Princes and Politics

Berean Baptist on July 30, 2018

Psalm 146:3

“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.”

(This article appeared in our bulletin before the 2016 election.)

I cannot think of a more appropriate psalm to read in this time of political unrest than Psalm 146. For too long, evangelical Christians in America have done what this psalm clearly tells us not to do. In the early 1970s, the Christian right formed a political organization named The Moral Majority intended to advance an agenda for the restoration of the Ten Commandments to our public schools and the repeal of abortion rights. We certainly applaud their righteous stands and we are very much aware of how changes in our laws have critically affected our society. We are at the point of complete moral collapse and possibly a Romans 1:28 problem in which God has turned us over to a reprobate mind.

Although the Moral Majority no longer exists as an organized political movement, its impact on fundamental churches is still alive and well. I have no problem with Christians carefully choosing candidates to ensure we vote pro-life and pro-morality, but I do have a problem with the way many Baptists think we will change America. Our hope is in princes instead of the LORD our God. When politics were brought into the church, the focus of the church’s mission began to change. Our aim was to make America great instead of proclaiming the greatness of God’s kingdom to the American populace. In this year’s election, the party in whom many Christians trust has promised to make America great again, but unlike former days God has no part in it.

In 1984, I attended a conference in Washington, D. C. known as Baptist Fundamentalism ’84. I was privileged to hear both President Ronald Reagan and Vice-President George H.W. Bush speak. It was a rousing event with plenty of doses of American pride. The arena was awash in patriotism with enough to make the eyes well up with tears. We thought a political party was America’s savior. It was events like this that gave American Christians an unhealthy attachment to a party in which the church began to focus on men instead of God. In fairness, it was a logical move since it was the other party that was like the northern ten tribes that quickly fell into apostasy.

Pastors of churches jumped on the political bandwagon to motivate congregations to vote and to involve themselves in political processes just like a political action committee seeks to influence legislation. It is not uncommon to have patriotism days in the church or to have church services whose purpose is to applaud public servants. These are manipulative ways to draw crowds which only goes to show these churches have little confidence in the Holy Spirit to draw to Himself those He pleases to save.

I am trying to point out that politics has become the church program. We gather to ourselves those who are politically like us which the New Testament apostles avoided. With each person we draw, there are ten others who are repelled because their politics do not fit ours. We are dependent on changing things with politics rather than gathering all publicans and sinners to hear about Christ. We are reaping the results of our trust in party rather than God. The party leadership is made up of those whose program it is to stay in power, which means compromising Christ will never be a problem for them. The egregious violation of commandments, especially of loving self, has never been more apparent than in this year’s choices.

This year we get the consequences of misplaced trust. We are told to vote for the lesser of two evils. Hopefully, we will delay the worst of the inevitable for at least a little while. Perhaps there is some sense in this reasoning. However, be assured a clean thing will never come from the unclean. I believe the church is better off backing off from the political process. We should preach against the immorality of the culture whenever it intersects our teaching of the word of God. We should seek the salvation of the people of this culture through our dependence on the Almighty God, not on the princes of politics. Let us return to the preaching of Christ instead of the preaching of the Constitution.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

The Living and Energizing Word

Berean Baptist on July 23, 2018

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

One of the greatest tragedies of the modern church is the failure of both pulpit and people to honor God’s word. There are many that regard the Bible as a stuffy book that was written by ancient men who were overly superstitious and whose opinions are not applicable to the modern world. If the Bible is read in church, it is a version that has been stripped of its original meaning and paraphrased so that it reads like the newspaper or a cheap novel.

Modern Bible translators believe God is incapable of saying what He meant to say. It is therefore their task to put scripture into a more readable form so that anyone can understand it. In doing so, their eclectic translations interpret scripture rather than translate. Their actions deny a fundamental element of Bible comprehension, which is the power of the Holy Spirit to speak to the heart and mind to reveal truth. The Bible is not man’s book but rather as Hebrews 4:12 describes, it is the word of God.

