Sunday, July 31, 2005

From the Pulpit

(This post is a reprint in it's entirety from Dr. Jack Chinn who is a retired USAF chaplain. Please follow the link through the title back to the original source.)

Separation of faith from the state

Jack Chinn

"The first and governing maxim in the interpretation of a statute is to discover the meaning of those who made it." These are the words of James Wilson on The study of Law (circa 1790). Alexander Hamilton sustained that maxim stating, "The Constitution ought to be the standard of construction for the laws, and wherever there is evident opposition, the laws ought to give place to the Constitution." (circa 1788). Thomas Jefferson's take on the subject was even more pointed as he adds, "On every question of construction carry ourselves back to the time when the Constitution was adopted, recollect the spirit manifested in the debates and instead of trying what meaning may be squeezed out of the text, or invented against it, conform to the probable one in which it was passed." (circa 1823). The case in point is the first amendment in which the phrase "establishment of religion" has been twisted and squeezed by secular justices into an interpretation of the "separation of church and state." This has occurred solely to justify prohibition of the free exercise of faith in God on the premise that an exercise of faith becomes a threat to take over the government and make it religious in rule. It is no secret a faith in God is held by the majority of the citizens yet, there is a false fear that all churches and believers in God have to be separated from any connection with government be it state or nation.

The word "Church" is the most misunderstood word in the secular vernacular of today's world. Because of stereotyping, it is only known as a visible edifice found throughout the nation that house the various corporations of entities, organized for mundane purposes and spiritual worship. "Church" has the abstract meaning of "the universal spiritual body of Christ" which has no connection with the political furor of those who are not a part of that body, and some stupidly affirm its believers in God would seek to exchange that spiritual body for a temporal one.

Those of us who are members of that body gained entrance by means of faith in God. Consequently, only He will admit members who demonstrate faith that He exists and then will He impart His Spirit to them. The proof is self evident among its members who are reborn spiritual persons exactly as God promised.

The inconsistency of secular minded individuals who attempt to negate the first amendment clause of the free exercise of that faith, resides in their non-faith in God. Yet, in our Constitution and the Constitution of all 50 individual States that comprise our United States, in their preambles all of them honor God, His Divine guidance, and grace for the rights of worship, liberty, and freedom.

The Enterprise Record (7-24) carried an article on Faith vs. Secularism as a duel for supremacy but, that is a misnomer. What really is at stake is the Christian's right to free expression of faith guaranteed by the Constitution which the atheists want to eliminate. These who fight so hard to remove faith in God from public discussion are exercising the opposite of what they try to forbid, namely, free exercise of one's faith.

In my lifetime I have witnessed the decline that has brought about this miserable attempt to eliminate God from our society by silencing His witnesses' testimony and reinterpreting the words and intent of the founders of this nation, while some of the Supreme Court justices have fallen victims of Constitutional myopia.

When one enters the Supreme Court Building, look up on the facade and view the figures of the ancients: Among the engraved images is that of Moses holding the tablets of the Ten Commandments. Then, as you enter the Supreme Court courtroom observe the two huge oaken doors which have the Ten Commandments engraved on the lower section of each door. If that isn't enough, as one sits inside the courtroom, above where the judges sit, is a display of Moses holding the Ten Commandments. Yet, the justices can rule on where they may or may not be displayed to the delight of the ACLU and other unbelievers who file lawsuits for their removal from public buildings which all of us as taxpayers have paid for, whether Christian or not.

If that isn't evidence of a faith in God, Bible verses are etched in stone on monuments and buildings all over Washington, D.C., while every session of Congress since 1777 is opened with prayer offered by a paid minister.

Patrick Henry, if living today, would be crucified by secularists for declaring his faith publicly with the words, "It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions but on the gospel of Jesus Christ."

Two hundred and twenty years later it suddenly becomes unconstitutional for 86% of the population to have faith in or mention God. If the other 14% do not want to hear about that gospel ( the good news) which is the quintessential of life eternal through a spiritual faith in God, then for them that is unfortunate. There can be no separation of one's Faith from the State that has acknowledged God as the Sovereign over life and men's destinies. Those who are against Christ are identified as antichrist. Only the grace of God could change an unbeliever's mind, and then, only, if faith in God be manifested.