Saturday, February 7, 2015

Saturday, December 18, 2010 "General Principles" Part V

Saturday, December 18, 2010

"General Principles" Part V

  First From Julie's Keyboard:

“To live is Christ, to die is gain.”

It’s so easy to get so busy living out this day-to-day life around us, that we tend to forget how something much better awaits us beyond this.

These thoughts come about from news of tragedy this week. A very dear young man that has proven to love the Lord with all his heart, has gone on home to be with Him in Heaven.

Wow, what gain for him. No more toil and labor of this life. No more occasions of grief and anxieties that go with living in this world. Yet,

To the dear family and friends left to go on here without him, we pour out our heart prayers unto God.

Our minds just simply cannot get around such an event of our loved ones leaving, in what seems to be way ahead of schedule. But why? We just have to ask, and yet our understanding seems to stay unfruitful.

The Christian is always “living,” either here or with Him in “gain.” When those times come, and our eyes are washed with tears and our hearts torn from within, we must draw nigh. There is no other place of refuge, no other “haven of rest.” His grace is still sufficient, even though I must cry my heart out today.

He has promised never to leave nor forsake, even while we live in a fallen world. Our attachments to this life are fleeting. What do we really carry with us when we go? Our relationships.

If we’re in Christ, we’re in a relationship of “kindred spirits” with one another. He’s our Savior and Lord and we become “joint-heirs.” Wow! What a fellowship! What a joy divine!

In this post I wish to remind us all in this beautiful Christmas Season to remember those whose time will be marred with great grief. Yes, our God is big enough to help in a time of need.

May we value each day, wherever we spend it. May we redeem the time.

Scripture References:

Philippians 1:21-24 “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not. For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you.”

Colossians 4:5 “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.”

God Bless You,


Julie

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"General Principles" Part V
In my posting last week on "General Principles" I attempted to correct some of the misconceptions about the Church and State issue.  It seems I was unsuccessful in convincing Anonymous of our Christian heritage. 

The subject in the comments was brought up concerning the moral influence of Christianity upon our nation and our laws.

In the comments, Anonymous seemed to be concerned about which morals were being referred to and made the following comment:

"Which morals the incest, rape, and murder or just the good ones from the word of god. I am able to be a good person without god. It's a shame I still go to hell. sounds like power issues to me. it is too bad Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is in hell"

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." — Edward Gibbon

I may have picked up on a little sarcasm, but nonetheless, I'll try and go somewhere with this.  Let me first establish the certainty and fact of the influence of the principles of Christianity upon our Judaical system. 

In Shover v. State (1850) the Supreme Court of Arkansas stated:  "The Christian religion . . . . is recognized as constituting a part and parcel of the common law and as such, all of the institutions growing out of it, or, in any way connected with it, in case they shall not be found to interfere with the rights of conscience, are entitled to the most profound respect and can rightfully claim the protection of the law-making power of the State."

I didn't say that, the Supreme Court of Arkansas said that.

Also in Lindenmuller v. The People (1860) the Supreme court of New York explained:  "It would be strange that a people Christian in doctrine and worship, many of whom or whose forefathers had sought these shores for the privilege of worshipping God in simplicity and purity of faith, and who regarded religion as the basis of their civil liberty and the foundation of their rights, should, in their zeal to secure to all the freedom of conscience which they valued so highly, solemnly repudiate and put beyond the pale of the law the religion which was dear to them as life and dethrone the God who they openly and avowedly professed to believe had been their protector and guide as a people."

The Court future explained:  "All agreed that the Christian religion was en grafted upon the law and entitled to protection as the basis of our morals and the strength of our government."

I didn't say that, the Supreme Court of New York said that.

The Court also said in Vidal v. Girard's Executors (1844) United States Supreme Court:  "The purest principles of morality are to be taught.  Where are they found? Whoever searches for them must go to the source from which a Christian man derives his faith, the Bible . . . . There is an obligation to teach what the Bible alone can teach, viz. a pure system of morality."

