Truths That Transform presented by Coral Ridge Ministries featuring Dr. Robert J. Pacienza, with sermon commentary from Dr. D. James Kennedy and Dr. Pacienza. Each program provides a compelling analysis of current moral and cultural controversies all from a biblical perspective.
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Truths That Transform | Rob Pacienza - Citizens of the City of God | February 10, 2025
- Should christians be political, or should they be spiritual?
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- It's a question that many have asked in recent decades
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- But it's a false dilemma.
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- Should christians be spiritual? yes.
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- Should christians be political? yes!
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- Find out more, on today's truths that transform!
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- Welcome to truths that transform,
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- A production of coral ridge ministries, where we are
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- I'm pastor rob pacienza.
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- It's hard to believe here in 2025,
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- But there was a time into the 20th century
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- When the only interaction you might have with
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- The federal government on a regular basis
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- Was through the post office.
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- After the federal income tax was established in 1913
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- And the government began to grow to fit its income,
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- We began to look to washington d.c. for more and more.
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- Now the doings of the federal government are almost entirely
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- What we pay attention to.
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- With government so much larger and more powerful,
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- It's never been more important to raise up christian statesmen.
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- A bit later in today's program, we'll see how you and i
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- Should live as christians in this current cultural moment.
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- And we begin with a trip to the seat of power
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- In washington d.c., where our
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- D. james kennedy center for christian statesmanship,
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- Based on capitol hill, is encouraging and
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- Mentoring the future william wilberforce's and
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- Abraham kuyper's that our nation needs.
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- Here's david wright with more.
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- Founded in 1995,
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- The d. james kennedy center for christian statesmanship
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- Has impacted thousands of lives by bringing a gospel witness,
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- Christian discipleship, and a vision for
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- Christian statesmanship to leaders in washington d.c.
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- The d. james kennedy center for christian statesmanship
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- Is working to make a difference.
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- The d. james kennedy center for christian statesmanship
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- Has been the product of a visionary leader in
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- D. james kennedy himself, who understood that
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- In order for the body of christ in america,
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- To serve the purposes of our god
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- And execute in the great commission,
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- We needed to have a light
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- In the capital city, washington, dc.
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- And so the fruit that has been born from that ministry has been
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- An indelible impact on our society's fabric,
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- On our social fabric and on people like me understanding
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- How we need to combine our commitment to christ
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- And our commitment to civic engagement
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- There are a lot of christian statesmen
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- That have come through this country,
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- And i'm very thankful for that.
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- The problem that we have right now is
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- Outside forces who are applying direct pressure
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- To the christian community and suppressing voices,
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- It's difficult for members and staff
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- To kind of poke their heads up and say,
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- Well, i'm part of that group.
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- There's a lot of threats.
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- And i think that that is the reason why.
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- One of the biggest reasons why existing here being present,
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- Someone else to say, we're with you on this.
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- We're walking with you.
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- The center's executive director, william russell,
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- Has a wealth of experience working on capitol hill,
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- Working for both the legislative and the executive branch.
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- And that looked like first joining
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- Senator thad cochrane's office as an intern.
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- He was a congressman from mississippi,
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- The senior senator for mississippi.
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- So he came with a lot of established,
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- A lot of established reputation, a lot of connections,
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- And i used that to catapult myself into a role
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- With congressman allen nunley
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- In the first district of mississippi on the house side.
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- So it's nice to have that balance of both the house and
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- The senate to understand how both of these chambers work
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- And to understand the kind of different dynamics,
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- Not just with the members and themselves,
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- But the staffers being able to work with them on a daily basis
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- And understand their train of thought.
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- I started my work with donald trump
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- In 2016 from february, 2016.
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- I was traveling ahead of him, setting up the rallies,
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- A lot of operational work around the structure of the campaign.
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- I did that through 2016.
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- He won and after he took office in january of 2017
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- I went as the trip director,
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- To a lot of places around the world.
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- So anytime that he would leave the white house,
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- I was standing right beside him
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- As the who, what, where, when, why guy
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- Being able to feed him any information that he needed.
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- And that's where that relationship with the president
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- Really, really began to take root
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- This year, ccs will celebrate its 30th anniversary
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- As a ministry serving our nations leaders on capitol hill.
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- You think about the 30 year legacy
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- Of the center for christian statesmanship.
