rbcbob
Puritan Board Graduate
I have noted with a surprised sadness a number of those who seem to be entrenched in justifying rebellion which God has so clearly condemned. The abiding imperatives of the Lord are, it seems, set at naught in order to hold to an imagined and cherished right.
Even those who grudgingly acknowledge that these commands should usually be followed the ever lurking subjective trump card of “my case isn’t covered by this biblical principal. Our situation is extraordinary!”
As I noted in post #40,
Cromwell thought, as do all revolutionaries, that his circumstances were extraordinary and therefore provided an exception to the rules which rightfully bind others. He professed to be a Christian and, though there may be evidence to call such a profession into question, there is yet indication that he desired to obey God. He was familiar with his bible and sought to order his life by its precepts. He seems not to have understood the apostle Paul who asked and why not say, let us do evil that goood may come? as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
As one of Cromwell's biographers noted:
No doubt there are errors [in Cromwell] 'It is lawful for the lesser party, when in the right to force the majority, Cromwell says. But where is the lesser party the minority, that does not think it is right?
I note with thankfulness that several of you have demonstrated a spirit of willingness to seriously consider bringing long cherished views to the bar of Scripture and change if need be.
Others however have more or less said that plain sense of these passages does not mean what is clearly said. May I say that merely asserting that they can’t or don’t mean that will not do. Apart from one very untenable interpretation of Romans 13 there has been no genuine effort to demonstrate that these verses (Rom 13; 1 Pet 2) do not forbid rebellion against the authorities established by God. Indeed it requires standing the Scriptures on their head to attempt it.
May I appeal to those of you who will give an account of those sheep under your watch-care. Be very sure that you ground them in the truth of these passages. We will give an account to the Chief Shepherd for what they do with them, having trusted us with rightly handling the Word.
And we may ere long (may God spare us) be put to the test in our own land. Sooner or later, whether in our generation or that of our offspring, a cry will ring out in the streets and passions will run high. What will be the response of God’s people?
Allow me to say that none of this is abstract or theoretical to me. Our brethren in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan (where two dear friends of mine were martyred nearly two years ago), China (where dear friends of mine are now risking their lives), and in many, many other nations, regimes, and forms of government are reading the same bible as you and me, attempting to take the same principles and apply them consistently in every diverse setting.
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.
Psalm 119:161 Princes persecute me without a cause, But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
Matthew 15:4 "For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' 5 "But you say, [you can insert here your own exception clause] 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- 6 'then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
1 Peter 2:13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men -- 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
Some of you will likely be offended at my words. I fear it cannot be helped. I will love you still. And I pledge to pray for you still.
In the bonds of Christian love,
Even those who grudgingly acknowledge that these commands should usually be followed the ever lurking subjective trump card of “my case isn’t covered by this biblical principal. Our situation is extraordinary!”
As I noted in post #40,
Cromwell thought, as do all revolutionaries, that his circumstances were extraordinary and therefore provided an exception to the rules which rightfully bind others. He professed to be a Christian and, though there may be evidence to call such a profession into question, there is yet indication that he desired to obey God. He was familiar with his bible and sought to order his life by its precepts. He seems not to have understood the apostle Paul who asked and why not say, let us do evil that goood may come? as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just.
As one of Cromwell's biographers noted:
No doubt there are errors [in Cromwell] 'It is lawful for the lesser party, when in the right to force the majority, Cromwell says. But where is the lesser party the minority, that does not think it is right?
I note with thankfulness that several of you have demonstrated a spirit of willingness to seriously consider bringing long cherished views to the bar of Scripture and change if need be.
Others however have more or less said that plain sense of these passages does not mean what is clearly said. May I say that merely asserting that they can’t or don’t mean that will not do. Apart from one very untenable interpretation of Romans 13 there has been no genuine effort to demonstrate that these verses (Rom 13; 1 Pet 2) do not forbid rebellion against the authorities established by God. Indeed it requires standing the Scriptures on their head to attempt it.
May I appeal to those of you who will give an account of those sheep under your watch-care. Be very sure that you ground them in the truth of these passages. We will give an account to the Chief Shepherd for what they do with them, having trusted us with rightly handling the Word.
And we may ere long (may God spare us) be put to the test in our own land. Sooner or later, whether in our generation or that of our offspring, a cry will ring out in the streets and passions will run high. What will be the response of God’s people?
Allow me to say that none of this is abstract or theoretical to me. Our brethren in Iran, Iraq, Pakistan (where two dear friends of mine were martyred nearly two years ago), China (where dear friends of mine are now risking their lives), and in many, many other nations, regimes, and forms of government are reading the same bible as you and me, attempting to take the same principles and apply them consistently in every diverse setting.
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things My hand has made, And all those things exist," Says the LORD. "But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.
Psalm 119:161 Princes persecute me without a cause, But my heart stands in awe of Your word.
Matthew 15:4 "For God commanded, saying, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.' 5 "But you say, [you can insert here your own exception clause] 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever profit you might have received from me is a gift to God" -- 6 'then he need not honor his father or mother.' Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition. 7 "Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: 8 'These people draw near to Me with their mouth, And honor Me with their lips, But their heart is far from Me.
1 Peter 2:13 Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as supreme, 14 or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men -- 16 as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God. 17 Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.
Some of you will likely be offended at my words. I fear it cannot be helped. I will love you still. And I pledge to pray for you still.
In the bonds of Christian love,
