[Below is an overture that I just submitted to my presbytery (the Ohio Presbytery, PCA) for consideration at their meeting this coming Saturday.]
Whereas,
- this body represents the Lord Jesus and the members of PCA churches in the central and northern regions of Ohio;
- the word of God has the power to act as a civil restraint; and
- the Ohio Senate as a body has acted contrary to the Word of God in not protecting human life created in the image of God as evidenced by their delaying the vote for and passage of the Heartbeat Bill, which would prevent abortions the moment a heartbeat is detected and so save thousands of innocents a year in our state;
Therefore, let it be resolved that the Ohio Presbytery
publicly rebuke and admonish her esteemed state senators by sending the
attached letter to…
- Instruct them in the rightful duty of public officers to act as God’s ministers to protect her citizenry;
- Call them to repent of their dilatory attitudes in regards to the Heartbeat Bill and this vital matter of rightfully preserving the lives of unborn Ohioans who are created in the image of God,
- Direct them to demonstrate this penitence by swiftly bringing to the floor and unanimously passing the Heartbeat Bill.
To our Esteemed Senators, February
4, 2012
We, the members and
representatives of the Ohio Presbytery, do greet you in the strong Name of our
Lord and King, Jesus Christ. We also send
you our deepest regards and express our great appreciation for your faithful service
to the people of Ohio.
Nevertheless, it is with
great grief that we write to you today.
For we understand that the lives of unborn children are lost daily
because you delay in bringing to the floor the legislation known as Heartbeat
Bill.
The Word of God clearly
indicates that it is the duty of public magistrates to do all that is within
their power to protect and preserve the lives of the people under their
authority. While it is your duty to
uphold justice for all who reside within the boundaries of this state, it is
especially incumbent upon you to maintain the cause of those citizens who are
the weakest and most fail.
We, the elders and ministers
of Christ’s church, wish to remind you of this charge that God has bestowed
upon you. Moreover, we send this message
to you today as a public rebuke for your dilatory acts on this vital piece of
legislation.
On this the fourth day of
February in the year of our Lord 2012, we call you to repent of your slothful
attitudes in regards to this bill and your negligence towards those children
who are daily being killed. We do summons
you to show this penitent spirit by ceasing to delay the vote on and passage of
the Heartbeat Bill.
You must remember that the
King of Kings holds the men of earth accountable for their actions. He will by no means permit the guilt of
bloodshed to go unpunished. Therefore it
is incumbent upon you, our senators, to fulfill your divinely appointed calling
by seeing to it that innocent blood is no longer spilt.
You may be assured that the
Judge of the earth is good and abundant in mercy. When men turn from evil and do what is right
in His eyes, He prolongs their days and feeds them with gladness. He promises kindness to those who fear Him
and restores the fortunes of those who seek his face.
Be it then resolved in your
hearts that you heed this admonition and uphold the commandments of God. Cease to sin against Him any longer and do
that which is right.
With deepest affection,
The Members and Representatives
of the churches belonging to Christ
in the Ohio Presbytery
10 comments:
**“Instruct them in the rightful duty of public officers to act as God’s ministers to protect her citizenry”**
No Constitutional basis for this whatsoever.
Where in the world do you get the idea elected or appointed government officials are (ordained?) “Ministers” of the presumably Christian God??
**“We, the members and representatives of the Ohio Presbytery, do greet you in the strong Name of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.”**
The founders themselves might have laughed this one right out of the hall as the U.S. government doesn’t recognize any Titles of Royalty (“King” “Lord” etc…) within the domestic borders of our country…
**”For we understand that the lives of unborn children are lost daily because you delay in bringing to the floor the legislation known as Heartbeat Bill.”**
No, the lives of children are “lost” daily because individual citizens are either ignorant of, or unprepared to handle the consequences of human sexual activity….
For the previous atheistic commentor: If you do not believe the Bible, then you would not care about Romans 13, in which public servants are indeed acting as ministers of God concerning the judicial system and punishing evil. The Founders certainly would not have laughed about the name of the Lord Jesus, as the Constitution was signed by all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, one of their mottoes during the revolutionary War was "No King but King Jesus," and they themselves declared that any law contrary to the Scriptures was not a valid law, as they said that God's word was our highest law. I suppose, as is the case with most who speak as you do, that you are quite unfamiliar with the Founders and their writings. Finally, our politicians are obligated to protect the lives of its citizens, which includes the lives of those little babies still growing the mother's womb. Why would godless liberals think it is right to punish an innocent baby because of the disregard of the parent?
To the author of the blog: How much better would it have been to have such a rebuke signed by Christian leaders of the state rather than by one divided denomination?
Your last sentence in the first paragraph of the rebuke should not begin with "For" (one should not begin a sentence with a preposition. Simply put a comma after "today" from the previous sentence and change the "F" in "For" to a lower case "f." The last word in your second sentence of the rebuke should be "frail" rather than "fail."
