“The duty of a patriot is to protect his country from its government” Thomas Paine
“The spirit of resistance to government is so valuable on certain occasions that I wish it to be always kept alive” Thomas Jefferson
“Every man has a property in his own person: This nobody has any right to but himself” John Locke
QUOTES TO READ AND PONDER:
Freedom
- Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else.” EPICTETUS
- “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Nelson Mandela
- “Everything really great and inspiring is created by the individual who can labour in freedom” Albert Einstien
- “Life without liberty is like a body without a spirit” Kahil Gibran
- “Those who won our independence…valued liberty as an end and as a means. They believed liberty to be the secret of happiness and courage to be the secret of liberty.” Louis D. Brandels
- “We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it.” William Faulkner
- “I am no bird, and no net ensnares me: I am a free human being with an independent will.” Charlotte Bronte
Trust
- “Trust is like blood pressure. It’s silent and vital to good health, and if abused, it can be deadly.” Frank Sonnenberg
- “Trust must be rebuilt over time. Trust requires a track record.” Rick Warren
- “Trusting is hard. Knowing who to trust is even harder.” Maria V. Snyder
- “Trust is built when someone is vulnerable and not taken advantage of.” Bob Vanourek
- “Trust takes years to build and seconds to break, and forever to repair.” Dhar Mann
- “Without trust, there can be no genuine peace. Neither in politics nor the quiet individuality of the heart and spirit.” Timothy Zahn
- “Trust is like a vase; once broken, though you can fix it, the vase will never be the same again.” Walter Anderson
- “Trust is like placing a blade in someone’s hand and setting the very point to your heart.” Cassandra Clare
- “Trust your instincts. Stand up for what you believe in.” Lesly Ann Warren
- “Trust is earned when actions meet words.” Your Tango
- “Don’t trust words, trust actions.” Bigenter
- “Trust starts with truth and ends with truth.” Santosh Kalwar
Government
- “Never give in never, never, never, never, in nothing small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” Winston Churchill
- “Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government.” Milton Freidman
- “Most bad government has grown out of TOO MUCH government.” Thomas Jefferson
- “Democracy is government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Abraham Lincoln
- “So, if we lie to the government, it’s a felony. But if they lie to us, it’s politics.” Bill Murray
- “Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it.” Mark Twain
The state is not absolute
Biblical Christianity constantly needs to maintain balance and deal with dangerous and incorrect views.
Christians can think that blind submission is the proper government response. God’s authority delegates all human government. Only to his absolute authority are we called to submit.
Throughout the Old Testament, God kept the government in check through prophets and priests. The leaders were under the authority and leadership of God. They were not a law unto themselves.
We as God’s Children are called to speak the truth: keeping the government accountable to its citizens, the salt and light in keeping our rulers in line.
They are taking away our freedoms, trashing our rights and taking upon themselves unwarranted power and control, rendering the imminent need to speak out and, if need be, to resist.
Old Testament opposition to government
- Throughout the Old Testament, God records many accounts of his prophets and priests confronting and standing against their governments overreach.
- Elijah condemned the evil King Ahab for stealing Naboth’s vineyard. I Kings 21
- Elijah denounces King Ahaziah. Because of his sin..told him.” you shall surely die” II Kings 1
- Elisha resists the murderous plans of the King of Israel II Kings 6:32,33
- Elijah instructs rulers to do a major purging Jehu was to strike down all of Ahab’s household. II Kings 10:17
Persecution of the early Christian church
Persecution of the early Christian church occurred in localized areas. The first persecution organized by roman rule under NERO 64AD after the Great Fire of Rome. The apostles Peter and John endured repetitive violent opposition from the ruling authorities. They continued to speak God’s truth to the people of that era only to be called in by the religious and government leaders and told to stop speaking. But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” After further threats they let them go. They could not decide how to punish them because all the public people were praising God in response to their words. Acts 4:16-1. Another instant of persecution Peter and the other apostles again replied: “We must obey God rather than men.” They had the apostles whipped. Then they ordered them not to speak the truth about Jesus and let them go. The apostles left the sanhedren, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for Jesus. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the truth about Jesus Christ. Acts 5:25-41.
The early church historian Eusebius speaks of countless numbers of Christians having perished during this period. By the mid 2nd century, mobs were throwing stones at the Christians. The persecution in Lyon 177AD was preceded by mob violence, assaults, robbery and stoneings. Under Nero’s reign Christians were used as human torches and frequently released to hungry lions in the public arena for entertainment.
Almighty God continues to reveal his truth in the Old and New Testament as well as about the repetitive abusive authorities to this present day. May we be willing to allow him to live and speak through each of us as individuals and together as citizens for our rights and freedoms of our nation.
Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned. I have violated the Lord’s commands and instructions. “I was afraid of the GOVERNMENT so I gave into them.” It is for FREEDOM that Christ has set you free. Stand firm then, and do not allow yourself to be entangled again in the yoke of bondage. Then we will no longer be tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of cunning craftiness of the GOVERNMENT in their deceitful schemeing. Instead speak my TRUTH of FREEDOM in LOVE.” I Sam15;24;Gal 5:1;Ephes 4:24
Saturday, June 4, 2022
Written by:
Sally Darlene Cooper
Greetings! Very useful advice in this particular article! Its the little changes that will make the largest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!