On September 17, 1787, the delegates to the Constitutional Convention met for the last time to sign the document they had created. Treat yourself by reading and printing copies of the Constitution and other original documents important to the founding of our country. Go to the following site: http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/
You will find that this Constitution actually specified an oath for the President:
in Article II, Section 1:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
Although many today like to question whether or not George Washington added the words “So help me God” to the oath, the senate website “Inaugural History” noted under “Precedents” the following:
“The Constitution only prescribes the oath that a President must take; it does not set forth the style or manner of the Inauguration. The nation's first inauguration established many precedents: Washington added the words, "So help me God," and at the end of his oath; he kissed the Bible; and he delivered an Inaugural address, all of which have been followed by future Presidents.”
See: http://inaugural.senate.gov/history/chronology/gwashington1789.cfm
Although not specified by the Constitution, the congress and vice president have recited the following oath for about 150 years:
“I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.”
Also, according to Title 28, Chapter I, Part 453 of the United States Code, each Supreme Court Justice takes this oath:
"I, [name], do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as [title] under the Constitution and laws of the United States. So help me God." See: http://uspolitics.about.com/od/usgovernment/a/oaths_of_office.htm
The U.S. Constitution is the bedrock of government built upon the rule of law. Unfortunately, many elected and/or appointed officials not only fail to uphold the Constitution but relegate it to a historic but unimportant document. I believe you will agree it is our duty, as citizens, to insist that our elected officials keep their oaths. If they do not hold to their respective oaths, we also have a duty to keep this in mind and act accordingly when we vote on November 2nd.
If you are a citizen of this country and are not registered to vote, see that you quickly do so. Election day is less than seven weeks away. Just do it!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
The Bible--Must We Believe It? Why
Many who believe in God (the God of everything that is, was, or will be) seem to have trouble believing that the Holy Scriptures (Hebrew Old Testament and Christian New Testament) are trustworthy. Some who doubt the veracity of parts of these scriptures (mostly when scripture doesn’t agree with their preconceived ideas) have no doubt that He is the Creator God. I, and millions like me, however, believe that the God who created life itself, would have no trouble accurately conveying his message through many inspired human writers over the course of thousands of years and that their words are absolutely TRUE! I will attempt to explain why.
The truth of God’s existence and of the words he provided to confirm this can be seen in the smallest and most basic things. It takes much more faith to believe in evolution or the “big bang” theory than it does to believe in a Creator God. Evolution would be more aptly termed self creation which in itself is laughable. The big bang belies the necessity of the existence of “something” before there could even be a “big bang.” The cell, the smallest unit of living things, is so complex that, according to the words of a physicist (whose name I can’t recall) which were pulled out as an attention getter in the mostly irreligious Chronicle of Higher Education, cries out, “I have been designed!” So why is it so difficult for those who believe in him as creator to also believe that he can keep the approximate 593,493 OT words plus 181,253 NT words for a total of 774,746 words in our typical English translations accurate? (Source: funtrivia.com) GOD DOES NOT LIE! All scripture is God-breathed. In the New Testament (NT), 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV) reads: "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
In the Old Testament (OT) Isaiah 55:8-11 (New English Bible) also tell us: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts; and as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return until they have watered the earth, making it blossom and bear fruit, so shall the word which comes from my mouth prevail; it shall not return to me fruitless without accomplishing my purpose or succeeding in the task I gave it."
We are reminded in Romans 1:19-21 that all that may be known of God by men lies plain before their eyes; having been visible ever since the world began, to the eye of reason, in the things he has made. Still, we refused to honor him as God or give thanks to him. I believe this verse and many, many others explain why it was necessary for God to give us the written Word.
Both the Old and New Testaments confirm that the Law was given so that we might become aware that all are sinners. Without the Law, we had only our consciences that still contained some essence of the “breath” God breathed into the first man, Adam. The Bible also tells us the sacrifices (the blood of bulls and goats) that Hebrews were commanded to make through their priest could not wipe out their sins. The prophecies which were systematically woven into the Old Testament books also foretold the Messiah’s coming and that he would be the savior of the world.
The New Testament is in fact the fulfillment of those prophecies and puts into place a way of reconciliation for all—both Jew and Gentile. That could only be accomplished by the blood spilled by our Savior on the cross of Calvary and his resurrection. These things: (1) the sacrifice of the son of God whose blood could completely take away the sins of the world and (2) his resurrection which was the victory over death that the sin of Adam and Eve brought into the world, were both necessary to bring about reconciliation. Not only that, he promised that we (Christians) who have believed, repented of our sins, made the “good confession” that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God, are joined in his burial through baptism; receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, and we rise from that burial as new creatures in Christ. We have been assured that when he returns, we will be resurrected to join him with our “new, imperishable bodies.” This will happen when his victory is complete—when every knee shall bow and every voice proclaim that Jesus is Lord. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that!
