Repent, Ambassador!

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) American scientist, diplomat, writer:  "I wish it (Christianity) were more productive of good works ... not holy day keeping, sermon hearing ... of making long prayers, filled with flatteries and compliments despised by wise men, and much less capable of pleasing Deity." (Works, Vol. VII p.75)

George Washington (1732-1799) 1st Elected President of the United States : "The United States is in no manner founded on Christian principle." (Treaty of Tripoli)

But, if you look on Christian sites, you find quotes like these:

"You do well to wish to learn our arts and our ways of life and above all, the religion of Jesus Christ. These will make you a greater and happier people than you are. Congress will do everything they can to assist you in this wise intention." (George Washington's Speech to Delaware Indian Chiefs on May 12, 1779, in John C. Fitzpatrick, editor, The Writings of George Washington, Vol. XV (Washinton: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1932), p. 55.)

And from George Washington's adopted daughter, who lived with him for twenty years, this note:

Woodlawn, 26 February, 1833
Sir,

I received your favor of the 20th instant last evening, and hasten to give you the information, which you desire.

Truro Parish [Episcopal] is the one in which Mount Vernon, Pohick Church [the church where George Washington served as a vestryman], and Woodlawn [the home of Nelly and Lawrence Lewis] are situated. Fairfax Parish is now Alexandria. Before the Federal District was ceded to Congress, Alexandria was in Fairfax County. General Washington had a pew in Pohick Church, and one in Christ Church at Alexandria. He was very instrumental in establishing Pohick Church, and I believe subscribed [supported and contributed to] largely. His pew was near the pulpit. I have a perfect recollection of being there, before his election to the presidency, with him and my grandmother...

He attended the church at Alexandria when the weather and roads permitted a ride of ten miles [a one-way journey of 2-3 hours by horse or carriage]. In New York and Philadelphia he never omitted attendance at church in the morning, unless detained by indisposition [sickness]. The afternoon was spent in his own room at home; the evening with his family, and without company. Sometimes an old and intimate friend called to see us for an hour or two; but visiting and visitors were prohibited for that day [Sunday]. No one in church attended to the services with more reverential respect. My grandmother, who was eminently pious, never deviated from her early habits. She always knelt. The General, as was then the custom, stood during the devotional parts of the service. On communion Sundays, he left the church with me, after the blessing, and returned home, and we sent the carriage back for my grandmother.

It was his custom to retire to his library at nine or ten o'clock where he remained an hour before he went to his chamber. He always rose before the sun and remained in his library until called to breakfast. I never witnessed his private devotions. I never inquired about them. I should have thought it the greatest heresy to doubt his firm belief in Christianity. His life, his writings, prove that he was a Christian. He was not one of those who act or pray, "that they may be seen of men" [Matthew 6:5]. He communed with his God in secret [Matthew 6:6].

My mother [Eleanor Calvert-Lewis] resided two years at Mount Vernon after her marriage [in 1774] with John Parke Custis, the only son of Mrs. Washington. I have heard her say that General Washington always received the sacrament with my grandmother before the revolution. When my aunt, Miss Custis [Martha's daughter] died suddenly at Mount Vernon, before they could realize the event [before they understood she was dead], he [General Washington] knelt by her and prayed most fervently, most affectingly, for her recovery. Of this I was assured by Judge [Bushrod] Washington's mother and other witnesses.

He was a silent, thoughtful man. He spoke little generally; never of himself. I never heard him relate a single act of his life during the war. I have often seen him perfectly abstracted, his lips moving, but no sound was perceptible. I have sometimes made him laugh most heartily from sympathy with my joyous and extravagant spirits. I was, probably, one of the last persons on earth to whom he would have addressed serious conversation, particularly when he knew that I had the most perfect model of female excellence [Martha Washington] ever with me as my monitress, who acted the part of a tender and devoted parent, loving me as only a mother can love, and never extenuating [tolerating] or approving in me what she disapproved of others. She never omitted her private devotions, or her public duties; and she and her husband were so perfectly united and happy that he must have been a Christian. She had no doubts, no fears for him. After forty years of devoted affection and uninterrupted happiness, she resigned him without a murmur into the arms of his Savior and his God, with the assured hope of his eternal felicity [happiness in Heaven].

Is it necessary that any one should certify, "General Washington avowed himself to me a believer in Christianity?" As well may we question his patriotism, his heroic, disinterested devotion to his country. His mottos were, "Deeds, not Words"; and, "For God and my Country."

