The American Soul
The American Soul
Does Your Life Provide Enough Evidence to Convict You as a Christian?
What would happen if your faith was put on trial? Would there be enough evidence to convict you as a Christian? This question forms the powerful backbone of this episode as Jesse Cope challenges listeners to examine the alignment between their professed beliefs and lived actions.
Drawing from 1 John 2, Jesse explores the uncomfortable truth that many of us complain about situations—our relationship with God, our marriages, our nation—while putting minimal effort into improving them. "We don't put any time into our relationship with Him, but then we want to complain about the fact that we don't feel close to Him," Jesse observes, drawing a parallel to marriages where spouses criticize without fulfilling their own biblical responsibilities.
The heart of authentic Christianity, Jesse argues, lies not in words but in actions. Scripture plainly states that "the one who says 'I have come to know Him' and does not keep His commandments is a liar." This standard applies not only to our relationship with God but extends to how we treat others, particularly our spouses. When we selectively focus on others' shortcomings while ignoring scripture's commands for our own conduct, we demonstrate insincerity in our commitments.
Through powerful historical accounts from Fox's Book of Martyrs and stories of Medal of Honor recipients, Jesse reminds listeners of those who paid the ultimate price for their convictions. These examples raise a challenging question: How can we so casually abandon what others suffered so greatly to preserve? While many around the world risk everything to access God's Word, too many Americans let their Bibles "gather dust in a corner" out of complacency or fear of offending others.
Join Jesse for this thought-provoking examination of evidence-based faith, where what you do speaks far louder than what you claim to believe. Your works don't earn salvation, but they do reveal the authenticity of your relationship with Christ. Are you ready to put your faith on trial?
The American Soul Podcast
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Hey folks, this is Jesse Cope, back with another episode of the American Soul Podcast. Hope y'all are doing well, wherever y'all are and whatever part of the day. You're in here to appreciate y'all joining me, giving me a little bit of your time and a little piece of your day. I will try and use it wisely. Hopefully it'll give us all a spectrum of tools for our toolbox and hopefully it'll give us all, or draw us all, a little bit closer to God and Jesus Christ, both as individuals and as a nation. For those of y'all who continue to share the podcast with others, tell others about it. Thank you so much, very grateful for that. For those of y'all who continue to pray for me and for the podcast, thank you Very, very grateful for your prayers.
Speaker 1:Father, thank you for today. Thank you for you, father, and your Son, jesus Christ and your Holy Spirit. Thank you for your love and your mercy and your grace and your forgiveness of sin. Thank you for this day that you have made, father. Help us to rejoice and be glad in it, even when it seems impossible at times to understand what's going on, maybe even to trust Father. Help us to overcome that. Help us to trust you. Help us to be grateful for all the blessings that you have given us in our lives, big ones, little ones, ones we don't even know or acknowledge, ones we don't even know or acknowledge Anything from sunshine and rain to a roof over our heads, the health in our bodies. Please be with those, father, who are heartbroken, comfort them, guide them through this day. Comfort them, guide them through this day in whatever you want them to do. Help us to care for the widow and the orphan, the poor and the needy. Help us to help those that have less than we do the poor and the needy. Help us to help those that have less than we do. Thank you for the people that listened. Father, be with them today, be with their families, surround them with your angels, protect them from evil of any kind, strengthen the marriages of those who are married, comfort those who have lost loved ones and guide my work here, father, please, in your son's name, we pray Amen, amen. Have you made time for God today? Have you made time to read his word? Have you made time to pray, to talk to him? Pour out your heart to him?
Speaker 1:You know, a lot of times we like to complain about situations that we have a lot of control over, and one of the ways that we have control is simply talking to God. But we don't do that. But then we complain about the fact that God's not talking to us. We don't put any time into our relationship with him, but then we want to complain about the fact that we don't feel close to him, right? Same thing with your marriage. You know a lot of us.
Speaker 1:We like to complain about our marriage. We'd like to even if we don't do it publicly in our heads, we like to complain a lot about the state of our marriage, but we're not putting any. We don't have any skin in the game, right? It's a lot like the fact that we have a huge percentage almost 50% of the American population is a net minus on the federal treasury, but they get to vote equally with the people that are actually putting money in. They don't have any skin in the game the people that aren actually putting money in it. They don't have any skin in the game the people that aren't putting any money in it. So why would they care how the money is spent? It doesn't affect them. It's not their money. Why would you even complain about how the money is being spent. If you aren't putting skin in the game, why would we complain about the state of our marriage if we're not 100% in?
