A Defense of Liberty Against Tyrants

I. THE FIRST QUESTION

Whether subjects are obligated to obey rulers who issue commands contrary to the law of God.

At first, the answer to this question may seem to be obvious, for it seems to question an axiom held by all Christians, confirmed in many places in Holy Scripture, various examples throughout history, and by the deaths of all the holy martyrs. For it may be well asked why Christians have endured so many afflictions if it weren’t true they were always persuaded that God must be obeyed simply and absolutely, and kings with this exception, that they command not that which is repugnant to the law of God. Otherwise, why should the apostles have answered that God must rather be obeyed than men? (Acts 5:29) Also, seeing that the will of God is always just, while the will of men may be, and often is, unjust, who can doubt that we must always obey God’s commandments without any exception, and men’s ever with limitation?

But there are many rulers in these days who call themselves “Christian”, who arrogantly assume that their power is limited by no one, not even by God, and they surround themselves with flatterers who adore them as gods upon earth. Not to mention the many others who, out of fear or constraint, either believe, or appear to believe, that rulers ought to be obeyed in all things, and by all men. Therefore, seeing the unhappiness of these times is such that there is nothing so firm, certain, or pure, that it is not shaken, disgraced, or polluted, that anyone who shall thoroughly consider these things will admit that this question is not only most profitable, but also most necessary. For my own part, when I consider the cause of the many calamities that have afflicted Christendom lately, I am reminded of the words of the prophet Hosea: “The princes of Judah were like those that remove a boundary. On them I will pour out my wrath like water. Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgment, because he was determined to follow the commandments of men.” (Hosea 5:10-11) Here you see the sin of the rulers and people fully displayed in these two verses. The rulers exceed their authority, not being content with that authority which the almighty and all good God has given them, but seek to usurp that sovereignty which He has reserved to Himself over all men. And not being content with absolute power over the lives and property of their subjects, these tyrants seize for themselves the right to rule over their consciences as well, over which the authority belongs to Jesus Christ alone. Holding the earth not great enough for their ambition, they want to climb and conquer heaven itself. The people, on the other hand, follow the commandments of men when they yield to these rulers who command that which is against the law of God. Thus, the people burn incense and adore these earthly gods and, instead of resisting them (if they are able), they instead permit them to usurp the place of God, apparently untroubled by their giving to Caesar that which belongs properly to God.

Everyone knows that if a man disobeys a prince who commands that which is wicked and unlawful, he shall immediately be accused of being a rebel, a traitor, and guilty of high treason. Our Savior Christ, the apostles, and all the Christians of the early church were accused with these false charges. If any man, following the example of Ezra and Nehemiah, set himself the task of rebuilding the temple of the Lord, it will be said he aspires to the crown, hatches innovations, and seeks the ruin of the state. Then you shall presently see a million of these minions and flatterers of the rulers tickling their ears with the opinion, that if they once permit this temple to be rebuilt, they will lose their kingdom, and never be able to impose levies or taxes on these men. But this is madness! There are no rulers which ought to be considered as firm and stable, except for those in whom the temple of God is built, and which are indeed the temple itself. These we may truly call Kings. For they reign with God, seeing that it is by Him only that kings reign. On the contrary, what beastly foolishness it is to think that the state and kingdom can be maintained if God Almighty is excluded, and His temple demolished. From this view comes so many tyrannous enterprises, unhappy and tragic deaths of kings, and ruinations of people. If these sycophants knew what difference there is between God and Caesar, between the King of Kings and a simple king, between the lord and the vassal, and what tributes this Lord requires of His subjects, and what authority he gives to kings over those his subjects, certainly so many rulers would not strive to trouble the kingdom of God. And we should not see some of them cast down from their thrones by the just instigation of the Almighty, revenging himself of them, in the midst of their greatest strength, and the people should not be sacked and pillaged and trodden down.

Read more here

This book written in 1579, along with Samuel Rutherford’s “Rex Lex” were the literary catalysts for America’s War for Independence, and not John Locke’s writings as the public schools and revisionist historians have proclaimed. Bruce Townsend

Joel Osteen claims that Mormons are Christians

The pastor of America’s largest church continues to teach heresy. He claimed earlier that Hindu’s love God and now, Mormons, who are polytheistic and believe that their men evolve into gods, are Christians.

Ex-Hitler youth’s warning to America

‘Every day brings this nation closer to Nazi-style totalitarian abyss’     

 © 2009 WorldNetDaily

 

WASHINGTON – Because it has abandoned moral absolutes and its historic Christian faith, the U.S. is moving closer to a Nazi-style totalitarianism, warns a former German member of the Hitler Youth in a new book.

