THE CHURCH MILITANT
Ephesians 5:11-"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them". This Christian News Blog maintains a one stop resource of current news and reports of its own related to church, moral, spiritual, and related political issues, plus articles, and postings from other online discernment ministries, and media which share the aims to obey the biblical commands to shed light on and refute error, heresy, apostasy, cults, and spiritual abuse.
He is the highest ranking openly gay member of the Department of Defense. He was a member of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund from 2004 to 2007. He favors the adoption by the U.S. military of a policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. He has said: "I personally like to see these things in writing and codified." He has expressed a preference for the establishment of such a policy by the Department of Defense rather than the Obama administration: "My view about government is you should always use those resources that are available to you first before you move up to the next level, so I think there are a number of things we can do inside this building for the Department of Defense". He supports allowing openly transgender persons to serve in the military as well.
WASHINGTON -- U. S. President Barack Obama on Friday nominated an openly gay civilian to head the Army, a first for such a job at the Pentagon.
Obama nominated Eric Fanning to be the next secretary of the Army, as the service faces a variety of budgetary, operational and social issues. Fanning has held a number of top Pentagon positions, including most recently as chief of staff to Defense Secretary Ash Carter.
Fanning, a former journalist for CBS News, has been serving in an acting role as undersecretary of the Army since June. If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, he would replace John McHugh, a former Republican congressman from New York, who announced his retirement earlier this year.
Obama said Fanning brings “many years of proven experience and exceptional leadership” to the role. “I am grateful for his commitment to our men and women in uniform, and I am confident he will help lead America’s Soldiers with distinction,” he said.
Fanning’s success in being confirmed is unclear. Although it is unlikely senators will object to his qualifications or to him personally, many top Obama nominations for Pentagon and other government posts have been held up by the Republican-controlled as the end of Obama’s second administration nears its final year.
Obama Just Elected 1st OPENLY GAY CIVILIAN To Lead U.S. Army
Published on Sep 20, 2015
Obama just sealed the fate of the United States Military by electing a Gay Civilian as Leader of the U.S. Army! Since Obama has been in office we have seen the demoralization, disarmament, degradation, distrust, dislike, and disablement he has successfully done in the U.S. Military. What once use to be a force to be reckon with as been reduced to putty in red heals and the enemies of this nation LOVE IT! Obama hates the military, here's more proof: - Sending Pink Slips to Soldiers Serving in War Zones - Bergdahl Prisoner Swap - Blocking off the World War II Memorial During the Government Shutdown - The VA Scandal - Using the Marines as Umbrella Holders - Ignoring a meeting request from the Fort Hood Terror Victims - Outing SEAL Team SIX and exploiting them for political gain - HUMILIATES Male Soldiers, Forces Them To Wear high red heels - Male Soldiers, Forced To Wear Women’s Clothing As Part Of Mandatory Training - Exchanges Islamic extremist terrorist for Christians who believe the Bible - Eliminated don't ask don't tell - Enforces homosexual bias on branches - secures LGBT legacy with transgender military service - Military holds gay fashion week - Military forced to have gay parade - gay "American flag" flies on U.S. base - reduces nuclear arsenal - severely limits budgets - brings our military to pre-WWII size - makes soldiers study etiquette of Islam and more!
Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis celebrates her freedom after being jailed for her Christian faith.
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. – 2 Timothy 3:12.
For a week the nation was captivated with the small town of Morehead, Kentucky and Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis’ refusal to authorize marriage licenses for gay couples because of her Christian faith. Davis’ case is just the latest and most startling example of the increasingly hostile treatment of Bible believing Christians by the governments and legal systems across the United States and the world. Standing up for tents of the Christian faith has not just become unpopular it can land a person in jail. And the church needs to prepare for the coming persecution against the faith.
Jailed For Her Faith
Davis was sentenced to jail and refused bail.
Davis was elected as County Clerk in December, 2014, replacing her mother who held the position for 27 years. As County Clerk, all marriage licenses that are issued from her office, regardless of whether or not Davis personally issued them, bear her name. The “controversy” centers around Davis request that licenses issued to same-sex couples not bear her name. At no time did Davis ever request that Kentucky or her county not recognize gay marriage. Her request was that her name (and embossed signature) not be listed on the license itself. And this was because of her Christian faith.