Both the Old and New Testaments have given example after example of what God would have us be. The Law spells out in detail the many ways we daily sin against God. In the Old Testament book of Micah, God quite simply and elegantly expresses what he desires from us:(Verse 8) “He has told you O man what is good; and what does God require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly before your God.”
Of course the New Testament gives us details along with the very words of Jesus of his life while on this earth. We are painted a picture of how we rejected the Son of God despite all the many miracles and fulfillment of prophecies made thousands of years before. These twenty-six books give us all the information, encouragement, and promises that believers need and can rely on. We are encouraged to grow as our spiritual journey unfolds, and are assured that the blood of Jesus will continually cleanse us of sin. We have the very Spirit of God within us—the seal of our salvation. He will help us grow into the person we were destined to become. How can we ignore so Great a Salvation? We know we can rely on God’s promises—He does not lie!
It is a sobering thing to be able to pick up and read the very words of God. And that is just what the Bible is. What a privilege!
The truth of God’s existence and of the words he provided to confirm this can be seen in the smallest and most basic things. It takes much more faith to believe in evolution or the “big bang” theory than it does to believe in a Creator God. Evolution would be more aptly termed self creation which in itself is laughable. The big bang belies the necessity of the existence of “something” before there could even be a “big bang.” The cell, the smallest unit of living things, is so complex that, according to the words of a physicist (whose name I can’t recall) which were pulled out as an attention getter in the mostly irreligious Chronicle of Higher Education, cries out, “I have been designed!” So why is it so difficult for those who believe in him as creator to also believe that he can keep the approximate 593,493 OT words plus 181,253 NT words for a total of 774,746 words in our typical English translations accurate? (Source: funtrivia.com) GOD DOES NOT LIE! All scripture is God-breathed. In the New Testament (NT), 2 Timothy 3:14-17 (NIV) reads: "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."
In the Old Testament (OT) Isaiah 55:8-11 (New English Bible) also tell us: "For my thoughts are not your thoughts and your ways are not my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts; and as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return until they have watered the earth, making it blossom and bear fruit, so shall the word which comes from my mouth prevail; it shall not return to me fruitless without accomplishing my purpose or succeeding in the task I gave it."
We are reminded in Romans 1:19-21 that all that may be known of God by men lies plain before their eyes; having been visible ever since the world began, to the eye of reason, in the things he has made. Still, we refused to honor him as God or give thanks to him. I believe this verse and many, many others explain why it was necessary for God to give us the written Word.
Both the Old and New Testaments confirm that the Law was given so that we might become aware that all are sinners. Without the Law, we had only our consciences that still contained some essence of the “breath” God breathed into the first man, Adam. The Bible also tells us the sacrifices (the blood of bulls and goats) that Hebrews were commanded to make through their priest could not wipe out their sins. The prophecies which were systematically woven into the Old Testament books also foretold the Messiah’s coming and that he would be the savior of the world.
The New Testament is in fact the fulfillment of those prophecies and puts into place a way of reconciliation for all—both Jew and Gentile. That could only be accomplished by the blood spilled by our Savior on the cross of Calvary and his resurrection. These things: (1) the sacrifice of the son of God whose blood could completely take away the sins of the world and (2) his resurrection which was the victory over death that the sin of Adam and Eve brought into the world, were both necessary to bring about reconciliation. Not only that, he promised that we (Christians) who have believed, repented of our sins, made the “good confession” that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the Living God, are joined in his burial through baptism; receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, and we rise from that burial as new creatures in Christ. We have been assured that when he returns, we will be resurrected to join him with our “new, imperishable bodies.” This will happen when his victory is complete—when every knee shall bow and every voice proclaim that Jesus is Lord. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that!
Both the Old and New Testaments have given example after example of what God would have us be. The Law spells out in detail the many ways we daily sin against God. In the Old Testament book of Micah, God quite simply and elegantly expresses what he desires from us:(Verse 8) “He has told you O man what is good; and what does God require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly before your God.”
Of course the New Testament gives us details along with the very words of Jesus of his life while on this earth. We are painted a picture of how we rejected the Son of God despite all the many miracles and fulfillment of prophecies made thousands of years before. These twenty-six books give us all the information, encouragement, and promises that believers need and can rely on. We are encouraged to grow as our spiritual journey unfolds, and are assured that the blood of Jesus will continually cleanse us of sin. We have the very Spirit of God within us—the seal of our salvation. He will help us grow into the person we were destined to become. How can we ignore so Great a Salvation? We know we can rely on God’s promises—He does not lie!
It is a sobering thing to be able to pick up and read the very words of God. And that is just what the Bible is. What a privilege!
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