Tag: law

Requiring ANY Religious Instruction in Public Schools is Wrong

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

Recently, Louisiana passed legislation requiring the Ten Commandments to be posted in public schools. Shortly after, Oklahoma decided to require the Bible and the Ten Commandments be taught in public schools. And Christians across the country celebrated. I have no doubt that the governors of Louisiana and Oklahoma mean well. However, I must strongly disagree, even as a Christian.

Let me be clear, this nation WAS founded as a Christian nation. Even a casual reading of US history supports this conclusion. However, neither the state nor the federal government has the right nor the duty to favor one religion over another.

As Christians, we can not complain when any other religion is forced to be taught in public schools, then turn around and demand that Christianity or the Bible be taught in public schools. That’s hypocrisy.  We are the first to be outraged if any other religion is even offered as an elective in public schools. What are we going to say if a state with a large Muslim population forces the Koran to be taught in public schools?

I’m all for everyone having access to the Bible. I will even advocate it being freely available in the school library. But I have some questions: Who will be teaching the Bible curriculum? What qualifications will they have? What denominational or religious affiliation will these teachers have? Will they be teaching the Bible as literature? If so, will they also be teaching the Koran or the Torah as literature? Will the teachers be pushing one religious view over the other? These are just a few of my questions, and the answers may lead to even more questions.

One problem I see with forcing the Bible to be taught in public schools is, in my opinion, it shows how lazy we as Christians have become. We have become comfortable with leaving it to others to share God’s Word, even to our own children and grandchildren. Too many of us don’t even actually read and study the Bible ourselves. We’re content to go to church, send our children to Sunday school and children’s church, while we sit and listen to a sermon, allowing ourselves to be spoon-fed, without even reading what the Bible says for ourselves.

I am all for introducing children, and everyone else, to the Bible. But the more I have studied, and the more I have observed, even many pastors struggle to really understand the Bible in context. Again, this is partly because we have become complacent and are content to just read words on a page. We don’t have to learn Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. But we do need to learn to use the available language tools. In addition, we need to learn to dig in and research the culture and people of the day when each book was written, as well as who each book was written to.

The Bible has too often been twisted to justify, and excuse, some of the worst offenses in society by too many so-called Christians, and pastors. Based on that reason alone, I simply cannot believe that we have the right to force the Bible, or our faith on anyone. And the government definitely does not have that right. All these actions will do its lead to a waste of resources by the government attempting to defend what I believe to be a losing position.

It’s not up to any government to force the Bible on anyone or any group. We don’t have to hide our faith. It’s up to each of us who professes to be a disciple of Jesus Christ to be a witness to the power and love of God. We start by living a life that is consistent with a loving God who has made a way for us to have a personal relationship with Him, through Jesus. Then, when the opportunity arises, we might need to use words to help.

Journey to Justice – the woman accused of adultery

/ CD Hamman / Leave a comment

What comes to mind when you hear the word, “justice”?
We keep hearing the word “justice” thrown around, “social justice,” “criminal justice,” people demand “justice.” Usually what we really want is justice for everyone else, but mercy for ourselves.

What if I told you that God’s justice doesn’t always look like OUR justice?
Some quick background for our passage: The day before, the Pharisees and priests had sent the Temple guards to arrest Jesus, but they came back empty. The Pharisees and leading priests were angry. They are looking for anything, any way to trap Jesus.

Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd.
“Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?”
They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. (John 8:1-6, NLT)

I wonder what Jesus wrote. He knew what they were scheming. Maybe He was writing, “Where’s George?” After all, IF she really was caught in the act, it takes two people to commit adultery. Where is the guy?

Let’s continue. After all, our lawyers and Pharisees are getting impatient now.

They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. (John 8:7-9, NLT)

Again, what was Jesus writing? Maybe He listed their names, starting with the oldest: Samuel, David, Jeremiah, Joshua…. Then next to their names, maybe He began listing their sins:
Samuel: lust, greed, lying
David: stealing, pornography
Jeremiah: adultery, gluttony
Joshua: drunk, gossip, fornication
And on down the list.

Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?”
“No, Lord,” she said.
And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” (John 8:10-11, NLT)

Motive of the accusers

These religious lawyers and Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus. If Jesus had declared the woman innocent, the Pharisees could claim that Jesus didn’t really care about following the Law. If He declared that she was guilty, and pronounced the death penalty, or stoning, they could claim that Jesus was undermining Roman rule. They didn’t care how they did it, they just wanted to trap Jesus, because they didn’t like what he said.

They were so intent on trapping Jesus, they were willing to twist what the Law said. It’s also quite possible they were lying about catching the woman in the act.

What can we learn from this today? Even today we see people who are ready, eager even, to accuse someone of some heinous act. Politicians, and the media, have been calling out other politicians for years. Sometimes the accusations are factual, often not so much, or they are without context. We have seen this happen in the workplace, and sometimes even in our courts. Sometimes, even among fellow Believers. Before we make an accusation against someone, we need to be aware of our own true motives. Are we really seeking justice, or revenge?

What did the Law say?

Leviticus 20:10 reads: If a man commits adultery with his neighbor’s wife, both the man and the woman who have committed adultery must be put to death. (NLT)

And in Deuteronomy 22:22 we read: If a man is discovered committing adultery, both he and the woman must die. In this way, you will purge Israel of such evil. (NLT)

Notice first that BOTH guilty parties are to be put to death. Not just the woman. Also, stoning is not even mentioned here. Stoning is mentioned for very specific instances, but not in the case of adultery.

But twisting the Law, and God’s Word to suit one’s own agenda is really nothing new. It shouldn’t even come as a surprise. In Genesis 2:16 God had told Adam that he could eat the fruit of every tree in the garden, except one: the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But when satan showed up as a snake, to tempt Eve, the first thing he did was to twist God’s words. In 3:1 the snake asks if God really said that they couldn’t eat the fruit of ANY of the trees in the garden.

It is definitely NOT God’s justice we are seeking when we twist the law, or God’s words, or twist facts.

Jesus’s response

To the accusers – Jesus knew what was in their hearts. He had absolutely no desire to participate in their nasty scheme. I am pretty certain that His response was not what anyone expected. It almost looks like Jesus gives the Pharisees what they want. After all, the law only required that the facts be established by two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). He even appeared to accept their stated method of punishment. BUT, He threw a curveball into their scheme. He said that the first stone must be thrown by someone who had never sinned. Even the accusers knew that they couldn’t claim to be sinless. And one by one they left. They were looking only to condemn. I doubt that mercy was even a consideration for them.

To the accused woman – This woman seems to have been a minor part of the story. I am almost certain that to her, she was, or should have been, the central character. After all, she was the one accused, and facing death by stoning. She wasn’t even given a chance to declare her innocence; or if she was guilty, to plead for mercy.

FINALLY, Jesus looks at her, stands up, and asks “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” And she says, “No, Lord.” Jesus replies that He also will not condemn her. And He tells her to go, and don’t sin anymore. Jesus knew her heart as well as He knew the hearts of her accusers.

God’s justice is tempered with mercy.

Now, what comes to mind when you hear the word, “justice”?

Bottom Line: Because of Christ, we can trust God’s justice.

Am I Really Dead to Sin?