In 2011 Davis attended a church service to honor the last request from her mother-in-law who was on her death bed. “Following the death of my godly mother-in-law over four years ago, I went to church to fulfill her dying wish. There I heard a message of grace and forgiveness and surrendered my life to Jesus Christ.” (source). It was hearing and believing the Gospel of Jesus Christ that forever changed her life. Having been wed four times and given birth to children out of wedlock, David realized the sinful life she was living and how loving God was to offer her free forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ:
“My God in Heaven knows every crack, every crevice, every deep place in my heart. And he knows the thoughts that are in my mind before I even think them. And he has given me such a beautiful and wonderful grace through all of this. I had created such a pit of sin for myself with my very own hands.” (source).
Her faith led her to embrace the Biblical position on marriage, which is between a man and woman for life. Additionally, the Bible declares that homosexuality is a sin. For years this was not an issue in Kentucky, which had banned same-sex marriage. However, the landscape was set to change when the Supreme Court was set to rule in the Obergfell v. Hodges case – which made marriage a fundamental right for same-sex couples. Knowing the Supreme Court was going to likely extend same-sex marriage all over the United States, Davis and 57 other county clerks wrote a letter to the Kentucky state legislature urging them to “get a bill on the floor to help protect clerks” who had a conscientious objection to same-sex marriage. Their letters also requested that the names of clerks who viewed homosexuality as a sin be removed from same-sex licenses. A copy is below:
Once the ruling came down from the Supreme Court, Davis, along with Clerks Kay Schwartz of Whitley County and Casey Davis of Casey County, all declined to issue marriage licenses because of their faith. Their stance resulted in the lawsuit being filed against Kim Davis by the ACLU on behalf of two homosexual couples and two heterosexual couples because Davis was not issuing licenses to any couples, regardless of sexual orientation.
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear only allows certain government officials to disobey the law.
Today, the United States Supreme Court issued its decision regarding the constitutionality of states’ bans on same-sex marriage. The Court struck down those laws, finding that they were invalid under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
As elected officials, each of us has taken an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of Kentucky. The Obergefell decision makes plain that the Constitution requires that Kentucky — and all states — must license and recognize the marriages of same-sex couples. Neither your oath nor the Supreme Court dictates what you must believe. But as elected officials, they do prescribe how we must act.
Effective today, Kentucky will recognize as valid all same sex marriages performed in other states and in Kentucky. In accordance with my instruction, all executive branch agencies are already working to make any operational changes that will be necessary to implement the Supreme Court decision. Now that same-sex couples are entitled to the issuance of a marriage license, the Department of Libraries and Archives will be sending a gender-neutral form to you today, along with instructions for its use. (source).
The Governor’s tone was very different from the one he took in March 2014 when a similar issue arose. At that time, Kentucky had a law on the books which banned same sex marriage. The law was challenged in court and overturned by a lower court decision. Jack Conway, the Kentucky Attorney General was then responsible for filing the appeal to keep the gay marriage ban on the law books. Instead of “doing his job” and filing the appeal, the Attorney General defied Governor Beshear’s order on account of his support for gay marriage. The Attorney General simply felt that for his own personal morals, he would not fulfill his responsibilities. Rather than punish Conway for his clear defiance, the Governor accommodated himby having an outside attorney file the appeal. All because of Conway’s personal views on gay marriage.
Yet in Davis’ case, and the other 56 clerks in Kentucky, no such accommodation was made. After Davis lost her case against the ACLU, the Christian official still refused to issue licenses that bore her name to same sex couples. The then ACLU intensified its prosecution of her, requesting the judge to impose heavy fines on the county clerk. Instead of doing that, U.S. District Judge David Bunning, brought Davis into court and ordered her to obey his command to issue same sex marriage licenses or face imprisonment.
“My conscience will not allow it,” she said. “God’s moral law convicts me and conflicts with my duties.” Davis based her refusal to obey the judge on 1 Timothy 5:22: “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.” Davis viewed her name on a marriage license for a gay couple as partaking in their sin and thus objected in faithfulness to God.
Bunning responded by holding Davis in contempt of court and sentencing her to jail indefinitely without bail. Not only did Bunning go beyond the ACLU’s request by putting Davis in jail he told her that he removed the option of bail because he felt that supporters of Davis would help pay it (something that should not be a factor for a judge as a defendant’s bail is often funded with assistance of parents, friends, “supporters”, etc.). A Judge Devoted to “Homosexual Re-education”
Judge David Bunning previously ordered students to watch pro-homosexuality videos.
