The Role of Government

I have previously written at some length on the biblical view of government HERE. With the current climate, discussions and counter-discussions, I decided to make some more comments (probably much the same).

As Christians, first and foremost we must find our view of what government is and ought to be within the lids of the Holy Bible. As Americans, we expect our government to operate within the framework of our founding document, the Constitution. As Christians who are also Americans, we may express our right to address areas in our government’s laws and actions that we believe fall short of the biblical ideal.[i]

Primarily we look to the principles taught in the New Testament to develop a biblical worldview of government. We also look into the Old Testament for universal moral principles. However, since Israel was a theocracy under specific covenant and laws given by God, we do not look to its situation as parallel to the relationship of church and state among non-covenant nations in either the Old or New Testaments or in the time in which we now live. Also instructive are the messages of Old Testament prophets to pagan rulers and non-covenant nations about their obligations. These rulers and nations should function under God’s principles function. The New Testament does not detail a specific form of government, but following its guidelines, we can develop a form of government that “punishes the evil and rewards the good.” This “ideal” government’s role is “negative” more than “positive.”[ii] The most relevant passages in the New Testament, though not the only ones, are Matthew 22:17-21, Romans 13:1-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-2, and 1 Peter 2:13-14.

Romans 13:1-7

“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.”

Government punishes the evildoer. It is a “minister of God to thee for good…a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” Before Romans 13, Paul admonishes, “avenge not yourselves,” (as much as possible) “live peaceably with all men,” and ^“give place unto wrath.” This is possible under a stable government system. Ultimately, God will right all wrongs, but in the now, government is one of his tools for accomplishing this. Restraining wrong and punishing bad behavior is primarily a “negative” role for government. The passage, though some might wish otherwise, does not constrain the government to give goods to its citizens, but to praise good by creating an environment in which good rather than evil is cherished and can flourish. Commenting on “praise” in verse 3, John Murray writes:

The praise given by the magistrate is not a reward in the proper sense of the term…The praise could be expressed by saying that good behaviour secures good standing in the state, a status to be cherished and cultivated.[iii]

Government fills a “negative role” by punishing evil, and a “positive role” by promoting good.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.”

Prayers for secular authorities recognize their legitimacy before God. Governmental authority provides the framework for people to live together peaceably. Prayers for secular authorities recognize the role of law in promoting safety and security. Safety and security – leading a quiet and peaceable life – promotes godliness and honesty by allowing us to better pursue them.

1 Peter 2:13-14

“Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.”

Peter here echoes and agrees with the principles in Romans 13. Government fills a “negative role” by punishing evil, and a “positive role” by promoting good. Submission to the proper role of government equals submission to God, for the “are sent by him.” Government “gives praise” to those who do well, by securing their good standing in the state. Government should primarily protect God-given rights so that citizens may “do” rather than creating “rights” by doing for its citizens.

Matthew 22:17-21

“Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Cæsar, or not? But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? They say unto him, Cæsar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Cæsar the things which are Cæsar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

Jesus identifies the role of government as legitimate, yet limited. Government has a God-given role. Its citizens, including Christians, should support its role. Its role is limited to “the things which are” the government’s.[iv] Ultimate allegiance belongs to God and not government.

Christians subject themselves to authority, recognizing it as an intrinsic good. God establishes the principle of government. Authority is better than anarchy. The state provides order and stability by protecting rights and punishing wrongs. God is the highest authority, and allegiance to him supersedes allegiance to worldly powers (Acts 5:29).

“We ought to obey God rather than men.”

---

[i] As well as the Constitutional ideal.

[ii] Negative rights and positive rights in political parlance are rights that oblige either no action (negative rights) or action (positive rights). In laymen’s terms, negative rights are rights to be left alone by government (i.e., to think, say, and do, what we wish as long as our behavior does not harm others. Positive rights are rights to get things from the government, such as education, health care, etc.

[iii] The Epistle to the Romans, Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997, p. 151.

[iv] As Christians, we base the theory of what government should be on the teachings of the Bible. As Americans, we further base what government should be on the framework of the Constitution.

The Ethics of Voting

Some interesting thoughts on politics from Jonathan Leeman, an elder at Cheverly Baptist Church, (currently meeting outdoors in Greenbelt, Maryland) and author of recently posted “The DC Mayor Doesn’t Get to Define Church.” The following is excerpted from “What Makes a Vote Moral or Immoral? The Ethics of Voting.”

“When you vote in a democratic system, you’re actually participating in the role of the “governing authorities” that Paul and Peter describe. Your job is to align your objectives with the purposes which God gives to the government in Scriptures, such as “punish[ing] those who do evil and praise[ing] those who do good” (1 Peter 2:13–14; see also, Gen. 9:5–6; Rom. 13:1–7; etc.).

“Therefore, your vote requires you to make a moral evaluation about what’s good and what’s evil, or wise and unwise (see Prov. 8:15–16), and then to act on behalf of your evaluation. You are morally responsible for this evaluation and act of judgment.

