OATHS
The American public is torn in their allegiance. The confusion within the churches only adds to the confusion in the streets. People in the churches, and certainly pastors and elders who lead them, run the gamut of opposing, conflicted opinions about the necessity of being “concerned” with issues surrounding the civil magistrate.
The Bible never taught that oaths increase the Truth and believability of a publicly sworn act. God’s Law teaches us the oath increases the SANCTIONS against the officer who breaks his oath, as in the historic persecution against the Huguenots who were deceived into trusting corrupt officials who successfully deceived them into a deadly sleep, figuratively and later, brutally literal!
The issue runs much deeper than public office… though, explaining the responsibilities of Romans 13:1 invariably leads us to consideration of the sacredness of the oath used to “install” public officials… and others. Ultimately, the oath defrauded leads us the biblical doctrine of Interposition of the Lesser Magistrates, a position expounded at length for over 40 years by Dr. Wayne Sedlak. (See this site, “Interposition: The Revolt of the Lesser Magistrates.”)
The Bible teaches us again in the Apostle Paul’s extremely perplexing statement concerning Ananias, the religio-political ruler of the Jews of the High Priestly office:
And they that stood by said, Revilest thou God’s high priest?
Then said Paul, I wist not [“I knew not], brethren, that he was the high priest: for it is written, Thou shalt not speak evil of the ruler of thy people. –
How could Paul say, “I didn’t KNOW …he was the high priest”? Of course, he knew WHO Ananias was, as a person. Additionally, the High Priest also wore the clothing of office when he conducted Judicial inquiries, in which Paul was now placed. Paul, once one of the hierarchy of Jerusalem’s persecution of the churches, certainly understood the circumstances and individuals surrounding him. However, Paul wasn’t denying he knew WHO Ananias was. Paul was teaching us why he could refuse to acknowledge the Ruler’s authority to continue to prosecute his case. Paul was utilizing a set of precepts governing magistrates according to the Civil Laws of God… precepts no longer taught in the churches today!
Paul most emphatically gives us the focus from the Law of the Lord concerning God’s repudiation of a corrupt civil official. God is MUCH LESS tolerant of the perversely broken oath than we… as we will see herein, as Paul the Apostle speaks immediately and directly of God’s utter defrocking and condemnation of the civil magistrate who breaks his oath of office.
The prophet exclaimed “Can two walk together unless they be agreed?” The book of Psalms clearly builds on that theological understanding when it asks churches to understand:
“Can the throne of iniquity have fellowship with Thee, they who frame perversity/trouble by law?” – Psalm 94:20
The oath of office is often the first signal God providentially uses to warn the people of the underlying nature of perversity and corruption in heart.
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Sunday April 26 2020 Sermon