Speaker 1:Why would we complain about the state of our faith if we get up each morning, watch TV, scroll our phone, go to work, come home, watch TV, scroll our phone, go to bed, maybe throw some sports in there in the middle, maybe a workout even that was one of the verses that popped up this morning when I opened up my Bible app was talking about physical training. Let me see if I can get there real quick. Let me see if I can get there real quick. Bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. How many of us treat it like that? You know, a lot of us have spent years, decades of our lives working out, and there's nothing wrong with that in and of itself. But when we're spending hours working out unless that's part of our job, like the military when we're spending hours working out and we're spending little to no time with God, we really need to look at ourselves before we go blaming others. Right, I saw some posts. I'm getting somewhere with this.
Speaker 1:Actually, I know that probably seems hard to believe, but I saw some posts recently on X and it was about marriage and there were two different sides and it was basically men and women and they were talking about sides and it was basically men and women and they were talking about well, I won't even tell you what they were talking about, but they were complaining. Each side was complaining about the other. And we go through these verses every so often on the podcast Ephesians 5, 1 Corinthians 7, titus 2, 1 Peter 3, hebrews 13, 4, proverbs 5, 19, and Song of Solomon. And you know, if you really want a great marriage, that's the basis for it, folks. But here's the deal Before we complain about what's broken in our marriage, are we actually following that scripture? Broken in our marriage? Are we actually following that scripture?
Speaker 1:And if you're offering advice to other people, before you jump on one side or the other, you really shouldn't jump on one side or the other. You ought to jump on both sides or neither. If you're not going to acknowledge both sides, the roles and responsibilities of both men and women when you're looking at those verses, then you really shouldn't complain about either. Right? You can't complain about men not doing their job or women not doing their job, and that's why the marriage is messed up. When you're not focused on the other side too, and that's all I really say without getting in the weeds of the argument. It's just astounding to me how many people want to point fingers at one side or the other, like, well, this is why things are broken, but they don't want to take any responsibility, they don't want to acknowledge any of the roles and requirements that God put on the other side, and it works both ways. You see men or people that are really supportive of men, you know, and they say, well, if women just acted this way, then the marriages would be so much better, which is true, but they don't ever make the comment the other way Well, if men just acted this way, marriages would be so much better. Right, and vice versa. You see a lot of people that and we've talked about this the feminism that's crept into the church. We've really been pretty one-sided for decades now inside the church, and what we need to do, folks, is we need to be both-sided, and we've got some repair work to do in order to get to that point.
Speaker 1:We're going to get back into 1 John. We're going to go to chapter 2. Christ is our advocate. My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin, and if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, jesus Christ the righteous, and he himself is the propitiation of our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. By this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. By this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments. The one who says I have come to know him and does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps his word in him, the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in him. The one who says he abides in him ought himself to walk in the same manner as he walked.
Speaker 1:These first seven verses, folks, are pretty much what we talk about all the time. There's two things In verse. One right, we have an advocate with the Father, jesus Christ the righteous, and he himself is the propitiation for our sin. Anybody that's telling you that you need to have somebody else between you and God is ignoring scripture, anybody else that's telling you that you can go, you can even go somewhere else besides Jesus Christ as an advocate for you, right, jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. They're not telling you scripture, and you need to know that, because we have some denominations out there that claim to be Christian, that claim to follow God and Jesus Christ and scripture, but they tell you that you can go other places to have an advocate before the Father, but that's not what scripture said. Scripture said is we have an advocate, one with the Father, but that's not what Scripture said. Scripture said is we have an advocate, one with the Father, and that's Jesus Christ the righteous, and he himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not just for ours, but right, but for the entire world. And then verses three through six.
Speaker 1:Here, folks, if we really love God and Jesus Christ, we keep their commandments, and if we don't keep their commandments, we're a liar and the truth is not in us. And this is true in your relationship with your children, with your parents right, we talk about this so often If you really love, and especially your spouse, where you're supposed to mirror this relationship with God and Jesus Christ, if you're following the commandments that God laid out there, then you do actually love your parents, your children and your spouse most importantly. But if you don't follow those commandments, you're a liar, you're lying to yourself, to others, to both it doesn't matter, right? We cannot claim to love Christ, to love our spouse, and not follow the commands that God gave us. Are we going to follow him perfectly? Absolutely not. We're going to fail. But there's a big difference between failing when we're striving for perfection and pretending that we're not failing right, pretending that we don't have to follow the commands of God and Jesus Christ and that we can still be truly loving and truly know God, or truly know our spouse, for that matter. That's an interesting thought there, folks.