“Suppose then candidate Jack says he believes in positions a, b, c, d, and e, while candidate Jill supports issues l, m, n, o, and p. When I cast a ballot for Jack, I am giving Jack the agency—that is, the power or ability—he needs for turning a, b, c, d, and e into law over and against l, m, n, o, and p. If Jack is elected and succeeds in writing a, b, c, d, and e into law, I become morally culpable for those laws, at least in some measure, by the simple formula of cause and effect with my vote as the first cause. Our votes create the requisite agency. We’re handing Jack or Jill the sword of state…

“Suppose you believe issue e is wicked, yet vote for Jack because you really care about a, b, c, and d. Still, you cannot discount what your vote does. It gives Jack agency to pursue a, b, c, d, and e, and you remain morally responsible for that. There’s no way to absolve yourself of moral responsibility for the one thing you don’t like and to keep it for the four things you do like.”

Pro-Life Neo-Evangelicals raise the White Flag

In the name of “pro-life,” a group of evangelicals has run up the white flag. On their home page they claim to support the sanctity of human life from beginning to end – but cut off the beginning in the race to the end.

As pro-life evangelicals, we disagree with Vice President Biden and the Democratic platform on the issue of abortion. But we believe a biblically shaped commitment to the sanctity of human life compels us to a consistent ethic of life that affirms the sanctity of human life from beginning to end…For these reasons, we believe that on balance, Joe Biden’s policies are more consistent with the biblically shaped ethic of life than those of Donald Trump. Therefore, even as we continue to urge different policies on abortion, we urge evangelicals to elect Joe Biden as president.

They assert, “Poverty, lack of accessible health care services, smoking, racism and climate change are all pro-life issues.” Certainly none of this is unimportant, but surely the vacuity of thought resounds in the insertion of smoking as a problem comparable to abortion. The murdered baby will never have the opportunity to choose to smoke or reject it. The murdered baby will never know wealth or poverty, racism or the lack thereof, or whether climate change is all it is cracked up to be. Accessible health care? Instead, give the babe in the womb accessible death care!

Joe Biden on abortion, at the 2019 Democratic National Committee gala in Atlanta, Georgia, said, “I support Roe. I support a woman’s right to choose under that Constitutional guaranteed provision.” At the New Hampshire Democratic Debate on February 7, 2020, David Muir asked Joe Biden, “Would there be a litmus test on abortion?” (That is, would he only appoint judges who support abortion, Roe v. Wade, etc.) Jo Biden answered, “Yes.” As a senator, Kamala Harris co-sponsored the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would prevent states from enacting certain restrictions on access to abortion. While running for President, Harris promised that she would require that states would have to go through her Justice Department for approval of abortion-related laws. She also co-sponsored the EACH Woman Act, which would undo the Hyde Amendment, an amendment that bans federal funding of abortion. (Harris’s positions are directly aligned with the Democratic Party Platform, which states, “We will repeal the Hyde Amendment, and protect and codify Roe v. Wade.”)

Fellow Christian, your dislike of Trump resonates with me. Disliking Trump does not justify supporting Biden and the pro-death Democrats. Why not fight for better politics, a third party that stands for real Christian values? No, we won’t get there this year. Probably not four years from now either. We won’t ever get there as long as we keep settling for the choice of one of two very poor options!

Fact is, “Pro-Life Evangelicals for Abortion,” er, I mean Biden – if you do not support life in the beginning, you do not support it to the end, because in a Biden/Harris/DNC scenario the beginning is the end.

Notes: In 2019, abortion was the leading cause of death worldwide. It is the leading cause of death in the United States as well (in latest counts, over 600,000 abortions annually per CDC, or 800,000 abortions annually per Guttmacher). Are “Pro-Life Evangelicals for Biden” willing to sacrifice the lives of hundreds of thousands of unborn babies annually, because they prefer the other policies of the Democrats? Apparently so, even though other parties oppose (or at least do not promote) abortion while differing on the best ways to achieve some of the other issues. Republicans also want good health care for all Americans. You may not prefer the way they go about it, but they are not trying to kill us all. Libertarians favor a free market health care system, and are not promoting death. The current administration’s economic policies (at least before the pandemic) promoted prosperity and helped alleviate poverty. President Trump has repeatedly repudiated white supremacy while continually being smeared with it. He promoted and signed into law the First Step Act, reforming criminal justice laws that seem to affect blacks disproportionately. Further, he promoted and signed a bill providing secure funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities. AND I am not aware of any political party that is promoting cigarette smoking! Ultimately, this so-called “Pro-Life Evangelicals for Biden” movement is likely just another expression of Trump Derangement Syndrome. Like COVID-19, it has many random symptoms.

Sobriety

“But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.” 1 Thessalonians 5:8  

Sobriety in religion is a blessed gift and grace. In our most holy faith there is no room for lightness. The things which concern our peace are solemn, weighty matters, and if they lie with any degree of weight and power on our spirit, they will subdue that levity which is the very breath of the carnal mind.

But sobriety implies not merely the absence of all unbecoming levity in speech and conduct, but the absence also of all wild, visionary imaginations in the things of God.