The United States Supreme Court also said in this case: "It is unnecessary for us, however, to consider . . . the establishment of a school or college for the propagation of Judaism or Deism or any other form of infidelity. Such a case is not to be presumed to exist in a Christian country."

I didn't say that, the United States Supreme Court said that.

But there seems to always be those like Anonymous who are determined to insist that our Founders were deists, that their personal beliefs didn't influence the forming of our nation.  That our rights were somehow conceived from the minds of men, perhaps of all beliefs, and somehow they came to an agreement that lead to the forming of the greatest experience of freedom in human history. 

In 1824 the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania also had to address this issue. In Updegraph v. commonwealth the Court stated:  "The assertion is once more made that Christianity never was received as part of the common law of the Christian land, and it is added that if it was it was virtually repealed by the Constitution of the United States and of this State . . . .

We will first dispose of what is considered the grand objection, the constitutionality of Christianity, for, in effect, that is the question.  Christianity, is and always has been a part of the common law . . . . not Christianity founded on any particular religious tenets; not Christianity with an established church . . . but Christianity with liberty of conscience to all men. 

Thus this wise legislature framed this great body of laws for a Christian country and Christian people . . . . (That kind of kills Anonymous quote "Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." --- Edward Gibbon)

This is the Christianity of the common law . . . and thus it is irrefragably [undeniably] proved that the laws and institutions of this State are built on the foundation of reverence for Christianity . . . . In this the Constitution of the United States has made no alteration nor in the great body of the laws which was an incorporation of the common - law doctrine of Christianity.

No free Government now exist in the world unless where Christianity is acknowledged and is the religion of the country . . . . It's foundations are broad and strong and deep . . . it is the purest system of morality, the firmest auxiliary, and the only stable support of all human laws."

I didn't say that, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania said that.

I could go on and on and on with court rulings affirming that the laws and morality of our nation are emphatically founded upon Christian principles, thus my original post on "General Principles"

Now on a more personal note, Anonymous, your statement about you still going to hell is a troubling statement to me.  I must assume you really don't believe that, and I hope that truly is not the case.  I certainly don't condemn you, and Jesus said he came not to condemn us.  Jesus came that we might be saved, for according to scripture we were condemned already. 

Yes, the Bible really does say there is only one way to heaven, and except you access it through that door you will not be there and hell will be your only eternal destination.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

I am sure you are a wonderful person and I would love to have someone like you as a neighbor, but it really doesn't matter how good you and I are, history has proven that mankind is not capable of being good enough, that's why God had to provide us a way to forgiveness. 
Have you ever told a lie?  Have you ever looked upon the opposite sex and lusted? Have you ever taken something that was not yours? Have you ever wanted something that belonged to someone else? Have you ever cheated on a test? I have, I needed a savior.  But let's just assume you had been able to make it through life and never make one mistake, would that be enough?

Luk 18:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

Luk 18:19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

Luk 18:20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

Luk 18:21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

Luk 18:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.

Luk 18:23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

Yes, good people will go to hell, but they are good according to our standards, but we are not judged by our standards but by God's.  He placed that judgment upon his own Son Jesus Christ so that we could be free, that's His gift to us.

Thomas Jefferson understood the justice of God, that's why he said, "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever."

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

It really is up to you Anonymous, it's a choice you have to make; not me, not the Government; it's between you and God.

I didn't say Jesus is the only way, God said Jesus is the only way, I can't change that, no one can change that.   We can all come up with our own idea as to how we should live our lives, what we should believe, but in the end, it will be His way, and if we didn't go His way we want to be there! 

Anonymous, let me say, I may debate with you, I may even become frustrated with your point of view at times, but I find in my heart the love of God crying out for you.  A concern that only wants the best for you in this life and the one to come. 

I would invite you to visit our Son's blog http://intruthistand.blogspot.com/ as he shares his heart about the Word of God.

With the love of Christ,

David

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