This type of overzealous persecution by Judge Bunning is no surprise given his history on the bench. In 2003, the same ACLU group filed a suit against the Boyd County Board of Education to force it to recognize a Gay-Straight Alliance students Club. Bunning not only ruled in favor of the Gay Straight Alliance, he ordered the school to make every student watch videos that promote homosexuality and declare that anyone who opposes homosexuality to be morally wrong.
This led to the Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal advocacy group, to file a suit against Boyd County to allow students to opt out of the “re-education” video which “effectively forces the students to speak in agreement with the school district’s view that homosexuality is a safe and healthy lifestyle that cannot be changed.” (source).
In 2006, Bunning again ruled in favor of the ACLU, ordering that all students must watch the videos and specifically ruling that Christians could not opt out because of their faith. The decision was ultimately overturned by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.
Religious Freedom Restoration?
Hundreds came to the courthouse to support Kim Davis and religious freedom.
Another aspect of the case not being mentioned is that Kentucky has a law specifically drafted for this type of situation to protect the religious beliefs of its citizens. HB 279, a religious freedom restoration act, states:
“Government shall not substantially burden a person’s freedom of religion. The right to act or refuse to act in a manner motivated by a sincerely held religious belief may not be substantially burdened unless the government proves by clear and convincing evidence that it has a compelling governmental interest in infringing the specific act or refusal to act and has used the least restrictive means to further that interest. A “burden” shall include indirect burdens such as withholding benefits, assessing penalties, or an exclusion from programs or access to facilities.” (source).
Therefore, by state law, the government has to provide “clear and convincing evidence that there is a compelling government interest” in forcing Davis to have her name on the marriage licenses. Why could the license bear the name of a clerk who has no objection? Furthermore, this was not a unique situation. In other states, clerks and those in charge of issuing marriage licenses were facing a similar dilemma – specifically, how to accommodate those workers who opposed gay marriage on religious grounds. In North Carolina, the state legislaturepassed a law which allows magistrates to opt out of the marriage license process if they object to a same sex marriage based on a sincerely held religious belief. Since the passage of the law, over 30 magistrates have opted out of the marriage process altogether. Given Kentucky’s own law on the books to protect religious freedom, there is no reason a similar exception could not be made.
Following her jailing, a media storm erupted as Davis and Rowan County have become the center of the gay marriage debate. However this case is about religious freedom. At no time, did Davis ever say that gay marriage was illegal or that she was defying the Supreme Court. She was merely trying to have an exception made so that she would not have her name on the licenses of couples who were in a relationship that ran counter to her religious beliefs.
A Kim Davis supporter confronts a gay rights activist at the rally.
Since then thousands of stories were published about Davis with information out of context – not giving any mention to the fact that Davis and 56 other clerks lobbied to their state officials to avoid this kind of situation months ago. In deceptive fashion, many media outlets are labeling Davis a “hypocrite” for her multiple marriages and children out-of-wedlock, all the while ignoring the detail that those situations were a product of her life before becoming a born again Christian. Facing indefinite jail time, Davis was resolute and clear about her faith.
“I would have to either make a decision to stand or I would have to buckle down and leave,” she said, pondering her choices. “And if I left, resigned or chose to retire, I would have no voice for God’s word.”
“I’ve weighed the cost and I’m prepared to go to jail, I sure am,” Mrs. Davis said in an exclusive interview. “This has never been a gay or lesbian issue for me. This is about upholding the word of God. This is a heaven or hell issue for me and for every other Christian that believes,” she said. “This is a fight worth fighting.” (source).
Davis and her husband have received death threats in emails and phone calls. So much so that they have no changed their phone numbers. “She’s getting death threats. People are saying that her home should be burned that she should be raped in front of her husband,” Mat Staver, Davis’ attorney said. “She has no ill will toward anybody.” (source).
Many media outlets and journalists assailed Davis for her many marriages and children out-of-wedlock – completely omitting that this was a product of her life before becoming a Christian. Below is a clip ofDan Savage, a LGBT activist who Beginning and End has previously covered for attacking the Christian faith and young Christian students, criticizing Davis for her sinful lifestyle and using the Bible to try to justify his condemnation.
