Shared Guilt – 29 October 2020, Anno Domini

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OW  the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? 2 And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: 3 But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. 4 And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: 5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.    (Gen 3:1-5)

 

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HEN came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, Behold the man! 6 When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. 7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. 8 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; 9 And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? 11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.   (John 19:5-11)

 

            The legal term for those who vote for known moral deviants is ‘accessories.’ Eve was the first accessory to sin in disobeying God at Eden and then tempting her husband to do the same. Being an accessory to crime means to be charged with the same judgment as the principal in carrying it out. To collaborate in sin is to be guilty of the same charge as the actor himself. When we acquiesce to immorality at any level over which we have any influence whatsoever, we expose ourselves to the same sin as those who commit acts of immoral behavior. This is a grave charge against America of our day. We have elevated hoodlums and thieves to guard the public treasure by the acquiescence of our vote. We have exalted perversion and condemned Godly conduct in placing those in authority who hate religion and love perversion of every stripe. We have chosen leaders who deal with the most egregious violators of religious and political freedoms and who even promote their interest. We have allowed the media to dictate our thoughts and actions which would have landed us in prison fifty years ago.

 

            What has happened to the beloved America of Norman Rockwell days? You may say, “Oh, times have changed. Modern society demands that we change with the times!” Really? Yes, we have fast foods, fast transport, fast media, fast communications, etc., but does that require us to abandon the unchanging counsel of God in His Holy Word? Must we also abandon common decency and morals. Must we have fast and temporary love, fast and temporary principles to guide us manufactured by those who wish to create a bondage of mind-control over us and our children?

 

            If I pay someone to murder another, I will be charged as an accessory to the crime and perhaps be meted out the same punishment as the principal actor. If I vote for a known promoter of abortion, a known advocate of perversion in marriage, a known thief and vagabond for an office of authority over me, am I not collaborating with evil? Am I not guilty of all that he does which is ungodly having known beforehand of his wicked ways?

 

            America is facing a crucial time in her history – more crucial than that which the voters faced just before the War Between the States. That war involved political considerations that still divide us – not perversion in marriage or the murder of innocents in their mother’s womb; but the choices facing America today involve a choice between the principles of our ancient founding and an entirely new concept of thought-control, double-speak, oppression, perversion, unrestrained abortion of the most innocent among us, and deprivation of moral integrity. The choice is as plain and simple as that ‘Line in the Sand” drawn by the saber of Colonel William Travis at the Alamo. Either we opt out of our duties as free men and women, and flee the battle, or else we stand courageously on the side of freedom and Godly morality by throwing caution to the wind and placing our trust in God to bring us through to a serene peace of heart.

 

            I weary of the fickle-hearted among us who respond to every whining of the media puppets to surrender to hopelessness and despair. I would far rather die on my feet an early death fighting the good fight, than existing as a pajama-clad couch potato whose life is long but empty of principle or courage.

 

            Our Founding Fathers were made of sterner stuff than that which we witness among many who desire security over freedom and who, in the end, we gain neither. Please recall the words of perhaps the greatest orator of our Founding Fathers – Patrick Henry, in his address to the Virginia Convention at Richmond (St. John’s Anglican Church) in March of 1775 – less than one month before the those resounding shots sounded at Lexington and Concord:

 

Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged. Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! 

 

The war is inevitable — and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come! It is vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, peace, peace; but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God — I know not what course others may take; but as for me — give me liberty or give me death!

 

We are faced with a far less physical threat that faced the Colonies; however, the threat we face is far more deadly because the wrong choice flies in the face of a God of Justice. Consider these points, and your responsible duties, when you cast your vote on November 3^rd. 

 

You may at least be persuaded by the words of the very Author of Liberty from the Holy Bible - St. James:

 

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O to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15 For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16 But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. (James 4:13-17)