and... ‘This is the word of the Lord’

As Christians, we have often heard scripture readings, creeds, and even prophetic words end with the phrase, and “This is the word of the Lord.” In many traditions the congregational response “Thanks be to God” was introduced in liturgies from the 1960s onwards for all designated scripture readings and liturgies.  But, what exactly does this phrase imply? Some commentators have pointed out about the phrase “This is the word Of the Lord” and our affirmation “Thanks be to God” is an affirmation that we are “Hearing what the Spirit is saying to the Church” and ready to obey Him.  Revelation 2:29 exhorts, “Let everyone listen to what the Spirit says to the churches.”  In Charismatic circles worship, preaching and prophetic words are considered God speaking to us.  The phrase, “This is the Word Of The Lord,” has its foundation in I Corinthians 14:29 which says, “Two or three people should speak what God has revealed. Everyone else should decide whether what each person said is right or wrong.”  In other words, the body of Christ is called on to discern, evaluate, and then decide if this is God truly speaking or coming from another source. But what a congregation does in response or action usually speaks as to whether they really are affirming that God has spoken to them.

Chuck Pierce
A prophetic voice in the modern Charismatic Movement 

There are three perspectives that most charismatically oriented congregations take on prophecy: (1) God is speaking He will do something and our response is to wait until it comes to pass and if it does or doesn’t come to pass determines whether it was the Word Of The Lord; (2) If God is speaking, we are to discern and determine that it is “the Word Of The Lord,” and then do it if we affirm it it His Word to us; or (3) This is just a declaration of what we ‘decree’ to happen and if we have faith it will happen because we declared it. If it doesn’t happen then we have not exercised our faith enough. In the mainline protestant and evangelical  traditions “Sola Scriptura: scripture alone” and it’s proclamation through preaching is considered “God Speaking” and is to be affirmed through our living out God’s word in our lives. So, when “This is the word Of The Lord is proclaimed,” and affirmed with “Thanks be to God,” it is a recognition of who God is calling us to be and how he wants us to live."

From my own theological perspective, I believe God speaks many ways. Scripture explains to us the many ways God speaks to us. He speaks through creation (See Job 12:7-10; 37:14-16; Psalm 8:3-4; 19:1-6; Romans 1:18-21). The voice of God can be revealed through mountains, water, trees, meadows, landscapes, and more. In John 12:27–30, God spoke from heaven, but when God spoke in this incident, some people who stood nearby thought they were hearing thunder. There’s the possibility that this could happen today. Sometimes if we hear thunder, or see floods or hurricanes or high winds or volcanoes, it may actually be the voice of God. He speaks through scripture (II Timothy 3:16; Heb 4:12). He speaks through circumstances (See Jonah 1-4). He speaks through wise counsel (Ps.1:1-6; Prov.11:14;12:15,22;19:20-21). He speaks through the ‘peace’ in our hearts (Col. 3:15).  This passage explains to us that If we don’t have peace about a decision, then it isn’t from the Lord. Don’t move forward unless you have peace.
 According to the Bible God can speak to us through other people (See Acts 16:1;2 Tim.1:5; Gal.2:11-14).)He can also speak to us through Dreams and visions. This pattern is shown in the lives of Joseph, Solomon, Jacob, Peter, John, and Paul. This method is available to us today too (see Acts 2:17 where Peter quotes Joel 2:28). God can also speak through supernatural manifestations. God spoke to Moses through a burning bush (Ex. 3:1–4). He spoke to Gideon through a fleece (Judg. 6:37–40). He spoke to Saul on the Damascus road through a bright light (Acts 9:1–5). He even spoke to Balaam through a donkey (Num. 22:1–35). God also speaks through a still small voice within us (Prov.20:27). He spoke this way to Elijah (1 Kings 19:12).  

The point here is that if we believe God is speaking, then we need to listen to Him. We need to tune in to the frequency of heaven and hear the voice of God. Note the warning held out in Jeremiah 7:13: “While you have been sinning, I have been trying to talk to you, but you refuse to listen.” Essentially, God was saying to Judah that they did any number of wicked things, and He was speaking and speaking to them repeatedly about it, but they did not listen to Him.  Too often today, those who claim God has been speaking to them have the same problem. They might affirm “This is the Word Of The Lord” but do little to apply their lives to it.  I love the promise held out for us in Romans 10:17: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” If you’ve ever met a person of great faith, then you’ve met a person of great hearing who knows how to listen and applies the Word of God to their daily life.  John 16:13 says, “"But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.” This is why it's important that we don’t miss His voice and what He is trying to tell us to do.

