It’s The Law
In 2005, in two different 5-4 votes, the Supreme Court ruled that it is constitutional to display the Ten Commandments on public property as long as the intent of the exhibit isn’t pushing a religious agenda.
Most of us know that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the Ten Commandments cannot be displayed in any government courthouse and this landmark decision has been covered exhaustively by the media. But what does the ruling actually mean?
Well, we find out by seeing what the Constitution says?
Joseph Story wrote, “The real object of the First Amendment was not to countenance, much less to advance Mohammedanism, or Judaism, or infidelity, by prostrating Christianity, but to exclude all rivalry among Christian sects.”
A courthouse is where laws are enforced. The Ten Commandments represent God’s moral law which never shifts or changes. It is as fixed as the law of gravity. You can deny that law exists, but if you step off a high building, you will discover whether it does. You can deny that the law affects you, but there are consequences sure to be paid.
Simply put, the Ten Commandments are eternal laws designed by God to keep society from destroying itself. Yet, amazingly, many sand-blasting companies were busily at work grinding away those Commandments—as well as God’s name—wherever they’re engraved in courthouse marble or concrete.
What a telling picture of the state of our society. These unchangeable laws were originally engraved in stone by the finger of God. And now they are being erased from stone by the law of man.
Some Christians are saying, “What’s the big deal? We are not under the law. Why should this be an issue?” No, we are not under the Hebrew law, meaning the 613 additional commandments added by Jewish rabbis. But every Christian is under the authority of God’s moral law, which is summed up in the Ten Commandments.
I wonder what goes through God’s mind as these sand-blasters erase his laws from before our eyes. Some believers claim, “We don’t need these displays of the Commandments. All that’s really necessary is for us to have them written in our hearts.” That’s not what God’s Word says. Consider the very visible presence God intended for the Commandments as they were delivered to his people:
Most of us know that the Supreme Court of the United States has ruled that the Ten Commandments cannot be displayed in any government courthouse and this landmark decision has been covered exhaustively by the media. But what does the ruling actually mean?
Well, we find out by seeing what the Constitution says?
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.” First Amendment, United States Constitution(For Constitutional context, read “To secure these rights… ” on The Bill of Rights and A “Living Constitution” for a Dying Republic. For additional resources, see The Patriot’s Topical Essays page and our Historic Documents page.)
Joseph Story wrote, “The real object of the First Amendment was not to countenance, much less to advance Mohammedanism, or Judaism, or infidelity, by prostrating Christianity, but to exclude all rivalry among Christian sects.”
A courthouse is where laws are enforced. The Ten Commandments represent God’s moral law which never shifts or changes. It is as fixed as the law of gravity. You can deny that law exists, but if you step off a high building, you will discover whether it does. You can deny that the law affects you, but there are consequences sure to be paid.
Simply put, the Ten Commandments are eternal laws designed by God to keep society from destroying itself. Yet, amazingly, many sand-blasting companies were busily at work grinding away those Commandments—as well as God’s name—wherever they’re engraved in courthouse marble or concrete.
What a telling picture of the state of our society. These unchangeable laws were originally engraved in stone by the finger of God. And now they are being erased from stone by the law of man.
Some Christians are saying, “What’s the big deal? We are not under the law. Why should this be an issue?” No, we are not under the Hebrew law, meaning the 613 additional commandments added by Jewish rabbis. But every Christian is under the authority of God’s moral law, which is summed up in the Ten Commandments.
I wonder what goes through God’s mind as these sand-blasters erase his laws from before our eyes. Some believers claim, “We don’t need these displays of the Commandments. All that’s really necessary is for us to have them written in our hearts.” That’s not what God’s Word says. Consider the very visible presence God intended for the Commandments as they were delivered to his people:
“These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)Nickolas
(I send out messages like this each morning in emails, and if you are interested in receiving them, send me your email address and I will add you to the list)
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Just remember that it is through your faithful and continued support
that make these messages and other aspects of ministry possible.
Just remember that it is through your faithful and continued support
that make these messages and other aspects of ministry possible.
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At the very heart of our faith is the cross of Christ. I know, know. You have heard that hundreds of times, but do we really understand what it means? I mean we love to continually spout religious pablum like that out, but do we really know what they mean?
Nope! The cross stands in complete opposition to our natural way of thinking. That’s why Paul could bluntly say that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying. If you are hoping to find common-ground between the message of the cross and your own reasoning and intellect, you are hoping for the impossible. Now, if you are going keep trying to make it work that way, by twisting the message so it doesn’t offend anyone, you are going to end up with a meaningless message and a faith without any power.
Jesus said that you must be wiling to lose your life to save it, because if you are more interested in preserving it, you are in danger of losing it. In other words. if you are more concerned that people will think you’re weird and a kook, then you better evaluate where your faith is.
We know that He has cleansed us from our sin, and we are still painfully aware that in our flesh there ain’t anything’ good.
As Christians we are both citizens of Heaven (and to that we proudly display our allegiance); yet we still love the life we are living, and fear losing it to that evil state we call death. We can cheerfully know that at death the Lord will greet us, but at the same time be in no hurry to leave this world.
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