J. C. Philpot (1802-1869)

To sing is to pray twice

“To sing is to pray twice.” This is an old proverb, often attributed to Augustine of Hippo (AD 354-430). There seems to be no such quote in the writings of Augustine. However, the idea may have been distilled from his comments on Psalm 72:20 (from either the Greek or Latin).

What is, “there have failed the hymns of David, the son of Jesse”? Hymns are praises of God accompanied with singing: hymns are songs containing the praise of God. If there be praise, and it be not of God, it is no hymn: if there be praise, and God’s praise, and it be not sung, it is no hymn. It must needs then, if it be a hymn, have these three things, both praise, and that of God, and singing. What is then, “there have failed the hymns”? There have failed the praises which are sung unto God. He seemeth to tell of a thing painful, and so to speak deplorable. For he that singeth praise, not only praiseth, but only praiseth with gladness: he that singeth praise, not only singeth, but also loveth him of whom he singeth. In praise, there is the speaking forth of one confessing; in singing, the affection of one loving.

Exposition on Psalm LXXIII, Augustine

Consistency, and other quotes

The posting of quotes by human authors does not constitute agreement with either the quotes or their sources. (I try to confirm the sources that I give, but may miss on occasion; please verify when possible.)

‘The word of our Lord endureth forever.’ “Hammer away ye hostile hands! Your hammers break; God’s anvil stands.” -- Credited variously to the Waldenses and Samuel Valentine Cole

“Misbehaviour is an ideal time to demonstrate unconditional love.” -- Heard on the radio

“If it’s true, it’s not new, and if it’s new, it’s not true.” -- Old Adage

“Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster. And if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back into you.” -- Friedrich Nietzsche

“Some people do not want to be fixed, because being broken brings them attention!” -- Seen on Facebook

“The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.” -- Marcus Aurelius

“Moriendo, revixi; or Dying, I have revived.” -- Henry Vaughan

“You can’t kill off a culture until you kill the last person who cares about it.” -- Alan Lomax

“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

“The essence of Christian maturity is to have a high tolerance for ambiguity.” -- Fred Smith

“Consistency, thou art a jewel!” -- Unknown, but often attributed to Shakespeare

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” -- Ronald Reagan

“You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” --  Jonathan Edwards

Amy Coney Barrett Deserves, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• Amy Coney Barrett Deserves to Be on the Supreme Court -- “I disagree with Trump’s judicial nominee on almost everything. But I still think she’s brilliant.”
• Brian Hart Hoffman’s Buttermilk Biscuits with White Lily Flour -- “...his Southern roots have given him a soft spot for good, old-fashioned Southern biscuits.”
• ‘Excellent idea!’: Ted Cruz responds to Dem senator’s threat to boycott Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation -- “...if you & all your Dem colleagues boycott the hearing altogether, we’ll avoid the political circus...”
• Google Trends show more people are searching ‘how to vote Republican’ than ‘how to vote Democrat’ -- “According to Google Trends, since early October 2019, Americans, on average, have been about two-thirds more likely to search ‘how to vote Republican’ than ‘how to vote Democrat’.”
• I voted for Trump as soon as I became a citizen. Here’s why I’m doing it again. -- “...I’d had quite enough of groupthink in Cuba...“The willingness of the Democratic Party to not just accept self-identified democratic socialists but also to allow them power within the party harms both the Democrats and the U.S. bipartisan consensus against communism.”
• John MacArthur says he’ll start prison ministry if he’s put in jail over church services -- “MacArthur told Fox News he had received a letter warning he faces up to six months in jail if Grace Community Church continues to hold indoor services.”
• New York dad who shielded children from gunfire lost job due to injuries -- “Mr Jefferson’s injuries had left him temporarily unable to work and he had been fired from both of his jobs as a construction worker and head painter at a maintenance company.”
• Photojournalist went undercover to expose white supremacists at riots, but found black bloc anarchists instead -- “...the far-left anarchists were not a spontaneous eruption of anger at racial injustice...It was strategically planned, facilitated and advertised on social media by anarchists...”
• The gospel truth in gospel love -- “It strikes me that Jesus was, more than other things, best at one very particular thing: Demonstrating truth in love.”
• Why Acts 8:37 Belongs in the Bible -- “It is clear, then, that the words recorded in Acts 8:37 were in the manuscript of Lukes writing used by Cyprian and Irenaeus, Ante-nicene Fathers, who were as close as 50 years to the penning of the last book of the New Testament.”
• 5 P’s to lead your family well -- “In all of my years, the hardest job I’ve ever had has been being a husband and a daddy.”

