Welcome to A Christian Manifesto Today episode #51. My name is Daniel Whyte III, president of Torch Leadership Foundation.
Pastor and Christian philosopher, Francis A. Schaeffer, warned us and created the war plan that we as Christians need today to deal with a society that is increasingly moving away from God, the Bible, and moral principles. He wrote “A Christian Manifesto” over 33 years ago and its words are just as relevant today as they were back then.
Our Christian Manifesto Today Passage from the Word of God today is Acts 5:40-42 which reads: “And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten [them], they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.”
Our Christian Manifesto Today quote today is from Thomas Jefferson. He said: “If a law is unjust a man is not only right to disobey it, he is obligated to do so.”
In this podcast, we are using as our text: “A Christian Manifesto” by Francis A. Schaeffer.
Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer writes in “The Use of Civil Disobedience” (Part 4):
Another illustration would be Christian schools resisting the undue entanglement and interference of the state into their affairs. This same thing is equally true for other private schools. That might include resisting the Internal Revenue Service’s use of its tax rulings if they were used to enforce such undue entanglement and interference. Again there would be trials and possibly jail for someone. But at a certain point there may be no other effective protest.
The problem in relation to a state public school system is not just an abstract possibility. As I write, a case of undue entanglement and interference is in the courts in a situation that corresponds exactly to Samuel Rutherford’s concept of the proper procedure for a corporate body to resist.
The state of Arkansas has passed a law allowing creation to be taught in the public schools. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is trying to have this law revoked, saying it violates the separation of church and state.
Here is a clear case fitting Rutherford’s criteria. The state of Arkansas has passed a law. The courts are being used by the ACLU to try to nullify a state law which has the support of the original meaning of the First Amendment. The ACLU is arguing its case based upon a certain concept of the separation of church and state. But it must be stressed that this concept is entirely new and novel from the viewpoint of the original intent of the First Amendment and the total intent of the Founding Fathers. This new separation concept is a product of the recent humanist dominance in the United States and is being used in this case to destroy the power of a properly elected state legislature’s “sovereign” ruling.
The ACLU is acting as the arm of the humanist consensus to force its view on the majority of the Arkansas state officials.
If there was ever a clearer example of the lower “magistrates” being treated with tyranny, it would be hard to find. And this would be a time, if the appeal courts finally rule tyrannically, for the state government to protest and refuse to submit. This fits Rutherford’s proper procedures exactly.
It is a time for Christians and others who do not accept the narrow and bigoted humanist views rightfully to use the appropriate forms of protest.
In this case in Arkansas the ACLU has shown that it is the reverse of a civil liberties union. It is trying to make the schools totally secularism, against the majority wishes of the Arkansas Legislature, and probably the majority of the citizens of the state of Arkansas. Under the guise of “civil liberties” it is tyranny, and not only the individual states should resist but the people should resist. The Humanist forces have used the courts rather than the legislatures because the courts are not subject to the people’s thinking and expression by the election process—and especially they (the courts) are not subject to reelection. This is also related to the courts increasingly making law and thus the diminishing of the Federal and state legislatures. The people must act against tyranny by returning these issues to themselves. The Time magazine article of January 18, 1982 reporting on the lower courts ruling against the Arkansas legislature spoke of “a poll showing that 76 percent of the United States public favors the teaching of both theories”—i.e., evolution and creation. Thus if the poll is accurate, the lower court’s ruling is openly contrary to the will of not only the legislature of Arkansas and the people of Arkansas but to 76 percent of the United States population. Any election figure getting such a percentage would consider this a mandate. Surely, the Founding Fathers would have considered this situation to be tyranny. It would be appropriate to remember the Boston Tea Party of December 16, 1773.
Lord willing, we will continue looking at this topic in our next episode.
Let’s Pray.
* * * * * * * *
Dear friend, if you are listening today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, allow me to show you how:
First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God’s law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”
Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”
Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.
Romans 10:9-13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
Until next time, my friend, continue to stand for the Lord and his Word. God bless you!
A Christian Manifesto Today 