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Analysis Books Politics Teachings The Bible The Savior The World

Law, Liberty, and The Lord: Comparing the Bible to U.S. Laws

Christianity is too judgmental, too strict.  We must drop such dogma if we are to live as free people in a just society.  You have heard this said before.  You may have thought it yourself.  This impression is false and easily disproved by a simple comparison of the words in the Bible vs. the collection of documents that define United States law.

The Bible, Obamacare, Taxes, and US Code compared

Suddenly the Bible does not seem to be such an oppressive rule book after all, especially when considering this chart does not account for many federal regulations, state laws, city ordinances, etc.  Some point to the dietary laws penned by Moses as an example of invasive restrictions on personal freedom.  This seems to be a reasonable argument until you look at Title 21 of the U.S. Code which governs food and drugs.  It has 699,440 words.  Moses only managed to write 174,733 words in the Bible during his entire 120 years on Earth!  The FDA certainly has a lot more “thou shalt nots” limiting dietary freedom than God ever passed down to the Jews.

The same holds true for many other aspects of our lives from the time we brush our teeth to driving to and from work to watching TV at night.  All of these activities are regulated, monitored, and controlled to one degree or another by one or more federal agencies somewhere along the line.

The Source and Justification for Laws

Before going further, we would be wise to understand the reasons that we write laws to begin with.  Consider the words of Frederick Bastiat in his masterful book, The Law:

Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws.  On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place…Each of us has a natural right – from God – to defend his person, his liberty, and his property.

[amazon asin=1440446458&template=iframe image] Those things which we have a natural right to defend are those which originate from our Creator.  Therefore, the words God has spoken to us in the Bible should be the foundation of our laws which protect those gifts.  Then, how do we end up with so many statutes which extend far beyond this intent?  Paul writes in 1 Timothy 1:8, “But we know that the law is good, if a man use it lawfully.”  When we step away from the biblical basis of natural law, we begin to use it improperly.  The law fails when we turn its intent toward what Bastiat describes as “stupid greed and false philanthropy.”

We have attempted to force “false philanthropy” upon our society through legal plunder – the use of force to deny a person’s right to their property.  As evidence, the longest section of the U.S. Code is the one dealing with health and welfare.  It is over 8 million words which makes it longer than the entire tax code and associated regulations combined.  Surely it is noble to take care of the needy and sickly, but it is unjust to forcibly confiscate someone else’s money to do so.  Religion accomplishes the same task through genuine charity which is not given out of duty, obligation, or force (2 Cor 9:7).  In this and many other ways, the Christian worldview is the antidote (not the source) of injustice or oppression.

Legalism and Grace

When preachers step forward to explain these principles and call us to adhere to God’s standards, some will object that it’s too legalistic.  But, the same folks will not cry “legalism!” when the IRS comes to enforce tax laws which are three and a half times the size of scripture.  It might be easy to jest at this hypocrisy, but it raises a useful point.  Is it reasonable to expect anyone to fully comply with a set of laws so voluminous we can’t even manage to read them let alone understand and follow them to the letter?  Certainly not, and here the faithful critic of legalism is correct to point out our utter inability to live a sinless life (Rom 3:12).

If we fail to follow every rule and regulation codified in U.S. law, we may experience little or no consequence.  Even if we are to commit the most heinous of crimes, our sentence may only be the death of our earthly bodies.  In contrast, God administers eternal and infinitely more severe consequences for breaking just one of his commandments.  This may be one reason that biblical guidelines are seen as less forgiving than federal laws.

While more and more people are beginning to fear our government, our deeper fear is of the one who can destroy both our body and soul in Hell (Matt 10:28).  The natural desire is to ignore or deny this existence of Hell, hoping it will squash our fear.  Why would God set up such severe punishment? Does he hate us? No. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son (John 3:16) to pay the debt we owe so we won’t have to suffer this awful fate.

This is how a righteous judge can also offer us the kind of liberty and peace that can be found nowhere else but in the salvation of Jesus Christ.  When we approach God in repentance and ask forgiveness, it is freely granted.  Ask the same of Homeland Security when you forget to leave a pocket knife in the car at the airport and you’ll find out just how “forgiving” our government can be.

It is time to recognize that when we look to God’s instructions we can be free; when we pile regulations on top of laws built on the wrong foundation, we are crushed under the weight of government power.  If we are to find freedom, let us heed the words in Galatians 5:1:

Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

 

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Books Personal stories Politics The Christian The World

Review: Christian Pacifism: Fruit of the Narrow Way

“Godless liberal socialists” clearly differ from “religious right-wingers” on the subject of war. The evangelical voting base of the Republican Party finds this so important that even the most fiscally responsible constitutionalist is marginalized as the “crazy uncle” due mostly to his non-interventionist foreign policy. Author Michael Snow argues against our stereotypical politics in Christian Pacifism: Fruit of the Narrow Way showing from a personal, historical, and theological perspective that the biblical position is far from hawkish as we’d assume in this era of preemptive war.