Speaker 1:Verse four, the one who says I have come to know him and does not keep his commandments, him and does not keep his commandments right. Do we even really know our spouse if we refuse to follow our roles and responsibilities as laid out by god for husband or wife and marriage and sex beloved? I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have heard from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. I am writing to you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for his name's sake. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know him, who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you, children, because you know the father. I have written to you, fathers, because you know him, who has been from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong and the word of God abides in you and you have overcome the evil one.
Speaker 1:I thought this the other day on the podcast and I meant to say it and I think I forgot to. But, folks, a real good rule of thumb when we're going to do something is would we be willing to do it in the daylight as opposed to the darkness? This obviously doesn't apply perfectly, but I think a lot of things. If we would stop for a minute and say okay, would I be willing to go outside, you know, whatever action I'm about to take, and do this in the light of day and sometimes you can change that a little bit. You know, maybe if you're talking to one person in particular, the better question is would I be willing to say this to somebody else, especially when we're talking about other people? I think, at least for myself, I found that a good rule of thumb. If I'm about to say something about somebody else, would I be willing to say this, maybe not even to that person's face, right? I mean, sometimes we need to talk things out with people, but am I saying something that I would be willing? Am I going to be ashamed of saying this in front of a different person? I hope that makes sense.
Speaker 1:Anyway, that's probably a longer conversation than a few minutes on a podcast, but you know verse 10, the one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.
Speaker 1:But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. Verse 12, I'm writing you, little children, because your sins have been forgiven you for his name's sakes, not for anybody else, folks, and not for a particular denomination, not for a pope or priest or pastor of any congregation or denomination, not for Mary or Joseph or the apostles or anybody else. Our sins are forgiven because of Jesus Christ, from him alone. Do not love the world. Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does not, who does the will of God, lives forever.
Speaker 1:Children, it is the last hour and just as you heard that Antichrist is coming, even now many Antichrists have appeared. From this we know that it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they were not really of us, for if they had been of us they would have remained with us, but they went out so that it would be shown that they all are not of those. But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it, and because no lie is of the truth, do know it. And because no lie is of the truth, who is the liar? But the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ. This is the Antichrist. The one who denies the Father and the Son, whoever denies the Son, does not have the Father. The one who confesses the Son has the Father also. As for you, let that abide in you, which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father.
Speaker 1:There's a lot here in just this one little section, folks. The first really big part and I'm just going to talk about two things here is do not love the world nor the things of the world. If anyone loves the world nor the things of the world, if anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life is not from the Father, but is from the world. The world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God lives forever. How often do we put the wrong things in priority? How often do we put the things of the world as important? Whether you're talking about lust like sex or alcohol or drugs, money, whether you're talking about being pride, prideful, uh, in a lot of different ways how often are we focused on, on what makes us look good to the world? Right, fame and fortune? We celebrate actors and actresses, singers and singer um entertainers, athletes, professional athletes, college athletes. We know the stats, we know the lyrics to their songs, we know the lines out of movies, but we don't know verses out of the Bible. We don't know the names of men who have sacrificed their lives for our nation, for our faith. Right, this is why we talk about one of the reasons we talk about medal of honor winners and the martyrs each day on the podcast and history, just in general.
Speaker 1:Folks, we need to make sure that our priorities and and what we value is in the right order, is in God's order, because this world is going to pass away. We had some friends recently got in a really bad car wreck and it looks like things are going to turn out all right. But you never know. I talked about this recently. There was a young lady in a town nearby who was at home on a Friday night. Her parents and her brother were in a car wreck and killed all three of them and they were just traveling from one sporting event to another. That was it, and they got hit and they're gone and this life is over and there are no more chances. There's no more second chances, there's no more do-overs. All those opportunities to love are gone in this world. But the more important thing is you go on to eternity. That's what's important. All of us are going to live forever, either in heaven or in hell. That's really what needs to drive us folks, and so you look at this. All of these things of the world, that's not from God, that's not from our Father. We need to be focused on doing the will of God so that we live with him and Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit in heaven forever. Because of Jesus Christ, not because we do the will of the Father, but that's a whole other topic. Folks, when you look at people, the works that you see, that's proof of their faith, not the other way around.