The Bible has special characteristics that make it more than just an “ancient” book. It is “quick” which means it is alive. It does not die like an ancient language. It is as new and fresh to every generation as if it was spoken this morning. It is also “powerful,” which is a word from which we get “energy.” The Bible is constantly active so that it is able to awaken people that are dead in trespasses and sins and give them spiritual birth (1 Pet. 1:23).

The writer also says it is “sharper than any twoedged sword.” We should pay attention to this phrase because this speaks of God’s judgment. Those who do not listen to the word and heed its commands are going to be judged severely by it. It can reveal the “thoughts and intents of the heart.” Those that reject the message of the scripture, the way of eternal life through the gospel of Christ, will be held accountable in the Day of Judgment.

It is not very hard to understand the reason so many churches have abandoned scripture. As churches desire an atmosphere that caters to an unregenerate crowd, the word of God becomes a terrible sore spot because of its exposing and condemning nature. The scripture says that people love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. The word of God is a glaring spotlight on an evil generation, so trying to draw a worldly crowd by preaching the truth of the word is an exercise in futility.

At Berean, we are committed to reading and preaching the Bible and are content to let the Holy Spirit work on the hearts of the people. The Bible does expose sin, but the Holy Spirit is able to take the preached word and break down the resistance of the sinner. Clever tactics and manipulation are not our method. We depend solely on the work of the Holy Spirit as He uses the “quick” and “powerful” word to draw sinners to Christ.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith

The LORD of the Law

Berean Baptist on July 16, 2018

Exodus 20:1-2

Throughout the scriptures, the Law is known by many names, which means multiple passages reference the Ten Commandments without using what we regard as its most recognizable term. It is amazing to see how much the content of scripture relies on the information given in this short passage of Exodus 20. It was given 3500 years ago and yet remains the most impactful document in the history of man. Though human courts and self-proclaimed moralists disdain it and seek to remove it from every avenue of public life, it is the truth to which the Supreme Judge of the living and the dead will hold us accountable. It is established forever in the court that really counts—the court of Chief Justice, Jesus Christ.

He is identified as the LORD. His name is a description of His abilities and authority. His name gives authority to His Law; it is righteous and just by virtue of the character of the one who gave it. It is good and righteous because He is the ultimate good and righteousness. Every commandment we break is neither good nor helpful for man. It is not only a violation of God, but also a violation of man who is made in the image of God. This is the reason the Ten Commandments address our relationship to God and to each other.

The apostle Paul wrote that the Law was given to show us our offenses. Their magnitude is exceedingly great so that we are left helpless to defend ourselves against the Law’s relentless condemnation. We have no escape from its penalty and are offenders with nothing to shield us from its terrible consequences. The Law has no recourse for lawbreakers. It cannot fix any transgression. It is black and white with no ability to be anything other than what it is. It cannot be merciful—it is sterile, without personality or compassion. However, the judge who enforces it is personal, He is merciful, and He is compassionate. But, He does not clear the guilty by setting aside its punishment. Instead, He allows the penalty to be imposed on a substitute who stands good for the penalty on our behalf.

The Law is marvelous because it sets us up for the manifestation of God’s grace. We could never understand the merciful and gracious character of God without the Law to condemn us. God could have dealt with us based on the Law alone and would have maintained His righteous character, but this would not teach us His whole character. God seeks to be glorified by everything that is inherent in the name LORD. He shows us His justice by bringing us to the judgment seat of the Law, and then takes us around the bench to see the other side where is found His mercy and grace. We learn to reverence, honor, respect, and glorify God through the full revelation of His character.

When we study the name LORD, these amazing facts leap out at us. His name encompasses all these wonderful features—lawgiver, judge, sovereign, AND redeemer. Rejoice because God gave the Law. Obey it for His glory! The commandments are the beginning of the full revelation of Almighty God.

Pastor V. Mark Smith