In my own observation as I’ve traveled, ministered, observed, discerned and listened to the proclamation of God’s Word over the last five decades; God has been speaking to all of us on “what kind of people He is calling us to be” because we are in a preparation period.  Eph. 5:26 states says, “Christ gave himself up for us to sanctify us, cleansing us by the washing with water through the word, and to present us to Himself, as a radiant church, in all its beauty--pure and faultless, without spot or wrinkle or any other defect, but to be holy and unblemished.”  Romans 8:29 states very clearly “God is conforming us to the image of his Son.” The Apostle Paul goes onto say, “Those whom He has called He has also declared free from guilt; and those whom He has declared free from guilt He has also crowned with glory.” The reason He is preparing us, cleansing us, freeing us and getting us ready to be “His glorious Church” is to get us ready for the greatest revival ever to be witnessed in his redemptive history. (See Ps. 102:18; Isaiah 40:1-5; 60:1-5; Hab. 2:14; Acts 3:21) God wants to move through us in unprecedented ways! Here is just a cursory of what I’ve heard, discerned and accepted as God’s word to us over the last five decades. Just like every generation since the protestant reformation, a “truth” has been emphasized, taught on, and restored into the life of the church.

In the 1970s

There was a great revival that took place across our nation known called “The Jesus People Movement.”  With this great outpouring of the Holy Spirit questions emerged around the subject of What is a new testament church?  What is a new testament community look like? (Acts 2:42-46) As a result, new kinds of churches were planted exploring the ideas on new paradigms of leadership, discipleship, and what they believed were new testament expressions of church.

In the 1980s

Many traditional and mainline protestant churches began to ask the question, why do we believe in signs, wonders, and miracles in the bible and not experience them in the life of our churches today?  As a result, many leaders and churches began to teach on the subject of the Restoration Of The Church (Acts 3:21) which emphasized the restoration of the five fold ministry (Eph. 4:11-17) and found new contemporary expressions of worship and the arts based on David’s tabernacle (Amos 9:11) which became an important emphasis leading people into a new emerging prophetic perspective called, “Present Truth” - or what God is speaking today to our generation.

In the 1990’s

There was a great move of the Holy Spirit that began in Toronto, Canada that literally swept the nations.  The foundational teaching underlying this movement was based on “Personal Transformation” (Heb. 12:15). Leaders taught heavily on what I will call, “relational holiness.” Forgiveness and healing our brokenness within family life, church life and friends was emphasized.  

In the 2000s

The Search for Meaning, Healing and Reconciliation (II Cor. 5:18) became an important subject in light of 911.  The day after the terrorist flew planes into The World Trade Center a book by Pastor Rick Warren hit the shelves entitled “The Purpose Driven Life.”  Nicky Gumbel, from Holy Trinity Church in Brompton, England developed the Alpha Course which focuses on “What is the meaning of life?” Interest in "What is our purpose?" Who we are (Identity) and why we are here has led many christians to addressing historical wrongs perpetrated between people groups, to right the wrongs of the past, and restore dignity to the marginalized in our communities.  Calls for healing and reconciliation increasingly became the basis of redressing the historical wounds of the past all across the world - ending both modern slavery and racism in our time. (See Acts 17:26).

Since 2010

Cultural Transformation (Eph. 3:10) has become a major focus due to increasing urban problems that are larger than any one church can adequately address. Every church within a commnity must come to understand that their particular church is not God's gift to the city. The Body Of Christ is. New missional praxises involving churches working together with the twelve civic sectors will serve to improve the gospel’s contextualization (See Nehemiah 1-2). In our pursuit of the “missio dei” in the communities our local churches serve; God is calling us to be missional, relational, and incarnational. The church is being called to become truly "local" and present in the neighborhood.