At no point does the host correct Savage on the fact that Davis’ marriages and children out-of-wedlock were before her conversion and that she readily acknowledges it as sin. On ABC morning talk show “The View”, host called Davis a “b—-” and a “monster”, mocking her appearance as well.
And in one of the most blatant anti-Christian reactions to the Davis story, Shepard Smith of Fox News the “conservative” network, was enraged to hear Davis’ attorney share her testimony of salvation during the rally.
Smith completely mischaracterized Staver’s words. At no point has Davis or her attorneys said this was about outlawing gay marriage. And contrary to Smith’s misinformation, Judge Bunning upon releasing Davis did not make any accommodation to her. He did not rule that her name could be removed from licenses to same-sex couples. And nowhere was Staver in that brief testimony lobbying for Christian government or for “ending Sharia law”. Yet Smith goes out of his way to angrily vilify Davis and Bible-believing Christians in general. In the clips above there is no effort to understand the Christian faith, be tolerant or have any meaningful discourse. It is just an instant reaction to cast the Christian faith as wrong.
These reactions fulfill the Bible’s predictions about society turning from God and towards their own lust and pride. But Christians should take comfort in the words of The Lord Jesus Christ who said: “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.“ (Luke 6:22-23).
To her critics and members of the LGBT community, Davis’ message was clear:
“All I can say to them is if they have a sordid past like what I had, they too can receive the cleansing and renewing, and they can start a fresh life and they can be different. They don’t have to remain in their sin. There’s hope for tomorrow.” (source).
Freedom – For Now
On Tuesday, September 8th, Davis was freed from jail after Judge Bunning freed Kim Davis with the condition that she no longer interfere or prevent any deputy clerk from issuing licenses to same-sex couples. So in the event that Davis continues her stand, she can be jailed once again. Nevertheless, it was indeed a blessing that not only was Davis freed, the many hundreds who traveled from all over the country to support her, got to witness her release from jail at the rally in her honor.
For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. – 1 Peter 3:12-15.
Davis’s story, while shocking is not the first case of Christians suffering severe punishment for standing up for their beliefs. Beginning and Endpreviously reported on the case of Baronelle Stutzman, who was sued by the Washington State attorney general and the ACLU for refusing to deliver flowers to a same sex wedding because it would violate her Christian faith. Not only did the attorney general make the unprecedented move of suing a person even when the victims in this instance did not want to file suit – the judge in this case also ruled that Stutzman’s personal assets could be seized in addition to her business assets.
Aaron and Melissa Klein were ordered to pay a fine of $135,00 by the Oregon Labor Commission, after refusing to prepare a wedding cake for a same sex couple (at the time same sex marriage was not legal in Oregon). In addition to the fine, the head of the Labor Commission also issued a “cease and desist order” demanding that the Kleins no longer even speak about the case or their reasons for not serving same sex couples.
“This effectively strips us of all our First Amendment rights,” the Kleins, owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa, which has since closed, wrote on their Facebook page. “According to the state of Oregon we neither have freedom of religion or freedom of speech.”
The Kleins’ lawyer, Anna Harmon, was shocked by the provision. “Brad Avakian has been outspoken throughout this case about his intent to ‘rehabilitate’ those whose beliefs do not conform to the state’s ideas,” she told The Daily Signal. “Now he has ruled that the Kleins’ simple statement of personal resolve to be true to their faith is unlawful. This is a brazen attack on every American’s right to freely speak and imposes government orthodoxy on those who do not agree with government sanctioned ideas.” (source). Below is a video that shows the Klein’s story in their own words.
And the below are a handful of other examples of Christians being punished and silenced for their faith over the past several years:
Chase Windebank a freshman at Pine Creek High School in Colorado was admonished by the school for his Christian expression. As a part of the school schedule, students are given a “seminar” period where they can socialize, send text messages or play video games on their personal devices among other leisure activities. Windebank used his free time to set up a prayer group with friends where they would also sing worship songs and have Biblical discussion. For three years the group met twice per week until September 2014, when Windebank was called to the Assistant Principal’s office and told that he had to cease praying during school hours due to “separation of church and state.” All the other activities students were doing during the free time was allowed to continue. Windebank is currently pursuing an injunction with assistance from lawyers at the Alliance Defending Freedom. (source).