With sentiments of esteem,
I am, Nelly Custis-Lewis

So, was the Founding Fathers of our country Christian or not? Actually, the debate is quite moot. I myself believe that Washington was a Christian, but how does this in any way effect the validity that God our Creator exercised in forming this great nation? The atheist and agnostic will clap with glee at the fact that several of our founding fathers were unChristian, Deists, Unitarians, or what not. When they do so the Christian feels compelled to quickly rise to the defense and find other quotations, other words, other fathers who were Christian. Let's get down to the meat of the situation, the meat that the unbeliever covers with smoke and mirrors, quotes out of context and lies. Whether this nation was founded by Christians matters not one bit. Cyrus the great, King of Persia released the Jews to rebuild the Temple, though there is no evidence that Cyrus was a believer. Nebuchadnezzar, though he captured God's people, allowed them relative freedom within the confines of his kingdom, and allowed Israel to grow in size and power. Whether the founding fathers were Christian or not, no hell-bent heathen can deny that they signed the Declaration of independence, which stated:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."

They recognized a Creator-God, and recognized that this Creator-God made us and gave us certain rights, rights that could not justly be taken away by an out of control monarchy.

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare."

These same men, claimed to be atheists by the world, signed their names to a document recognizing that this Creator-God is the "Supreme Judge of the world". Fifty-six signatures were placed on the Declaration by men the world would have us believe were totally Godless, including Samuel Adams, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Hancock. Were they liars, or did they believe in a Creator-God? These men closed this Declaration by referring to their "sacred honor". Would such men have sacred honor and yet sign what they believed to be a lie? I think not. You can quote all the quotes you want out of context, but cannot fail to agree that these men signed this Declaration. Central to the Declaration's authority, what gave it flavor and strength, was the conviction of each signer that God is Creator and He bestowed rights on us as His creations.

To me, to any sane person, it would therefore seem truthful that our nation was founded on Biblical truths. It was founded on the belief that God created us, that He bestowed certain rights on us, that it is valid to fight for these God given rights. You see in this Declaration no statement that "we fight for these rights because we want them", or "we fight for them because we sense we need them", but "we fight for these rights because they are Divinely given, and no monarchy has any right to take them away".

What gives thought validity? Is it "the will of the people"? Fine, let's say that the "will of the people" gives thought validity. It is a fact that there have been whole tribes, small cities of people who believed in cannibalism. These tribes fought amongst themselves, and the defeated were usually eaten before they "spoiled". These tribes, "headhunters", often took trophies from their victims. What better trophy than a human head? Now, I ask you, is the action of killing another human being moral or immoral? Is the action of eating another human being moral or immoral? If you say, "immoral", then what do you base this claim on? The tribes decided, of themselves, that murder and cannibalism were acceptable, and "majority rules". Ask a godless liberal this question sometime. The truth is, "minority rules" is not a good basis to establish morality, because most people wouldn't know morality if it jumped up and ate them. There were, among the ancient Indian people, many who killed their enemy and ate their hearts. Is this moral or immoral? Why?

The problem with most people today is that they have been conditioned by that laxative of the mind, television, to simply rationalize something without following the thought to its completion. We have become lazy in our thoughts, willing to let the "majority rules" crowd think for us. Follow this thought to its completion: what makes good "good" and evil "evil"? Are these just arbitrary terms without meaning, or are there certain things that are "good" or moral and other things "evil" or immoral?

Let's say that I believe that murder is a good thing. Now, in a country where the majority of the population disagrees, we say that murder is immoral. But what if I'm the citizen of a country that believes in murder? Well, by your definition of "majority rules", then murder would be a good thing. Is morality and immorality so arbitrary, so loosely defined? Ask the mother who has her child taken away by murder and you'll not think so.

Not too long ago an armored car crashed, and cash was slung all over the road in a certain city. Less that one tenth of that money was returned by the good people of that city. Yet, if you were to creep into any one of these people's houses to steal from them, they'd be the first to tell you "No, No, it's wrong to steal". Several years ago the Rodney King verdict caused rioting in one of our major cities. Citizens ran through the street, broke into store windows, stole everything they could carry off, and beat on one another. Well, was this action justified? By "majority rules in morality" it was - I guess it would be unless it was happening to you. You see, majority rules in morality until it's your hide in the trap - then you look to a Higher Truth.