Speaker 1:And then the second thing here is who is the liar?
Speaker 1:But the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ.
Speaker 1:This is the Antichrist.
Speaker 1:The one who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father. And the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He's the only Son of God. He died for my sins and yours. God raised him from the dead and because of him I have eternal life. My name is written in the book of life because of Jesus Christ, not because of anything I did, just because of him. Do you believe that? Do you profess that? Do you confess it? It's so important. And then the truth part, folks here, the part that we kind of struggle with because it seems so mean. It's really not. It's mean to pretend otherwise. But, folks, if you don't have Jesus Christ, if you don't acknowledge Jesus Christ and God in the Bible, it makes everything else you say suspect from a point of truth versus lie.
Speaker 1:It is the core problem in public education in America today. We took truth out of our schools, we took the basis for truth, we took the Bible out, we took God and Jesus Christ out. So why would we be surprised now that we have schools that teach that boys can be girls and girls can be boys, that chromosomes don't have anything to do right, that you can have XY chromosomes and be a girl? I mean that's ludicrous, that's absolutely insane, has no basis in science. Why are we surprised that history gets revised, that we twist and pick and choose parts of history to teach? We took truth out, folks. There's consequences for that.
Speaker 1:The promise is eternal life. This is the promise which he himself made to us eternal life. These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. As for you, the anointing which you receive from him abides in you and you have no need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in him. Now, little children abide in him so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from him and shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of him. And again, that's a big deal.
Speaker 1:Folks, actions, actions. It always comes back to actions. What are our actions? If I tell you that I'm a Christian, is there enough evidence to convict me? My evidence, the, the actions don't give me salvation, folks. My works don't give me salvation, but my works are evidence of my faith. If I tell you that I love my wife, is there enough evidence to convict me? If you could watch my life for a day, would there be enough evidence to convict me of being a husband who follows Scripture and loves and nourishes and cherishes his wife each day, each day. If I tell you that I love my children, if you could watch me for a day, would there be enough evidence to convict me of being a good father? That's the point, folks, actions. If we know that God, that Jesus Christ, is righteous, if we know that God is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him. It doesn't mean perfectly, folks, none of us are going to be perfect in this life, but it gives you a great clue. I just I always go back to that because of the Marine Corps. If somebody accused you of being a Marine, would there be enough evidence to convict you? All right, I think we'll move on. We'll take a look at Medal of Honors for today. Go through a couple of those.
Speaker 1:Elijah W Bacon, gettysburg. Elijah William Bacon, private US Civil War, fox Company. 14th Connecticut Infantry, us Army. 3 July 1863, gettysburg, pennsylvania, usa. Capture a flag of the 16th North Carolina Regiment Accredited to New Britain, hartford County, connecticut, awarded posthumously. Awarded posthumously. Presentation December 6, 1864 by Major General George G Meade At a review of the 2nd Army Corps Headquarters, peebles or Pebbles House near Petersburg, virginia. Born 1836, burlington, hartford County, connecticut, united States. Died May 6, 1864. Wilderness, virginia, united States. Buried Maple Grove Cemetery, berlin, connecticut, united States. Elijah William Bacon. Nikki D Bacon. Nikki Daniel Bacon. Staff Sergeant, high Strength. 1st Sergeant Vietnam War. Bravo Company. 4th Battalion, 21st Infantry. 11th Infantry Brigade, americal Division, us Army. Medal of Honor Action Date 26 August 1968. Medal of Honor Action Place West of Tam Kai, republic of Vietnam. Citation as follows For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in the action at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, staff Sergeant Bacon distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader with 1st Platoon and Bravo Company during an operation west of Tam Kai.