Real estate gurus and twin brothers Jason and David Benham saw their HGTV show on real estate flipping cancelled before it ever aired thanks to complaints over their Christian position on gay marriage. (source).
At Florida Atlantic University a Professor told students to write the name of Jesus on a piece of paper, place it on the floor and stomp on it as part of lesson in “Intercultural Communication.” (source).
An Orange County, California couple was fined for holding a home Bible study without obtaining a permit from their local municipality. (source).
At Sonoma State University in Northern California, a student was ordered to remove the 2-inch cross on her necklace before attending an orientation for incoming students because it was “offensive.” (source).
10-year old Erin Shead was punished for writing about God as her class assignment on who she looked up the most to in the world. Not only did her teacher tell her that she could not mention God or Jesus Christ in an assignment, she was ordered to remove the essay from school grounds. (source).
Churches Under Attack
Briar Creek Road Baptist Church in South Carolina was burnt down one week after the Charleston shooting.
In addition to the stories above America has seen a surge in the amount of attacks on churches in the recent months. An unidentified assailant launched a Molotov cocktail – a crude explosive made by igniting a gasoline drenched rag and stuffing it into a glass bottle – through the glass doors of Crosspoint Church in Amherst, New York setting fire to the lobby. The sprinkler system in the lobby extinguished the fire and there were no casualties. (source).
A similar incident occurred at Calvary Baptist Church in Chickasha, Oklahoma where a Molotov cocktail that failed to ignite was found next to the church building. No suspect has been arrested. Pastor Tim Day, who discovered the explosive, shared his compassion for whoever tried to burn down the church. “We love them. We care about them,” he said. “That’s what we’re called to do.”And even though fire from the concoction didn’t spread, the pastor is hoping the church’s revival will. “We forgive them. We accept them, but we need to just protect our property, and we don’t want anything serious to happen to that.” (source).
And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?
Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. – Luke 14:27-35.
Pray for Kim Davis and all those Christians in America and across the world who are suffering in this new age of persecution. The hostility against Christians and the branding of the Christian faith as a hateful, outdated belief system will only increase in the wake of the case in Kentucky. More and more believers will be in situations where they will be forced to openly voice whether they side with the world or with The Lord Jesus Christ. If you are a Christian, are you ready for this day? Are you prepared to lose your status, friends, job or wealth in the name of Christ? Are you ready to be stereotyped and deemed a monster? Have you counted the cost? Pray for God’s strength as these times approach. And continue to respond to persecution with love and mercy, sharing the Gospel message that all people can be forgiven freely through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible prophesied that as the end times drew near the world would turn against Biblical Christianity. That prophecy is now coming to life in the United States.
(Friday Church News Notes, September 18, 2015, www.wayoflife.orgfbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) - A new study by the Public Religion Research Institute finds that Roman Catholics in America support same-sex “marriage” and abortion as much as the general population. When asked whether “same-sex marriage” should be legal, 55% of all Americans and 60% of Catholics express favor. When asked whether abortion should be legal in all or most cases, 53% of all Americans and 51% of Catholics express favor. The report is entitled “The Francis Effect: U.S. Catholic Attitudes on Pope Francis, the Catholic Church, and American Politics.” Homosexual “marriage” and abortion are contrary to official Catholic teaching, but the Catholic Church has never produced a high degree of morality. This is evident by examining the most heavily Catholic parts of the world, such as Italy, Mexico, Quebec, and the American northeast. One reason is that Rome’s official morality is undermined by the examples of its priests, bishops, and popes. Rome’s moral history is wretched. Even the Catholic Encyclopedia is forced to document the reprobation of many of its popes. The Catholic Church in America suffered a serious financial hit in recent decades because of the filthiness of its priests.
Missionaries to the Preborn P.O. Box 26931 Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226
For Immediate Release
Walker Administration Bankrolls Planned Parenthood to the Tune of Millions of Tax Dollars
Waukesha: As Governor Scott Walker makes his announcement to run for the White House, Pastor Matt Trewhella, leader of the Milwaukee-based Missionaries to the Preborn, calls upon Governor Walker to come clean about his established record of funding Planned Parenthood – Wisconsin’s #1 killer of the preborn.