The Church of Jesus Christ has long believed that it has held the writings of the Higher Truth in the form of the Holy Bible. But, sadly, the Church is composed of people, and people are sadly fallible, sadly lacking. Though we may blame the injustices of the Inquisition years ago on the Roman Catholic Church, the clear truth is that the Inquisition was validated and carried out by elements of the Church. Not all of the Church, mind you, but by elements of the Church that, in carnality, walked away from the truths of God's Word and moved into sensuality and destruction. When any believer, any Church walks away from the clear teachings of God's Word then that believer or Church no longer represents Jesus Christ, but represents self and Satan. The world watches the Church, and often interprets its actions as representative of the God they claim to follow. But when the ambassador of the King promotes his agenda above that of the King Himself, he blasphemes his post by putting his lies into the King's mouth. When he does that, the ambassador opens the door of discipline on himself, and on the nation he represents.

It is not hard to find elements of the Church that are walking outside of their ambassadorship today. Look in the newspapers. A recent news release states:

"Dr. Winston Crabb, a physician who performs abortions, is a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Neb., where he has been a deacon and held a three-year term as elder, which expired in January. The church is a member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) .... Andrew McDonald came to the 1,500-member church as pastor last September, succeeding a man who retired after 40 years in the ministry. McDonald left a church in suburban Chicago, feeling drawn to the Lincoln congregation."

...."I heard about this vital church and I sought them out," he told PCUSA News Service. "I came here in part because I was impressed by a church that could have enough character to stand by one of its members in a difficult time like this."

.... "McDonald said he sees "an issue of courage, an issue of justice. I wanted to be a part of people like that, people who have courage and who will stand by our brothers and sisters in Christ."

This situation is strangely reminiscent of the case of the adulterer in 1 Corinthians 5. This young man, according to Scripture, was committing illicit sex with his stepmother. Rather than being put out of the Church, or rebuked, the Corinthians were "standing by" this brother in Christ. The Apostle Paul made God's viewpoint very clear:

1 Corinthians 5:4-7  "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,  To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?  Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us"

"Purge out the old leaven", discipline the member that has departed from Biblical truth, from God's Word. Had Godly men stood up and rebuked the evil that led to the Inquisition of years ago, such murders and atrocities would never have been promoted in the name of Christianity. The pastor who came to this Presbyterian Church should know better. Certainly he has the education: he has degrees from the University of Illinois, McCormick Theological Seminary, Yale Divinity School, and Vanderbilt University. Yet this man has forgotten his post, the abortionist has forgotten whom he represents, the Church, under poor leadership, has promoted "stand by your brother" while forgetting that we are really supposed to "stand up for Jesus".

Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Several United Methodist Churches have allowed and condoned homosexual marriage, and allowed homosexuals, practicing homosexuals, to hold offices of authority in the Church. Lest you think I pick on the PC (USA) and the UMC let me quickly point out that my own denomination, the Southern Baptists, has had two Churches in our Atlanta, Georgia area endorse homosexuality as a "valid lifestyle". These Churches are no longer part of the SBC, being removed from our rolls at our last convention. However, the problem is not isolated to a single denomination. The Roman Catholic Church (lest they think "we're without fault because we're not Protestant) has had a number of Priests over the years accused as pedophiliacs (child molesters). Some of their Priests, over the years, have dallied with women and been found to have children out of wedlock. Among the "Church of God" denomination that I was saved in, I was often shocked to hear members refer to black people as "Nigg---", even to those who professed Christ as Savior. This type of racism and ethnic joking has gone on in all denominations, and I know of several Churches where members were discovered to be part of the KKK. The Word of God cries out to us:

1 Corinthians 14:33  "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

Homosexuality is expressly forbidden in the writings of the Higher Truth, and yet this ambassador of God has decided that these writings are to be ignored. Racism, hatred of your brother is expressly forbidden by the Scripture. James said that you CANNOT hate your brother and be a Christian (1 John 2.9). Murder of anyone, particularly children, is expressly forbidden in Scripture (Isaiah 44.24). When the ambassador walks away from the writings of the Higher Truth, the ambassador is no longer an ambassador, but a heretic, a rogue, a traitor to the faith. The world does not understand that, but those who hold the truths of Scripture higher than their own desires understands it.

We cannot, in our carnality, become the authors of confusion and remain the ambassadors of God. As ambassadors we are God's speakers, His watchmen, representing Him and Him alone to a lost and dying world. When we walk away from our job, we endanger ourselves, dilute the message, and may bring destruction on the nation we occupy.