H. Beecher Hicks, in Preaching Through A Storm, said, "the unspoken implication (I Sam. 3) in the Samuel narrative is that in trying times, it is important to listen for the lesson and hear the voice of God within it. Despite the fact that many churches are sticking their heads in the sand and going on with business as usual demonstrates how irrelevant they have become to the cry outside the doors of their buildings, in the neighborhoods they are called to serve. Most churches are not even aware that God has left the building. While many leaders are calling for another awakening, God has been alive and well in the streets, in the music, in the arts, and theater's speaking to a generation that the church hasn't even taken time to understand. I love the Body of Christ and am a committed member of the local church I serve. However, just like you I am being called to "engage" my life into communities that have never heard the gospel, experienced The Holy Spirit, or recognized that God has been working among them. I am not "knocking" anything here. However, Jesus is. In Revelation 3:20 Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.” Once again, Jesus is calling all of us to gather at a table and eat with the publicans and sinners that the religious leaders of Jesus' time wouldn't have wasted their time - to listen together to the only voice that matters- HIS. THIS IS THE WORD OF THE LORD!

What Kind Of People Do We Want To Be: In Search Of A New Identity

Jeremiah 6:16

This is what the LORD says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths, "Which is the way to what is good?" Then take it and find rest for yourselves. But they protested, "We won't!"

I am convinced that September 12, 2001 was a defining moment in American history.   It was one day after 911 when every American, including church leaders and churches, were shocked by the tragic events that took place at the World Trade Center in New York City, the Pentagon in Washington, DC, and the downing of Flight 93 in Shanksville, PA.   It was not the first time that planes had been weaponized to shift the hearts of people across this nation.  In both incidents, the Japanese use of kamikaze planes at Pearl Harbor and the Islamic Jihadist use of commercial airlines on 911, started America down the track of redefining its identity.  The three main questions are: Who are we as a people?  What is our national purpose?  What kind of people do we want to be?  

On September 12, 2001 the number one book, “Purpose Driven Life,” by Pastor Rick Warren, of Lake Forest, California, became an instant best seller. Why? Because, like Pearl Harbor, American’s didn’t understand why others didn’t like us.  Every American in the last 17 years has been engaged in the struggle of redefining “Who” we are as a people.   The American church has been engaged in this same “struggle of identity.” Whether we are traditional, contemporary, post-modern, relevant, purpose driven, missional, large versus small, home group based or institutional based, denominational, non-denominational, movement oriented, and a myriad of other conversations have all centered on the same questions: “Who are we as a people?  What is our purpose?  What kind of people do we want to be?”  During these last two decades, we have engaged in this national debate and have found ourselves all struggling with our perspectives on history, politics, ecclesiology. mission,  politics, cultural engagement, improving language, clarifying definitions concerning what liberty and equal justice are and from whose perspective.  And additionally, what it means to be human has been a very important conversation to have.  Though it is important to note, collectively none of us have been able to forge a new path forward.   Everyone from the least of us to the most celebrated among us are divided, play the blame game, demand that our perspective be validated or try to retreat behind our screensavers or stained- glass windows.

In the supposed spirit-directed perspective, people are grasping for a prophecy, a scripture, a leader, or even an anti-christ figure to help them make sense of what’s going on and how to plan a life that offers a hope and a future - whether it’s a “better life on earth or let’s get out of this mess and get to Heaven” -  point of view.  

Our inconsistent thoughts, beliefs, or attitudes have led all of us to believe that our nation, our cities, our institutions, and our culture are in trouble.  However, reshaping and redefining, both personal and corporate transformation, has always been a part of the Gospel; for example, becoming a new creation through Christ is the Gospel (See II Cor. 5:17).  Events like the tragedy in  New York, DC and in PA. could be viewed as God trying to call us to repentance (for what we’ve done as a nation) like He did to ancient Israel before it was carried off by the Assyrians or the Babylonians.  God’s purpose in giving us the scripture was to assist us in praying, listening, discerning and engaging ourselves into making “all things new”.  In my humble opinion, it’s all about changing mindsets (See Rom. 12:1-2).  Our conversations should move beyond “moving church furniture around, or whether we have a good lighting director or develop a worship team that can reach Billboard or the Grammys”.  Our focus should move beyond issues of power, authority, or how we can restructure our church culture.  

Our focus should return to “What does it mean to be a follower of Christ versus what makes a great leader?”  Let me be clear, no facet of a nation or it’s institutions can preserve or protect themselves from a culture that is engaged in an “identity crisis” or settle for them the question: “What is the meaning of life?” Every church, regardless of its ecclesiology, theology, eschatology, affiliation, structure, use of technology, or distribution of power needs to wake up and become engaged in the conversation.  Just know, short term, quick fix notions will not work.  Just be aware that this defining moment will require bold choices from all of us.  