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- And as many people have often told me,
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- If we needed ccs in 1995,
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- How much more do we need it now in the 21st century?
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- So grateful for its legacy,
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- Grateful for the work that has been done
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- And excited to see what god has in store
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- For this new season of ministry as we continue to be light
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- In modern day rome and raising up the next generation
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- Of christian statesmen for the sake of the kingdom.
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- Ccs's responsibility here is to fight back
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- Against the cultural marxism and against those
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- Who want to see christianity die out,
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- Who want to remove biblical principles from our daily lives,
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- Whether it be removing in god we trust
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- Or not pledging our allegiance to the american flag
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- Because one nation under god is offensive.
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- To men being in women's sports,
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- To the religious freedom that we're talking about,
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- The ability to pray in a public space,
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- That's what ccs is at the end of the day.
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- Each year, the center confers an annual award
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- The distinguished christian statesman award
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- Upon a man or woman who has set themselves apart
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- In the political arena through outstanding
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- Service as a christian statesman.
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- God cares about government because god cares about people
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- And god cares about how people are treated,
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- Justice in the society.
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- And we see it throughout scripture.
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- How important is it to have
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- The d. james kennedy center for christian statesmanship?
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- Incredibly important.
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- You have to have an organization based on biblical principles,
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- Whose goal is to share the gospel
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- And help equip leaders with the word of god.
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- Being a christian means that
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- You have embraced jesus christ as your lord and savior,
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- That you believe that jesus christ is
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- The lord of your life and all of life.
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- A statesman is someone who operates
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- Not according to partisan politics,
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- But according to principles and values.
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- So when you combine those two words together,
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- A christian statesman,
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- It's somebody that understands how the lordship of christ
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- Influences our virtues, our values, particularly when it
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- Comes to policymaking and how we operate in the public square.
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- In 2024, the center honored senator josh hawley
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- With their distinguished christian statesman award
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- So when i think of josh hawley, i think of somebody who
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- Pledges his first allegiance to christ and his kingdom
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- And then understands that his role as a statesman
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- Is a sacred calling that as a senator,
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- He is thinking about public policy.
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- He's thinking about the virtues and values of our nation
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- Through the lens of god's infallible word.
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- His devotion to his family is incredible.
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- To watch the kind of sacrifices that he would make
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- From a professional front
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- To ensure that his family is taken care of,
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- That's a man that has the priorities in order,
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- That is a mark of a christian statesman.
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- Not to mention the fact that he has famously talked
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- About the rights that we receive from god.
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- Well, where are those rights laid out?
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- They're given to us through the bible.
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- The center will continue to train and equip present and
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- Future political leaders with a biblical worldview in order
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- To maintain a strong christian presence in washington d.c.
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- When you have a presence of leaders
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- That realize that america is special,
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- That we have in america,
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- The individual right to conscience,
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- Rights from a creator, individual choice,
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- These are freedoms that america has, they need to be passed on
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- And the center for christian statesmanship teaches this
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- And acts as a positive influence in
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- The most powerful city on the planet, washington, dc.
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- It is such an incredible time to make an investment and
- 00:09:19.729 --> 00:09:22.632
- To partner with the center for christian statesmanship in
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- Washington dc if we want to see transformation in this nation,
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- We need to be sending men and women of god
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- Who love the righteousness of god
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- And understand how that applies to public policy.
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- So, we desire men and women that would partner with us,
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- Men and women that understand that
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- Righteousness exalts a nation,
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- That we need righteousness being proclaimed in the public square.
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- And that public policy needs to reflect
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- The righteousness as god defines it.
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- That we are rejecting evil and understanding that
- 00:09:54.230 --> 00:09:57.333
- The soul of the nation is what hangs in the balance
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- As christians, we are called to be
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- Salt and light in our culture.
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- While it's possible to get swallowed up by the worries
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- Of the world and be too focused on temporal matters,
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- It's also possible to be negligent in our calling
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- By ignoring them altogether.
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- We don't need more christians retreating
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- Behind the safety of the four walls of the church.
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- We need christians with the courage
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- To stand for their biblical convictions
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- As representatives of king jesus christ.
- 00:10:31.634 --> 00:10:34.370
- An outstanding example is the biblical figure daniel.
