As the Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread get closer, we
seek to examine ourselves in preparation for reconfirming our
commitment to God’s working in us.
God’s law is fundamental to self-examination, but what is the
state of law in America today? Writer Victor Davis Hanson
addresses this question in article published in National Review
Online (http://www.nationalreview.com/article/446014/).
In the article, he points out:
•A federal law states that the president can by
proclamation “suspend the entry of all aliens or any
class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or
impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may
deem to be appropriate.” Yet a federal judge ruled
that President Trump cannot do what the law allows
in temporarily suspending immigration from
countries previously singled out by the Obama
administration for their laxity in vetting their
emigrants.
• Some 500 “sanctuary” cities and counties have
decided for political reasons that federal immigration
law does not fully apply within their jurisdictions.
They have done so with impunity, believing that
illegal immigration is a winning political issue given
changing demography. In a way, they have already
legally seceded from the union and provided other
cities with a model of how to ignore any federal law
they do not like.
• There is a federal law that forbids the IRS from
unfairly targeting private groups or individuals on the
basis of their politics. Lois Lerner, an IRS director,
did just that but faced no legal consequences.
• There are statutes that prevent federal intelligence
and investigatory agencies from leaking classified
documents. No matter. For the last six months, the
media have trafficked in reports that Trump is under
some sort of investigation by government agencies
for allegedly colluding with the Russians. That
narrative is usually based on information from
“unnamed sources” affiliated with the FBI, NSA, or
CIA. No one has been punished for such leaking.
• The logic seems also to be that we need only follow
the laws that we like — and assume that law
enforcement must make the necessary adjustments.
In light of this pattern should we be surprised that Christ said,
“And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will
grow cold” (Matthew 24:12).
Mr. Hanson lays out for us the outcome of lawlessness. “The
same thing happens when the law goes on a vacation. Rules
are unenforced or politicized. Citizens quickly lose faith in the
legal system. Anarchy follows — ensuring that there can be
neither prosperity nor security. The United States is
descending into such an abyss, as politics now seem to govern
whether existing laws are enforced.”
The bottom line for us as Christians is that God’s law always
has and always will apply. In fact, it is the standard by which
must evaluate ourselves.
We made a commitment at baptism to live by every word that
proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). It doesn’t
matter whether we like the law or not. All of God’s laws are
always applicable.
As we prepare to participate in Passover and the Days of
Unleavened Bread, we renew our dedication to keeping God’s
law. For God’s people, law never takes a holiday.
Have a pleasant Sabbath,
Gary Smith
Showing posts with label Lawlessness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lawlessness. Show all posts
Friday, March 24, 2017
Friday, June 12, 2015
Why Doesn't God Intervene?
At present, I am reading through the Minor Prophets and just finished the book of Habakkuk. Habakkuk is a three chapter book that we can quickly read through without considering some important spiritual principles contained in the book. In this Sabbath Thought, I would like to bring out some of what we can glean from this prophetic book.
Because of conditions at the time the prophet lived, he questioned God. There were two main reasons why the prophet had questions for God. The reason for the first question is found in chapter one of the book, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "Violence!" and You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds” (Habakkuk 1:2-4). The observation: Judah is filled with sin and injustice. The question: Why don’t you intervene to stop it?
The second question arises because the Babylonian Empire is on the rise. The prophet noting this, can see that it is inevitable that Babylon will march against the nations of the Mediterranean coast. The prospect of Judah falling to Babylon is hard for the prophet to understand. His question: How can God allow Judah to fall prey to a cruel, idolatrous, and oppressive people?
Habakkuk was not unlike many people today who are troubled by the world around them. Seeing the evils and the accompanying suffering we wonder, “Why doesn’t God do something about all the problems of humanity?”
“Why doesn’t God intervene?” was a pertinent question in Habakkuk’s time and it is a relevant question for us living in the 21st century.
What is the answer to the prophet’s question? The answer is found in Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by faith.” We see that the proud do not live by faith in God. They live apart from God following their own ways and desires. However, the follower of God lives by faith. He lives a life trusting in God that He will be with us no matter what, and in the end, He will answer our questions.
As the world unfolds before us in the years ahead, our consideration of what it means “to walk by faith” might very well make the difference in our holding fast to the end.
Gary Smith
Because of conditions at the time the prophet lived, he questioned God. There were two main reasons why the prophet had questions for God. The reason for the first question is found in chapter one of the book, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, "Violence!" and You will not save. Why do You show me iniquity, and cause me to see trouble? For plundering and violence are before me; there is strife, and contention arises. Therefore the law is powerless, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; therefore perverse judgment proceeds” (Habakkuk 1:2-4). The observation: Judah is filled with sin and injustice. The question: Why don’t you intervene to stop it?
The second question arises because the Babylonian Empire is on the rise. The prophet noting this, can see that it is inevitable that Babylon will march against the nations of the Mediterranean coast. The prospect of Judah falling to Babylon is hard for the prophet to understand. His question: How can God allow Judah to fall prey to a cruel, idolatrous, and oppressive people?