From my own personal observation, historic American values are re-emerging.  We are a nation which is based on the idea of “We the people” which means each of us have the responsibility and authority for both our own and collective destiny.  The point of the American Revolution, in the eyes of the Founding Fathers, was to create a new nation whereby the people had the power. They simultaneously feared both too much democracy, and too much autocracy.  Therefore, they created a Republic with written protections.  So as our conversations proceed forward, notions of what it means to be a Democratic-Republic without a monarch, a politician, a pope, or a hireling minister that attempts to be “The Voice” over the “collective voice” of the people will be revisited and challenge those who grasp for power. "We the people is an age old historic American value that will re-emerge again and again and always challenge our institutional thinking as we try to "perfect" a more perfect union.  

From my own personal observation, historic American values are re-emerging. We need to remember, our National Constitution was written by disruptors of the institutional status quo in their day. It also is a document that was designed to keep this revolutionary movement going. Even though it was written in a time of dehumanization and slavery many of the founder's wanted to ensure "equal justice for all" as a disruption to “white privilege” which has the been the subject of much the civil rights debate. This is why the Native American and African American current perspective has become a prophetic voice in the conversation of what does "we the people" mean and ask why our institutions of power are used to preserve "white privilege." If these kinds of conversations make you uncomfortable just put on your seat-belt, it’s only beginning and has nothing to do with the church’s OWN self-improvement courses!  A friend of mine related to me that in 1995, God told her that He was going to dismantle the Church as we know it now and rebuild it according to His original plan. The anticipated glorious “revival” will not come until that happens.  God is not going to bring a revival to our nation to just revitalize the same old structures that have gotten us into this mess.  Any student of revival knows that revival is not about doing “business as usual.”

There is a reason God is asking us to look at the old ancient paths.  I Cor. 10:11 says, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.”  We need to look at all sides of history - not just the one we like.  All of ancient Israel’s history was an example of what not to do.  Even though, Israel heard and read Isaiah 43:18-19 “Behold I will do a new thing” they left out the part of “remember not the former things or consider the things of old.”  The proper perspective on this text is simple.  Someone once said, “He who wins the war gets to tell the story.”  The Old Testament is a story of one tribe’s perspective.  The tribe of Judah’s perspective.  Phrases like “Judaism” or “Jews” represent the tribe of Judah.  They are not representative of the entire nation of Israel’s perspective.  The Old Testament is the perspective of “Second Temple Judaism”. Jesus’ whole entire life, work and ministry challenged this perspective and resulted in the institutions’ rejection of His perspectives. His perspective challenged their national beliefs and value systems.  He was truly an institutional disruptor.  His personal mission was to “the lost sheep of the House of Israel and to leave the (99) and go get the (1) lost sheep” which redefined “who, “what” and the “why” of their corporate understanding as a nation.

When The Apostle Paul penned I Cor. 10:11, he was exhorting people to challenge what it means to be the people of God and “Who we are individually and collectively.”  What kind of people do we want to be? Despite all the Christian claims of our American narrative, our national history is a story that has dehumanized and  marginalized the Native American and African American people.  All of us do not share a common story.  The American Church has been complicit in “institutionalizing” racism.   You can make all the appeals to Heaven you want to - God is not listening and has kept His mute button on because we, like addicts, are living in denial.  America nor it’s people are our nation’s problem.  Religious addiction and giving our responsibility and authority to people who want power over us is the problem (See Exodus 20:19; Matt 20:25-26; I John 2:26-27). We don't need unaccountable leadership in our government or in the church. Are you listening?  Currently, God is engaged in deconstructing our histories, our theology, understanding of scripture, structures, definitions of ministry, politics, powers and institutions.  Like Ancient Israel we can rearrange how we do our sacrifices, in and out of tents, building and holy places, focus on centralization or decentralization, change the role of the priest and redefine who is accepted or not embraced in community.  However, nothing will change until we understand that God has left the building (see Acts 17:24–25; 1 Cor. 3:16–17; 6:15-20).  Just saying!

Recently, a Native American friend of mine, Mark Charles, summarized what I find an accurate summary of what God is speaking to the Church today.  He recently tweeted…

“If I'm reading my Bible correctly, the gospel tends to be:
Good news to the poor,
Disruptive to the status quo,
Offensive to the rich,
And terrifying to those in power.”