- 00:10:34.370 --> 00:10:38.541
- The pagan king nebuchadnezzar besieged jerusalem,
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- And drafted daniel into his service.
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- But daniel would not compromise god's word
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- In order to maintain favor with the king.
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- I recently shared more about him in a message with
- 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:54.223
- Our congregation here at coral ridge presbyterian church to
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- Help us understand how to live as christians in a secular age.
- 00:10:57.693 --> 00:11:02.031
- The message is entitled, “citizens in the city of god.”
- 00:11:02.031 --> 00:11:05.935
- Daniel 1 gives us a blueprint and a template,
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- A handbook for what it looks like for christians
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- Who find themselves in a culture whose values have shifted
- 00:11:15.077 --> 00:11:21.250
- A church in captivity.
- 00:11:21.250 --> 00:11:24.587
- Now, what i mean by a church in captivity
- 00:11:24.587 --> 00:11:27.790
- Is that we exist in what some would call a post-christian era.
- 00:11:27.790 --> 00:11:33.696
- What does that mean?
- 00:11:33.696 --> 00:11:35.164
- That means we live in a society that no longer sees
- 00:11:35.164 --> 00:11:39.235
- The judeo-christian worldview as the predominant worldview.
- 00:11:39.235 --> 00:11:43.939
- Worldviews that are guided more by a secular ideology
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- Are governing and informing our culture and our society.
- 00:11:49.145 --> 00:11:56.152
- And so, we find ourselves in the 21st century trying to live out
- 00:11:56.152 --> 00:12:02.191
- Our virtues and our values and our worldview
- 00:12:02.191 --> 00:12:05.227
- As it's informed by the word of god
- 00:12:05.227 --> 00:12:07.329
- In a society that is predominantly hostile
- 00:12:07.329 --> 00:12:11.567
- To our worldview and particularly hostile
- 00:12:11.567 --> 00:12:15.838
- To our understanding of the sanctity of human life.
- 00:12:15.838 --> 00:12:20.910
- And so what do we do?
- 00:12:20.910 --> 00:12:22.545
- What do we do in such a culture?
- 00:12:22.545 --> 00:12:25.147
- Thanks be to god, in daniel 1, we are given a template,
- 00:12:25.147 --> 00:12:30.252
- A blueprint of what it looks like to live
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- Faithfully in a culture that opposes us
- 00:12:34.890 --> 00:12:39.862
- I briefly just want to divide daniel 1 into two sections:
- 00:12:39.862 --> 00:12:44.233
- 1. the spirit of babylon,
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- And 2. the response and the mission of god's people.
- 00:12:47.303 --> 00:12:52.474
- First, the spirit of babylon.
- 00:12:52.474 --> 00:12:54.643
- Now, i don't think that there is a real physical babylon.
- 00:12:54.643 --> 00:13:00.182
- That territory is modern day iraq but make no mistake,
- 00:13:00.182 --> 00:13:05.621
- The spirit of babylon is alive and well.
- 00:13:05.621 --> 00:13:11.393
- Babylon in the bible is more than just a physical territory.
- 00:13:11.393 --> 00:13:15.998
- It has symbolically always stood from the old testament to
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- The new testament all the way through revelation
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- Symbolic as the kingdom of unrighteousness,
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- Opposed to the kingdom of righteousness.
- 00:13:28.010 --> 00:13:30.679
- Babylon has figuratively stood as the city of man
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- In opposition to the city of god.
- 00:13:35.718 --> 00:13:37.786
- So as i said make no mistake
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- That the spirit of babylon in our nation is alive and well.
- 00:13:39.889 --> 00:13:45.961
- What are the characteristics of the spirit of babylon that
- 00:13:45.961 --> 00:13:49.999
- We can see continuing in our day here in daniel chapter 1?
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- Well, the first marker, the characteristic of the
- 00:13:55.271 --> 00:13:57.840
- Spirit of babylon is to deconstruct vocabulary,
- 00:13:57.840 --> 00:14:02.778
- Deconstruct vocabulary to give words new meaning.
- 00:14:02.778 --> 00:14:08.450
- We see that in verse 3 and 4 of daniel chapter 1.
- 00:14:08.450 --> 00:14:12.288
- It says that the babylonians took youth from the kingdom
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- Of israel and from the nobility and brought them in,
- 00:14:17.526 --> 00:14:22.965
- It says to reeducate them.