“Like many pro-life taxpayers and voters, I am tired of hearing Governor Walker state that he has ‘defunded Planned Parenthood’ when state records show otherwise.” said Pastor Matt Trewhella. “Cutting the funding of Planned Parenthood by 5% and then claiming you have ‘de-funded’ them is rank hypocrisy and newsspeak. We demand that Governor Walker actually zero out Planned Parenthood’s funding, and even moreso, uphold the laws of Wisconsin so that preborn children are protected from a brutal death.”
Last year, 6,462 babies were murdered by abortion in Wisconsin. Since 1973, an estimated 506,181 innocent boys and girls have been aborted in the dairy state. From 2013 to present, Planned Parenthood received a minimum of $39 Million from the taxpayers during the Walker Administration. Planned Parenthood’s Wisconsin franchise has 22 locations and operates 75% of the surgical abortion offices in our state. Nationally, Planned Parenthood had a record income of $1.3 Billion in 2013. According to national reports, Planned Parenthood receives 45% of its income from American taxpayers.
“Governor Walker, we would like to see some honesty come from you and your administration,” said Trewhella. “Rather than signing token legislation such as the 20-week regulation bill, we would like to see some actual ‘bold’ leadership from you and the GOP – defund Planned Parenthood, declare the abolition of abortion in Wisconsin, and uphold Wisconsin’s anti-abortion statute 940.04 in defiance of the federal judiciary. We have tired of both political parties using the suffering of the preborn for their own political ends.”
“Considering approximately 27,100 babies have been murdered in Wisconsin since Governor Walker took office in 2010, it would be a tremendous mistake on his part to take the pro-life vote for granted,” observed Trewhella. “Any time Governor Walker is not jet-setting to another part of the United States, he is welcome to join me on the sidewalk outside of one of Planned Parenthood’s deathcamps to see how this organization is destroying the next generation.”
MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — A pastor and author who supports Kentucky clerk Kim Davis’ decision to disobey a court order rather than violate the law of God says that Davis has a duty to continue to interpose as a civil magistrate and refuse to issue marriage licenses to homosexuals—and the responsibility has nothing to do with personal religious liberty.
Matt Trewhella, pastor of Mercy Seat Christian Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and author of “The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate” told Christian Network this week that obeying God rather than men is a biblical doctrine that is exemplified throughout the Scriptures.
“This has been the history of Christianity,” he said. “Christianity has always upheld the standard that when the state commands that which God forbids or forbids that which God commands, we are to obey God rather than men.”
“Daniel (a civil magistrate) chose to pray even thought he was told not to. The apostles chose to preach even though they were told not to. The early Christians refused to burn a piece of incense to [Nero] even though they were told to do so. Richard Wormbrandt (a Romanian pastor who was imprisoned for years and tortured) chose not to keep his mouth shut when Christ was being impugned,” Trewhella outlined.
“There’s no difference here with what Kim Davis has done,” he said. “You choose to either obey God or you choose to obey man when there’s a conflict of laws between the state and God’s law and word.”
He said that the biblical example of fidelity to Christ over man is also woven throughout history, and that God’s law was always considered the standard of legal jurisprudence up until recent times.
“For nearly 1500 years [following the resurrection of Christ], the moral law of God was the objective standard by which all men and all governments of men are judged,” Trewhella explained. “It was the standard to determine whether a law was just or unjust, moral or immoral, right or wrong. And any law made contrary to God’s law was considered now law at all, and was to be resisted.”
“Whether you read Alfred the Great from the 9th century, Jonathan Salisbury from the 12th century or William Blackstone from the 18th century, they all pointed to God’s law as the higher law to which all men and all governments of men were accountable,” Trewhella explained. “William Blackstone was the most cited legal scholar by America’s founders. … He said that any laws that were made contrary to the law of God should not be suffered among us.”
“That was always the thinking of western man up until the time now where we’ve thrown the law of God under the bus,” he continued. “Now that the objective standard has been removed, it allows the state to make it up as they go. And as you can see, they just change the rule of law based on the lusts, passions and whims of mere men.”
While some say that the Scriptures require unlimited obedience to men, Trewhella said that it no such command is given to obey an order that violates the law of God.
“The authority that a civil magistrate has is delegated to them by God, therefore, they have a duty to govern according to his rule,” he explained. “And that’s why it says in Romans 13 that the civil magistrate is the ‘minister of God,’ or God’s minister, to reward those who do good and punish those who do evil.”