Here’s a few scriptures we should consider in our ongoing conversations:

Proverbs 31:8-9

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Micah 6:8

He has told you, O man, what is good;  and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?

Jeremiah 23:1-2

You leaders of my people are like shepherds that kill and scatter the sheep. Therefore this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds who tend my people: "Because you have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil you have done," declares the LORD

Ezekiel 34:2

"Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to you shepherds of Israel who only take care of yourselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock .You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them. "Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, because my flock lacks a shepherd and so has been plundered and has become food for all the wild animals, and because my shepherds did not search for my flock but cared for themselves rather than for my flock, Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am against the shepherds and will hold them accountable for my flock. I will remove them from tending the flock so that the shepherds can no longer feed themselves. I will rescue my flock from their mouths, and it will no longer be food for them. "'For this is what the Sovereign LORD says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them.As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places where they were scattered on a day of clouds and darkness. I will bring them out from the nations and gather them from the countries, and I will bring them into their own land. I will pasture them on the mountains of Israel, in the ravines and in all the settlements in the land. I will tend them in a good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel will be their grazing land. There they will lie down in good grazing land, and there they will feed in a rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I myself will make them lie down, declares the Lord GOD.

John 10:11

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

Luke 4:18-19

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,  because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives   and recovering of sight to the blind,   to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

FAKE NEWS & THE "REAL" ALGORITHMS USED TO REINFORCE IT

Bias.  We all have them.  According to the dictionary the word “bias” means “a prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.” It also means, “cause to feel or show inclination or prejudice for or against someone or something.” Politicians certainly have bias.  The media certainly has bias - left, right and middle.  Christians have bias.  Non-Christians have bias.  Vegetarians have bias. Meat eaters have bias. Gay and transgender people have bias.  Feminism has bias. Men have bias. Racially focused groups have bias.  Liberals, conservatives and moderates have bias. Everyone has them. If I left you out, please forgive me but you too have bias.  As the scripture says, “There is no righteous, no not one.” (See Romans 3:10-12)  To add to our problem we now have technology that uses algorithms that identify our bias and reinforces them.  The unfortunate thing is that we are getting so entrenched into our “bias” that we find it difficult to “listen” to a different position than ours.

The Real Algorithm behind us is our biases. The Bible is filled with this age old problem.  In John 4:20 The Samaritan Woman said to Jesus, “Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."  In Acts 10:28, The Apostle Peter said, “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean.”  In James 2:2-4, The Apostle addressed this problem in the early church, “For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”  Being biased is addressed throughout the New Testament. Here are a few examples:

Romans 2:11

For God shows no partiality.

James 2:4

Have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Colossians 3:11

There is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

Romans 12:16

Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

I John 2:11

But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

Rather than telling Christians to ignore the discrimination against Gentiles, Paul addressed it head on: “There is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him.” (Romans 10:12)

Being “biased” toward other people is labeled in the New Testament as a sinful practice. "If you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers” (James 2:9).  God isn’t about separation, but inclusion and unity. Jesus made it possible for anyone to be included in the people and promises of God (Gal. 3:28).  Jesus removes hostility and introduces harmony (Eph. 2:14-18).

Augustine of Hippo once said, "If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don't like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself." In other words, your own personal bias is what you believe. II Corinthians 10:5 states clearly, "Cast Down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring every thought captive into the obedience of Christ."

God cares about people regardless of their ethnicity, nationality, politics and social status (Deut. 10:17-19).

God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right (Acts 10:34-35).

“We were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Cor. 12:13).

As Christians, we are called to address our own bias, repent of them and overcome our learned behaviors.  The Holy Spirit had to deal with the apostle Peter of his own “Bias” and he even admitted, "God has shown me that I should no longer call anyone impure or unclean." (Acts 10:28).  However, it was a continue area of life that he continued to struggle with.  He had a hard time overcoming his own personal bias even though he began a conversation with Gentiles” at a table. (See Gal. 2:11-21).  It’s always amazing to me that a generation which was so vocal about “not being labeled by others” has now become “labelers.”  Seems to me that we’re guilty of the same thing The Apostle Paul said about Peter.  Gal. 2:12-14 says, “For before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself, for fear of those in the circumcision group. The other Jews joined in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray. When I saw that they were not walking in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “If you, who are a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?…  Being caught up in our own bias and labeling others is not only unproductive but hypocritical.  It’s time for us to break out of the algorithms that feed us and move from our tablets to the same table where Jesus engaged “the others” in conversation.