- 00:14:22.965 --> 00:14:25.668
- With what?
- 00:14:25.668 --> 00:14:27.636
- The literature and the language of the chaldeans,
- 00:14:27.636 --> 00:14:30.339
- The literature and the language of the chaldeans was
- 00:14:30.339 --> 00:14:32.207
- The literature and the language of the babylonians.
- 00:14:32.207 --> 00:14:35.110
- You see the purpose of reeducation and deconstructing
- 00:14:35.110 --> 00:14:39.381
- Their vocabulary in daniel 1 was not to teach them about babylon,
- 00:14:39.381 --> 00:14:44.119
- But it was to teach them how to be like a babylonian,
- 00:14:44.119 --> 00:14:47.089
- To reject the virtues and the values of yahweh
- 00:14:47.089 --> 00:14:49.725
- And to embrace the virtues and the values of babylon.
- 00:14:49.725 --> 00:14:55.631
- It says in daniel 1 that they did it in three years.
- 00:14:55.631 --> 00:14:58.901
- In america, we do it in four.
- 00:14:58.901 --> 00:15:01.904
- We raise up our children with a biblical worldview,
- 00:15:01.904 --> 00:15:05.140
- With the language of yahweh,
- 00:15:05.140 --> 00:15:07.343
- And then we send them off to college.
- 00:15:07.343 --> 00:15:10.980
- And unfortunately, so many of our colleges in this country
- 00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:14.950
- Spend four years systematically deconstructing their vocabulary,
- 00:15:14.950 --> 00:15:21.323
- Deconstructing the literature and the language
- 00:15:21.323 --> 00:15:24.426
- That your children were raised with,
- 00:15:24.426 --> 00:15:27.296
- And they replace it with the literature
- 00:15:27.296 --> 00:15:30.099
- And the language of the babylonians.
- 00:15:30.099 --> 00:15:33.469
- But not only do we see the deconstruction of vocabulary
- 00:15:33.469 --> 00:15:36.338
- Through indoctrination in daniel chapter 1
- 00:15:36.338 --> 00:15:39.241
- But we also see the spirit of babylon in redefining identity.
- 00:15:39.241 --> 00:15:43.946
- In verse 6, we are introduced to these four young men,
- 00:15:43.946 --> 00:15:49.852
- Daniel, hananiah, mishael, and azariah,
- 00:15:49.852 --> 00:15:52.921
- Who we're told are from the tribe of judah.
- 00:15:52.921 --> 00:15:55.758
- And all four of these young men have names that identify them
- 00:15:55.758 --> 00:16:00.229
- As children of yahweh so that they would understand
- 00:16:00.229 --> 00:16:05.134
- That their identity is not found in what they do
- 00:16:05.134 --> 00:16:09.338
- But their identity is found
- 00:16:09.338 --> 00:16:10.773
- In who they are as image bearers of the most high god,
- 00:16:10.773 --> 00:16:16.578
- That they would understand that their identity is grounded
- 00:16:16.578 --> 00:16:19.415
- And rooted in the creator god.
- 00:16:19.415 --> 00:16:22.951
- But we're told in verse 7 that they're given new names,
- 00:16:22.951 --> 00:16:27.623
- That the government comes in and says, no longer
- 00:16:27.623 --> 00:16:31.493
- Will you be identified by your names that come from yahweh,
- 00:16:31.493 --> 00:16:35.998
- But instead we will give you names like
- 00:16:35.998 --> 00:16:37.766
- Belteshazzar, and shadrach, and meshach and abednego,
- 00:16:37.766 --> 00:16:43.038
- Which were all names that referred to the babylonian gods.
- 00:16:43.038 --> 00:16:47.309
- Can you imagine what happens to a culture when god no longer
- 00:16:47.309 --> 00:16:53.348
- Defines identity but the government does?
- 00:16:53.348 --> 00:16:57.953
- What kind of culture exists when the government defines identity
- 00:16:57.953 --> 00:17:03.759
- And no longer god defining identity?
- 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:08.730
- Complete and moral chaos.
- 00:17:08.730 --> 00:17:12.768
- But this is what happens in this culture,
- 00:17:12.768 --> 00:17:16.772
- Redefining their identity so that they would be
- 00:17:16.772 --> 00:17:19.875
- Defined as children of the babylonian gods
- 00:17:19.875 --> 00:17:24.012
- And no longer children of yahweh.