A Personal Connection

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Snow connects with readers early on with his personal story about  serving as a Marine with a dream of becoming a pilot.  He ultimately washed out from causes out of his control, perhaps an answer to his prayer: “Lord, don’t let me get so caught up in flying that I forget about people.”  His descriptions of training echo my own from the Air Force Academy, most notably when describing the level of mistrust displayed toward soon-to-be decision-makers.

One stand-out event was the Kent State shooting which took place the year he graduated college and entered the military.  During pilot training, his commanding officer referred to the incident and made it clear to the class they may someday fly missions against similar “revolutionaries.”  Snow vividly illustrates other experiences which shaped his move toward pacifism, each of which were at odds with the Christian concept of a loving attitude toward fellow men and women.

From here, he sets the foundation for his basic argument: that God’s universal love is at odds with the dehumanizing effects of war.  Snow summarizes this beautifully in his counter-argument for “humanitarian” war:

Here, I believe, is a key to Christian discussion about warfare: abstractions take precedence over concern for individual human lives.  When such priorities govern us, a dreadful condition prevails.  We cry, “We will save you!”, sanctify ourselves, and commence a mission of destruction.

The abstractions he discusses include arguments very similar to Edmund Burke’s well-known quote:

The only thing necessary for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing.

Snow rightly points out that we are quick to turn to militaristic options for fighting said evil versus more loving means such as humanitarian aid, though he is not clear on how such aid could be carried out in countries ruled by oppressive dictators.

Theological Arguments Against Warmongering

The author does not limit his persuasion tactics to emotional appeal and anecdotes alone.  He tackles the ingrained yet mistaken assumption that God’s protection of Israel and battle directives in the Old Testament amount to an endorsement of war.  He points out facts from these stories that are often forgotten, such as when God prohibits David from building the temple due to his bloodshed (1 Chron 28:2-3).  Or, consider Deut 1:21-46 which recounts Israel’s disobedience to God’s command not to take up arms in possessing the land of Canaan. They were driven out, destined for 40 years in the wilderness and threats of war on their people from then on.

The New Testament lends itself more obviously to a “turn the other cheek” perspective.  Pro-war theologians do find some passages which appear to support their case which Snow dismisses perhaps too quickly.  Jesus’ praise for the Roman Centurion’s faith absent a rebuke of his profession, his command in Luke 22:36 to buy a sword, and his statement in Matthew 10:34 that the Messiah comes not to bring peace, but a sword are notable examples.  Still, Snow finds thorough support elsewhere for pacifist principles which more than balance out his relatively thin treatment of the above arguments.

A Brief History Lesson

Mr. Snow introduced me to his book by way of a blog post on the Anabaptist Schleitheim Confession, which reads (in part):

The worldlings are armed with steel and iron, but the Christians are armed with the armor of God, with truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation and the Word of God.

This shows that at least as far back as 1527 when the Swiss Brethren Conference adopted this confession that Christians took exception to serving in a military capacity.  Snow’s book adds to this history by surveying  The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, writings by church fathers Athenagorus and Tertullian, and A Short History of Christianity – all of which clearly indicate Christian resistance to taking up the sword.

Important Distinction: Defense vs. Offense

One distinction this book does not treat adequately is the difference between offensive and defensive war.  This might be excused  since prior to the initial publication in 1981 of Christian Pacifism, America was a stranger to the doctrine of preemptive military operations, better described as wars of aggression.  The 30th anniversary edition does not correct this inadequacy, however.

It is an important distinction to make since early Christian theological heavyweights find no conflict with waging war on a limited, well-justified basis.  Typical criteria include a measured response to provocation, reasonable chance of success, ensuring war is an absolute last resort, and guidance on the conduct and treatment of combatants.  Unlike the author, I am not fully convinced that all war is at odds with the Bible unless one can show from Scripture that Aquinas, et. al. are wrong on these points.

Even so, as every war which America has waged in recent history has clearly violated these criteria, it may make no difference whether we argue against all war (as this book does) or simply “unjust” war.  The final analysis puts proper theology at odds with our country’s actions either way.

The Ultimate Solution

The author is clearly influenced by Quakers but does not spend time on any doctrinal distinctions.  Snow frequently proposes we feed the hungry with the resources we put toward fighting battles, but does not expound the theological root of this thinking outside of loving our fellow humans.  Some Quakers preach that we are currently in the Millennium and have a responsibility toward social justice; others look toward a future fulfillment of prophecy through the bodily resurrection of Saints and the Second Coming of Christ.

It is this Second Coming which culminates the war to end all wars at the Battle of Armageddon.  Whether or not Christians choose serve in a military capacity or show support foreign wars between now and then, we will certainly fight alongside our Lord Jesus Christ to finally vanquish Satan and the forces of evil in this world.

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Books History The World

Adam’s Chart of History

Adam's Chart of History

Anyone with even a passing interest in history should take a look at Adam’s Synchronological Chart or Map of History.What appears at first to be a simple 21-page coffee table book actually folds out as an incredibly detailed chart that’s over 25 feet long!  It covers world history from the dawn of creation through the late 19th century when the book was first published by Sebastian Adams.

