A Boomer in the Pew

Wayne Grudem Series: Supreme Court has Wrongly Become the Most Powerful Group in the Nation

This post is part of a series of posts taken from Dr. Wayne Grudem's Sunday school class at Scottsdale Bible Church.  In this class, Dr. Grudem is taking us through his forthcoming book: Politics: According to the Bible. I have created a category link here, which will allow you to scroll through all of the upcoming posts.

Note:  audio of our class is found at the bottom of this post.

Wayne Grudem:

"The usurping of ultimate power by the Supreme Court of the United States is the most important issue facing our nation today, because it affects the entire structure of how we are governed."

A man owns a piece of property.  The city declares that another man's private enterprise might be a better use of the property for the common good of the people.  The original owner fights this to the Supreme Court, and our Supreme Court declares that any persons property might be taken if it is determined that another persons use of the land might better serve the common good.

Hence, an original  constitutional right has been taken away from this man because a group of judges has decided to impose their view of right and wrong upon the constitution, rather than interpreting the law through the eyes of the original drafters, with a strong eye on their original intent.

As a result of this type of judicial behavior, we have seen laws imposed upon the United States citizens, without their constitutional right to make, or strike down such laws, with absolutely no power to defend themselves from such laws.

The Supreme Court of the United States is the ultimate ruler of our land.  Further, with today's make up of the Supreme Court bench (4 liberals, 4 originalists), we essentially are under the rule of Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Wayne Grudem, "this is a system gone horribly wrong".

Dr. Grudem ended this class with a look at how the Bible might look upon this situation, and ended the class by making his most controversial statement that, "from a judicial point of view, your vote for a Republican verses a Democrat makes a significant difference on this issue because this issue is drawn down the middle of party lines".

Wow!  Who says you have to be politically correct in church?  Controversial?  You bet!  Necessary to be said, even more so.

Point for us to take home?  Become educated voters.

Class Notes:  Download GrudemThe Courts and The Question Of Ultimate Power In A Nation

Class Audio:

Wayne Grudem Series: A Systemic Disease has Overrun our Supreme Court

This post is part of a series of posts taken from Dr. Wayne Grudem's Sunday school class at Scottsdale Bible Church.  In this class, Dr. Grudem is taking us through his forthcoming book: Politics: According to the Bible. I have created a category link here, which will allow you to scroll through all of the upcoming posts.

Note:  audio of our class is found at the bottom of this post.

From Wayne Grudem:

"If could fix only one thing in the United States, it would be the systemic disease that has overrun the Supreme Court."

This Sunday's message from Dr. Wayne Grudem is so important for American's to understand, I am going to keep my words to a minimum and simply ask you to listen to Wayne's message below.

In this message, Dr. Grudem is going to explain how our Supreme Court has become an institution that makes laws, apart from the constitution, and is absolutely accountable to no one!

Please listen, and share this recording!

Notes: Download The Courts and The Question Of Ultimate Power In A Nation

Dr. Wayne Grudem Series: The Critical Importance of a Proper Christian Worldview

This post is part of a series of posts taken from Dr. Wayne Grudem's Sunday school class at Scottsdale Bible Church.  In this class, Dr. Grudem is taking us through his forthcoming book: Politics: According to the Bible. I have created a category link here, which will allow you to scroll through all of the upcoming posts.

Note:  audio of our class is found at the bottom of this post.

Today's Sunday school class with Wayne Grudem brings us to the fourth chapter of his upcoming treatise:  Basic Components of a Biblical Worldview.

Dr. Grudem started out the class by proclaiming that "this chapter may be the most decisive set of ideas that he will talk about during the whole series."

He goes on to argue that our worldview shapes everything, and when we enter the world of political discussion we bring this worldview with us to the conversation.

Dr. Grudem gave us six (6) components of a Biblical worldview, and then described the implications of possessing these views.

Six Components of a Biblical Worldview:

1. God created everything.
2. God reveals himself and his moral standards clearly in the Bible.
3. The original creation was "very good".
4. Because Adam and Eve sinned, there is moral evil (sin) in the heart of every human being.
5. Because Adam and Eve sinned, God placed a curse on the entire natural world.
6. God wants human beings to develop the earth's resources and to use the wisely and joyfully.

Here are just a few of the topics covered as we discussed these six components:

• God as creator, the most fundamental of facts, is excluded from our public schools.
• God's moral standards are not just for the church, they are for every person.
• God says that murder is wrong, if this applies to the unborn, or the seriously ill, then this should affect our view.
• God's law view homosexual conduct as wrong.  If so, then this should affect our view on homosexual "marriage".
• There is irrational, violent evil in the world that must be confronted with superior force.
• Human nature is not basically good.
• There are moral standards that exist external to the human race.