Speaker 1:When Bravo Company came under fire from enemy bunker line in the front, staff Sergeant Bacon quickly organized his net and led them forward. In an assault, he advanced on a hostile bunker and destroyed it with grenades. As he did so, several fellow soldiers, including the first platoon leader, were struck by machine gun fire and fell wounded in an exposed position forward of the rest of the platoon. Staff Sergeant Bacon immediately assumed command of the platoon and assaulted the hostile gun position, finally killing the enemy gun crew in a single-handed effort. When the third platoon moved to Staff Sergeant Bacon's location, its leader was also wounded. 3rd Platoon moved to Staff Sergeant Bacon's location. Its leader was also wounded. Without hesitation, staff Sergeant Bacon took charge of the additional platoon and continued the fight. In the ensuing action, he personally killed four more enemy soldiers and silenced an anti-tank weapon. Under his leadership and example, the members of both platoons accepted his authority without question. Continuing to ignore the intense hostile fire, he climbed up on an exposed deck of a tank and directed fire into the enemy position while several wounded men were evacuated. As a result of Staff Sergeant Bacon's extraordinary efforts, his company was able to move forward, eliminate the enemy positions and rescue the men trapped to the front Staff.
Speaker 1:Sergeant Bacon's bravery at the risk of his life was in the highest traditions of the military service and reflects great credit upon himself, his unit and the US Army. Army Accredited to Phoenix, maricopa County, arizona. Not awarded. Posthumously Presented 24 November 1969 in the White House by President Richard M Nixon. Born 25 November 1945, carraway, craighead County, arizona, united States. Died July 17, 2010. Rosebud, arizona, united States. I'm sorry, arkansas, arkansas, on both of those Buried. Arkansas State Veterans Cemetery, little Rock, arkansas, united States. Location of metal. Macarthur Museum of Arkansas Military History. Duplicate medal Little Rock, arkansas.
Speaker 1:William Batters, Ranked Chief Machinist, mate Interim 1920-1940 Submarine Rescue and Salvage Unit USS Falcon, us Navy. Medal of Honor Action Date May 23, 1939. Medal of Honor Action. Place Portsmouth, southeast off the Isle of Shoals, new Hampshire. Citation For extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession during the rescue and salvage operations following the sinking of the USS Squalus on 23rd May 1939.
Speaker 1:During the rescue operations, batters, a senior member of the rescue chamber crew, made the last, extremely hazardous trip of the rescue chamber to attempt to rescue any possible survivors in the flooded after portion of the Squalus. He was fully aware of the great danger involved and that if he and his assistant became incapacitated, there was no way in which either could be rescued. During the salvage operations, batters made important and difficult dives under the most hazardous conditions. His outstanding performance of duty contributed much to the success of the operations and characterizes conduct far above and beyond the ordinary call of duty. Accredited to Indianapolis, marion County, indiana, not awarded posthumously. Presented January 19, 1940, washington DC by Secretary of the Navy Charles Edison, washington DC. By Secretary of the Navy Charles Edison. Born 15 September 1900, harrisburg, saline County, illinois, united States. Died November 23, 1986, livermore, california, united States. Buried San Francisco National Cemetery. Mha Tax 788, alpha, san Francisco, california, united States.
Speaker 1:William Batters Just a few names again, folks that we would do well to remember and teach our children Elijah W Bacon. Elijah W Bacon. Nikki D Bacon. William Batters. All right, let's see If we can find our place.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so we're going to start chapter three in Fox's Book of the Martyrs. Probably a good time to go back and read the entire title of this book. A good time to go back and read the entire title of this book Fox's Book of the Martyrs a history of the lives, sufferings and triumphant deaths of the primitive Protestant martyrs, from the introduction of Christianity to the last periods of pagan, popish and infidel persecutions, embracing, together with the usual subjects contained in similar works, the recent persecutions in the cantons of Switzerland, the persecutions of the Methodist and Baptist missionaries in the West Indian Islands, and the narrative of the conversion-capture, long imprisonment and cruel suffering of Assad Shaddik, a native of Palestine. Likewise, a sketch of the French Revolution as connected with persecution, compiled from Fox's Book of the Martyrs and other authentic sources, printed Philadelphia E Claxton Company, 930 Market Street 1881. Alright, see if I can get back now to where I'm supposed to be.
Speaker 1:Chapter 3. Persecutions of the Christians in Persia. The gospel having the Christians in Persia, the gospel having spread itself into Persia, the pagan priests who worshipped the sun were greatly alarmed and dreaded the loss of that influence they had hitherto maintained over the people's minds and properties. Hence they thought it expedient to complain to the emperor that the Christians were enemies of the state and held a treasonable correspondence with the Romans, the great enemies of Persia. The Emperor Sapphoris, being naturally adverse to Christianity, easily believed what was said against the Christians and gave orders to persecute them in all parts of his empire. On account of this mandate. Many eminent persons in the church and state fell martyrs to the ignorance and ferocity of the pagans.