A Golden Crown to Wear, and other music links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• A Golden Crown to Wear -- “What joy indeed to know...”
• Ballad Hunters Alan and John Lomax Preserved the Work of Little-Known Musicians -- “Prisons were particularly fruitful because many inmates had been behind bars since before the advent of commercial radio. Traditional music was all many of them knew...”
• How Can I Keep From Singing -- “My life flows on in endless song above earth’s lamentation.”
• List of Musical Instruments Mentioned in the Bible -- “Shofar is a non-musical signaling device made from the hollow horn of an animal and in some cases, specifically the horn of a ram.”
• Music industry expert says drive-in concerts, live streams are ‘Band-Aids on a gaping wound’ -- “...our business was one of the first businesses to shut down because we’re about public gatherings, and we’ll be one of the last businesses to reopen because audiences need to be safe.”
• Musician raising money to pay mom’s rent left speechless by stranger outside Target: ‘Excuse me?’ -- “The young man, named Kevin, was standing outside a Nashville Target store playing violin with a sign reading ‘Need to help my mom with rent, God bless,’ on Aug. 9 when he was approached by Kadey.”
• Sing into the funnel please: inside the Covid-19 lab hoping to declare singing safe -- “The aim is find out how the number and size of droplets and aerosol particles generated by singing and playing compare with those produced by speaking and other forms of vocalisation, such as coughing.”
• Thank You, Russell -- “This should go without saying, but Russell Easter...loved everything about music.”
• Why Does the Church Sing When It Is Assembled? Part One -- “Congregational singing is worship, that is, it is an offering presented to God.  One could and should call it a sacrifice of the lips of a church...”
• Why Does the Church Sing When It Is Assembled? Part Two -- “Worship is vertical.  That’s the direction -- up.  It goes to God.  It’s like incense from the altar of incense, going upward into the nostrils of God.”

In other genealogy words

• ahnentafel, noun. A genealogical numbering system for listing a person’s direct ancestors in a fixed sequence of ascent (From German for ancestor table).
• ancestry, noun. Family or ancestral descent; lineage.
• bastardy, noun. The status of being born to parents who were not married.
• census, noun. An official count and description of the people living in a country, colony, state, county, township, or city; a periodic count of the population.
• circa, preposition. About, approximately(often preceding a date; abbreviated ca.)
• collateral (genealogy), noun and adjective. A member of a family but not in the direct line, such as an aunt, uncle, or cousin; descended from the same stock but by a different line.
• consort, noun. A husband or wife; spouse, especially of a reigning monarch.
• emigrate, verb. To leave one’s country of residence to settle in another.
• family tree, noun. A diagram showing the relationship between people in several generations of a family.
• fan chart, noun. A type of family tree chart that begins with the subject in the middle bottom, and fans out in a half circle representing ancestors.
• graving, noun. The hobby of searching out specific graves for genealogical purposes, including the practice of photographing tombstones to post on genealogical web sites.
• haplogroup, noun (Genetics). A set of similar haplotypes inherited together, or a group who shares a set of similar haplotypes, used to understand genetic lineages.
• haplotype, noun (Genetics). A combination of closely linked DNA sequences on one chromosome that are often inherited together.
• immigrate, verb. To come into a new country to live permanently.
• intestate, adjective. Having made no valid will or not disposed of by a legal will.
• maternal, adjective. Related on the mother’s side.
• nonage, noun. The period of legal minority; any age prior to the legal age.
• once removed, adjective. One generation apart (also twice removed, two generations apart, etc.).
• paternal, adjective. Related on the father’s side.
• probate, noun, adjective, and verb. The official proving of a will as authentic or valid in a probate court; of or relating to probate or a probate court; to establish the authenticity or validity of a will.
• progeny, noun. The immediate descendants of a person.
• sibling, noun and adjective. A brother or sister; of or relating to a brother or sister.
• stemma, noun. A recorded genealogy of a family; the descendants of one individual.
• widow, noun. A woman whose husband has died.
• widower, noun. A man whose wife has died.

The saints’ city

“The city whereof we are freemen is heaven, and we behave ourselves here below, as citizens of that city above: heaven is the saints’ city; here they have no continuing city, but they seek one to come, which is permanent and durable; a city that has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

John Gill, Commentary on Philippians 3:20

2020 State of American Theology, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• 2020 State of American Theology Study, Research Report -- “On all 4 surveys, two-thirds of Americans have considered the resurrection of Jesus an actual occurrence. But, a majority of Americans deny the deity of Christ and that Jesus has always existed. Almost 6 in 10 categorize the Holy Spirit as being a force rather than a personal being.”
• Black Lives Matter Activist Wearing ‘Justice for Breonna Taylor’ Shirt Walked into a Louisville Bar and Murdered Three People -- “Naturally, the national media has completely ignored this story — which certainly would not have been the case if a mass shooter had been wearing a ‘Trump’ shirt.”
• “Bring Home the Bagels”: PETA Urges People to Drop “Anti-Animal” Speech -- “Instead of saying, ‘beat a dead horse,’ animal activist group PETA wants you to say, ‘feed a fed horse.’”
• Catholic voters can’t ignore abortion or Kamala Harris’ religious bigotry in 2020 election -- “Last year, Harris introduced the Do No Harm Act in the U.S. Senate, which would water down the federal 1993 Religious Freedom Restoration Act, among other laws designed to protect people of faith.”
• Breaking: DOJ Releases Details on Why 3 U.S. Cities were Designated ‘Anarchist Jurisdictions’ -- “The DOJ identified the cities as being cities that permitted extremist violence and destruction of property to continue without taking action to stop the criminal acts.”
• Innocent Until Proven Trump Supporter -- “Last weekend, facing death threats and a kangaroo court, and with no means to mount a defense, Gardner killed himself, rather than be killed by the mob waiting for him back in Omaha.”
• Is the Bible Really Pro-Life? -- “Without knowing what the Bible says, our beliefs are not solidified, and we hold no credibility within the world.”
• Poll: Biden bests Trump with Jewish voters on every issue but may have lost ground overall -- “...if Biden intends to reach the same level of support with the group enjoyed by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016, he may have some catching up to do.”
• Rand Paul: I’m Sending Hunter Biden Report to DOJ for Criminal Referral -- “I think riding on Air Force Two and doing business is illegal..I think the only way to determine the actual legality of this is to have it referred to the Department of Justice.”
• The Myth of the Recovering Fundamentalist -- “Ellis and his recovering fundamentalists do damage to the belief, practice, and preservation of the truth, goodness, and beauty. They don't even recover from their earlier error. They just change the label.”
• What we love, we’ll defend -- “What about the Bible though? Do you love—and know it—well enough to defend it?”
• Why Teach Children to Be Pro-Life? -- “The uniqueness that lies within each of us reflects the incredible majesty and imagination of the Creator.”

