| Editor: David E Marlett Th.D. | |
| January 11, 2001 | Vol II #3 |
Some media sources told IBT that Federal Marshal Frank Anderson went to Washington, D.C., to visit with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno. The IBT leaders followed by asking attorney Al Cunningham to make request that the Church leaders also have an audience with the Attorney General Reno. The Church hopes to hear from the Attorney General's office sometime today. In the mean time, the people of IBT remain on alert. Many are in the services each evening, with 150 - 200 people staying overnight throughout the buildings.
Today is the 58th day of the peaceful redress of grievance from members and supporters. Services will continue nightly. Most of those present have never been in church services for 57 straight nights.
** EMERGENCY BULLETIN ALERT
God has provided another miracle and opportunity! We need you to respond now!
Pray and please call or fax to the U.S. Supreme Court the following message:
Please hear the case of Indianapolis Baptist Temple (IBT) set for conference of January 12, 2001, Docket No. 00-761.
The phone number is: (202) 249-3011 The fax number is: (202) 249-2971
The address for OVERNIGHT courier (Federal Express 1-800-463-3339, AIRBORNE EXPRESS 1-800-247-2676, UPS 1-800-742-5877, etc.), U.S. Mail, or Western Union
https://www2.westernunion.com/webmt/MSGjump.asp?src=TGHome.xsl (800-634-1311) is:
Supreme Court of the United States
1 First Street N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20543
It is IMPERATIVE that this request be in the Supreme Court no later than Friday evening January 12, 2001.
Supreme Court Justices:
FOR INFORMATION CONTACT IBT AT (317) 787- 0830 or (317) 783-6753
ibtnews@voyager.net
By Herb Evans
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. -- Rom. 13:1,2
The first thing that must be noticed is that Government is an ordinance of God and that governments are ordained of God, whether monarchies, dictatorships, or constitutional republics. Whoever resists such governments is resisting God's ordinance for the maintenance of order, crime and punishment, and the protection of the citizenry.
The second thing that must be noticed is that it is "souls" or persons that are to be subject unto the higher powers. Nothing is said about churches being subject to anything or anyone besides its Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. The church has one Head, the Lord Jesus Christ, unless a church is a two headed monster, State church.
Third, in regard to individuals, this subjection is qualified by the apostles' behavior in this regard in that they did not obey, when there was a contradiction between God and men, for they said that they should obey God rather than men. This conviction is substantiated by Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, Rahab, and many others throughout the scripture.
Fourth, it must be established who the higher powers are in a given situation in a given country. Subjection is not the same under Caesar as it is under the Constitution. In the United States, the constitution and the legal portions of the bill of Rights are the Higher powers. We are to be governed by a rule of law. If it is not the law, it is not the Higher power. For instance, the constitution allows a public display of one's faith under its freedom of religion and freedom of speech clauses. If a local statute is passed to prevent a person from exercising their first amendment rights, it is not being subject unto the higher powers. If a law enforcement agency stands in the way of a person's first amendment rights, they are not being subject to the higher powers. If local governments or the Federal government view public policy as binding on the Christian rather than constitutional law, they are not being in subjection to the higher powers, rather than the guilt being laid at the doorstep of the one, who is attempting to exercise both his biblical and constitutional rights. The consequence of such tyranny is damnation, not to the Christian, but to those, who resist and bypass our higher powers or rule of law.
For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. -- Rom. 13:3-5
God has ordained rulers to protect its citizens from evil. He did not ordain rulers to be a terror to the Christian witness and Christian churches. They are ordained to be protectors and not predators, as is and has been the case in the last few decades. The supreme ruler is the rule of law, even the constitution to which all lesser powers must be subject. The Protestant and Catholic civil magistrate used these same scriptures to justify their suppression of religious dissidents. Now, we are confronted not by religious magistrates but irreligious, atheists, agnostics, humanists, and socialists.
Christians, who commit real crimes are to be punished by law the same as anyone else. Contrived crimes or public policy offenses that are not constitutionally valid are not included in such subjection nor need enter into a Christian's conscience. Still, the Christian must be prepared to be handled unfairly and illegally. He must also be prepared for juries to be convinced against him and to uphold these illegal proceeedings.
