M-G: 11.2.18 // Voting is a Voice

Whenever we talk about the ancient Jewish sect of the Pharisees, legalism comes to the forefront of our thinking, for this religious group practiced a very strict observance of Jewish traditions with intolerance to deviation. In fact, they had virtually given greater weight to their traditions, which were actually rabbinical interpretations of the Mosaic Law, rather than the law of Moses itself given by God, not by Moses (Mt 15:6, 9; Mk 7:9). This was nothing more than legalism, conformity to the letter of the law as opposed to the spirit of the law.

This “letter of the law” living had grown exponentially in volume by the rabbinical interpretations of the Mosaic code throughout the centuries, oral law becoming documented. I am of the persuasion that neither the fastidious keeping of the law of Moses nor man-made rules pertaining to such could ever result in any sinner being acceptable to God (Gal 2:16; 3:11).

This Pharisaical mentality carries over even today in various forms, religiously and politically. Religiously speaking, it is tantamount to a self-redemption which is in reality an absurd doctrine (cf. Jn 1:12, 13; Rom 11:5, 6) incongruent with the teaching of grace (Eph 2:8-9). What need we of Christ if man can save himself? Why did Jesus endure all that suffering on the ground and on the cross if man could deliver himself without the Messiah (cf. Gal 3:21)?

Given the malpractice of the Law of Moses, the Pharisees, in my opinion, should not be characterized as “conservative,” for they made the commandments of God subservient to their traditions which is very arrogant and liberal-minded. In contrast to the sect of the Sadducees, they were conservative, but both the Pharisees and Sadducees shared something in common though this statement below was directed specifically at some inquisitive scribes and Pharisees from Jerusalem (Mt 15:1),  

THESE PEOPLE DRAW NEAR TO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH, AND HONOR ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME (Mt 15:8).

We know all too well that the Pharisees were opposed to Jesus of Nazareth like their liberal counterparts, the Sadducees, who also disputed with the Pharisees, particularly concerning the physical resurrection of the body (cf. Mt 22:23). We have always lived in a world of opposing forces, haven’t we? Can you recall a time when man was not opposing man over something ideological, physical, or whatever? Previous to all of man’s disputations, darkness was already in opposition to the Light suggested by the existence of an insidious serpent tempting Eve to doubt the integrity of God’s word (Gn 3:1-5).

Politically speaking, the Jews wanted to separate themselves from sinners which had political overtones! Being in subjection to the Romans was an abomination to them for this meant that sinners were ruling over Israel. The Sanhedrin, or the ruling judicial and religious authority of Israel, did not see themselves as sinners in Jesus’ day. If you were a Gentile, a Samaritan, born with a physical defect, a tax collector, or a law-breaker, these were the sinners in need of redemption, but the vast majority of the sects of the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, including attendant scribes and lawyers, did not view themselves as sinners.

What they witnessed in others they could not see in themselves (cf. Mt 15:14). This is one of the reasons they were looking for a political deliverance by a political Messiah back then, as well as today, and not a spiritual One. They simply did not see themselves as sinners because they were spiritually blind (2 Cor 4:4) and were following the Law in their narrow-minded way of thinking by keeping the traditions of man which were “based” upon the Law of Moses. It was nothing more than a fake way to glory. They wanted a nation ran solely by the Sanhedrin, not by the heathen!   

There is a similarity here that we can draw a parallel today in our country. Though our Constitution of the United States is predicated on Judeo-Christian values, such a great document does not rise to the level of the Word of God or Scripture; it is not inspired by God (2 Tim 3:16). I think that it is interesting how believers have been treating the Scriptures for thousands of years (cf. Jdg 21:25), picking and choosing what to believe and what not to believe, misinterpreting and taking out of context to justify whatever. Now, we have arrogant and audacious Constitutional reconstructionist wannabes who are picking and choosing what is unconstitutional in order to dovetail with their own political agenda for our country (cf. Jdg 21:25). What you and I believe is rejected because it doesn’t fit the narrative of socialism.

Believers mishandling the Bible should not be shocked by such mistreatment of an instrumental document as our Constitution that would literally subvert our rights as citizens of the United States. Lately, there has been a blatant disregard for what the framers of our Constitution envisioned. This slippery slope of tinkering with the Constitution and neo-interpretation of it is preceded by the slippery slope of disregarding what the Creator intended when He provided the Scripture for mankind (cf. 2 Tim 3:16, 17). So, this behavior is nothing new from a secular or sacred standpoint.