There was so much more.  I highly recommend you take 52 minutes and listen this recording of our class:

Download ChristianWorldviewNotes

Dr. Wayne Grudem Series: Human Liberty, Patriotism, and Governmental Disobedience (Post # 9)

This post is part of a series of posts taken from Dr. Wayne Grudem's Sunday school class at Scottsdale Bible Church.  In this class, Dr. Grudem is taking us through his forthcoming book:  Politics:  According to the Bible. I have created a category link here, which will allow you to scroll through all of the upcoming posts.

In this week's Sunday school class,  Dr. Wayne Grudem made three political statements from his study of the scriptures:

• Governments should safeguard human liberty.
• Nations should value patriotism.
• When obedience to government is wrong.

Human Liberty

Grudem states that slavery and oppression are always viewed negatively in Scripture, while freedom is viewed positively.  However, he does mention that certain liberties must be given up for the good of the society.  Speed limits for example.  "But", says Grudem, "each liberty given up slowly erodes our overall liberties".  Wayne provided a humorous example of losing his liberty to use plastic grocery bags.

Patriotism

Certainly when the walls of Jericho came tumbling down, those involved felt a certain twinge of patriotism knowing that they were victorious, and were a part of God's chosen nation of Israel.  Dr. Grudem provides many examples of Biblical patriotism, and points out seven benefits of patriotism to a nation.

Civil Disobedience

Clearly the Bible instructs us to obey our governments.  "However", says Grudem, "Christians should not obey the government when obedience would mean disobeying a command of God".   Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, when they refused to worhip the golden image, was once such example.

In the question and answer portion of this class, Dr. Grudem spent a few minutes discussing why he supported, and was an early signer of, The Manhattan Declaration. 

Here is the audio from the class:

Dr. Wayne Grudem: Scriptures Give Indirect but Significant Support to a Democratic Form of Government

This post is part of a series of posts taken from Dr. Wayne Grudem's Sunday school class at Scottsdale Bible Church.  In this class, Dr. Grudem is taking us through his forthcoming book:  Politics:  According to the Bible. I have created a category link here, which will allow you to scroll through all of the upcoming posts.

Dr. Grudem was back in his Sunday school class this past Sunday.  However, we were in Michigan visiting family.  Therefore, I am going to learn right along side you by listening to his recording.

I suppose it might be tempting to be frustrated because Dr. Grudem covers so much territory in his talks.  However, I think we should consider his coming text as a great box full of maps.  And whenever we find ourselves wondering what God might think of a matter regarding the mixing of Christians and politics, we are likely to be able to open our box, pull out a particular map, and find Dr. Grudem pointing us to God's word on the matter.  For this, I am greatly thankful.

Dr. Wayne Grudem Series Update

In case you were wondering what happened to my post on Dr. Wayne Grudem's series on faith, and politics, please know that Dr. Grudem will not be teaching in his class for two weeks.

He will be back in the saddle on December 14th.

Until then, we wait.  :)

Dr. Wayne Grudem: New Testament Teachings Regarding Civil Government

This post is part of a series of posts taken from Dr. Wayne Grudem's Sunday school class at Scottsdale Bible Church.  In this class, Dr. Grudem is taking us through his forthcoming book:  Politics:  According to the Bible. I have created a category link here, which will allow you to scroll through all of the upcoming posts.

In today's class, Dr. Grudem spent a few minutes finishing last week's conversation regarding government and the Old Testament.

Some might ask, "why shouldn't we enforce the "Law" that was given to Moses and the Israelites.

Dr. Grudem states that we should not enforce these Mosaic Laws because:

• Israel was a theocracy ( a system of government where priests rule in the name of God), and therefore not appropriate for our democracy.
• When Christ appeared incarnate, he established a New Covenant with creation, thus making these Old Covenant laws inappropriate for us today.

In considering God's view of civil government under the New Covenant, Dr. Grudem points us to Romans 13:1-7:

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God's servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God's wrath on the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God's wrath but also for the sake of conscience. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. 7 Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.

In a recap of the Bible's whole testimony on the subject of civil government, Dr. Grudem points out:

1. Human government was established by God to bring multiple benefits to human society, and this happened at the re-establishment of human society after the flood had destroyed the earth.
2. God authorizes government to punish those who do evil, both as a deterrent to further wrongdoing, and in order to carry out God's wrath against evil.
3. Government should reward and encourage doing good.
4. Government should establish justice, and take special care to defend the weak and helpless.
5. Civil government officials serve God in their tasks.
6. These tasks that government carries out are "good" in God's sight.
7. Without civil government, anarchy soon develops, and the unrestrained evil in human hearts leads to a horrible outpouring of wickedness in human conduct.
8. God holds all nations, and the governments of all nations, accountable to him.
9. God sovereignly establishes specific rulers over human governments.

There is a great deal for American to contemplate here.  The most significant of which is likely the doctrine of God's sovereignty, and his particular appointment of the world's leaders.

Do you believe that God appointed President Obama, or does God merely watch human events from afar?  How about Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?   Do you believe God appointed him too?