In other words: a, q, and x

• adimplete, verb (transitive). To fill; to make complete.
• ambidexterity, noun. Skill or talent, esp. in two or more fields; also: ability to alter oneself, one’s opinions, etc., to serve different purposes; adaptability.
• antennation, noun. The action of an insect using its antennae to touch something, esp. (the antennae of) another insect; an instance of this.
• consistent, adjective. Acting or done in the same way over time, especially so as to be fair or accurate; unchanging in nature, standard, or effect over time; non-contradictory. 
• dep, noun. A person who stands in temporarily for another, esp. a musician in a band; also: an instance of being such a temporary stand-in (from deputy). 
• ex abundante cautela, adverb. By way of extreme caution; as an added precaution.
• kibitz, verb (transitive). To watch (a card game or card player) as a spectator, typically while offering (unwelcome) advice or criticism. 
• metanarrative, noun. A storyline or encompassing theme that gives context, meaning, and purpose to, or unites, all smaller themes and individual stories; (in postmodernist literary theory) a narrative about a narrative or narratives. 
• nutual, adjective. Expressed merely by a gesture.
• quadragenarian, noun. A person who is 40 or more and less than 50 years old.
• querimonious, adjective. Prone to complaint; complaining; see querulous.
• querulous, adjective. Complaining in a rather petulant or whining manner; see querimonious.
• worldview, noun. A comprehensive conception or apprehension of the world, especially from a specific standpoint (aka weltanschauung).
• xanthochromia, noun (Medical). Discoloration.
• xenophobia, noun. Fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign.
• xylotypographic, adjective. Of or relating to wooden type; printed from wooden type or from wood blocks.

More, William Tyndale and Baptism

I posted earlier this month about William Tyndale and baptism. Here is a little more.

The name of Tyndal having been mentioned it may not be improper to give a short account of his labours and sufferings in the cause of God. He went young to Oxford, and had part of his education there, and part at Cambridge. After leaving the university, he settled for a time in Gloucestershire; but was obliged to leave his native country on account of persecution; On the continent he translated the new testament into English and printed it in 1526; This edition was bought up by Sir Thomas More and bishop Tonstall; With the money procured from this source; it was republished in 1530: but as this also contained some reflections on the English bishops and clergy, they commanded that it should be purchased and burnt. In 1532 Tyndal and his associates translated and printed the whole bible; but while he was preparing a second edition he was apprehended and burnt for heresy in Flanders.

He was a great reformer. It is generally supposed he was born on the borders of Wales. Mr Thomas thinks this to be very probable, as “Mr Llewelyn Tyndal and his son Hezekiah were reputable members of the Baptist church at Llanwenarth near Abergavenny, about the year 1700, as appeared by the old church book and there were some of the same family in those parts still remaining.” It is probable, therefore, that Tyndal might derive his superior light from some of the Wickliffites about Hereford and the adjoining counties, where we have already proved that much scriptural truth was for ages deposited. To this great man we are under great obligations for our emancipation from the fetters of popery, as it is not likely these would ever have been broken eff but by the hammer of God’s word.

            The sentiments of this celebrated man on the subject of baptism may be collected from the following extract from his works. After reprobating severely the conduct of the Romish clergy for using a latin form of words, he says, “The wasshynge wythout the word helpeth not; but thorow the word it purifyeth and clēseth us, as thou readest Eph 5. How Christ clenseth the congregation in the founteine of water thorow the word: the word is the promise which God hath made. Now as a preacher, in preaching the word of God saveth the hearers that beleve so doeth the wasshinge in that it preacheth and representeth to us the promise that God hath made unto us in Christe, the wasshinge preacheth unto us that we ar clensed wyth Christe’s bloude shedynge was an offering and a satisfaction for the synne of al that repent and beleve consentynge and submyttyne themselves unto the wyl of God. The plungynge into the water sygnyfyeth that we die and are buried with Chryst as co̅serning ye old life of synne which is Adā. And the pulling out agayn sygnyfyeth that we ryse again with Christe in a new lyfe ful of the holye gooste which shal teach us and gyde us and work the wyll of God in us as thou seest Rom 6.*

Whether Tyndal baptized persons on a professsion of faith or not, it is certain that his sentiments would naturally lead him to the practice; as what is said of the subject of this ordinance in this quotation, can in no sense apply to infants, who cannot be said to “repent and believe, consenting and submitting themselves unto the will of God.” As it relates to the manner in which baptism was at that time administered, his statement is so plain that it requires no comment.