The slippage in obeying the Scripture has been going on for some time in our nation’s history by those who call themselves to be Christians. By ditching God’s authority in our lives, we are now sliding downhill along with the opposing force ditching the authority of the Constitution that intends to undermine the very liberties that our nation was founded upon.

For me, I would rather go down supporting the Scriptures than standing or running downhill with the opposition of all that we hold dear. As believers, our allegiance should always be a love (agape) for God first (Mk 12:30), a love (agape) for others second (Mk 12:31), and a love for our country, third.

I can argue biblically for the first two commands. Love for country, however, is not a biblical mandate but more of an appeal as a citizen and patriot to cling to the historical values that made our country great. We desperately need to avoid being like any nation that opposes the values of God but being a nation, whose God is Yahweh,

(Psa 33:10) The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.

(Psa 33:11) The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations.

(Psa 33:12) Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people He has chosen as His own inheritance [Israel].

Here is what I know, and you know; that when God is not preeminent in our lives, we are joined by those who have no problem opposing the sovereignty of God. We end up living in this dreadful condition alongside those rallying against Judeo-Christian values. Look at the flipside of Psa 33:12a,

“Sad, how sad is the nation whose God is not Yahweh.”

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were godly teenagers or maybe in their early twenties when Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, besieged Jerusalem in 605 B.C. (Dan 1:1), making Judah and Jerusalem a vassal state of the Babylonian empire (2 Kgs 24:1). Daniel mentioned that it was the LORD who gave the King of Judah, Jehoiakim [Eliakim], one of the last remaining ungodly kings of Judah before the Babylonian Captivity, into the hands of Neb (2 Kgs 24:1-4). Also, Yahweh had allowed the removal of some of the articles from His very temple (Dan 1:2; 2 Chron 36:7)!

There was some minor deportation of peoples to the city of Babylon indicated by the word “some” (Dan 1:3; 2 Kgs 21:35; 2 Chron 28:2-3), but two major deportations would be forthcoming in 597 and 586 B.C. When God is not at the helm of a nation and the people are not following His lead, it ultimately leads to the total destruction of a nation.

Did the Jews learn from this after the final deportation in 586 B.C.? Apparently not, for in 70 A.D. Rome’s solution to all of the Jewish uprisings was to completely destroy the nation of Israel; Titus did Rome’s bidding. The miraculous reappearance of the nation of Israel in May of 1948 is prophetically significant! The end times will revolve around the nation of Israel. If the Second Coming is drawing nearer, nearer still is the rapture of God’s people! It is imminent in nature!

Did the godliness of Daniel and his friends prevent this godless ruler of Babylon from invading Israel? No, for God was judging the people for their sins, and the righteous (Dan and his buds, e.g.) suffered right along with the unrighteous carted off to Babylon. King Jehoiakim willfully rejected God’s Word, and it cost him and the nation dearly for they were complicit with him (cf. Prov 29:1).

Whether or not you agree that America is on the cusp of judgment, I am very concerned about the spiritual ignorance of Christians today and the attempt by others who desire to erase our history by changing names or destroying statuaries and attempting to redact the Constitution that is more fitting with tyranny and paganism.

I personally would rather suffer loss for having at the very least voted for the ways more akin to Scripture truth than not having voted at all. We know that just because something is legal in our country doesn’t make it moral or ethical. There are some major issues with abortion, same-sex marriages, homosexuality, gender benders, and so forth.  

I am of the opinion if spiritually regenerated believers do not cast their ballot, they have no right to complain whatsoever. There is clearly a dark concerted effort to challenge the authority of Scripture, our Constitution, and our Declaration of Independence. If darkness is allowed to go unchecked, it will flood our nation with a new Declaration of Dependence to the government which will be the new normal as the rule of life, the glide path to totalitarianism.

Pharisaical-minded people have never gotten it right historically. Their glaring standard was and is hypocrisy. They are only concerned about power and control, not about the people or the nation. The left-leaning democratic socialist party is absolutely convinced that their worldview is the right one for America. Anyone who does not agree with them will be shunned and considered “sinners,” in other words: homophobic, xenophobic, sexist, racist, misogynist, hate-monger, bigot, et al.

The right to vote is one of the greatest privileges afforded to any citizen of a democratic nation. Voting is a voice to glorify God for a believer (1 Cor 10:31) that challenges the advances of darkness. Has God indeed said was the question posed to Eve. Answer the devil with your vote for what is right. <><

“Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people’s money.” Margaret Thatcher

Ask Venezuela. Remember 70 A.D.

(Jos 24:15) And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.