Righteousness Exalts a Nation;

SIN IS A REPROACH

by General James Green

Proverbs 14:34 — “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

Leviticus 18:22-30 — “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination. Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion. Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you: and the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants. Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you: (for all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;) that the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you. For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people. Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.”

I WANT TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE of sodomy once again. There are many sins that are talked about, but sodomy is listed as an “ABOMINATION”! As shown many times, Leviticus 18:22 states, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; IT IS ABOMINATION.” Verse 23 deals with sex with animals. Verse 25 tells us that these ABOMINATIONS are iniquity in God’s sight. Verse 26 tells us that Israel (God’s people who were under His law, statutes and judgments) was NOT to commit ANY of these ABOMINATIONS (—“neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you”). Verse 27 tells us (again) that these sex-sins DEFILE the land. Verse 29 tells us that “whosoever shall commit ANY of these ABOMINATIONS, even the souls that commit them shall be CUT OFF from among their people.” And verse 30 tells us, once again, NOT to commit “any one of those ABOMINABLE customs...”

     The prohibitions of chapter 18 of Leviticus deal with that which is unnatural and therefore vice. The Church in this hour, in this generation, under the New Testament “dispensation” of grace, has been and is facing the question, “Must a Christian concur with God’s O.T. laws? Is the Church bound to them?” Seemingly, the modern Church thinks she is NOT! I say, in reference to moral laws, if we are bound to them, it is not simply because they are written in Leviticus but because, in the freedom of the Gospel, we recognize that the O.T. prohibitions against the aforementioned SINS correspond to the requirements of human nature and conduct as God made them. God did not make Adam and Steve for procreation, but Adam and Eve. Certain “unions” God regards instinctively as unnatural and SINFUL. Sodomy is one of them.

     I believe that heterosexual monogamy is God’s perfect and that lifelong fidelity is the perfect law of God and the real meaning and ultimate intention of marriage, not a homosexual or lesbian union or “marriage.” This latter PERVERSION is an ABOMINATION!

     Jesus did not deny that the Law of Moses was the Law of God. And although He fulfilled all shadows, types, and O.T. ceremonies, the moral laws of God still remain (and are even expanded in the New Testament). Heterosexual monogamy is incumbent upon Christians, not same-sex unions or “marriages”—OR POLYGAMY! No doubt that polygamy, thru certain stages of history, was “accepted” by men, but this was because of dimness of spiritual vision or dull ethical perception and hardness of heart.

     Jesus dealt with the marriage and divorce problem in Matthew 19:1-9. He states in verse 4 that God made them male and female in the Beginning, not male and male or female and female. Verses 5 and 6 state that a real marriage, a natural marriage is between ONE man and ONE woman. Verse 7 deals with divorce under Moses. Verse 8 plainly tells us that divorce was allowed simply “because of the hardness of your hearts”; Jesus then says, “but from the beginning it was not so.” This same truth holds for polygamy and sodomy: that is, these may have been accepted at certain times—and these only by men, not God—and perhaps were even promoted in various eras of history, “but from the beginning it was not so,” and NOWHERE does God ever promote them, or even allow them without due penalty.

To the Heart of the Matter

“IT IS out of the question that there can be a common Christian government over one country or a great number of people; for the wicked are always far more numerous than the pious. Therefore a man who would undertake to govern an entire country with the Gospel would be like a shepherd who would place into one stable wolves, lions, eagles, and sheep, letting them freely mingle with one another, and saying, ‘Take care of yourselves, be good and peaceable among yourselves...’” (Martin Luther).

     In the Bible we find universal moral laws—instituted for ALL men, in all cultures, for all time. These laws have been in place since the very Beginning of Creation. Marriage between ONE man and ONE woman is a “Creation Ordinance” (an ordinance established at the Beginning, at Creation), and God Himself performed the first of such a marriage in history after He created Adam and Eve (again, not Adam and Steve!).