THE DEEP STATE: The Greatest Threat To America's Democratic Republic

In 1787, Thomas Jefferson took the texts of Algernon Sidney's "Discourses On Government" and John Locke's "Two Treatises Of Government" and began working on a National Constitution for what is now known as The United States Of America.  Very little is known and taught about the importance of these two political works and just what kind of government The United States has compared to other nations.  The first thing we need to understand about this government is that we are not a "democracy," it is a republic with a form of government that began as a political experiment. Prior to the writing of a national constitution our form of government had never been seen and no other nation has yet to form their governments based on the political philosophies espoused by the texts which gave our nation it's foundation.  If you examine other nations around the world who claim to be democracies, most follow the British Parliamentary system of governance.  Those who live with this form of government, too often, impose their views and thoughts on our system of government as though our national government is one and the same thing. Our form of government was based on "breaking the power" of the British Monarchy and empowering "ordinary citizens" the rights to choose their own laws, choose their own elected officials, and agree to live by their own "written" national covenant.

When this form of government and the political philosophy behind it was proposed, it was designed to remove a "hereditary monarchy." At the time, The monarchy of England believed that they were above the law since they made the laws of the land.  In fact, The British monarchy believed that they, and only their family, stood between God and their subjects. There was no representative government. There was a kingdom with a king, a parliament designed to enact the royal courts wishes and then the people who had no voice and were to be loyal subjects to the crown.  The question raised to this position had to do with "Why was the crown subject to hereditary succession."  Leaders during this time also asked what qualify's a king or queen to rule if they have no apptitude for the job. Algernon Sydney was an English politician and member of the British parliament.  He directly opposed the divine right of kings political theory by suggesting ideas such as limited government, voluntary consent of the people and the right of citizens to alter or abolish a corrupt government.  His views were considered treasonous and resulted in his beheading. His "Discourses on Government" have been referred to as the textbook on the American Revolution. For Sidney absolute monarchy was a great political evil because no one had any rights.  The divine right of kings is a political system in which all powers of government are vested solely in the king and granted to him by God. Under this system, the king acts as God's hand on earth. His power extends beyond government into the private religious life of his subjects. Under this system, citizens were often persecuted and imprisoned for their religious beliefs. Sidney believed that the individuals have the right to choose their own form of government and that, if that government became corrupt, the people retained the power to abolish it and form another. In his own words, "God leaves to man the choice of forms in government ... He who institutes, may also abrogate."  Sidney also argued that for a valid civil government to exist, it must be formed by general and voluntary consent. Furthermore, Sidney believed that civil government should have limited jurisdiction. He said the, "only ends for which governments are constituted and obedience rendered to them, are the obtaining of justice and protection." This suggests a limited civil government whose primary purpose is to: (1) render legal justice through its court system and (2) provide for the safety of its citizens. We can also conclude from Sidney that, if a government fails to accomplish these basic components, obedience to that government is no longer required... which brings us to the political philosophy of John Locke.

In his "Two Treatises of Government," John Locke defended the claim that men are by nature free and equal against claims that God had made all people naturally subject to a monarch. He argued that people have rights, such as the right to life, liberty, and property, that have a foundation independent of the laws of any particular society. Locke used the claim that men are naturally free and equal as part of the justification for understanding legitimate political government as the result of a social contract where people in the state of nature conditionally transfer some of their rights to the government in order to better ensure the stable, comfortable enjoyment of their lives, liberty, and property. Since governments exist by the consent of the people in order to protect the rights of the people and promote the public good, governments that fail to do so can be resisted and replaced with new governments. One of the most important insights to Locke's views has to do with his definition of political power.  John Locke defined political power as “a Right of making Laws with Penalties of Death, and consequently all less Penalties.”  Like Sidney, he viewed that the "citizens" of a nation had the right to choose their own representatives, choose their own laws, and agree to abide by them so long as it did not take away their rights as citizens and place it back into the hands of the elite.  Sidney's Discourses Concerning Government along with Locke's Two Treatises on Government are recognized as critical works in the founding of the United States of America. 