The last thing that Dr. Grudem touched upon is that even in a sinless world, we will have a civil government, as the Bible clearly teaches men will rule cities, and even the angels, in heaven.

Although not in a specific hurry to get there, I am greatly looking forward to the perfect, and holy civil government that we will experience in heaven.  I tell my wife all the time that perhaps we might be privileged to be a joint governors in heaven.  I love working together with my wife.

Here are notes from the class:  Download BiblicalPrinciplesConcerningGovernment

Here is the audio from Dr. Grudem's Sunday school class:

Dr. Wayne Grudem: Civil Governments are Established by God

This post is part of a series of posts taken from Dr. Wayne Grudem's Sunday school class at Scottsdale Bible Church.  In this class, Dr. Grudem is taking us through his forthcoming book:  Politics:  According to the Bible. I have created a category link here, which will allow you to scroll through all of the upcoming posts.

Special Announcement:  On Sunday, Dr. Grudem announced to our class that he has now finished his book Politics:  According to the Bible, and will be sending it off to Moody for a summer 2010 release.

In this session, Dr. Grudem completed the outline of chapter two of his book where he argues that Christians must provide significant influence on governments.

Now, in his chapter three outline, we come to Biblical principles concerning government, and specifically:  What does the Bible say government should look like or how should it function?

In Dr. Grudem's textbook Systematic Theology, he taught us that civil governments are a "common grace" of God that provides good to all, and not just God's elect.

Furthermore, God set out the foundation of a civil government way back in Genesis 9:5-6:

"And for your lifeblood I will require a reckoning: from every beast I will require it and from man. From his fellow man I will require a reckoning for the life of man.

 6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man,
by man shall his blood be shed,
for God made man in his own image."

Here we see a few things, and can build a civil government from this very base:

• lifeblood, and shedding the blood of man refer to murder
• God requires a reckoning for murder, which he defines as death to the slayer
• note that this isn't a suggestion but a requirement.
• from this model, God is also teaching us to define other behaviors that might be worthy of a societies reckoning.  An example might be a monetary fine for speeding.

After establishing God's designed base for all societies, Dr. Grudem then began to survey many examples, from the Old Testament, where we can see this model in display. 

Another important point that Dr. Grudem wanted to drive home, with crystal clear clarity, is that God is sovereign over the earth, and all subsequent civil governments.  This is a very important lesson for the Christian to not only understand, but to build your worldview around.  Even though this fact is surrounded with mystery, we are to find great peace in this understanding.

Next week, Dr. Grudem will explain the specific laws for the nation of Israel, and further his display of God's design for government in the New Testament.

Here is the audio from Sunday's class:

Dr. Wayne Grudem: Christians Should Bring Significant Influence on Government

This post is part of a series of posts taken from Dr. Wayne Grudem's Sunday school class at Scottsdale Bible Church.  In this class, Dr. Grudem is taking us through his forthcoming book:  Politics:  According to the Bible. I have created a category link here, which will allow you to scroll through all of the upcoming posts.

Dr. Grudem has now concluded the first chapter of his book, Five Wrong Views About Christians and Politics, and now moves to the second chapter of his forthcoming book, A Better Solution:  Significant Christian Influence on Government.

This particular recording is only 23 minutes long, as this was the week of our church's missions festival, Celebrating the Harvest, and we were given updates, and testimonials, from three separate missionaries that our class supports.

Nonetheless, Dr. Grudem points out that there are significant examples of God's people creating influence on their governments in both the Old, and New Testaments, and spends this shortened class laying this foundation.

Please find below a recording of the class, and class notes:

Download WayneGrudem_ChapterTwoNotes

Dr. Wayne Grudem - Christianity, Politics, and China's Persecution of Christians

Dr. Wayne Grudem was back in our Sunday school class today. But, he was back with a surprise.

With him were 11 Christian Chinese Lawyers to share with us the persecution they are facing in China, and their struggles to combat it.

As I was listening to Bob Fu translate the testimony of these most humble men, I was completely awash with tears.

I have never been persecuted by a communist regime for simply going to church. 

As these men shared their faith, their authenticity was immediately evident, we all felt a heart of compassion for them, and a recognition that these are our brothers and sisters who are being persecuted.

They shared stories of government sponsored police forcibly living in the homes of some of the Chinese Christians, and told how they were all individually constantly followed by Chinese officials.  Each of them has at least one communist tail on them at all times.  They live in constant fear of perhaps being kidnapped, having their law licenses stripped from them (which prevents them from feeding their families, or living under the constant relentless haranguing of their government.

Please pray for our Chinese brothers and sisters.  Please pray for the safety of these 11 courageous men.  It is very likely, when they return to China, that life will be difficult for them because of their witness of persecution.

You can follow their paths at ChinaAid.org.

Note:  Wayne didn't get a chance to mention it, but I think we will be back into our Christians and Politics course next week.