 

“Every day brings this nation closer to a Nazi-style totalitarian abyss,” writes Hilmar von Campe, now a U.S. citizen, and author of “Defeating the Totalitarian Lie: A Former Hitler Youth Warns America.”

Read the article

Chinese Calvinism Flourishes

The churches that follow Calvin are the third largest Christian grouping in the world. In China they hope to become the religion of the elite.

Calvinism isn’t a religion of subservience to any government. The great national myths of Calvinist cultures are all of wars against imperialist oppressors: the Dutch against the Spanish, the Scots against the English; the Americans against the British. So when the Chinese house churches first emerged from the rubble of the Cultural Revolution in the 80s and 90s “They began to search what theology will support and inform [them]. They read Luther and said, ‘not him’. So they read Calvin, and they said ‘him, because he has a theology of resistance.’ Luther can’t teach them or inform them how to deal with a government that is opposition.”

The Children of Caesar

Christian parents should not be surprised that when they give their children to the humanist state to educate in the public schools that they receive pagans back in return.

Fear of God vs Love of God

The Bible declares that the Fear of God is the beginning or foundation of wisdom. Modern evangelicalism has made the love of God for individuals to be the foundation of its message. The love of individuals for God is largely absent as a call to action. Any call to action is largely absent in the evangelical message except perhaps for a call to follow the formulas of easy believism. Apostasy rather than revival has been the result and now collapse is forecasted. In Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10, the fear of the Lord is called the beginning or foundation of wisdom. Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. (Psalm 34:11) The fear of the LORD is a foundational lesson for children. Even New Testament Churches Feared the Lord: Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the FEAR of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied. (Acts 9:31)

 

Quoted from http://www.sermonaudio.com/main.asp

Gary DeMar – Your eschatology informs your worldview

R.J. Rushdoony – Spiritual Autism

Is the US a Fascist Nation?

With thousands of pages of laws and regulations on the books, high taxation and now, shocking nationalizations of US corporations,have we sunk so low to now qualify as a fascist nation? Below is a quote from a recent blog at The Chalcedon Foundation.

[Fascism] is, put briefly, a system of social organization in which the political state is a dictatorship supported by a political elite and in which the economic society is an autarchial capitalism, enclosed and planned, in which the government assumes responsibility for creating adequate purchasing power through the instrumentality of national debt and in which militarism is adopted as a great economic project for creating work as well as a great romantic project in the service of the imperialist state.

 

Read the whole blog at: http://www.chalcedon.edu/blog/2008/09/in-light-of-recent-events.php

 

Bruce Townsend

Babylon Under Judgment

I continue to see a repeating problem with prophetic words of late that deal with political and economic situations. These prophets give a mixed word because they have gifts but lack strong foundations in the written Word. Rhema must proceed from a solid understanding of Logos. They catch a prophetic glimpse of a matter than apply a wrong interpretation because they don’t have the framework of a Christian worldview. Being Arminian, there are weak roots to the Reformation and little comprehension of God’s law, meaning, the vast majority of Arminians are antinomian.

 

This is why there is so much humanism in the Church. Humanism inevitably leads to statism, the worship of the beast or state. This is why the religious right seems to always look for a “savior” in politicians. They want someone who is Republican, confesses Christianity, and then can care less if that person is a tyrant that will tax their family’s wealth away, send their sons to fight no win wars for the glory of the UN and advance communism in this country via corporate welfare to such an extent that china must be laughing at us for changing places with them as they prosper through deregulation and freeing up their markets.

 

There is no great hope coming out of Alaska or Washington DC. We are at the beginning of 10 to 15 years of economic war. Nothing new will begin in Washington DC. Change will not come until it begins in the pulpits and leads to repentance from idolatry. We are in for a long haul and no quick and easy fixes. When the prophets are blind, you cannot expect much to change. There are a few who can see though the fog but most of them have no nationally recognized platform. Pray that the prophets be delivered of idols first, and then they will be able to see and thereby lead.

 

The greatest threat to our freedom is statism, not abortion. Abortion is a manifestation of statism and statism is prevalent in the Church. These prophets need someone to teach them the importance of the Word, systematic theology, God’s Law, and how to apply faith in every aspect of life. Having accomplished that, they will be able to bring forth a pure word of the Lord that can lead the Church out of the quicksand. Until now, I have not seen anything redemptive coming from them that can lead into an exodus from statism/humanism and restore our covenantal foundations.

 

Psalm 11

To the Chief Musician or Choir Leader. [A Psalm] of David.

1IN THE Lord I take refuge [and put my trust]; how can you say to me, Flee like a bird to your mountain?

2For see, the wicked are bending the bow; they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they [furtively] in darkness may shoot at the upright in heart.