- 00:17:24.012 --> 00:17:27.015
- And this is an as assault on god and on his word
- 00:17:27.015 --> 00:17:32.588
- Because we are told in his word that only god
- 00:17:32.588 --> 00:17:35.891
- Has the right to define our identity.
- 00:17:35.891 --> 00:17:38.460
- We're told in the opening pages of scripture
- 00:17:38.460 --> 00:17:40.529
- In genesis chapter 1 verse 27,
- 00:17:40.529 --> 00:17:51.473
- This is called the imago dei,
- 00:17:52.207 --> 00:17:54.676
- The doctrine of the image of god,
- 00:17:54.676 --> 00:17:57.079
- Which has served as the foundational doctrine
- 00:17:57.079 --> 00:18:00.015
- For understanding where our identity comes from,
- 00:18:00.015 --> 00:18:03.986
- That the world does not define us,
- 00:18:03.986 --> 00:18:06.455
- That we're not defined by what we do or by what we don't do.
- 00:18:06.455 --> 00:18:09.992
- But god alone has the right to define us.
- 00:18:09.992 --> 00:18:12.728
- What is the mission of god's people
- 00:18:12.728 --> 00:18:14.830
- In a culture of opposition?
- 00:18:14.830 --> 00:18:17.266
- What is the mission of god's people
- 00:18:17.266 --> 00:18:19.067
- Concerning the sanctity of human life?
- 00:18:19.067 --> 00:18:21.670
- Look at verse 8.
- 00:18:21.670 --> 00:18:23.639
- But daniel, but daniel in the face of opposition,
- 00:18:23.639 --> 00:18:28.110
- But daniel in a culture and a society
- 00:18:28.110 --> 00:18:31.213
- That did not value life, that redefined identity,
- 00:18:31.213 --> 00:18:37.019
- That reconstructed identity,
- 00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:39.054
- But daniel resolved that he would
- 00:18:39.054 --> 00:18:42.291
- Not be defiled with the king's food,
- 00:18:42.291 --> 00:18:44.626
- That he would not be defiled with what the king drank.
- 00:18:44.626 --> 00:18:49.131
- Daniel was a man that was set apart. why?
- 00:18:49.131 --> 00:18:52.634
- Because he was grounded and informed by the word of god and
- 00:18:52.634 --> 00:18:56.138
- Had such a firm foundation that in the face of opposition,
- 00:18:56.138 --> 00:19:00.008
- He was unshakable.
- 00:19:00.008 --> 00:19:02.678
- This is what it means to be faithful
- 00:19:02.678 --> 00:19:04.513
- In the midst of opposition.
- 00:19:04.513 --> 00:19:06.415
- And my question for you this morning,
- 00:19:06.415 --> 00:19:08.116
- What are we doing as a church in the 21st century
- 00:19:08.116 --> 00:19:11.787
- To raise up modern day daniel's and
- 00:19:11.787 --> 00:19:15.123
- In the face of cultural opposition they might stand.
- 00:19:15.123 --> 00:19:20.162
- Will we turn the blind eye to violence
- 00:19:20.162 --> 00:19:22.664
- Because we value our convenience even more?
- 00:19:22.664 --> 00:19:25.133
- Or will we be the people that god has called us to be
- 00:19:25.133 --> 00:19:28.370
- Defending the cause for those who cannot defend themselves?
- 00:19:28.370 --> 00:19:34.676
- Hi, i'm jennifer kennedy cassidy.
- 00:19:35.444 --> 00:19:37.746
- Dr. pacienza's question is an important one.
- 00:19:37.746 --> 00:19:41.283
- He has put himself and this ministry behind the commitment
- 00:19:41.283 --> 00:19:44.586
- To raise up modern daniel's in an unbelieving culture.
- 00:19:44.586 --> 00:19:48.223
- One key way we do that, continuing the vision
- 00:19:48.223 --> 00:19:51.226
- Established by my father, is through
- 00:19:51.226 --> 00:19:55.764
- Based on capitol hill.