Isaiah 59:1-3 "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:  But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.  For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath muttered perverseness."

When the ambassador for Christ turns away from the message the King gives, God removes His protection from that ambassador. We thought that the former Soviet Union was impregnable, that it was going to be our enemy forever. Yet God allowed that nation to self destruct from within. It persecuted and killed His ambassadors, and thought it did so with impunity. Yet it fell, and fell hard. In our lifetime we have seen Germany and Japan destroyed, humiliated in war, because it destroyed the ambassadors of God. Yes, Japan has been rebuilt into an economic power today, but it had to repent of its evil before this growth occurred.

Isaiah 59:12-15 "For our transgressions are multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us: for our transgressions are with us; and as for our iniquities, we know them;  In transgressing and lying against the LORD, and departing away from our God, speaking oppression and revolt, conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.  And judgment is turned away backward, and justice standeth afar off: for truth is fallen in the street, and equity cannot enter.  Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased him that there was no judgment."

In 70 AD God tired of reasoning with Israel, and utterly dispersed the nation under Rome. Israel killed the prophets, and the prophets Israel allowed to live were false prophets, telling lies to suit their own agenda. When God dispersed Israel, He did so thoroughly. The Temple was destroyed, the records of the nation burned, the priests killed and the women and children dragged screaming away from the fathers. So thoroughly was God's purging that Israel did not reform as a nation until over 1800 years later. The Temple has yet to be rebuilt.

There's an analogy there, somewhere. America, whether its forefathers were Christian or not, was founded on the Higher Truth of Scripture. Believe it or not, our legal national motto is "In God We Trust". Though the heathen have fought to get these words excluded from our coinage, they will have to overturn the law of the land to do it. Years ago you could not read a legal brief, a legal document that did not use the Scripture to justify its decision. Charles Finney, a lawyer (later to become an evangelist), was converted to Christ from reading law books, so pervasive was the quotation of Scripture. Higher Truth, not lower humanistic truth built this country and made it great. While the ambassadors of Christ heralded this Truth loudly, our nation grew stronger and stronger. Not because we are special or gifted, but because the Higher Truth of God watched over us and blessed us as a nation.

Today, many of the ambassadors have turned traitor. Some Churches ignore the Higher Truth and accept homosexuality as an "alternate lifestyle":

Leviticus 18:22  "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."

Some Churches ignore the Higher Truth and allow the murder of innocent babies:

Psalms 127:3  "Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward."

Jeremiah 1:5  "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations."

Taking the "fruit of the womb", the child from its mother, and harvesting his parts for medicine like you would harvest wheat. Churches "stand by" brothers who engage in this horrendous act, deceiving themselves and the community around them. In the name of "brotherly love" we have, as a nation and as a Church, killed prophets and priests, evangelists and pastors, gifts from God.

We must stop. We must return to the Bible, to the writings of the Higher Truth, before we as a nation go the way of Assyria, Babylon, Israel, Canaan and the Soviet Union. The ambassador for God must never forget that we do not promote our own message, but His message. If we keep promoting our message over the King's, we will be destroyed as a nation!

Exodus 20:4-5  "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me"

God promised that He would only allow four generations of people to disrupt His message, to misrepresent Him, to hold up idols and claim they were Him. We are doing this today. We are taking the idols of Science, Abortion, Adultery, Racism, and Homosexuality and holding them us as "perfectly acceptable lifestyles in God". After the fourth generation of wooing, after calling for repentance for four generations God Himself takes action:

Exodus 34:6-7 "And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,  Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."

If the fourth generation carries out the evil policies of the first three, if the fourth generation does not repent and return to the God that called them, to the Higher Truth, then God "cuts off" that line. This is true for a family line, as well as a nation. We have a choice before us today, as Christians and as Americans. We can repent, and return wholeheartedly to the Higher Truth of the Scripture, the Higher Truth of our God. Or we can continue in this vein, ignoring God, following the lower truths of humanism, and wait till the fourth generation to see if God cuts us off as a nation.

The United Methodists, the Presbyterians, the Baptists, the Pentecostals, every group of believers in America today has a chance to repent and return to the God of Scripture. To hold up His policies, without equivocation, or to continue to the fourth generation when God will surely cut us off. God can cut off a Church, a Nation, or a Family. May God give you the heart to repent and return to His Word, to be His Ambassador, and stop promoting your own agenda.