* The obedience of all degrees proved by Gods worde imprinted by Wyllyan Copeland at London 1561.

The excerpt above is from A History of the English Baptists, Volume 1 by Joseph Ivimey (London: 1811, pp. 92-93). Ivimey admitted he had no direct proof for what Tyndale practiced concerning baptism—but pointed out that if Tyndale practiced his sentiments, that was believer’s baptism.

Modernized spelling of Tyndale’s words to facilitate ease of understanding for current readers can be found HERE.

Perfect

“That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Timothy 3:17

What perfection does the Holy Ghost speak of here? Certainly not perfection in the flesh; that is but a wild dream of free-will and Arminianism. But perfection here and elsewhere means a being well-established and grounded in the faith, as we find the Apostle speaking (Heb. 5:14), “Strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age” (literally, as we read in the margin, “perfect”), “even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.” Christian perfection does not then consist in perfection in the flesh, but in having arrived at maturity in the divine life, in being what I may call a Christian adult, or what the Apostle terms “a man in Christ.”

When Paul therefore says, “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect,” he means “being no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine,” but favoured with a measure of Christian wisdom and strength. It is this Christian maturity which is called in Scripture, “perfection,” and it is only obtained by suffering. It is only in the furnace that the tin and dross of pharisaic righteousness is purged away; and the soul comes out of the furnace “a vessel unto honour, sanctified and meet for the Master’s use.”

The Lord of life and glory was made “perfect by suffering;” and there is no other way whereby his followers are made spiritually perfect. Until a man is led into suffering, he does not know the truth in its sweetness. We are full of free-will, pride, presumption, and self-righteousness. But when the soul is baptised into suffering, it is in a measure established in the truth, strengthened in the things of God, and conformed to the image of Christ.

J. C. Philpot (1802-1869)

My soul, there is a country

“Peace” was written by Henry Vaughan (1621–1695). Henry Vaughan was a Welshman, born April 17, 1622, the son of Thomas Vaughan (d. 1658).[i] This Vaughan family was of Tretower Court, the parish of Llanfihangel Cwm-du, Brecknock. As a child, Vaughan was taught by a minister named Matthew Herbert. Except for his time studying in Oxford and London, Henry Vaughan resided “his entire adult life in Brecknockshire on the estate where he was born and which he inherited from his parents.” Henry Vaughan called himself a “Silurist,” signifying the heritage of natives of Brecknockshire in Wales. He also styled himself a convert of George Herbert, crediting his change of views to “the blessed man, Mr. George Herbert, whose holy life and verse gained many pious converts, of whom I am the least.” Vaughan was a poet, translator, studied law, and practiced medicine from in the 1650s until his death. “Peace” appeared in his Silex Scintillans – “The Glittering Flint,” first published in 1650 and enlarged in 1655. He published other works, including Thalia Rediviva in 1678.

Henry Vaughan married twice, first to Catherine Wise in 1646, and after her death in 1653, to her sister Elizabeth Wise (circa 1655). Henry and Catherine had four children (a son and three daughters). He died April 23, 1695, and was buried at St. Brides Churchyard in Llansantffraed, Powys, Wales.

1. My Soul, there is a country 

Afar beyond the stars, 

Where stands a winged sentry 

All skillful in the wars; 

2. There, above noise and danger 

Sweet Peace sits, crown’d with smiles, 

And One born in a manger 

Commands the beauteous files. 

3. He is thy gracious friend 

And (O my Soul awake!) 

Did in pure love descend, 

To die here for thy sake. 

4. If thou canst get but thither, 

There grows the flow’r of peace, 

The rose that cannot wither, 

Thy fortress, and thy ease. 

5. Leave then thy foolish ranges, 

For none can thee secure, 

But One, who never changes, 

Thy God, thy life, thy cure.

The poem as transcribed above exhibits modernized spellings. It is a fitting tribute to the peace of God which passeth all understanding (Philippians 4:7). The author calls the reader away from earthly views and places to consider a country far from mortal sight, which by faith is seen. Vaughan’s vocabulary is simple, yet sufficient. Though not written as a hymn, the verse structure is generally 7s.6s., with an alternate rhyming pattern. The poem invites readers to sing it, and it has in fact been set to music. One pairing is with Christus Der Ist Mein Leben by Melchior Vulpius. Vulpius published this tune as a setting for the funeral hymn “Christus, der ist mein Leben” – “For Me to Live Is Jesus” – in Ein Schön Geistlich Gesangbuch (1609).