- 00:19:56.365 --> 00:19:58.033
- As you saw a little earlier in this program,
- 00:19:58.033 --> 00:20:00.402
- That ministry, which is headed by
- 00:20:00.402 --> 00:20:02.638
- Former trump presidential adviser william russell,
- 00:20:02.638 --> 00:20:05.574
- Is discipling members of congress and their staffs
- 00:20:05.574 --> 00:20:08.477
- In the gospel and the biblical worldview.
- 00:20:08.477 --> 00:20:11.046
- Just recently, the center for christian statesmanship
- 00:20:11.046 --> 00:20:13.815
- Presented missouri senator josh hawley
- 00:20:13.815 --> 00:20:16.184
- With the distinguished christian statesman award.
- 00:20:16.184 --> 00:20:18.920
- And if you're able to give a generous donation of $40 or more
- 00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:22.524
- To help us continue that vital work,
- 00:20:22.524 --> 00:20:24.826
- As well as our television, radio, and digital outreaches,
- 00:20:24.826 --> 00:20:28.196
- Among many other initiatives,
- 00:20:28.196 --> 00:20:29.798
- We'll send you our brand-new, exclusive dvd program,
- 00:20:29.798 --> 00:20:33.535
- How dare we be quiet?
- 00:20:33.535 --> 00:20:35.437
- This video features the awards ceremony
- 00:20:35.437 --> 00:20:38.006
- And an enlightening and encouraging interview,
- 00:20:38.006 --> 00:20:40.509
- From that presentation,
- 00:20:40.509 --> 00:20:42.344
- Between dr. rob pacienza and senator hawley.
- 00:20:42.344 --> 00:20:45.213
- As you know, senator hawley has been a fiery and confrontational
- 00:20:45.213 --> 00:20:48.984
- Advocate for commonsense, conservative, christian
- 00:20:48.984 --> 00:20:52.454
- Principles who is boldly living out his christian faith
- 00:20:52.454 --> 00:20:55.457
- In the united states senate.
- 00:20:55.457 --> 00:20:57.159
- Hear from him as well as from historian stephen mansfield,
- 00:20:57.159 --> 00:21:00.696
- Plus other special features in this special dvd program.
- 00:21:00.696 --> 00:21:04.633
- Also included as thanks for your donation,
- 00:21:04.633 --> 00:21:07.703
- We'll include my father's eye-opening booklet,
- 00:21:07.703 --> 00:21:10.405
- What they believed:
- 00:21:10.405 --> 00:21:11.940
- The faith of washington, jefferson, and lincoln.
- 00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:14.943
- If we're going to make america great again,
- 00:21:14.943 --> 00:21:17.479
- We'll need to recapture that truths it was founded upon.
- 00:21:17.479 --> 00:21:21.650
- Those who want to remake america in their own secular image
- 00:21:21.650 --> 00:21:24.953
- Have distorted the truth about these great men
- 00:21:24.953 --> 00:21:27.689
- And the principles by which they governed america.
- 00:21:27.689 --> 00:21:30.492
- But my father was a dedicated student of the true history,
- 00:21:30.492 --> 00:21:34.129
- And he shares it here in this vital booklet.
- 00:21:34.129 --> 00:21:37.799
- With your help,
- 00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:39.034
- We will continue to share biblical truth on these issues
- 00:21:39.034 --> 00:21:41.436
- That are so vital at this point in american history.
- 00:21:41.436 --> 00:21:44.706
- Please, consider giving a generous gift today so that
- 00:21:44.706 --> 00:21:48.076
- The heritage left to us by men like george washington
- 00:21:48.076 --> 00:21:51.113
- Will still be there for your children and grandchildren.
- 00:21:51.113 --> 00:21:54.082
- We'll send you the dvd program
- 00:21:54.082 --> 00:21:56.017
- How dare we be quiet?
- 00:21:56.017 --> 00:21:57.619
- Featuring senator josh hawley, plus the important booklet,
- 00:21:57.619 --> 00:22:00.989
- What they believed:
- 00:22:00.989 --> 00:22:02.424
- The faith of washington, jefferson, and lincoln,
- 00:22:02.424 --> 00:22:04.559
- By dr. d. james kennedy,
- 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:06.361
- As thanks for your generous gift of $40 or more.
- 00:22:06.361 --> 00:22:09.798
- Or we'll send you just the booklet
- 00:22:09.798 --> 00:22:11.533
- As thanks for your generous donation.