     “Ecclesiastically minded legislators have not infrequently sought to make these laws of the O.T. determinative of the [nature of] civil codes in modern lands.” This is a real touchy subject to write about here. Please consider that I, as a Christian, do believe in God’s laws, as I have clearly shown (of course, as I have also shown, the O.T. shadows and types are not incumbent upon us in this New Testament “dispensation,” seeing that Christ has fulfilled them and brought us beyond them). In fact, I have made it clear in many writings that 9 out of the 10 Ten Commandments are still in place in the New Testament (the Jewish Sabbath being the one that is not, since it was fulfilled in Christ; write for our teachings and free booklet on the Sabbath). The 9 remaining commandments can be clearly found in the New Testament. (Yet we know that the actual “Ten Commandments” were given specifically to ancient Israel, not to all pagan nations.)

     Patriots get upset with me when I even suggest that there ought to be a separation between Church and State. This does not align me with the “Left” camp, but I have to see what the Bible says. As much as I hate sins that the Bible condemns being normal in societies, I must remind myself that we cannot MAKE pagans obey God’s moral laws. We cannot legislate morality. However, all worldly governments should consider the defilements that certain sins do to a land. Murder is a universal sin. It would be unthinkable for murder to go unchecked. Sodomy was a custom of certain pagan societies but was forbidden by God’s Holy Nation of Israel, and is forbidden in the New Testament as well (write for our free booklets on this subject). Any nation wanting to remain a nation and not defile their land should consider this sin to be ABOMINABLE.

     The corruption of sexual morals is much more than “a number of private and individual offences against morality”: it literally “DEFILES THE LAND”—any and ALL lands. It causes God’s wrath to come and Him to execute His judgments. Adducing much historical proof, we can know that sodomy destroys civilizations and leads to total national disaster.

To My Point!

LEVITICUS 19 tells us that because God is holy (v. 2), God’s people must be holy (v. 2). The LORD did not expect the pagan nations to be holy (set apart for His use), but He did expect His people to be. The same holds true even today: His Church is to be holy. Jesus stated in John 18:36, “My Kingdom is not of this world...” What did He mean by this? Jesus makes a definite distinction between His Kingdom and the world—by His Words we see a certain antinomy, that is, “a contradiction or inconsistency between two apparently reasonable principles or laws, or from a conclusion drawn from them.” You see, the world operates by some “reasonable good, even ethical laws,” but His Kingdom, which is undoubtedly good, comes against (often contradicts) the way of the world as a system. Let us seek here to explore what God’s Kingdom is.

     To begin, Jesus’ Kingdom did not originate in this world, nor does it seek to take over the world’s system. Jesus did not come to establish a religious-political theocracy or aspire to world domination (over this present fallen world). Yet “Patriotism Theology” is trying to do this very thing. It is not bad for Christians working in the political arena to try and influence the sinners, but syncretism is out of the question. This (syncretism) is what the Roman Catholic Church did—“the blending (or attempted fusion) of different forms of belief and/or practice”: the mixing of the Christian Kingdom with the world’s kingdom. We cannot blend Yahweh worship with pagan worship.

     We, as His ambassadors, are to be witnesses and hopefully WIN converts unto His Holy Kingdom, not just form a religious-political system of syncretism.

     Jesus said that if He had come to set up a syncretistic system on earth, then would His servants “fight.” America and other pseudo-religious countries have tried to make syncretism work. But Christ’s Kingdom did not bear physical arms (Matt. 26:51-52). And Christ’s Kingdom does not ally itself with political parties, social pressure groups, or any other secular pagan organizations in order to establish God’s Kingdom. Men do this, not God.

     I realize I’m hitting on a raw nerve here. Sorry, the Kingdom of God is NOT a mixture of holiness and paganism. There is NO true “Christian nation” on earth; but there are plenty of Christians within the nations of this world, and these Christians ought to be working at winning/converting the pagans, not the pagans the Christians!

     My writings may sound un-American, even “ethnocentric.” Well, within a “Politically Correct” (PC) society such as the USA, the Bible is viewed as “OUTDATED” and certainly not ecumenical enough. And if one does not belong to the Republican Party, one is viewed as the “ENEMY”! Remember the “For God and Country” spiel?