Speaker 1:Constantine the Great, being informed of the persecutions in Persia, wrote a long letter to the Persian monarch in which he recounts the vengeance that had fallen on persecutors and the great success that had attended those who had refrained from persecuting the Christians. The persecution by this means ended during the life of Sophorus, but it was again renewed under the lives of his successors. Under the lives of his successors. Persecutions under the Arian heretics. The author of the Arian heresy was Arius, a native of Libya and a priest of Alexandria, who, in AD 318, began to publish his errors. He was condemned by a council of Libyan and Egyptian bishops, and that sentence was confirmed by the council of Nice, ad 325. After the death of Constantine the Great, the Arians found means to ingratiate themselves into the favor of the emperor Constantine, his son and successor, in the East, and hence a persecution was raised against the Orthodox bishops and clergy. The celebrated Athanasius and other bishops were banished and their seas filled with Aryans. In Egypt and Libya, 30 bishops were martyred and many other Christians cruelly tormented.
Speaker 1:Ad 386, george, the Arian bishop of Alexandria, under the authority of the emperor, began a persecution in that city and its environs and carried it on with most infernal severity. He was assisted in his diabolical malice by Cataphonius, governor of Egypt, sebastian, general of the Egyptian forces, faustinius the treasurer, and Heraclius, a Roman officer. The persecution now raged in such a manner that the clergy were driven from Alexandria, their churches were shut and the severities practiced by the Arian heretics were as great as those that had been practiced by the pagan idolaters. If a man accused of being a Christian made his escape, then his whole family were massacred and his effects confiscated. You notice here what you have right, folks, that you've got the beginnings of people in positions of authority inside the church, theoretically starting to persecute those Christians that they didn't, that didn't follow along with their doctrine, that didn't follow along with their doctrine, not from a scriptural point of view or following Jesus Christ's point of view, but from a not following their man-made doctrine point of view. Just a little start, a little start Persecution under Julian the Apostate.
Speaker 1:This emperor was the son of Julius Constantinus and the nephew of Constantine the Great. He studied the rudiments of grammar under the inspection of Mardonus, the Eunuch and a heathen of Constantinople. His father sent him sometime after to Nicomedia to be instructed in the Christian religion by the Bishop of Eusebius, his kinsman, but his principles were corrupted by the pernicious doctrines of Eusebius, his kinsman, but his principles were corrupted by the pernicious doctrines of the Sibalus the Rehitorician and Maximus the Magician. Constantinus dying in the year 361, julian succeeded him and had no sooner attained the imperial dignity than he renounced Christianity and embraced paganism, which had for some years fallen into great disrepute. Though he restored the idolatrous worship, he made no public edicts against Christianity. He recalled all banished pagans, allowed the free exercise of religion to every sect, but deprived all Christians of offices at court, in the magistracy or in the army. He was chaste, temperate, vigilant, laborious and pious, yet he prohibited any Christian from keeping a school or public seminary of learning and deprived all the Christian clergy of the privileges granted them by Constantine.
Speaker 1:The Great Bishop Basil made himself first famous by his opposition to Arianism, which brought upon him the vengeance of the Arian bishop of Constantinople. He equally opposed paganism. The emperor's agents in vain tampered with Basil by means of promises, threats and racks. He was firm in the faith and remained in prison to undergo some other sufferings. When the emperor came accidentally to Ansrith Julian, determined to examine Basil himself. When that holy man being brought before him, the emperor did everything in his power to dissuade him from persevering in the faith. Basil not only continued as firm as ever but, with a prophetic spirit, foretold the death of the emperor and that he should be tormented in the other life, and every day, in seven different parts till his skin and flesh were entirely mangled. This inhuman sentence was executed with rigor and the martyr expired under its sepharities on the 28th day of June AD 362. Donatus, bishop of Arezzo, and Carolinus, a hermit, suffered about the same time. Also. Gordian, a Roman magistrate. Artemius, commander-in-chief of the Roman forces in Egypt, being a Christian, was deprived of his commission, then of his estate and lastly of his head.
