1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
When you read about the founders of our nation, you see an abundance of references to the authority of God - they understood the proper role of God and the role of government as His instruments. An orderly, functioning society needs strong principles on which to operate, and there are none stronger than those given to us from the Lord. We can also depend on the Spirit of God to operate in our lives as we submit ourselves to His authority, recognizing that the cultural whims may change, but He does not.
Throughout the Scriptures, we see a God who defines for us what is good and evil, right and wrong, bedrock, foundational principles for living a life and operating a culture that is rightly ordered by Him. Think of these words from Amos 5:
14 Seek good and not evil, That you may live; So the Lord God of hosts will be with you, As you have spoken.
15 Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
In verse 24, we read:
24 But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.
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Throughout the Scriptures, we see a God who defines for us what is good and evil, right and wrong, bedrock, foundational principles for living a life and operating a culture that is rightly ordered by Him. Think of these words from Amos 5:
14 Seek good and not evil, That you may live; So the Lord God of hosts will be with you, As you have spoken.
15 Hate evil, love good; Establish justice in the gate. It may be that the Lord God of hosts Will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.
24 But let justice run down like water, And righteousness like a mighty stream.
How do we know what is just or righteous - look to the Scriptures, and order our lives accordingly.
I am continuing to shine the spotlight on the issues currently confronting our state regarding the definition of marriage, and the sanctity of marriage as it was, and is, ordained by God. Certainly, there is Biblical definition of marriage as one man and one woman in a one-flesh relationship that has been a building block of cultures throughout the ages.
There is certainly the spiritual component in this debate over so-called "same-sex marriage." But there are also the legal issues involved. On the Friday edition of The Meeting House, more content from Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore on the legal aspects, as well as the moral and spiritual aspects of marriage.
The Chief Justice has been featured on a number of national news programs, including the New Day program. The conversation between host Chris Cuomo and Roy Moore has gained quite a bit of attention. Cal Thomas, in a recent column that is published on WORLDMag.com and other news outlets, takes Cuomo to task for comments that he made. He writes:
Thomas refers to English jurist William Blackstone, to whom America's founders referred more than any other English or American authority. The Blackstone Legal Fellowship states, “Blackstone called this concept [of endowed rights] ‘ultra vires,’ which means it is beyond the authority of man to write a law that violates God’s law. Blackstone also said that law is fixed, it is uniform, and it is universal. It does not change based on who the president is, or who holds judicial positions. It is the same law for everyone at all times and in all places.”
The article leads with a quote from President John F. Kennedy, who said in his 1961 Inaugural Address, "… the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God."
He poses this question:
In an age where morality is all too often defined by opinion, and people adopt a "whatever" attitude about their own personal behavior, as well as the practices of others, we can rely on tried-and-true, reliable, and as Blackstone says, "fixed" principles that can govern our morality. God's heart and the principles of His Word do not change. He is calling us to, as I like to say, align our lives with what we know from Scripture to be right and acceptable to God.
I am continuing to shine the spotlight on the issues currently confronting our state regarding the definition of marriage, and the sanctity of marriage as it was, and is, ordained by God. Certainly, there is Biblical definition of marriage as one man and one woman in a one-flesh relationship that has been a building block of cultures throughout the ages.
There is certainly the spiritual component in this debate over so-called "same-sex marriage." But there are also the legal issues involved. On the Friday edition of The Meeting House, more content from Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore on the legal aspects, as well as the moral and spiritual aspects of marriage.
The Chief Justice has been featured on a number of national news programs, including the New Day program. The conversation between host Chris Cuomo and Roy Moore has gained quite a bit of attention. Cal Thomas, in a recent column that is published on WORLDMag.com and other news outlets, takes Cuomo to task for comments that he made. He writes:
It isn’t often that a member of the media reveals the philosophy behind his political ideology, but last week, CNN anchor Chris Cuomo outed himself. In an exchange with Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore about Moore’s refusal to adhere to a federal appellate judge’s order to ignore the state constitution and begin granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Moore said “… our rights contained in the Bill of Rights do not come from the Constitution, they come from God.”
Cuomo disagreed: “Our laws do not come from God, your honor, and you know that. They come from man.”Thomas goes on:
Obviously, Cuomo flunked civics. Does he really believe that man is responsible for bestowing rights, and can therefore take those rights away as he sees fit? That a right bestowed today by a governing body of mere mortals can be invalidated by another body, say, following an election? That my rights and yours are as fluid as quicksilver and dependent on who sits in the big chair in Washington?He contends that this debate is worth renewing, and I agree. Thomas quotes a number of historical sources in this piece, including Thomas Jefferson, who wrote in the Declaration of Independence that our rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” are “endowed by our Creator.” He added in the next sentence that the purpose of government is to “secure these rights.”
Did civil rights legislation grant rights to African-Americans, or did they already possess those rights and government merely got around to recognizing them? Is not the Authority Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. frequently appealed to higher than any court or Congress?And, finally, Cal Thomas writes:
Man enacted laws sanctioning same-sex marriage. Judge Roy Moore argues that a Higher law, including for human relationships, should prevail, a Higher law that man cannot impeach. I believe he’s right.It is obvious to me that our system of laws in America have a foundation in the law of God, expressed through the Bible. Not only is the Bible a roadmap for a properly functioning society, and was a prescription for the children of Israel, as well as an influence on our own laws. We also see that the principles of the Bible are necessary for properly governing our lives. We can choose whether or not to live our lives according to His Word, but we depart at our own peril. So does our country...
In an age where morality is all too often defined by opinion, and people adopt a "whatever" attitude about their own personal behavior, as well as the practices of others, we can rely on tried-and-true, reliable, and as Blackstone says, "fixed" principles that can govern our morality. God's heart and the principles of His Word do not change. He is calling us to, as I like to say, align our lives with what we know from Scripture to be right and acceptable to God.
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