Today in Jacksonville, NC the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) from Topeka, Kansas came to town to picket and protest the evil murders of a US Marine and her unborn child allegedly by the hands of two other US Marines. The case is still ongoing and we must not rush to judgment, but wait for “righteous judgment.” Jesus taught, “Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.” (John 7:24) The WBC has a long track record of missing the mark again and again because they fail to realize the root of the problem, the evil heart condition of man that causes evil and heinous act like these murders. Jeremiah places the blame squarely at the feet of where it belongs, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9) The blame is not the fault of the US Marine Corp nor is God punishing the US Marine Corps like WBC states, but the blame falls at the feet of every heart that has not been changed by the power of God. In verse 9 Jeremiah asks the question, “who can know it?” Well, verse 10 answers that question, “I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jeremiah 17:10) It is God who searches the heart and repays evil for evil. We are not to give (or render) evil for evil, but render (give) good for evil. Paul shares this thought with us, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. 15See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15) Friends we are to “warn them that are unruly (like WBC), comfort the feebleminded (like WBC), support the weak (like WBC), be patient toward all men (like WBC).” Now it says “to all men” that includes the WBC, even though we disagree with their message and the way they present it, yet the Bible still commands us to, “ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.”
Now here is where we have our problem with these murders and the WBC. How do we reconcile Jeremiah 17:9 and 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15? That is easy, “but judge righteous judgment.” My friend “righteous judgment” has nothing to do with things that are right and wrong. God has given us His word and the word of God is clear to those things which are right and to those things which are wrong. But “righteous judgment” always involves a judgment and then a separation from unrighteousness and ungodliness. Before we can separate ourselves we first must have the ability in God to recognize the unrighteousness and unholiness for what it is, an affront to God and all He stands for. Without this ability we will continue to miss the mark of God’s holiness and perfection. Without this ability in God to recognize sin, by our spiritual judgments, and to separate our selves we will continue to walk in the ways of our evil heart. The laws of God judge right and wrong, but the Spirit of God (which giveth life) judges “righteous judgment.” We will never be able to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ if we never come to a place in God to where we can judge spiritual matters, the weightier things of the law and life, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (Matthew 23:23)
My prayer for this sad situation in Jacksonville is for us to wait until God brings “righteous judgment” whereby man then will be able to move in the laws God has established to judge and punish those who committed these barbarous acts. And for the WBC is, not to stop picketing and protesting for this is their constitutional right as American citizens. Some of those US Marines they are picketing and protesting are daily dying in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world for this right. Sadly their misdirected anger is deeply rooted and embedded in their doctrine and in their hearts, but I would like for them to come to know a loving God who requires, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)
Now here is where we have our problem with these murders and the WBC. How do we reconcile Jeremiah 17:9 and 1 Thessalonians 5:14-15? That is easy, “but judge righteous judgment.” My friend “righteous judgment” has nothing to do with things that are right and wrong. God has given us His word and the word of God is clear to those things which are right and to those things which are wrong. But “righteous judgment” always involves a judgment and then a separation from unrighteousness and ungodliness. Before we can separate ourselves we first must have the ability in God to recognize the unrighteousness and unholiness for what it is, an affront to God and all He stands for. Without this ability we will continue to miss the mark of God’s holiness and perfection. Without this ability in God to recognize sin, by our spiritual judgments, and to separate our selves we will continue to walk in the ways of our evil heart. The laws of God judge right and wrong, but the Spirit of God (which giveth life) judges “righteous judgment.” We will never be able to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ if we never come to a place in God to where we can judge spiritual matters, the weightier things of the law and life, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (Matthew 23:23)
My prayer for this sad situation in Jacksonville is for us to wait until God brings “righteous judgment” whereby man then will be able to move in the laws God has established to judge and punish those who committed these barbarous acts. And for the WBC is, not to stop picketing and protesting for this is their constitutional right as American citizens. Some of those US Marines they are picketing and protesting are daily dying in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other parts of the world for this right. Sadly their misdirected anger is deeply rooted and embedded in their doctrine and in their hearts, but I would like for them to come to know a loving God who requires, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)
1 comment:
sweet blog dad!!!!
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