“When we look at other passages of Scripture, we see precisely what the Christian is to do when the civil magistrate wants to rename evil as good and good as evil—that is to obey God rather than men,” Trewhella continued, again pointing to biblical examples. “There are plenty of passages in regard to the Hebrew midwives, Daniel, the Hebrew children and even [“the prisoner of Christ Jesus”] Paul himself, who penned Romans 13 and 2 Corinthians 11.”
Therefore, Kim Davis did what was right, Trewhella said.
“She’s simply following what western man has understood for over 1,500 years now, and that’s divine law trumps human laws,” he stated.
And while some opine that Davis should simply resign and let someone else issue the licenses, Trewhella said that is not Davis’ duty before God.
“She is a magistrate. She is not a private individual,” he noted. “As a magistrate, she posses lawful authority, and so she has the duty in the sight of God when the higher authority makes court opinion contrary to the law and word of God to defy that, to interpose against it.”
Trewhella said that the matter is not about religious liberty and should not be treated as a personal opt-out but a scenario where a lesser magistrate must stand in the gap to hold back the judgment of God. He expressed disappointment over statements by Davis’ attorneys in regard to desired compromises, such as being willing to issue licences as long as her name is removed from the documents.
“We’re still allowing the evil to continue, and it totally nullifies the interposition of the lesser magistrate in abating the just judgment of God,” Trewhella lamented. “It’s extremely important for people to understand that the interposition of the lesser magistrate abates the just judgment of God, but with the path they’re taking in Kentucky, it will not.”
Kim Davis and the other clerks in Kentucky who are defying an immoral and unconstitutional Supreme Court ruling are to be commended. Precious few magistrates in our nation have decided not to pay homage to the Supreme Court. The ruling is immoral because it impugns the created order and Word of God. It is unconstitutional because the federal government has no jurisdiction over marriage granted to it in the U. S. Constitution.
As James Madison, known as the Architect of the Constitution, said in Federalist No. 45, “The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined. Those which remain in the State governments are numerous and indefinite.” We have long left that standard. The States have long been reduced to mere provinces of the federal government. So these actions by these clerks are refreshing to see.
Troubling Matters
There are troubling matters in this so-called act of interposition by these clerks however – they seem to be taking some bad advice from politicians and lawyers.
Not only are they not issuing marriage licenses to homosexuals, but they are not issuing them to heterosexuals either. The reason is to assure the federal courts that their intent is not to discriminate against homosexuals.
Further troubling is that the stated goal of those in leadership there in Kentucky and of these clerks is to create a 121st county clerk (Kentucky has 120) who will issue the licenses from the capitol in Frankfort. This would be done so that the clerks would not have to put their hand to being a part of the process of which they have religious disagreement.
The clerks (and others) do not want to have to lay their hand to this great evil (by issuing marriage licenses), but then promote a change in state law so that people can still do the evil – just not through them. This is not true interposition.
True Interposition
When standing in interposition against wickedness, lesser magistrates – like county clerks, judges, or legislators – should understand that their primary duty is to protect those who reside in their jurisdiction against the aggression of the tyrant – not to protect themselves.
Not only does the interposition of the lesser magistrates protect the people in the jurisdiction of their office against evil – but it also abates the just judgment of God.
Notice what the Lord says in Ezekiel 22:27-30: “Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood, to destroy people, and to get dishonest gain. 29 The people of the land have used oppressions, committed robbery, and mistreated the poor and needy; and they wrongfully oppress the stranger. 30 So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”
Kim Davis (and others) are attempting to stand in the gap. Their fealty to the Lord does not allow them to join the higher authorities in their rebellion against God. But, it is all an utter failure if they proffer actions to see the evil accomplished another way (via a website at the statehouse). It is not true interposition.
Notice what the very next verse says when the evil was allowed to continue – Ezekiel 22:31: “Therefore I have poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath; and I have recompensed their deeds on their own heads,” says the Lord GOD.”
Again, their interposition is intended to abate the just judgment of God. But they (and the other magistrates) are not doing that if they help the evil get accomplished some other way.
