Saturday, January 15, 2011
"General Principles" VIII
First From Julie's Keyboard:
It
seems as the days pass, I realize even more just how little is really
known to me about things (especially the things of God). Sometimes it's
more as though we may know some things only partially. Even Scripture
supports this concept by telling us that
"...we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know
in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."
How
often I've been so sure of an understanding of things, that it was
"nailed down, no mistaking about it." Then my spiritual understanding
would at some point become a little more aware that there was far more
involved in the thing I seemed to know so well.
I've
trailed down paths in my Christian walk because it was the popular
thing being taught at the time. I've felt within that I had an
understanding of things that some of those senior to me in the walk
just couldn't quite get. All of this is done in a sincere desire to please
the Lord.
How
does this happen to God's children? How do they suddenly believe
they've come into the revelation that those of the paths of old just never
knew?
Could
it possibly be that we stray from the anchor of God's Word? Could we
possibly fail to spend, "alone time" with the God of the Universe in
prayer? You know it's a popular concept today to tell everyone that praying is just talking to God any time where and that's all that's
necessary. We should be praying all the time, never ceasing. But, does
that mean we need never turn aside to hear the voice of God through His
Spirit?
If
we're so spiritual now in the things we've learned to do so well to
improve our spiritual walk, where are the results of changed lives with
those we have to do? Who are we winning to the Lord through our walk
with God?
May
we be ever mindful that it's not just what He's done for us. Praise
God for this! It's also what He desires to do in and through us. May
we truly seek Him early. He promises to be found!
I was reminded of this prayer Paul prayed for the Ephesians. Thank God we can pray this as well.
Ephesians
1:15-23 "Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord
Jesus, and love unto all the saints, Cease not to give thanks for you,
making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of him: the eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what
the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is
the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe, according to
the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when he
raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the
heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and
dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also
in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and
gave him to be the head over all things to the church. Which is his
body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."
Proverbs 8:17 "I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
Have a blessed week,
Julie
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"General Principles" Part VIII
In
last week's post the question was brought up asking why, if the Founders
were Christian did they institute the First Amendment to prohibit the Government from instituting a religion, the said Christianity? It would
I suppose seem reasonable to think that if they were Christians they
would want the Government to have the power to promote or even
institute religious thought. It would seem by instituting the First
Amendment they would be prohibiting their own religion. Being I was not
there at the time I would suggest we ask one of them and get the answer
in their own words.
Excuse me, Mr. Jefferson, can you explain to us the reasoning behind the First Amendment?
"It
had become an universal and almost uncontroverted position in the
several States that the purposes of society do not require a surrender
of all our rights to our ordinary governors . . . and which experience
has nevertheless proved they [the government] will be constantly encroaching on
if submitted to them; that there are also certain fences which
experience has proved peculiarly efficacious [effective] against wrong
and rarely obstructive of right, which yet the governing powers have ever shown a disposition to weaken and remove. Of the first kind, for instance, is freedom of religion." - - - - Jefferson, Writings, Vol. VIII, p. 112-113, to Noah Webster on December 4, 1790.
OK,
I see, you put this Amendment in place to protect Christianity and any
other religious thought from future encroachment by Government. In
essence, you did not trust the government to always continue to allow
the free expression of one's faith.
Mr. Jefferson, just how important do you personally feel this protection of religious freedom is?
"
. . . can the liberties of a nation be thought secure if we have lost
the only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these
liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with
His wrath? - - - - Thomas Jefferson, Notes on the State of Virginia (Philadelphia: Matthew Carey, 1794), Query XVIII, p. 237.
Thank
you Mr. Jefferson for the enlightenment of your thoughts, it is also
encouraging to see that you believe that a conviction in the minds of
our people that our liberties being a gift from God is a positive thing
in your mind.
It
has also been stated in response to my last post that: "The founders
of our nation were nearly all Infidels, and that of the presidents who
had thus far been elected [Washington; Adams; Jefferson; Madison;
Monroe; Adams; Jackson], not a one had professed a belief in
Christianity...."
To this statement I am at a loss to respond, all I can do is refer you back to the post at:
http://spiritualheritage.blogspot.com/2011/01/general-principles-part-vii.html and
read again the professions of Christianity from the words of the
Founders themselves. To say they were nearly all infidels when nearly
all have been documented to have professed Jesus Christ as their Lord in
their own words or last will and testament is being of the most closed
mind I can conceive of.
The
strongest force against truth is the assumption that you already know
it. To persist to believe a thing in spite of insurmountable evidence
against it is nothing less than closing one's mind to all other
possibilities. I suggest reading the evidence, and searching for the truth
even if its not what one wants to find. Then, in the end, you may find
you still do not agree with the outcome, but at least you are standing
upon the truth.
It has also been asked, Why John Adams said, "Thirteen
governments [of the original states] thus founded on the natural
authority of the people alone, without a pretence of miracle or mystery,
and which are destined to spread over the northern part of that whole
quarter of the globe, are a great point gained in favor of the rights of
mankind." OR "As I understand the Christian religion, it was,
and is, a revelation. But how has it happened that millions of fables,
tales, legends, have been blended with both Jewish and Christian
revelation that have made them the most bloody religion that ever
existed?"First, this quote was attributed to a letter from John Adams to FA Van der Kamp, on December 27, 1816. I could not find this letter, these quotes appear in a work of John Adams from 1787 to 1788. It is a book of near 400 pages entitled "A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America"
It would not be impossible for me to answer why he said this without reading that work. As with all the writings of our Founders, I look forward to reading it and then I will be able to have a greater understanding of these quotes. I will begin looking into this and maybe very soon be able to post something on it.
It
has been quoted in this instance to refute his Christian faith and view
of Christian principles of the course. I suspect this is a quote out
of context considering that John Adams also said "The Holy Ghost
carries on the whole Christian system in this earth. Not a baptism, not a
marriage, not a sacrament can be administered but by the Holy Ghost. . .
. There is no authority, civil or religious – there can be no
legitimate government but what is administered by this Holy Ghost. There
can be no salvation without it. All without it is rebellion and
perdition, or in more orthodox words damnation." - - - - Letter from John Adams to Benjamin Rush, from Quincy, Massachusetts, dated December 21, 1809.
But I look forward to studying the complete work from which these quotes were taken and as always with an open mind looking only for the truth.
May God bless each of you,
David
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