For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. -- Rom. 13:6,7
Again, the various system of governments mean various systems of tribute, custom, fear, and honour that is due such higher powers. In our estimation, the highest power of our land, apart from our Bible, is due the highest subjection, the highest tribute, the highest custom, the highest fear, and the highest honour.
Christian folks that criticize those, who run around with a Bible in one hand and the constitution in the other do not know what they are talking about. The zealots are doing what Romans 13 is telling them to do. Those that are subjecting them selves to the lower or lesser powers are not.
Taxes are biblical. But they must be lawfully extracted by the higher powers, i.e. the constitution. Now, taxes are extracted illegally even to the point of unlawfully passing an amendment to obscure our rights in this regard. The IRS has set itself up as the higher power, usurping the constitution and even the Federal government.
Also we certify you, that touching any of the priests and Levites, singers, porters, Nethinims, or ministers of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute, or custom, upon them. -- Ezra 7:24
The policy of Israel as followed by America was to exempt God's house and its ministers from all forms of taxation. But we now have a Pharaoh, who knew not Joseph, who is seeking the destruction of our churches. Some alert brethren realized this years ago, warning us and taking the offensive, knowing that churches must not bow to Caesar nor Pharaoh, especially when the law of the land affords them certain rights and privileges. Pharaoh and Caesar are trying to sift them as wheat, seeking any loophole and technicality to entrap them. This is not justice; this is a railroad job.
Rather than criticize those, who are braver and more involved and more zealous
than ourselves, we pray and applaud them, who have the courage and wherewithal
to brave the fight. No doubt, they as well as we must suffer in the future as
those, who have gone on before us. Possibly, we will lose our possessions, our
wealth, our families, our friends, our churches, and even our lives. Still we
will not criticize their brave stand, for they are putting themselves on the
line for us, and we appreciate them. Find fault with them if you will, but to
their master they stand or fall.
[ Sent in by John Henry ]
By Jack Thompson
If President-elect Bush was not up to speed on the Democrats' clever use of "bipartisanship" as an excuse to strip his Cabinet of conservatives, he is now.
Linda Chavez's withdrawal has now heightened the stakes, exponentially, for both sides in the looming fight over John Ashcroft's attorney general nomination.
If 1) radical left interest groups and 2) their Democratic fellow travelers in the Senate, aided by 3) biased media cover (the three groups comprising what I call the "persecution triangle") do to Ashcroft what they did to Chavez, the Bush presidency as a force for reform will have been aborted before the oath of office is even administered.
The persecution triangle knows it cannot take out Ashcroft on policy grounds. There is absolutely no precedent in American history for that, and the criticism of his distinguished record has not gotten traction. Therefore, the persecution triangle will not try to "Bork" Ashcroft. The triangle, fresh from what Clarence Thomas might call "the high-tech lynching of an uppity Latino," is poised to use the "C" word (Christian) to take out Ashcroft.
The "C" word is already being used in hushed voices on the left. Whispers, which will become shouts, are being uttered, in the Village Voice and elsewhere, that Ashcroft's Christianity is an "extreme" Christianity. My decade of efforts against obscenity and violent entertainment has taught me that anti-Christianity is the first and last refuge of the scoundrels on the left.
That is why, when I met Sen. Ashcroft in Tallahassee, Fla., more than a month ago outside Judge N. Sanders Sauls' courtroom, the first thing out of my mouth was: "Senator, I am a Christian, and I am proud of you as my brother." His eyes got wide, then they got wider, along with his gentle smile, when I told him I ran against Janet Reno.
He understood, without my telling him, the price of doing the Lord's work in Miami, because he has been doing the Lord's work on the national stage. He has paid a price, but he would be the first to tell you that the blessings have been greater still.
The Apostle Paul writes, "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and the principalities of the air." In other words, our daily struggles are really spiritual warfare. That is precisely why the goodness, the selfless charity of Linda Chavez, was not abided by the anti-God Squad of the persecution triangle.
And that is why the fight over Ashcroft means so much and will be stunning - and a revelation - to watch. Al Gore said on Nov. 5, "This election is about good versus evil."
Mark that down as one of the true things Al Gore said.
So go ahead, persecution triangle. Throw John Ashcroft into the Christianity
briar patch. Make this Christian president-elect's day. Let the spiritual warfare
begin.
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