THE BOLD, THE COLD, AND THE PRISSY
By Pastor Ernie Sanders
NewsWithViews.com
This writing is dedicated to those brave men and women whose faith in their creator gave them the courage to obey God and resist tyranny
The word of God, the King James Bible, gives many accurate accounts of such heroes of the faith. Starting with Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Caleb, Daniel, Shadrach, Meshak, Abednigo and Jeremiah, just to name a few in the Old Testament. Their faith gave them their courage and their God give them the strength they needed to keep them from wavering during their time of testing.
Hebrews 11:15-16 tells us that they were justified by faith. The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 is a glowing testimony of the courage and braveness of these great men and women of faith, real men and women.
THE BOLD
When commanded by the Jewish authorities (Political and Religious Scribes and Pharisees) not to preach and teach the name of Jesus, Peter and the apostles said, we ought to obey God rather than man. Acts 5:29
Stephen obeyed God and not the Jewish authorities. When brought before the council he preached the word of God bravely even unto death by stoning. Acts: 6: 1-8:4.
John the Baptist boldly reproved Herod publicly for taking Herodias, his brother Phillip's wife. Luke 3:19
Another example of real courage is clearly seen in Exodus, Chapter 1. Shiphrah and Puah, the Hebrew midwives, boldly obeyed God and disobeyed the king of Egypt (government) at the risk of death and torture by a public execution. The result of their bravery was God's blessing. Exodus 1:15-21.
The parents of Moses trusted God and hid the baby for three months, resisted the secular government, trusted in God, and were blessed of God for their courage and faith. Exodus 2: 1-10.
Elijah obeyed God and withstood the Bill and Hillary Clintons of his day- Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah confronted King Ahab for his sin which kept rain off the land for three years. I-Kings 18.
Elijah, the prophet of the Lord, prevailed against the 450 prophets of Baal who ate at Jezebel's table. They were the 501-C3 state church of their day.
This is not to say that all those attending state churches are lost or unsaved, but at the same time God's word is clear, you can't serve the state and Christ, you can't serve two masters. Luke 16:13. Mathew 6:24.
Another example of courage can be found in the person of Ehud the deliverer. Ehud obeyed God and not the government when he slew Eglon, the king of Moab, and God blessed Israel with 80 years of peace. Judges 3.
Even Rahab the harlot demonstrated more faith in God than can be found in most of the church leaders of today. When having to choose between serving God or the King of Jericho, she chose to place the lives of her family, along with her own, in the hands of God and not the government. Joshua 2.
It would be a great injustice to write about the boldness of the saints and the heros of the faith and not include Shadrach, Meshak, and Abednego. When faced with being burnt alive in a fiery furnace for not serving Nebuchadnezzar, they refused to deny or forsake God all mighty. And Moses, who, when given the choice of a life of wealth and comfort by serving the government of Egypt, was also willing to suffer death in obedience to God.
Unlike most Chaplains and clergy of today, the founding fathers in the war for independence, understood that you can't serve two masters. Luke 16:13. Mathew 6:24. They, like the saints of old, knew without question that resistance to tyranny was obedience to God, not man.
The boldness of such distinct Clergyman, such as Naphtali Dagget, professor of Divinity and president of Yale College. On July 5, 1779, the British army, 2,500 strong, descended on New Haven, led by General Tryon. The bold, elderly man of God took a position at the top of a hill and commenced firing his rifle. He distracted the enemy long enough to allow the small band of 100 student militia and the citizens of New Haven to escape to the interior. He could have flown from harms way at any time, but he risked capture and death to buy time for others to escape.
Other such bold men of God that led in the war for independence were Pastor Jonas Clark of Lexington, Pastor Jacob Duche of Philadelphia, Pastor Samuel Spring of North Bridge, Ma., Pastor Ebenezer Prime of Long Island. All of these men of God understood that resistance to tyranny is obedience to God. They understood that they faced an enemy that vastly outnumbered them, was better equipped, and was better trained with more experience. They, being true men of faith, also stood firm in the promise of (Romans 8:31). What shall we then say to the things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Today, suddenly, because of the Sept. 11 attacks on American soil and the loss of thousands of lives due to terrorist attacks on unsuspecting Americans that was surly a tragedy, we have this new wave of patriotism. But is it real? I fear not.
A much greater tragedy occurs daily on American soil without hardly a mention by government, the media, and, oh yes, the (Church) in America. Yes, we are talking about America's national sin. Abortion. Let us not forget to recognize the sacrifices made by those brave men and women who suffered beatings, imprisonment, and loss of jobs, income, and property, as they fought to defend the least of the brethren, the precious unborn.
Unlike the cowardly inaction and pacifism of the vast majority of America's so-called church leaders, the brave men and women's sacrifices were honoring to our Lord and Savior.
Editor's note: Joseph and Mary obeyed God and left Bethlehem, had they obeyed government authority and stayed, baby Jesus would have been put to death. If our Founding Fathers had obeyed government authority we'd still be a British Colony.
Pastor Sanders is a radio-talk show host for WCCD-AM Radio and WHLO-AM Radio's "What's Right, What's Left" in Chesterland, Ohio, as well as a full-time, non-501C3 Baptist church pastor. He also ministers to the imprisoned and fights for the unborn. E-mail WRWL@USA.NET