While it is good to see Christian leaders finally trying to impact society, I wonder why they pick only certain issues. Why not a rebuke to condemn homosexuality? Why not a rebuke of the legislature for protecting common law marriage (living together in sin)? Why not a rebuke to condemn welfare spending? Why not a rebuke of the citizens concerning drug use, alcohol, speeding, etc. I know it is easy for ministers to oppose abortion, as it increasingly popular to do so, but why not have a public forum by your denomination (since you seem to prefer that over the body of Christ) condemning our culture for tolerating and supporting immorality such as common law marriage, premarital sexual relations, homosexuality, etc.? Why do you only address this single issue? Is this the only sin in Ohio? Why not a rebuke of your denomination for promoting its own doctrine and its own denomination over rather than the full body of Christ?
Previous poster –
The name “Jesus Christ” appears nowhere in the U.S. Constitution, and Romans Chapter 13 is hardly considered a U.S. governmental document, law or regulation.
Neither are Religious tests of “scriptural soundness” ever used in crafting or passing legislation.
Another falsehood - The slogan “No king but King Jesus” WAS NOT used in the U.S. Revolutionary war but during the English monarchical rebellion more than a century previous! It similar tone to the Islamacist lunatic cry “No God But God!” should also be noted…
Finally – “Why would godless liberals think it is right to punish an innocent baby because of the disregard of the parent?”
”Godless liberals” DO NOT make the decision to “punish” (abort) an unborn child – individual citizens do…..
As supposed, one can tell that the atheistic commentor is unfamiliar with the writings of the Founding Fathers. I suppose he cannot name any of the writings that he has read. Rather, they use the typical godless liberal rant that the name of Jesus does not appear in the Constitution (not realizing that it is not a religious document--which is even more surprising to see so many references to the Bible, God, and Jesus in so many other of the thousands of writings of our Founders). While the atheistic NEA educated commentator may be proficient in copying and pasting from an anti-God website, he is assuredly unfamiliar with true American history. For example, "“No King but King Jesus” and similar phrases were similar cries among the Patriots. So strongly was this sentiment voiced, and from so early a time, that it was even brought up in a session of the British Parliament. On April 26, 1774, when the House of Commons was debating a bill concerning how the British government should regulate the government of Massachusetts,
Sir Richard Sutton read a copy of the letter, relative to the government of America, from a governor in America, to the board of trade, shewing that, at the most quiet times, the dispositions to oppose the laws of this country were strongly ingrafted in them, and that all their actions conveyed a spirit and wish for independence. If you ask an American who is his master? he will tell you he has none, nor any governor but Jesus Christ. I do believe it, and it is my firm opinion, that the opposition to the measures of the legislature of this country, is a determined prepossession of the idea of total independence." That was likely not on the anti-God, anti-American website from which you copied and pasted.
If you do not want God in America today, simply say so, like most godless liberals, but you certainly cannot eliminate Him from our past, as He is all over that. In fact, one must be worse than an infidel to not recognize God's hand in helping America during the Revolutionary War--at least that is what George Washington said, and I suppose he knows more about it than a modern liberal NEA-educated atheist.
I suppose you are unfamiliar with the writings of (and likely of the men themselves) John Jay, John Witherspoon, Patrick Henry, Charles Carroll, Benjamin Rush, Gouvernor Morris, etc. I suppose you have never read the writings of our Founders, now have you? If so, which have you read? If you had even read the Constitution, you would know that it was signed in the name of our Lord, and that Congress was not to meet on the Lord's Day. If you were even familiar with the Declaration of Independence, you would see references to our Creator. If you had read the Federalist Papers or the Debates of the Federal Constitutional Convention, you would most certainly see the familiarity our Founders had with and high regard they had for the Scriptures and the God of Israel.
Charles Carroll said, " Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure...are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments."
James Madison said, “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We’ve staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”
Much more could be said, but it suffices to show that anyone who is at all familiar with the writings of our Founders would not make such hateful, anti-God comments and untruths regarding our Founders and true American history. Did you know that General George Washington even ordered his men not to take God's name in vain? I hope you will take some time to actually read the writings of our Founders rather than continue to copy and paste from your anti-God, anti-American websites. Also, can you name even one godless liberal who opposes abortion?
You're playing the usual rhetoric-slinging, and quote-mining contest.
Nobody has copied and pasted from any "anti-God/anti-American" websites(unless you count your own as such);<)
You ARE aware the following supposed quote is completely baseless and has never been sourced??.....
QUOTE**"James Madison said, “We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We’ve staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.”**
..and is likely the creative writing fabrication of a guy named David Barton, sometime in the 1980's??
The atheistic commentor again failed to inform us of which of the Founders' writings he has read from which he has learned that they were secular atheists and deists. Please tell us all of the writings of the Founders that you have read, for you fail to remember any of the thousands of comments by our Founders explaining their dependence upon the Bible and the God of the Bible--and upon their Redeemer, Jesus Christ. As with most NEA educated godless liberals, I suppose that this one will not list any, for if he were familiar with the Founders, he would not speak as he does. For example, Who knows whether or not we shall have another Rehoboam? Or what about, We have forgotten the God who raises up and casts down nations? Or what about, Any law contrary to the word of God is not a valid law, for God's word is our highest law? Certainly you would have seen such quotes if you had even read a basic writing like the Federalist Papers. Will you tell us from which of the Founders' writings you acquired your history? Thank you.