Speaker 1:The persecution raged dreadfully about the latter end of the year 363. But as many of the particulars have not been handed down to us, it is necessary to remark in general that in Palestine, many were burnt alive, others were dragged by their feet through the streets naked till they expired, some were scalded to death, many stoned and great numbers had their brains beaten out with clubs. In Alexandria, innumerable were the martyrs who suffered by the sword, burning, crucifixion and being stoned, and being stoned In Arethusa, several were ripped open and corn being put into their bellies. Swine were wrought to feed therein, which, in devouring the grain, likewise devoured the entrails of the martyrs. And in Thrace, imelanus was burnt at a stake and Domitius murdered in a cave whither he had fled for refuge. The emperor Julian the Apostate, died of a wound which he received in his Persian expedition AD 363, and, even while expiring, uttered the most horrid blasphemies. He was succeeded by Jovian, who restored peace to the church. After the decease, jovian, valentinian succeeded to the empire and associated to himself Valens, who had the command in the east and was an Arian of an unrelenting and persecuting disposition.
Speaker 1:We'll stop there for today. I know some of this stuff I say this often, folks is pretty gruesome. I'm not reading it or the Medal of Honors to be gruesome, but to remind us of those people who have come before us and suffered so much for our nation, for our faith. Are we willing or maybe I should ask it this way are we so willing to abandon all that they suffered so much for? There's so many people around the world that don't have the ability to read God's word because they live in a communist, socialist, nazi, fascist, muslim country. And yet here in America today we too often we just leave our Bible sitting over in a corner to gather dust or we're afraid to offend anyone. So we allow the Bible to be kicked out of our schools, schools and not taught to our children.
Speaker 1:All right, back into chapter three. We're going to go read note six from the end of that chapter that we didn't get to, if I can find it. Yeah, there we go. Note 6 was. We'll just read through it.
Speaker 1:I think it was a circular letter by the legislature of Massachusetts dated 11 February 1768. Looking at this, folks, I think this is actually note seven, and note six is referenced another time from the House of Representatives of the Province of Massachusetts Bay to the Speakers of the respective House of Representatives and Burgesses on the continent of North America. Province of Massachusetts Bay, february 11, 1768. Sir, the House of Representatives of this province have taken into their serious consideration the great difficulties that must occur to themselves and their constituents by the operation of the several acts of parliament imposing duties and taxes on the American colonies. As it is a subject in which every colony is deeply interested, they have no reason to doubt. But your House is duly impressed with its importance and that such constitutional measures will become into as are proper, it seems to be necessary that all possible care should be taken that the representations of the several assemblies, upon so delicate a point, should harmonize with each other. The House therefore hope that this letter will be candidly considered and know their light then as expressing a disposition freely to communicate their mind to a sister colony upon a common concern, in the same manner as they would be glad to receive the sentiments of your or any other house and assembly on the continent would be glad to receive the sentiments of your or any other house and assembly on the continent.
Speaker 1:Little side note here, folks. This is just one of the things that we ought to be doing right now in america, and maybe they are, but the the different levels of leadership in the conservative areas across our country and the christian areas across our country ought to be communicating pretty extensively right now, whether you're talking about the offices of one attorney general from one state to another, one governor to another, house of Representatives or senators from one conservative Christian state to another, seraphs from counties and conservative counties in one state to another and counties within their own state between each other, the different levels of government, between conservative towns, counties, states and really at the federal level. You would hope that that communication was going on in between individual conservative members of the Senate and House of Representatives. You have to assume it is, but actions haven't really lined up too much with truly conservative Christian action for several decades. So perhaps not.
Speaker 1:The House have humbly represented to the Ministry their own sentiments that His Majesty's High Court of Parliament is the supreme legislative power over the whole Empire. That in all free states the Constitution is fixed and as the supreme legislative derives its power and authority from the Constitution, it cannot overleap the bounds of it without destroying its foundation. That the Constitution ascertains and limits both sovereignty and allegiance and therefore His Majesty's American subjects, who acknowledge themselves bound by the ties of allegiance, have an equitable claim to the full enjoyment of the fundamental rules of the British Constitution. That it is an essential, unalterable right in nature, engrafted into the British Constitution as a fundamental law and ever held sacred and irreverical by the subjects within the realm. That what a man has honestly acquired is absolutely his own, which he may freely give. Man has honestly acquired is absolutely his own, which he may freely give but cannot be taken from without his own consent, that the American subjects may therefore, exclusive of any consideration of charter rights, with a decent firmness adapted to the character of free men and subjects, assert this natural constitutional right. So we don't have taxation without representation in the same sense as our founders, but we do in the sense that there's representation without taxation and that we have that which a man has honestly acquired is not absolutely his own. Which a man has honestly acquired is not absolutely his own and we're not given the choice of freely giving that. It's taken to be given to others, whoever the state deems worthy. Right, you talk about the welfare state, property taxes, school taxes. It's taken from those who earned it and given to those who didn't, as if it's some form of benevolency which it can't be because it doesn't belong to the people who are giving it. And you hear the echo here in this right that what a man has honestly acquired is absolutely his own.