/ CD Hamman

Romans 5:20-6:18
Something has been running over and over in my mind that I have found disturbing. Even more disturbing was that, upon reflection, I found myself somewhat in agreement with this particular thinking. It is often used to make someone feel less guilty about sin, almost like a way to excuse the sin, and it goes something like this: Well, God knows how I am, and that I can’t help it. Besides, He’ll forgive me. He always does.
Let that sink in a minute… We just flippantly expect God to accept our excuses for sin, even when we intentionally sin.
I have applied to have my felony record expunged. In speaking with my attorney a few weeks ago, I found out that specific signatures must be obtained in order for the judge to consider expunging my record, including the DA, and the local police department who arrested me. Even if all required signatures are received, the Judge can refuse to expunge the record if he feels it best serves the interest of justice, or public safety.
Bottom Line: Am I dead to sin?
1) The Law EXPOSES our sin (5:20a)
God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. (NLT)
If there is no law written down, then there is no crime. For something to be considered illegal, the specific act must be written down, and the elements of the crime must be described. For a drug to be illegal, its chemical composition must be specified in the law as being illegal. Rapidly changing technology has made things very difficult in some cases, as those who seek to do harm seek out new ways to avoid detection.
Before God gave a law, there was no sin. However, once He told Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from a specific tree, there was a law. Once they violated that, sin entered the world, and it rapidly became anything goes, so long as my wants and needs are met.
God’s law allows us to see just how sinful we are. If you haven’t dealt with the criminal justice system, when you hear the word “conviction,” you may think of it in terms of what you might have heard in church. “She’s under conviction,” meaning that the Holy Spirit is dealing with her, and calling her to repentance. But it is so much more than that. In legal terms, a person under conviction refers to someone who has been convicted of violating the law. It’s the same with the person in church who is under conviction. God has found them guilty of violating His law.
2) Grace COVERS our sin (5:20b-21)
But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful kindness became more abundant. So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful kindness rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (NLT)
Now that our sin has been exposed, what are we to do? Even while we were still sinning, God the Son, Jesus, came, and fulfilled the law, paid the penalty for sin with His own life, and breaking the hold that sin had on us. Through His resurrection, He broke the hold that death had over us.
Back to this word, “conviction:” in an earthly court, upon a person being convicted, the court imposes punishment. However, when we are convicted before God, in His undeserved grace, He calls us to repent, and accept His grace and forgiveness, because He does not want us to be separated from Him. He wants us to spend eternity in fellowship with Him. If we accept His grace, because of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we have a right standing, and a right relationship with God.
Before I was eligible to request a pardon from the governor, I had to complete the punishment that had been imposed on me by the court. Then, I had to also prove, through my behavior, and obedience to the law, that I might deserve forgiveness. And even then, the Pardon and Parole Board could have denied me. Even after they recommended me to the governor, the governor could have rejected my plea, and denied my request. Then I have to request the court to expunge my record.
Compare that to God. Even while we are still sinning, God reaches out to us, and offers to forgive us, and to expunge the record.
3) Holiness REPLACES our sin (chapter 6)
Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more kindness and forgiveness? Of course not! Since we have died to sin how can we continue to live in it? (vv 1-2, NLT)
So since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does this mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! Don’t you realize whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? (15-16) Now you are free from sin, your old master, and you have become slaves to your new master, righteousness. (18)
I received my pardon last March. And this past Friday, my attorney called me to let me know that the judge had signed the order to expunge my record. Two acts of grace from the state that I am so very thankful for. And I know without a doubt that God was at work, and made it happen.
Now, imagine that I commit another crime, even after the grace and forgiveness that the state has granted. As I am standing before the court, I look at the judge, and I say, “Your Honor, I couldn’t help it. It is just the way I am wired. You know how it is. I just wasn’t able to resist my desires. But I know you’ll forgive me again.” How do you think the judge is going to respond to that? Then after being convicted, I apply for another pardon. How do you think the members of the Pardon and Parole Board will respond? Likely, the request wouldn’t even make it to the governor.
And yet, so often, we act in ways that are flagrant violations of God’s law, and we make those same excuses. “Well, God, I just couldn’t help it.” “I know I shouldn’t have cussed that person out, but you know how my temper is.” I know I shouldn’t be gossiping, but, well God, it started out as a just a prayer request for someone, and I just had to get all the details.”
Remember, God forgives us even while we are in sin. In the Bible, Jesus always met people right where they were. He met their need, healed them, and then told them to stop sinning. Today, the Holy Spirit still meets us right where we are. God calls us from our sin, and He still tells us to sin no more. We are called to holiness. He doesn‘t tell us to try to be holy. He tells us to be holy, because He is holy. But he doesn’t leave us alone to figure it out. The Holy Spirit is always with us, always calling, always guiding us; IF we listen. Too many times we pray “lead us not into temptation,” as we continue to walk right into it, knowing full well what is going to happen. We are no longer slaves to sin. We are dead to sin. The old lifestyle no longer fits us.
We need to ask ourselves, “Am I just playing at being a child of God? Or am I truly dead to sin, and alive in Christ?
Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death, but that God’s free gift is eternal life through Christ Jesus.