3If the foundations are destroyed, what can the [unyieldingly] righteous do, or what has He [the Righteous One] wrought or accomplished?

4The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven. His eyes behold; His eyelids test and prove the children of men.^(A)

5The Lord tests and proves the [unyieldingly] righteous, but His soul abhors the wicked and him who loves violence.^(B)

6Upon the wicked He will rain quick burning coals or snares; fire, brimstone, and a [dreadful] scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

7For the Lord is [rigidly] righteous, He loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold His face, or He beholds the upright.

Palin appears to love violence even more than Bush and McCain. She has stated her willingness to go to war with Russia, and of course there is no cause. She is an apologist for continuing the wars in the Middle East as well as trample on the sovereignty of nations like Pakistan and dishonors their borders. She is a statist through and through and fully supports the humanist agenda. The Religious Right loves her because it has no Christian worldview and disdains God’s Law.

As for prophets, their role is not primarily prediction, but proclamation. The prophets are to call God’s people back to faith and obedience to God’s Law-Word. Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration. Why these two? Why not Abraham? Because Jesus declared the gospel of the Kingdom, the Law was given by Moses and the prophets enforced the Law, represented by Elijah. The Gospel doesn’t reject God’s Law but fulfills and establishes it.

Matthew 5:17
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

The prophets aren’t to merely point out that trouble is coming, but they are to use prophetic and current events to teach God’s divine order is to be kept and call us to repentance for idolatry and lawlessness. They are useless if they don’t do this. Ron Paul is a far better prophet even without the gifts because he understands God’s order, he understands the destruction of humanistic law and economics and he understands what we can do about it, which is to return to our foundations. The prophets appear to be clueless.

It is amazing for any Christian, like Palin, to support these wars or support the bank bailout. Such support is praise for and faith in Babylon, because it is an antichrist system doomed to judgment. We should be happy to see the present fall because it is God’s judgment. Those who are sorrowful and want to bail it out and chosen sides against Christ, His law-Word and His prophets, The Scripture states that we should be rejoicing when we see this Babylonian system under judgment because it is God vindicating His prophets and saints.

The wars have one primary reason, to enrich the military-industrial complex as Eisenhower described it in his farewell speech. He warned that this group would entangle us in wars only for their own benefit. Shortly after this speech, the Vietnam War began for the US.

Revelation 18:9And the rulers and leaders of the earth who joined her in her immorality (idolatry) and luxuriated with her will weep and beat their breasts and lament over her when they see the smoke of her conflagration.^(F)

10They will stand a long way off, in terror of her torment, and they will cry, Woe and alas, the great city, the mighty city, Babylon! In one single hour how your doom (judgment) has overtaken you!

11And earth’s businessmen will weep and grieve over her because no one buys their freight (cargo) any more.^(G)

15The dealers who handled these articles, who grew wealthy through their business with her, will stand a long way off, in terror of her doom and torment, weeping and grieving aloud, and saying,

16Alas, alas for the great city that was robed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, bedecked and glittering with gold, with precious stones, and with pearls!^(I)

17Because in one [single] hour all the vast wealth has been destroyed (wiped out). And all ship captains and pilots, navigators and all who live by seafaring, the crews and all who ply their trade on the sea, stood a long way off,^(J)

18And exclaimed as they watched the smoke of her burning, What city could be compared to the great city!

19And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and grieved, exclaiming, Woe and alas, for the great city, where all who had ships on the sea grew rich [through her extravagance] from her great wealth! In one single hour she has been destroyed and has become a desert!^(K)

20Rejoice (celebrate) over her, O heaven! O saints (people of God) and apostles and prophets, because God has executed vengeance for you upon her!^(L)

21Then a single powerful angel took up a boulder like a great millstone and flung it into the sea, crying, With such violence shall Babylon the great city be hurled down to destruction and shall never again be found.^(M)

22And the sound of harpists and minstrels and flute players and trumpeters shall never again be heard in you, and no skilled artisan of any craft shall ever again be found in you, and the sound of the millstone shall never again be heard in you.^(N)

23And never again shall the light of a lamp shine in you, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall never be heard in you again; for your businessmen were the great and prominent men of the earth, and by your magic spells and poisonous charm all nations were led astray (seduced and deluded).

24And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all those who have been slain (slaughtered) on earth.^(O)

There is, however, a company of prophets that will be raised up that are walking in divine revelation and wisdom; that understands the Kingdom of God and understands how to apply faith to all of life. Repentance and transformation will take place in a great way as the restoration of the prophetic office matures.

Matthew 3

1Now ^(A)in those days ^(B)John the Baptist came, preaching in the ^(C)wilderness of Judea, saying,

2“^(D)Repent, for ^(E)the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

 

Bruce Townsend