     However, just because one does not get involved in voting politics, this does not mean that one is indifferent to God’s demand for a just government, justice or the curtailing of lawlessness. We, as ambassadors, are to PRAY and WITNESS. Sadly, those who go beyond this become “unequally yoked with unbelievers” (2 Cor. 6:14-18).

     It is the Christians’ responsibility to present the Gospel and give forth the Prophetic Word to the State concerning its moral responsibilities UNDER GOD! But the State and the Kingdom of God are two entirely different systems. Christ’s Kingdom involves His Divine rule—something unregenerate men and women cannot live by. By nature, the sinner is disconnected from God, “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1). How can dead men live righteously, let alone rule righteously (in the Christian sense of the word)?

     The Kingdom of God is “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Rom. 14:17). How can the State have these?

     The Kingdom of God confronts the demonic forces of satan with spiritual weapons (see Mt. 12:28; Lk. 11:20; Acts 26:16-18; Eph. 6:10-18; et al.); the State uses carnal weapons. We’re instructed to follow Jesus, not some political leader or leaders who live sinful lives. Our strength is not in the power of politics but in the power and might of the Holy Spirit...and of the cross. In fact, Christians are persecuted by the State. Only in renouncing worldly power did the New Testament Church (really, Ekklesia) find the Lord’s power to prevail over the State/the world.

     Jesus told Pilate that He “came into the world, that [He] should bear witness unto the truth” (Jn. 18:37), not that He should be part of the world’s system or start a new religious-political system.

     Truly, we have a great warfare ahead of us here in the U.S. The State is becoming more and more anti-Christ by the day. In a nation whose roots were mostly Christian, it should be the job of national leadership to secure and protect peace, justice, and liberty in which the Church may obey God’s Word, serve the Lord with a pure conscience, and preach the Gospel without State interference. Yet those days are all but gone. Canada is ahead of America in the sense of taking away religious freedoms; but I expect the U.S. to catch up and even surpass her.

     As it now stands, the sodomites rule the land. To have a thought contrary to their filthy lifestyles is considered a “HATE” crime!

     Although I believe there ought to be a separation between Church and State, I do not believe the State has the right to SILENCE the Church, just as I do not believe that the Church ought to MAKE the pagans obey God’s laws. (Remember, though, we SHOULD strive to CONVERT them). However, as stated beforehand, some Divine laws (moral laws) are to be obeyed by ALL.

     So, it is not the Church’s duty to govern the world, but neither is it the State’s duty to govern the Church. The two operate in different spheres. It is the Church’s duty to witness to the world, preach the Gospel to them, and declare to them God’s prophetic Word.

     Syncretism cannot please God. For this reason, Paul wrote 2 Corinthians 6:17-18. The concept of separation from all evil (if possible) is fundamental to God’s relationship with His people—“sheep” and “goats” will eventually be separated by God Himself!

     If one reads the O.T., separation was a CONTINUAL requirement for the LORD’s people (Ex. 23:24; Lev. 20:22-26; Isa. 52:11; Jer. 51:45; et al.). God’s people were not only commanded to be separate from the world, but to be different—“HOLY.”

     In the New Testament, the Word commands us to separate “(a) from the corrupt world system (this includes political, cultish/occultish sects and lodges, etc.; see Jn. 17:15-16; 2 Tim. 3:1-5; Jam. 1:27; 4:4; et al.); (b) from those in the Church itself who sin and refuse to repent (Matt. 18:15-17; 1 Cor. 5:9-11; 2 Thes. 3:6-15); (c) from false teachers, preachers, prophets, etc., who teach theological error and deny Biblical truths (see Matt. 7:15; Rom. 16:17; Gal. 1:9; Titus 3:9-11; 2 Pet. 2:17-22; 1 Jn. 4:1; 2 Jn. vv. 10-11; Jude vv. 12-13)”; these seem to be multiplying day by day.

     Surely, a country with sin problems like the USA must fall into the category of the “reproached,” not that of the “exalted.” Because of this reality, there has been and is a great tendency among some in the churches to seek to bring the reigns of government under the Church to try to “reform” things. Again, we MUST realize that unless a person is born again (see John 3), he or she cannot see nor enter into the Kingdom of God. So, the State and the Kingdom of God are again understood to be separate systems.

