The Fourth Amendment: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. 3. The Fifth Amendment: No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of War or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. B. The Second Amendment: A well regulated Militia, being necessary Page 2 of 8

3 to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. 1. Militia a body of citizen soldiers as distinguished from professional soldiers 2. Regulated to control or direct by a rule, principle, method, etc. 3. Infringe to commit a breach or infraction of; violate or transgress 4. A well regulated Militia a. What good are the protections of the other amendments unless they can be protected by an armed citizenry b. If the Second Amendment is abolished, the rights granted us in the other amendments are all in jeopardy 5. Necessary to the security of a free State a. Against a foreign power b. Against tyranny at home c. Against recalcitrant local governments d. Against criminals and lawless mobs 6. The right... shall not be infringed a. Violated in any way b. If this right can be violated in one small aspect, it can then be violated in any other aspect C. Granville Sharp was an Englishman who was an expert in the Greek language and its translation 1. He developed the Granville Sharp rule relating to the definite article being used with compound nouns 2. He sought the abolition of the slave trade and fought for other related human rights issues 3. No Englishman can be truly loyal who opposed the principles of English law whereby the people are required to have arms of defence in peace, for mutual as well as private defence. The laws of England always required the people to be armed, and not only armed, but to be expert in arms. D. Mr. Justice Joseph Story was a associate, Supreme Court justice from 1812 to 1845 (during the Marshall Court) 1. He wrote a commentary on the Constitution of the United States and the first ten amendments thereto 2. That commentary provides as follows: The next amendment is: A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The importance of this article will scarcely be doubted by any persons, who have duly reflected Page 3 of 8

4 upon the subject The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium (anything believed to provide protection or safety) of the liberties of a republic... Since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them There is certainly no small danger, that indifference may lead to disgust, and disgust to contempt; and thus gradually undermine all the protection intended by this clause of our national bill of rights E. Should Christians claim that it is proper for them to own, be proficient in, and be prepared to use, firearms and other weapons? 1. What did Elijah do on mount Carmel? a. 1 Kings 18:40 Then Elijah said to them, Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape. So they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew them there. b. In the book of Esther chapters 8 & 9 the Jewish people were given the right to defend themselves if attached by the followers of Haman c. God used the weapons and the people of Israel to destroy the Canaanites as a divine judgment, when they entered the promised land 2. But doesn t the New Testament speak much differently about owning and bearing arms, for example remember what Jesus said to Peter 3. Matthew 26:52 Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. a. But there was a reason for that, it was a unique situation b. The Church was not to be founded on the sword but on sacrifice c. Jesus was drawing a key distinction between Christianity and Islam d. But does that mean that Jesus is against weapons and their use in our protection? e. Consider what He said in Luke to His disciples 4. But consider Luke 8:16-18 Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. 17 "For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come Page 4 of 8

5 III. IV. to light. 18 "So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him." a. Why did Jesus send the disciples out like that? b. What were they to learn? c. Isn t that why He told them not to take provisions? d. Now consider the next time 5. Luke 22:35-38 And He said to them, "When I sent you out without money belt and bag and sandals, you did not lack anything, did you?" They said, "No, nothing." 36 And He said to them, "But now, whoever has a money belt is to take it along, likewise also a bag, and whoever has no sword is to sell his coat and buy one. 37 "For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, 'AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS'; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment." 38 They said, "Lord, look, here are two swords." And He said to them, "It is enough." 6. It teaches that you have the right and the obligation to be prepared to mount a reasonable defense of your family, your property and your nation. The selection of righteous jurists A. What is God s view on judges? B. The supreme judge is God 1. Genesis 18:25 Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly? 2. Ecclesiastes 3:17 I said to myself, God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man, for a time for every matter and for every deed is there. C. We should select righteous judges 1. Exodus 18:15-16 Moses said to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 "When they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbor and make known the statutes of God and His laws." 2. Exodus 18:21 "Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens. 3. Proverbs 31:9 Open your mouth, judge righteously, And defend the rights of the afflicted and needy. Social issues and principles A. Legal protection for the unborn? Page 5 of 8

6 1. I believe the Scripture teaches that abortion is murder, and therefore a violation of God s law a. But could there be those who are listening to me who have had or participated in an abortion b. Should they see themselves a murderers? c. If the answer to that question is yes, they should consider three men d. These men were some of the most used of God in history e. They are Moses, David and Paul f. All of them were murderers 2. So what does God say about the unborn? a. Genesis 25:23 The LORD said to her, "Two nations are in your womb; And two peoples will be separated from your body; And one people shall be stronger than the other; And the older shall serve the younger." b. Psalm 127:3 Behold, children are a gift of the LORD, The fruit of the womb is a reward. c. Psalm 139:13-18 For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them. 17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You. d. Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, And before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." e. Luke 1:41 When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. (1) bre,foj brephos Meaning: an unborn or a newborn child (2) Luke 2:16 So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. (3) There is no distinction between born and unborn f. That same lack of distinction is seen again in Luke 19:43-44 Page 6 of 8

7 (1) Luke 19:43-44 "For the days will come upon you when your enemies will throw up a barricade against you, and surround you and hem you in on every side, 44 and they will level you to the ground and your children within you, and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not recognize the time of your visitation." (2) The fulfilment of this prophecy was corroborated by Josephus in his writings as to what happened to the people of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. (3) te,knon teknon Meaning: a child (of either sex) (4) 1 Corinthians 4:17 For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, who is my beloved and faithful child in the Lord, and he will remind you of my ways which are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church. 3. If you remember our government was set up such that the Federal government had about 20 enumerated powers and all other powers and authority was reserved by the Tenth Amendment to the States and the people a. But in 1973 the Supreme Court found a new power which had been previously unknown b. Writing for a 7 to 2 majority, Mr. Justice Blackmun found that the Constitution afforded citizens the right of privacy c. This right would protect a woman from the state governments who had ruled that it was illegal to have an abortion d. The opinion of Mr. Justice Blackmun found that killing is not an issue as to this question because life does not begin until at or about the time of birth e. In all of the years of American jurisprudence, no court had ever recognized or found that there is a right of privacy set out or enumerated in the Constitution before f. It was a decision without precedent and without basis 4. What we have here is a cultural war pitting the quality of life versus the sanctity of life a. One view considers or measures the quality of a life to determine its value b. While the second view claims that all life has equal value B. Legal protection for the elderly? 1. Leviticus 19:32 'You shall rise up before the grayheaded and honor the aged, and you shall revere your God; I am the LORD. 2. Pagan societies always seem to target two people groups Page 7 of 8

8 a. They are the most vulnerable b. The unborn and the elderly c. See Deuteronomy 28:49-50 The LORD will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as the eagle swoops down, a nation whose language you shall not understand, 50 a nation of fierce countenance who will have no respect for the old, nor show favor to the young. V. A Final Thought A. Politics, government and voting seem to be a setting for a lot of behind the scenes maneuvering, hidden actions or inactions, and promises made or extracted in secret 1. Most who participate in those activities believe that no one will ever know 2. Who can know the thoughts and true intentions of a persons heart, they might say 3. But is that true? Consider: B. Luke 8:16-17 Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. 1. We should view this promise/warning not with the view of what others, whom we consider to be nefarious, have done or are doing 2. But instead we should consider what we have done and are planning to do Did you know that we passed 5,000 Listens to lessons on our Podbean site? & Believer s Bible Class, & Douglas W. Brady Page 8 of 8