**”The atheistic commentor again failed to inform us of which of the Founders' writings he has read from which he has learned that they were secular atheists and deists.”**
Sorry, I made no claim of classifying theological categories for any founding fathers, and cited no sources.
**”Please tell us all of the writings of the Founders that you have read, for you fail to remember any of the thousands of comments by our Founders explaining their dependence upon the Bible and the God of the Bible--and upon their Redeemer, Jesus Christ.”**
I’ve read most all of them, regurgitated second hand, usually promoting some Christian Revisionist position. Many of them are genuine, some are outright frauds and most all ignore context (hint: they were uttered for political purposes, usually to curry favor w/ church organizarions). ;<)
**”As with most NEA educated godless liberals, I suppose that this one will not list any, for if he were familiar with the Founders, he would not speak as he does. For example, Who knows whether or not we shall have another Rehoboam?**
Sorry I have no idea what pondering “another Rehoboam” has to do w/ American history or government……???? Founding fathers spoke Yiddish??? You’ve got me w/ that one……
Btw – I attended private Christian Schools. ;<)
**”Or what about, We have forgotten the God who raises up and casts down nations? Or what about, Any law contrary to the word of God is not a valid law, for God's word is our highest law? Certainly you would have seen such quotes if you had even read a basic writing like the Federalist Papers. Will you tell us from which of the Founders' writings you acquired your history? Thank you.”**
The two rhetorical questions you cited are NOT QUOTES……but…
A. “We have forgotten the God who raises up and casts down nations?
B. “Any law contrary to the word of God is not a valid law, for God's word is our highest law?”
…You can source these (A & B) to The Federalist papers???? I’m all ears from Missouri!! Show me!!
That is funny, godless atheist! I knew you had not read any of the writings of our Founders. Why read them second-hand by way of Christian revisionists, as you claim, or by liberal professors? Why not read them for yourself and see what they said, as you will easily see that they spoke often of God and America's dependence upon Him. Have you actually read any of the actual writings of our Founders, or is all of your supposed learning all second hand? The statement about Rehoboam was from the Debates of the Federalist Constitutional Convention when the Founders were discussing term limits for the President. Yes--it is a Biblical reference and the Founders understood it. The statement about the God who raises up and casts down nations was from a speech that Benjamin Franklin made at the Constitutional Convention (which can also be found in the above-mentioned book--you would like his speech. That alone will show that much of what you learned second hand is not true). And yes, the discussion that any law contrary to the word of God is not a valid law is from Alexander Hamilton in the Federalist Papers (quoted below). Perhaps you will recognize the phrase, the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God from the Declaration of Independence":
"Good and wise men, in all ages, have embraced a very dissimilar theory. They have supposed, that the deity, from the relations, we stand in, to himself and to each other, has constituted an eternal and immutable law, which is, indispensibly, obligatory upon all mankind, prior to any human institution whatever.
This is what is called the law of nature, “which, being coeval with mankind, and dictated by God himself, is, of course, superior in obligation to any other. It is binding over all the globe, in all countries, and at all times. No human laws are of any validity, if contrary to this; and such of them as are valid, derive all their authority, mediately, or immediately, from this original.”
Upon this law, depend the natural rights of mankind, the supreme being gave existence to man, together with the means of preserving and beatifying that existence. He endowed him with rational faculties, by the help of which, to discern and pursue such things, as were consistent with his duty and interest, and invested him with an inviolable right to personal liberty, and personal safety."
Godless atheistic commentator--I hope you are really interested in truth, for then you will read the primary sources--the actual writings of our Founders--and you will learn much that you were not taught in school. If a typical godless liberal, though, you will reject the quotes and evidence, refuse to read the Founders' own writings, and remain content rejecting and denying truth because you love darkness rather than light. I hope you are not a typical godless atheist in that you really are interested in seeking truth.
Yikes – you almost sound as if “you were there!” and had personal acquaintance with these historical figures! Plus your own hysterical name-calling (“Godless atheist!” etc..)
I very much doubt your own genuineness & honesty in seeming to make these claims from your own experience.
Now you claim:
Quote:**” I knew you had not read any of the writings of our Founders. Why read them second-hand by way of Christian revisionists, as you claim, or by liberal professors? Why not read them for yourself and see what they said, as you will easily see that they spoke often of God and America's dependence upon Him. Have you actually read any of the actual writings of our Founders, or is all of your supposed learning all second hand?”
I assume you are referring to (easily obtained!) original editions, and not commentary or critique?? No problem. Yes I have. It’s VERY DULL ARCHAIC STUFF (imho).
Keep in mind the written records of the Constitutional convention were recorded “on the fly” by a VERY BUSY James Madison – there was NO official appointed record-keeper to the event!
I’d also appreciate if you could lead me to the original writing of James Madison where he made his great, bold pronouncement concerning America’s staking it’s destiny and the Ten Commandments!! Do you think you could you do that for me?? I'd really appreciate! :<)
[crickets chirping].......Gosh, Matt - still can't seem to find any firsthand, original source for America staking it's future on the ten commandments according to Madison.....may need some help!!!!!....<:0
Post a Comment