In the light of
the recent historical decision that has come out of the New York courts of
justice comes yet another deterrent to quash our constitutional right to a fair
trial before an unbiased justice and a jury of peers without prejudice. Although
the decision is very unpopular, fear has been sown in the minds of those who
desperately wish to express their opinion. If anyone thinks the fear of reprisal
doesn’t work, then let him consider the effect of fear in a different context:
the fear of being punished for doing good. Fear of punishment, whether physical
or verbal, keeps a lot of people from doing right! Hollywood and the news media
belittle and criticize any group that believes in Christ and the Bible. But
movie makers and newscasters will not dare mock the “religion” of Islam. Why is
there a double standard? Intimidation works! Network executives don’t want to incur
the wrath of Muslims. Politicians are reluctant to tell the truth about this
dangerous cult because they are paralyzed by the fear of Muslim retaliations. But
Muslim terrorism is not the only or even the worse form of reverse deterrence we’re
facing. People are dissuaded from saying and doing the right thing because they
fear being humiliated and criticized. They are deterred from speaking the truth
for fear of being fined, sued, or imprisoned. The Supreme Court has ruled that
same-sex marriages are legal. Presidential executive orders have demanded that
restrooms and school locker rooms be open to the opposite intended sex as the person
sees fit under reprisal of losing federal funds and lawsuits. Gender confuse
persons are invading school sports and the critical structure of moral decency
including the family structure. These high-handed tactics show us just how much
freedom we have lost.
[Acts 5:28-29] The
Jewish leaders told the apostles not to teach the gospel anymore. Peter
replied, “We ought to obey God rather than men.” This is the same Peter who
said we should obey our rulers (1 Peter 2:13-17). Here I will interject the
fact that today’s government projects the thought that our freedoms come from
the government. Nay, nay! Our freedoms are God-given, and the purpose of
government is to protect those freedoms from being overtaken by evil greed. Our
Declaration of Independence from the king of England and the Constitution of
the United States, when read, understood, and followed, will allow our representative
government to perform in this exact way. We are once again being taxed without
representation and frivolous spending is destroying the country.
These
intimidation tactics are even in the church. It comes from members who threaten
to leave if the preacher and/or the elders don’t comply with their demands.
They are spiritual terrorists who do their best to spread fear and compromise
in the church. Sadly, many give in to spiritual terrorism. King Saul said, “I
have sinned …because I feared the people, and their voice” (1 Samuel 15:24).
Pilate knew Jesus was innocent, but he allowed the Jews to intimidate him into
sentencing Jesus to die (John 19:8-16). The Jewish leaders were spiritual terrorists.
They bullied and intimidated anyone they could. Though the common people had
opinions about Christ, the Bible says at the temple “…no one spoke openly of
Him for fear of the Jews” (John 7:13). There is a right and a wrong kind of
fear in the Bible. It is good to be afraid of disobeying the Lord (Matthew 10:28).
It is wrong to fear man and compromise the truth. John records what Jesus had
to say, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and
he shall be My son. But the cowardly (fearful) …shall have their part in the
lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death”
(Revelation 21:7-8). Consider reading and understanding Romans 13. Because government
is no longer Godly, God’s wrath is near to defend us.
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