He based this detailed chart on the work of Archbishop James Ussher’s Annals of the World which itself is an icon of Christian historical research.  I am glad to see it has not faded into the darkness of an old, dusty library. Instead, New Leaf publishing has reproduced it and introduces the work in this video:

If you don’t already own a full timeline of history, this is the one to add to your library.  For the “try before you buy” folks, you can download a teeny-tiny version of it as a PDF to get a flavor for it. (Note: I’m not paid by any publisher, I just happen to really love this book!)

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Books Hermeneutics/ Exegesis Prophecy The Bible The Last Days The Savior Theology

Isaac Newton’s Extensive Theological Writings

Isaac Newton is renowned as one of the greatest scientists of all time, but many are not aware that he spent more time writing about theology than about physics.  Now you can see digitized versions of his biblical commentaries thanks to the Israeli Library.

via JERUSALEM: Israeli library uploads Newton’s theological texts | Health & Science | CentreDaily.com.

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Books Inspirations MetaV Prophecy The Bible The Last Days Visualizations

The Groundbreaking Achievement of Clarence Larkin

Every now and then people come across a classic scholarly work that for one reason or another seems to have been forgotten or at least taken out of the main stream of cultural influence although their truth is just as timeless as when it was originally produced. Clarence Larkin’s book, Dispensational Truth, is one such treasure. It is still sold in Christian bookstores and has been referenced by popular authors like Tim LaHaye, but that’s about the extent of it. His charts are available within Sword Searcher, which has a good bio. You can also get the full text and images for free at www.preservedwords.com.

To give you an idea of his influence over time, consider this: every illustration I’ve ever seen describing the statue in the vision of Daniel 2:31-45 is a variation of Larkin’s original graphic.

Larkin Chart Daniel's Vision
Clarence Larkin’s chart on Daniel’s Vision

I can identify with this particular author because, like me, he was a young mechanical engineer with some experience in drafting before being called into ministry. While a pastor, he employed his skills toward creating exacting illustrations of the Bible. The Larkin Estate indicates that he produced 205 charts and illustrations, complete with biblical references and full explanations of each. The ones I find most impressive are his works titled “Rightly Dividing the Word of Truth” and “The Book of Revelation.”

Clarence Larkin: The Book of Revelation
Clarence Larkin: The Book of Revelation

As you can see, the original illustration is a black-and-white print. While Mr. Larkin did produce color charts, those he published were not, perhaps due to technology or cost limitations on producing a full-color book back in the 1920’s. I have found some colorized versions, but in my opinion they lack the original quality of his work. It has been on my to-do list for some time to make an attempt at converting at least one of these charts to a high-quality, interactive web presentation. Given the astounding detail of each chart, I’m not expecting to complete that task any time soon (any graphic designers out there looking for a project?).

He built these graphics at a time when no one had heard of the Bible being converted to a digital format. No one could yet dream of the complex visualizations made possible by advanced technology of the information age. I personally believe he was ahead of his time in creating ways to visualize related points in a unified whole that gives a consistent biblical picture.

Clarence Larkin gives due credit to the one who made such a work possible:

“With profound gratitude and thankfulness for the blessing of his Heavenly Father…in the hands of the Holy Spirit…”

Indeed, without the direction of the Spirit, no one man alone could accomplish this remarkable work. He also could not have done it if he had chosen to focus efforts on presenting and debating multiple theological views. On this point, the author states:

“[I have] sought to avoid such criticisms and to simply expound the Word of God as the Holy Spirit opened it up to [me.]”

It took three years to produce a book on just one theological view which he earnestly believed and was framed by nothing more or less than the scriptures. Had he gone beyond that into every wind of doctrine, three years would scarcely be enough to complete a discussion on the Book of Daniel alone!

Therein lies an area in which I believe it’s time to shift our thinking about the way we produce and use Bible study software. Everything available today includes a host of commentaries, versions, systematic theologies…all of which tend to have conflicting viewpoints to one degree or another. Yet, when Christians gather together for Bible study, only one such view is presented. To do otherwise would lead to confusion and be time prohibitive to boot. The same holds true for the working man or woman today who has trouble finding time to even read the Bible daily, let alone sift through a full library of data.

The teacher of such a study would wisely consult multiple resources while praying for God’s guidance, so in that sense today’s study tools are great. But, I believe that in-depth study should be made possible for everyone, not just the scholars and teachers. One way to do this is to 1) make it free to everyone and 2) limit the information to only authoritative works which agree with those of the author of said software as guided by the Spirit. While I do agree that it’s a not a good idea to limit access to multiple viewpoints, I do not agree that presenting an endless list of options to sort through accomplishes that goal. That kind of information overload actually makes good information harder to find, which is the last thing I want.

By restricting the database to a more popular-level summary based on detailed and reliable scholarship of old (such as the charts mentioned above), I expect it to be possible for one or a few godly men to produce more advanced tools quite economically. They could be used by anyone and would contain the same level of accuracy, detail, and cohesiveness of the many works of Clarence Larkin and others like him. Anyone willing to help in this endeavor is more than encouraged to pray and if you feel led to do so, contact me by leaving a comment on this blog.