     Some ask, “Is it not the Church’s obligation to establish standards of righteousness in our land? even a Christian government?” Friends, a true Christian Government can only work with saved (redeemed, regenerated) subjects in it who will follow God’s laws. It doesn’t work to FORCE sinners to submit to such laws outwardly while they are not submitted inwardly. It seems like a good thing to do, but it is NOT Scriptural.

     You see, a true Christian’s attitude in separating from the world will be one of “(a) hatred toward sin, not compromising with it (as these religious-political folks do—some more than others; see Rom. 12:9; Heb. 1:9; 1 Jn. 2:15); (b) opposition toward false doctrine (which TOO MANY churches are already guilty of holding to!; see Gal. 1:9); and (c) genuine love (not humanistic “love”) toward those whom we must separate from (Jn. 3:16; 1 Cor. 5:5; Gal. 6:1; Rom. 9:1-3; 2 Cor. 2:1-8; 11:28-29; Jude v. 22).”

     What I see in all this “pro-political” campaigning is the LACK of true Godly WITNESSING and telling those in the world’s political arena that they must REPENT and BE BORN AGAIN. It is simply not PC to tell a Jew, a Muslim, a Buddhist, etc. that they are going to HELL if they do not accept Jesus’ WAY of salvation. Are you, dear reader, guilty of not witnessing to the LOST?

     A true Christian’s attitude in separating from the world will also be one of “(d) fear of God as we perfect holiness (2 Cor. 7:1).” This, again, is one thing MOST professing Christians do not have nor care to have. They are happy just pointing their SELF-RIGHTEOUS fingers at the sinners and telling them to submit to God’s laws.

     Here is a quote made during WWII by a pastor/evangelist who was on the “pro-political” side of things: “The distressing state of political life in this country [USA] is due in considerable part to the widespread idea that religion and politics cannot be mixed. The deep conviction that Church and State should be separated has made it easy for people to conclude that religion should be kept out of politics. This conclusion has strengthened the judgment that government itself is an evil, a necessary evil but still an evil. ‘That government is best which governs least’ seems axiomatic to many citizens.”

     Here we have the typical thought on religion and politics. But is it Biblically sound? The idea that “the powers that be are ordained of God” holds sway over millions of minds. America, right or wrong, has become the foundational example for “Christian Patriotism” for multitudes of people in this land and abroad. “Yes,” they may say, “government is evil, but it must always be obeyed!” But does the Bible teach this? True, government of the State is designed to “administer political action over an unregenerate people,” but never unconditionally over God’s Holy Tribal People. We’re not to be purposeful lawbreakers, but neither are we to obey the State when it comes to matters of breaking God’s Word.

     Okay, we can see the horrible suffering and injustice done under a Communist rule, where religion has been entirely excluded and not even allowed to voice its message or proclaim God’s Word; and the way America has grown is that the State wants complete loyalty out of ALL its subjects but doesn’t want to obey God’s laws—the State can push its anti-Christ behavior off on us Christians, and now we find it hard to voice the Voice of God’s Word. This is taking separation too far!

     When the quality of government (like America) becomes increasingly more degenerate, it is time for the Christian citizens to be more spiritually AGGRESSIVE and ACTIVE, not more passive and fearful. Such is the time now. The cry against “the extensions of governmental functions” is not a mere waste of prayers. It actually checks the foul forces that are seeking to damn the people even more. It is an activity that is right in God’s sight.

     Are we Christian citizens just consumers or investors? Investing our time and energies into the political—preaching the Gospel to them, proclaiming God’s Prophetic Word to them, admonishing them to adhere to the standards of God—for the sake of souls is important to God. Are we not commanded to make disciples of the nations (Matt. 28:19-20)? But if the Church merely gets involved in politics for politics’ sake, what are we accomplishing? Are we just to vote to elect an unregenerated person into office because we like their platform? Do we elect officials because we will prosper under their term of office? And what about the many political policies that have NOTHING to do with the Kingdom of God? We can’t serve two masters: it is the State, or God! Self-centeredness, competitive struggle, concentration of economic privilege and power and domination of the many by the few all belong to the world, not the Kingdom of God. Our duty should be both to God and man, not just man; and to God FIRST.