- 00:22:11.533 --> 00:22:13.769
- One of our dear partners, robert from edinburg, texas,
- 00:22:13.769 --> 00:22:17.606
- Writes to us,
- 00:22:17.606 --> 00:22:21.676
- We appreciate that robert
- 00:22:22.310 --> 00:22:24.112
- And all that we do is enabled by the
- 00:22:24.112 --> 00:22:26.348
- Grace of god and generous supporters like you.
- 00:22:26.348 --> 00:22:28.984
- Simply write to us at coral ridge ministries:
- 00:22:28.984 --> 00:22:36.158
- Or call toll free:
- 00:22:36.691 --> 00:22:41.496
- Or go online to:
- 00:22:41.963 --> 00:22:47.302
- There are many who believe that civil government
- 00:22:48.403 --> 00:22:50.605
- Should not be the concern of the christian.
- 00:22:50.605 --> 00:22:53.074
- More than one well-beloved bible teacher has claimed that
- 00:22:53.074 --> 00:22:56.745
- The political realm is a waste of time,
- 00:22:56.745 --> 00:22:59.014
- And that it's a distraction from the spiritual things
- 00:22:59.014 --> 00:23:01.950
- A christian should be truly concerned about.
- 00:23:01.950 --> 00:23:04.152
- Among many of these influential teachers
- 00:23:04.152 --> 00:23:06.555
- There's a naïve idea about the american revolution.
- 00:23:06.555 --> 00:23:10.058
- In this view, the bible says
- 00:23:10.058 --> 00:23:12.427
- We are to be submissive to the authorities,
- 00:23:12.427 --> 00:23:14.796
- And thus the war for independence
- 00:23:14.796 --> 00:23:16.698
- Was illegitimate and unbiblical.
- 00:23:16.698 --> 00:23:19.367
- And the fact that many christians have been
- 00:23:19.367 --> 00:23:21.536
- At a loss to answer that criticism goes a long way
- 00:23:21.536 --> 00:23:24.973
- Toward explaining our current cultural problems.
- 00:23:24.973 --> 00:23:27.809
- The bible does not only tell us to be submissive to authorities.
- 00:23:27.809 --> 00:23:31.580
- It also lays out the role of government,
- 00:23:31.580 --> 00:23:33.882
- Such as in romans 13.
- 00:23:33.882 --> 00:23:36.351
- In the medieval and early-modern era,
- 00:23:36.351 --> 00:23:38.587
- They believed in what was called “the divine right of kings".
- 00:23:38.587 --> 00:23:42.824
- The king is the king, god put him there,
- 00:23:42.824 --> 00:23:45.894
- And you have nothing to say about it.
- 00:23:45.894 --> 00:23:48.096
- Many monarchs used that understanding
- 00:23:48.096 --> 00:23:50.365
- To carry out tyranny over their people.
- 00:23:50.365 --> 00:23:53.401
- The protestant reformers recaptured a more fully
- 00:23:53.401 --> 00:23:57.105
- Biblical doctrine of the civil government.
- 00:23:57.105 --> 00:23:59.741
- In the book of first kings, king ahab decides that
- 00:23:59.741 --> 00:24:03.678
- He wants to take the vineyard belonging to naboth.
- 00:24:03.678 --> 00:24:06.948
- So, should naboth simply obey the authority?
- 00:24:06.948 --> 00:24:10.085
- No, because the king has no authority to steal his land.
- 00:24:10.085 --> 00:24:14.890
- So naboth refuses, and ahab has him killed
- 00:24:14.890 --> 00:24:18.827
- And takes away the land.
- 00:24:18.827 --> 00:24:20.629
- The lord brings condemnation to king ahab and his family
- 00:24:20.629 --> 00:24:24.533
- Because of this act of governmental theft and murder.
- 00:24:24.533 --> 00:24:27.702
- The fact that ahab was the king didn't give him
- 00:24:27.702 --> 00:24:30.906
- The authority to do whatever he wanted.
- 00:24:30.906 --> 00:24:33.041
- The protestant reformers sought to harmonize everything
- 00:24:33.041 --> 00:24:36.011
- The bible says about our relationship to government,
- 00:24:36.011 --> 00:24:38.713
- Rather than just grabbing a couple of selective proof-texts.