As descendants of Vaughans (Vaughns) of Wales, our family possibly has some kinship to this hymn writer.

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[i] The Dictionary of Welsh Biography states that Thomas Vaughan “married the heiress of Newton in Llansantffraed.” In letters to John Aubrey, Vaughan reveals his mother’s name as Denise Morgan, and that he had a twin brother named Thomas. (Thomas, Jr. became a rector in the Church of England.) Most biographies give Vaughan’s birth year as 1621. However, his tombstone gives his age at time of death as 73 years old. If April 17 is the correct birthday for Henry Vaughan, and if he was 73 years old when he died, then 1622 is the correct birth year. However, Vaughan seems to give the year as 1621 in one of his letters to John Aubrey.

In other words, wind and water

• cyclone, noun. A system of winds rotating inwards to an area of low barometric pressure, with an anticlockwise (northern hemisphere) or clockwise (southern hemisphere) circulation; a depression. 
• derecho, noun. A large fast-moving complex of thunderstorms with powerful straight-line winds that cause widespread destruction; a widespread, long-lived wind storm.
• downburst, noun. A strong downward wind system that emanates from a point source above and blows radially, that is, in straight lines in all directions from the point of contact at ground level.
• funnel cloud, noun. A rotating funnel-shaped cloud forming the core of a tornado or waterspout. 
• haboob, noun. A violent thick dust storm or sandstorm, particularly in the deserts of North Africa and Arabia or on the plains of India. (Such a dust storm can stand hundreds of feet high.)
• hurricane, noun. A tropical storm having sustained wind speeds of at least 74 miles per hour, in particular a tropical cyclone in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, or eastern Pacific Ocean. Compare typhoon.
• medicane, noun. Mediterranean tropical-like cyclones (typically smaller in diameter and have lower wind speeds than true tropical cyclones). Derived by combining Mediterranean with hurricane.
• squall line, noun. A line or extended narrow region within which squalls (high wind and heavy rain) or thunderstorms occur, often several hundred miles long.
• tempest, noun. A violent windstorm, especially one with rain, hail, or snow.
• thunderstorm, noun. A heavy storm characterized by thunder and lightning.
• tornado, noun. A mobile, destructive vortex of violently rotating winds having the appearance of a funnel-shaped cloud and advancing beneath a large storm system. Compare waterspout.
• tropical storm, noun. A localized, very intense low-pressure wind system, forming over tropical oceans and with winds of hurricane force.
• tsunami, noun. An unusually large sea wave produced by a seaquake or undersea volcanic eruption; also called tidal wave.
• typhoon, noun. A tropical storm having sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour, in particular a tropical cyclone in the western Pacific Ocean or northern Indian Ocean. Compare hurricane.
• waterspout, noun. A rotating column of water and spray formed by a whirlwind occurring over the sea or other body of water. Compare tornado.
• whirlwind, noun. A column of air moving rapidly round and round in a cylindrical or funnel shape.

Hiding warts?

I posted here and elsewhere about some of the problems of the Black Lives Matter organization. It is an organization rather than a statement. Not all black lives matter to them, apparently. An interesting development is that they have recently removed the What We Believe page. When I searched for it last night, I got the following message. 

404 Not Found. We can not find the page you are looking for. 

Other browsers may have:

Page Not Found. Sorry, but the page you were trying to view does not exist. 

There is an “About” section on the site. It relates vague things about what the group believes, without going into detail. “What We Believe” was much more detailed, revealing, for example, that Black Lives Matter is a queer‐affirming transgender network that wants to “disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure.” Maybe they have deemed that clarity with this kind of information generally harmful to their cause. For now, what they used to freely admit is now scrubbed or hidden. Nevertheless, it can still be found on a cached version of the website HERE.

Evangelicals’ Opposition to Abortion

The History of American Evangelicals’ Opposition to Abortion Is Long -- “To take pro-choice revisionists at their word, one would have to believe that, with Roe, the Supreme Court struck down restrictive abortion laws that came from nowhere and were passed by nobody but merely existed.”

The second commandment of the teaching: You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not seduce boys. You shall not commit fornication. You shall not steal. You shall not practice magic. You shall not use potions. You shall not procure [an] abortion, nor destroy a newborn child. [Didache 2:1–2 (a.d. 70)]
In the new historiography of the abortion debate, the reason that pro-lifers are against abortion is not that they sincerely believe it to be murder. Rather they are operating from a false consciousness, hiding their real motive, racism...To take pro-choice revisionists at their word, one would have to believe that, with Roe, the Supreme Court struck down restrictive abortion laws that came from nowhere and were passed by nobody but merely existed.

The Gospel

The gospel is sublime, but also simple. Succinctly, the gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures.