The reason Thomas Jefferson choose these two works had to do with an important aspect of ensuring that a monarchy would not become the basis of our American government. It is often stated that some in the early formation of government were looking to make George Washington the first king over our country.  However, Jefferson as well as the continental congress risked their lives, fortunes and future to break the power of the monarchy and they were not interested in reinstating a form of government that put the power of the nation into the hands of a few.  In reading Sidney's work, he believed that it was the role of government to educate its people to have character, integrity, and honesty.  As a result, the people would choose leaders who demonstrated these characteristics, serve their constituency and write honorable and just laws.  But the question emerged, what happens if the government ceases to fulfill its role in educating the people?  Wouldn't the nation come under the same "tyranny" as it had been under with the monarchy if corrupt people were to get into power?  Thomas Jefferson then brought in Locke's understanding that "if the people want to change the government, it was their right" as long as they bear the right of arms - which is why we have a second amendment entitled "the right to bear arms."  Most people living in the British Commonwealth today still don't get this.  Why?  Because they haven't read the discussions written in their own history that led to our American Revolution.  We are a nation that has reserved the right to challenge what is now called "the deep state." We are a nation that believes in making the government accountable to the people - not the other way around. This is why we are at the most critical juncture in our national history since the civil war.  We are faced with a ruling class, political elites, and bureaucrats hell bent on retaining "power" and being above the law in the same ways the monarchy did during the American Revolutionary war. Our understanding of our history, form of government, liberty, and justice all rests on our choice to not abdicate our individual and collective power and responsibility to protect and defend our way of life.  Globalists hate our form of government because it is disruptive to their power.  That's why we all have the duty and responsibility to "take down" the deep state. Sound revolutionary? It's called the American Revolution!  I guess we could say, the English were the first to call us the "deplorables."

From a prophetic view, The presidency of Barack Obama, uncovered our national sin in not extending "equal treatment" of our citizens under the law.  It is my belief, that with the emergence of President Donald Trump, God is exposing the principalities and powers that have embedded themselves to make our citizens the royal subjects of a ruling class.  God is exposing this "truth."  This is why I believe that God is calling his people to "pray, listen, discern, and engage" themselves in calling our nation to the original values.  Unfortunately, this has been referred to by many as "Let's make America Great Again."  Problem with this thought is "when has America ever lived up to making America great for all of it's citizens?" It has always been the ongoing work "to form a more perfect union."  Debate and compromise, controversy and tedious detail, foreign affairs and domestic problems, are all included in the 267 documents of the Continental Congress and Constitutional Convention Broadside Collections. Including public announcements of congressional actions, drafts of legislation, committee reports, and final versions of legislation or treaties, these broadsides illustrate the evolution of a government, from a legislative body called together in the crisis of war, to an intricate system of checks and balances. These documents show the journey of the American nation.  Let me be clear, our national sovereignty, despite our national sins, was birthed to create dialogue, conversation, debate, and ensure liberty and justice for all our citizens.  Although the experiment has been messy and the debate between "Individual rights and community responsibility"  inflamed - we are a democratic republic.  No one elite class has the right to usurp our form of government.  The most significant work ahead for us as a nation is to "take back" our government from the "unelected bureaucrats" living in the seven wealthiest counties in and around Washington, DC and help them all find new jobs in the private sector.  We can vote our elected officials into office and play musical chairs with them but this will not change the "power and control" of Washington, DC. The most difficult thing that has to happen is to "undue public sector unionism."  Enough said.  Donald Trump and every president after him should have the right to represent us in saying "Your Fired!  Now go get a real job." The American people did not hire "The Deep State" nor did we collectively agree to put in a permanent "unionized" bureaucracy to rule over us. It may be a funny notion to a few but "we are the people" and we are in charge. I think we need to suggest "term limits" for bureaucrats! 

Finally, let me conclude with something, Hugh O'Doherty, Harvard University adjunct lecturer in Public Policy at the Kennedy School Of Government, shared in a course I recently took.  He said,  "We all have power.  We all have authority.  We all have responsibility. The problem is that we all abdicate it and hand it over to people we call leaders." "We the people" was not designed to give us a new king. We, collectively, have the authority and responsibility to decide our nation's future. This is why we are not a part of the British Commonwealth today! The only reason we have a "Deep State" is because we let it happen.  It's time to rise up to our most noble American ideas and become the nation God intended for us to become.  Abraham Lincoln, in his Gettysburg Address, spoke to a very divided nation these profound words, "It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion-that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth." Let's not abdicate our authority or responsibility and protect this great republic that God has given us.