- 00:24:38.713 --> 00:24:42.884
- When a king is violating his own nation's constitution and
- 00:24:42.884 --> 00:24:46.888
- Refusing to carry out his lawful duties to his people,
- 00:24:46.888 --> 00:24:50.392
- Is his authority still legitimate?
- 00:24:50.392 --> 00:24:52.694
- That was exactly the question faced by the colonial americans.
- 00:24:52.694 --> 00:24:56.631
- The ranks of the men who opposed the king and eventually gave us
- 00:24:56.631 --> 00:25:00.535
- The american constitution were filled with christian statesmen.
- 00:25:00.535 --> 00:25:04.906
- George washington, patrick henry, john witherspoon,
- 00:25:04.906 --> 00:25:08.777
- James madison, john jay, samuel adams,
- 00:25:08.777 --> 00:25:11.413
- And dozens more devout bible readers and church-goers.
- 00:25:11.413 --> 00:25:15.650
- Others, like john adams, thomas jefferson, and benjamin franklin
- 00:25:15.650 --> 00:25:19.654
- Were not entirely orthodox in their beliefs,
- 00:25:19.654 --> 00:25:22.390
- But still operated from a christian framework
- 00:25:22.390 --> 00:25:25.427
- And looked to the bible to judge their cause.
- 00:25:25.427 --> 00:25:28.363
- In fact, the american position was so identifiable with
- 00:25:28.363 --> 00:25:32.901
- The colonial churches that king george the third referred
- 00:25:32.901 --> 00:25:36.371
- To the war as “a presbyterian rebellion.”
- 00:25:36.371 --> 00:25:39.374
- The great protestant tradition has always recognized
- 00:25:39.374 --> 00:25:42.510
- That god created and governs this world.
- 00:25:42.510 --> 00:25:45.747
- And though the world has fallen into the curse of sin and death,
- 00:25:45.747 --> 00:25:48.984
- Christians are channels of god's activity here on earth,
- 00:25:48.984 --> 00:25:52.621
- And while we must wait for the future return of christ
- 00:25:52.621 --> 00:25:55.624
- For the final removal of evil and death,
- 00:25:55.624 --> 00:25:58.560
- We exhibit the kingdom of god
- 00:25:58.560 --> 00:26:00.695
- When we bring about justice and flourishing
- 00:26:00.695 --> 00:26:03.164
- And goodness and health and shalom here and now.
- 00:26:03.164 --> 00:26:07.602
- The need of our day is not christians
- 00:26:07.602 --> 00:26:10.672
- Who ignore the current world.
- 00:26:10.672 --> 00:26:12.173
- The need of our day is true christian statesmen who say,
- 00:26:12.173 --> 00:26:16.044
- As the lord prayed,
- 00:26:16.044 --> 00:26:17.412
- “thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
- 00:26:17.412 --> 00:26:19.981
- On earth as it is in heaven.”
- 00:26:19.981 --> 00:26:22.183
- Coral ridge ministries is
- 00:26:22.183 --> 00:26:26.988
- If you're ever in south florida,
- 00:26:27.722 --> 00:26:29.524
- We welcome you to join us for worship sunday mornings here at
- 00:26:29.524 --> 00:26:33.061
- Coral ridge presbyterian church,
- 00:26:33.061 --> 00:26:34.929
- Or you can always join us via livestream at:
- 00:26:34.929 --> 00:26:39.567
- We'd love for you to connect
- 00:26:40.268 --> 00:26:41.870
- With us on social media at:
- 00:26:41.870 --> 00:26:45.173
- And check out our vast library of video resources at:
- 00:26:46.341 --> 00:26:51.980
- Thank you so much for joining us,
- 00:26:52.814 --> 00:26:54.516
- And here's a look at the next truths that transform.
- 00:26:54.516 --> 00:26:57.185
- I think that the center for christian statesmanship
- 00:26:58.353 --> 00:27:00.588
- Is more needed than ever,
- 00:27:00.588 --> 00:27:02.157
- Part of it because of our eternal work,
- 00:27:02.157 --> 00:27:04.159
- But also because in this moment there is a hunger,
- 00:27:04.159 --> 00:27:07.062
- An exhaustion and a desperation for final truth.
- 00:27:07.062 --> 00:27:11.132
- That's next week
- 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:15.670
- This has been a production of coral ridge ministries
- 00:27:16.838 --> 00:27:16.838