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

In his death, Jesus suffered the penalty of sin. The wages of sin is death. God told Adam that he would die if he ate the fruit that God forbid. Jesus suffered this penalty when he died on the cross. (Genesis 2:17; Ezekiel 18:4, 20; Romans 5:12; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:56)

In his death, Jesus substituted himself for sinners. His death was substitutionary, or vicarious (experienced in the place of others). Jesus was born sinless. He lived a sinless life. He was without sin. Since the wages of sin is death, death had no valid claim on him. His death was in our place. (2 Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:21-22; 1 Peter 3:18)

In his death, Jesus satisfied the justice of God. Animal sacrifices were not sufficient to atone for man’s sin. The substitutionary death of Jesus the Son of God was sufficient. It satisfied the righteousness and justice of God totally, once for all. (Isaiah 53:5-6, 10-11; Hebrews 10:4, 10-14; 1 Peter 2:21-22; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:9–10)

In his burial, an act related to the process of dust returning to dust (though not for him), Jesus was one with sinners. His burial is the hinge pin between death and resurrection, assuring us that both occurred – verification that Jesus was in fact dead. Experts in execution certified his death. His body was spiced and securely wrapped in burial garments. Guards watched his tomb. (Isaiah 53:9; Matthew 27:57-60)

In his resurrection, Jesus was declared or demonstrated to be the Son of God. God is satisfied, well-pleased, signified in his raising Jesus from the dead. The resurrection puts the “stamp of approval” on the birth, life, and death of Jesus Christ – indicating he was the true Messiah sent from God. He ever lives as proof that he came from heaven. (Acts 13:29-31; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 6:14; 1 Timothy 3:16)

In his resurrection, Jesus is the promise of our resurrection. Our hope and expectation of life after death – rising from the grave – intricately intertwines with his resurrection. If there is no resurrection of Jesus, there is no resurrection of us. There is no hope. (1 Corinthians 15:20; 1 Corinthians 15:12-19, 21-23; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Titus 2:13)

In his resurrection, Jesus won the victory over death. Death is man’s lot, the wages he pays for sin. In his death, Jesus crushed the head of the serpent. Then he rises victorious over death. He owns the keys of death and hell. He ever lives to make intercession for us. (Isaiah 25:8; Mark 16:6; Acts 2:24; 1 Corinthians 15:23, 51-57; Revelation 1:18)

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: John 11:25

A Faithful Willingness, and other links

The posting of links does not constitute an endorsement of the sites linked, and not necessarily even agreement with the specific posts linked.

• A Faithful Willingness to Apply the Bible to Its Own Preservation -- “2 Timothy 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 1:20-21 just don’t make those exact types of statements, and yet believers through church history have taken assurance from them that there was a perfect set of sixty-six books in the original Hebrew and Greek manuscripts.”
• A Word Study Demonstrating the Meaning of the word Church (Ekklesia), And Consequently the Nature of the New Testament Church -- “...this writer is not aware of any published study of the word ekklesia by an advocate of a universal, invisible church position that seeks to refute the local-only position.”
• After vowing to abolish police, Minneapolis City Council demands to know ‘Where are the police?’ as violence plagues the city -- “During a two-hour meeting with Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo this week, the Democratic city council, in brazen fashion, demanded to know why city police are not responding to the violence with enhanced law enforcement measures.”
• Ben Sasse Calls for Repealing 17th Amendment, Eliminating Popular-Vote Senate Elections -- “What would the Founding Fathers think of America if they came back to life...The Congress they envisioned is all but dead.”
• BREAKING: Omaha Bar Owner Charged For Killing Rioter Who Attacked Him and His Business Has Committed Suicide -- “...Franklin bowed to pressure and dug up evidence and came up with charges.”
• Cancel Culture Is Not the Problem; Conformity Culture Is -- “The more difficult cases — largely unknown because they are, unlike discrete and reportable events, unknowable — are those in which scholars restrain their own language not out of fear but rather out of weariness.”
• Gunmen Shoot Up Home Of 2 Cops While They Were Inside With Newborn Baby -- “The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has joined in the search for the gunmen, and a $20,000 reward has been offered for information leading to their arrests.”
• Late ruling on Green Party will delay mail ballots -- “The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered three Green Party candidates to be restored to the November ballot after Democrats successfully sued to remove them...”
• Mental Health, Substance Use, and Suicidal Ideation During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, June 24–30, 2020 -- “... 40.9% of respondents reported at least one adverse mental or behavioral health condition, including symptoms of anxiety disorder or depressive disorder...”
• Occupational Gravestones -- “Occupational gravestones can help you discover the story of your ancestor’s life. It’s the dash between the dates!”
• Ode to Parker Motel -- “In the late 1950s, my grandfather bought the Parker Motel...None of us are named Parker, but he couldn’t see changing a perfectly good sign, so the Parker Motel it remained.”
• Understanding the three-fifths compromise -- “Counting the whole number of slaves benefited the Southern states and reinforced the institution of slavery. Minimizing the percentage of the slave population counted for apportionment reduced the political power of slaveholding states.”
• The History of American Evangelicals’ Opposition to Abortion Is Long -- “To take pro-choice revisionists at their word, one would have to believe that, with Roe, the Supreme Court struck down restrictive abortion laws that came from nowhere and were passed by nobody but merely existed.”
• When Looking for a Church, Beware the “Right Fit” -- “I’m looking for a church that’s just like me.”