The Bogus ‘Religious Liberty’ Position
The position the clerks have decided to stand upon is ‘religious liberty.’ Such a position is fine for an individual. But Kim Davis and the other clerks are magistrates, and as such, they possess lawful authority. Their duty goes beyond mere refusal to participate.
The ‘religious liberty’ defense has already proven a loser in the lawless federal courts. How many bakers and photographers have already lost? The federal courts have made it clear that the only religious rights you have when it comes to the homosexual juggernaut is to remain in the four walls of your building and play church.
This is the latest retreat of the GOP and the conservatives – ‘religious liberty.’ First they stood against sodomy itself. Then they accommodated themselves to that and retreated to opposing homosexual marriage. Now they are accommodating themselves to that and have retreated to religious liberty. The GOP has no fealty to Christ. They only know political expediency – an expediency for their own political ends.
The GOP is planning to use Kim Davis as a pawn to further their latest position – ‘religious liberty.’ They hope to use her to unseat the Democrats from both the governorship and the attorney general.
Governor Steve Beshear and Attorney General Jack Conway are self-serving godless men beholden to the sexual outlaws. Therefore they have refused to implement the 121st county clerk idea to protect the clerks and allow the homosexuals to marry. The GOP will now make them the targets of their ‘religious liberty’ campaign to unseat them and Kim Davis will be their poster-girl.
In the end, however, when the GOP takes power in Kentucky, they will implement the 121st county clerk and make it law that homosexuals can marry. Both the Democrat and Republican positions are wrong. They both want to make law that legalizes homosexual marriage in Kentucky. What is Needed and Necessary
As a magistrate, Kim Davis and the other clerks should interpose against a lawless Supreme Court by refusing to participate in homosexual marriage because it impugns the created order and Word of God and it is repugnant to the Constitution.
Other magistrates – sheriff’s, district attorneys, judges, and legislators from all spheres of government – should rally around these clerks and defend them against federal aggression. True federalism understands that all magistrates – whatever their level or sphere of jurisdiction – possess lawful authority. And that whenever one branch of government begins to play the tyrant – all other branches (whether federal, state, county, or local) have the duty then more than ever to uphold the Constitution and oppose that branch – even if that branch is the Supreme Court.
Many point to the Supremacy Clause of the U. S. Constitution to justify their lack of interposition. But this is a fiction. When you read the Supremacy Clause – Article 6, paragraph 2 of the U.S. Constitution – you see that it nowhere declares that the U. S. Supreme Court, nor any federal court, has supremacy over the U. S. Constitution or the constitutions or laws of the states or the judges of states. Rather, it states that the U.S. Constitution has supremacy and laws or treaties made in accordance with the Constitution.
The Supreme Court cannot make law. That takes legislators. Their ruling isnot the ‘law of the land.’ There is not one law in all of Kentucky, nor any federal law, that states homosexuals can marry.
The Supreme Court is the lawless anarchist in this situation. Those who refuse to comply with their immoral opinion are the ones trying to restore order.
Final Thoughts
If Kim Davis were to win her case – that might be a worse situation. For decades now, when certain laws are passed, there is a religious exemption added. These laws seem good to the average self-absorbed, Pietistic Christian, but in reality they serve to further marginalize Christianity and Christians within the culture.
If she loses – Christians may have to begin to pay a price for obedience to Christ. They will no longer have the convenience of keeping their faith a private matter.
The people (and particularly Christians) need to understand that they must demonstrate vigilance against tyranny. They must give up what most Americans pursue – wealth and ease. They must give some time and effort to good governance.
To understand the character of most men who fill America’s pulpits today, one need only look at America’s laws and policies. The pulpits are by and large filled with whores. The people need to eschew the narcotic-effect of these pulpits. They need to prod their magistrates to do right, and rally around them when they do right – with our persons, with our finances, with our prayers.
The interposition of the lesser magistrates reminds the higher authority that their authority is delegated and has limits. No man who holds state office rules with autonomy. The authority he has is delegated to him by God. All those in positions of authority stand accountable to God – even the U. S. Federal Government.
Matthew Trewhella is the pastor of Mercy Seat Christian Church (MercySeat.net). He and his wife, Clara, have eleven children and reside in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. You can obtain his book The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrates: A Proper Response to Tyranny and A Repudiation of Unlimited Obedience to Civil Government at Amazon.com or by going to the websites http://DefyTyrants.com or http://LesserMagistrate.com.