     Some hold to the view that “economic stability is the key to a vital political democracy.” It may well be, but the Kingdom of God is not a democracy (the people ruling by majority) but a Theocracy (God ruling by infinite “Monarchy”). You see, if democracy is to survive, then ALL the organizations thru which man operates—industrial, social, and political—must also be democratic. The same holds true for Theocracy—ALL must have a FULL allegiance to God first, and not just in talk but in walk.

     No, dear friends, I do not have a fear of “Statism,” I have a fear of God. Our duty as Christians is to seek what God wants His people to do, and we must advocate the adoption of policies which reflect His will. His will IS “that all men be saved.” And we must continue our opposition to ungodly measures which conflict with God’s eternal laws. Preach the truth for truth’s sake, not for political reasons. And we can do this without joining any political party. This is what I am doing as I write. And you do not have to be a Church member to be a “voice in the wilderness” either. Churches under the 501(c)3 compromise their allegiance for tax write-offs. No, we are not a 501(c)3 organization. How can you be clean when you are joined to the “Beast”?

     It is one thing to realize that we, as Christians, cannot avoid entanglement in national sins because we live among the world’s people, but it is another thing to join oneself to a political or even a religious group that has practicing sinners in it. Sure, involuntarily and remotely, and by mere association, we are involved in the wrongdoings of the worldly nation in which we live, but we do not have to have DIRECT participation in evil doings.

     As far as politics goes, “mutuality is expressed thru common beliefs and actions of the people as civil citizens.” But we have a different citizenship: “consequently, you (we) are no longer foreigners an aliens, but fellow citizens WITH GOD’S PEOPLE and MEMBERS OF GOD’S HOUSEHOLD...” (Eph. 2:19, NIV). Philippians 3:20 in the NIV says, “But our citizenship IS IN HEAVEN...” (Write for our free booklets on “Christian Patriotism”).

     As humans we live in this world, in a country, and are citizens, but our loyalty first and foremost must belong to God. It is literally a shame, a SIN!, that so many professors of the Christian faith are more loyal to the world than to Christ. Some deluded souls render total allegiance to a particular political party and never lift their voice against the sin or sinners therein.

     Before we call America “Christian,” we ought to do a complete word study on what “righteousness” is that exalts a nation. There is Christian “righteousness” and there is a civil “righteousness.” The first, “righteousness” before the One True God of the Bible, is “that quality that allows one to be accepted by Him, to dwell in His favor, and to separate from all known evil if possible.” The second, civil “righteousness,” is “doing right according to national politics”...and the outworking of this, of course, can change. It used to be against the law to murder babies. Sodomy used to be against the law too. Now we can be put in jail or at least fined (or both!) for simply speaking out against these two sins which are now permitted and even promoted. And the list could go on. The Ten Commandments used to be respected and sometimes obeyed in America, and America was a much better nation because of it. Now they’re outlawed in public, and nearly in private as well.

     Matthew Henry described the deeds of civil “righteousness” as “[a] righteous administration of the government, impartial equity between man and man [we can’t even use the word ‘man’ anymore without the feminists getting furious!], public countenance given to religion, the general practice and profession of virtue, the protecting and preserving of virtuous men, charity and compassion to strangers.” These things are eroding away in your nation, dear American.

     Most frightening of all is the level of alienation in which Christians have been placed—without them even realizing it or without them even caring to know.

     Christians in America, as a Body we are more Capitalist than Christian! Faithfulness to God and His Word have been largely de-legitimized and invalidated. The Church is more dependant on the world’s system than on God. [So-called] Democracy is praised and Theocracy is scorned. Instead of being “love slaves” to Christ, professing Christians are ENSLAVED TO THE god OF THIS WORLD!

     Syncretism has given birth to a “New Paganism” which in turn gives power to the “culture of narcissism,” theologically speaking. What is the solution?

THE SOLUTION TO THE POLLUTION IS

“BLOODY” REVOLUTION—

THE BLOOD OF JESUS CLEANSES US FROM ALL SIN!