Habakkuk was not unlike many people today who are troubled by the world around them. Seeing the evils and the accompanying suffering we wonder, “Why doesn’t God do something about all the problems of humanity?”
“Why doesn’t God intervene?” was a pertinent question in Habakkuk’s time and it is a relevant question for us living in the 21st century.
What is the answer to the prophet’s question? The answer is found in Habakkuk 2:4, “Behold the proud, his soul is not upright in him; but the just shall live by faith.” We see that the proud do not live by faith in God. They live apart from God following their own ways and desires. However, the follower of God lives by faith. He lives a life trusting in God that He will be with us no matter what, and in the end, He will answer our questions.
As the world unfolds before us in the years ahead, our consideration of what it means “to walk by faith” might very well make the difference in our holding fast to the end.
Gary Smith
Friday, December 26, 2014
Law Enforcement: Disrespected, Threatened, and Attacked by the Citizenry
As I write this, it is December 21, 2014. In four days it will be Christmas, the time of “peace on earth, good will to all men” ushered in by the supposed birth of Jesus Christ. Christmas is to be a transformative experience for the world but is it?
In contrast to what Christmas is to symbolize, I note the headlines from the Drudge Report this morning: “Gunman Executes 2 NYPD Cops As Revenge” “They take 1 of ours, let’s take two of theirs” “Protest Flashback: “What do we want? Dead cops!” “Ferguson: “Pigs in a blanket”
What we are seeing is the unraveling of civil order in the United States as protests turn into riots featuring the looting and the burning of businesses in supposed honor of the death of two men, one in Ferguson, Missouri and the other in New York City. In both cases, grand juries reviewed the facts of each case and concluded there were no grounds to indict the police officers involved.
Sadly, an atmosphere has been created in certain areas of our nation where there is no confidence in the police force nor in the judicial system to enforce the law. If police officers and the law courts are suspect, what does the future hold? Can courts and police officers carry out their duties without being second guessed?
Additionally, if a police officer is attacked in the line of duty, follows department training and procedure in the matter, and then is condemned, it does not reinforce being a policeman as a career.
I received a glimpse into a potential result of the Ferguson and New York City matters in a short discussion with a veteran police officer. He looked at the outcome of what took place with the accused police officers in the aforementioned cases and said that if he were not personally three years from retirement he would find another job. He also mentioned that he would not recommend his son serve as a police officer.
If those considering a career in law enforcement, see that job as one in which they are disrespected, threatened, and attacked by the citizenry why take on that role? Might such a negative atmosphere make it hard to recruit the best men and women to serve the community on the “thin blue line”?
God addresses the police and other civil authorities in Romans 13:1-5, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.”
God appointed authorities to enforce the laws of nations because men apart from law being enforced have a tendency toward lawlessness and anarchy. Our world is far from perfect, but if we undermine the governing authorities then it is a certainty that evil will prevail.
As the Sabbath begins, it is a weekly reminder that the rest will come and there will be a time when every soul be will subject to the governing authorities.
Have a pleasant Sabbath,
Gary Smith
In contrast to what Christmas is to symbolize, I note the headlines from the Drudge Report this morning: “Gunman Executes 2 NYPD Cops As Revenge” “They take 1 of ours, let’s take two of theirs” “Protest Flashback: “What do we want? Dead cops!” “Ferguson: “Pigs in a blanket”
What we are seeing is the unraveling of civil order in the United States as protests turn into riots featuring the looting and the burning of businesses in supposed honor of the death of two men, one in Ferguson, Missouri and the other in New York City. In both cases, grand juries reviewed the facts of each case and concluded there were no grounds to indict the police officers involved.
Sadly, an atmosphere has been created in certain areas of our nation where there is no confidence in the police force nor in the judicial system to enforce the law. If police officers and the law courts are suspect, what does the future hold? Can courts and police officers carry out their duties without being second guessed?
Additionally, if a police officer is attacked in the line of duty, follows department training and procedure in the matter, and then is condemned, it does not reinforce being a policeman as a career.
I received a glimpse into a potential result of the Ferguson and New York City matters in a short discussion with a veteran police officer. He looked at the outcome of what took place with the accused police officers in the aforementioned cases and said that if he were not personally three years from retirement he would find another job. He also mentioned that he would not recommend his son serve as a police officer.
If those considering a career in law enforcement, see that job as one in which they are disrespected, threatened, and attacked by the citizenry why take on that role? Might such a negative atmosphere make it hard to recruit the best men and women to serve the community on the “thin blue line”?
God addresses the police and other civil authorities in Romans 13:1-5, “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience' sake.”
God appointed authorities to enforce the laws of nations because men apart from law being enforced have a tendency toward lawlessness and anarchy. Our world is far from perfect, but if we undermine the governing authorities then it is a certainty that evil will prevail.
As the Sabbath begins, it is a weekly reminder that the rest will come and there will be a time when every soul be will subject to the governing authorities.
Have a pleasant Sabbath,
Gary Smith
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