Speaker 1:The parable that Jesus told of the vineyard owner and the workers who grumbled about the fact that the workers that worked all day were grumbling about the fact that they were paid the same wage as the workers that just worked one hour late in the day. And of course, the response was what he said. Don't I have a right to do with my own what I choose, or are you? Are you angry because your eye is evil? Right, are you angry that I'm being generous? But it was. It was the owner of the vineyard who had the right to do what he wanted with what was his own, and that's the way that we ought to be functioning here in America today. We have a responsibility as Christians to take care of the poor, the widow and the orphan, but out of our own, not to have it taken to be quote-unquote given.
Speaker 1:It is, moreover, their humble opinion, which they express with the greatest deference to the wisdom of the Parliament, that the acts made here imposing duties on the people of this province for the sole and express purpose of raising a revenue are infringements of their natural and constitutional rights because, as they are not represented in the British Parliament, his Majesty's Commons in Britain, by those acts grant their property without their consent. Again, today we have representation without taxation. We have people that don't pay anything in, pay anything in but have their money and their property equally controlled by people who don't pay anything in. Right, the people that are paying in. Their vote is diluted at best, because the people that aren't paying in get an equal decision, because the people that aren't paying him get an equal decision.
Speaker 1:The House further of the opinion that the constituents, considering their local circumstances, cannot by any possibility be represented in Parliament and that it will forever be impracticable that they should be equally represented there and consequently not at all being separated by an ocean of a thousand leagues. That His Majesty's royal predecessors for this reason were graciously pleased to form a subordinate legislative here. That their subjects might enjoy the unalienable right of a representation. Also, that, considering the utter impracticability of their ever being fully and equally represented in Parliament and the great expense that must unavoidably attend even a partial representation there, this House think that a taxation of their constituents, even without their consent, grievous as it is, would be preferable to any representation that could be admitted for them there. Upon these principles and also considering that were the right and the parliament ever so clear.
Speaker 1:Yet for obvious reasons, it would be beyond the rule of equity that their constituents should be taxed on the manufacturers of Great Britain here, in addition to the duties they pay for them in England and other advantages arising to Great Britain from the acts of trade this House have preferred a humble, dutiful and loyal petition to our most gracious Sovereign and made such representations to Her Majesty's ministers. Gracious sovereign and made such representations to His Majesty's ministers as they apprehend would tend to obtain redress. They have also submitted to consideration whether any people can be said to enjoy any degree of freedom if the Crown, in addition to its undoubted authority of constituting a governor, should appoint him such a stipend as it should judge proper without the consent of the people and at their expense. And whither while the judges of the land and other civil officers hold not their commissions during good behavior, their having salaries appointed for them by the crown, independent of the people, has not a tendency to subvert the principles of equity and endanger the happiness and security of the subject. This little last quote here kind of reminds me of the comment we read a while back talking about if we automatically just submit to any decision by the Supreme Court as soon as it's made as unchangeable and immutable, then we don't really have freedom and liberty anymore. We're just controlled by that body, the Supreme Court. The 1947 decision of Everson versus the school board or board of education is a perfect example. That was a horrible decision, probably the worst in the history of our nation, certainly top two or three, and it should never have been followed by the states and it should be immediately overturned as soon as possible.
Speaker 1:In addition to these measures, the House have written a letter to their agent, Mr Day Durette, the sentiments of which he is directed to lay before the ministry, wherein they take notice of the hardship of the act for preventing mutiny and deserting, which requires the governor and council to provide enumerated articles for the king's marching troops and the people to pay the expense, and also the commission of the gentlemen appointed commissioners of the customs to reside in America, which authorizes them to make as many appointments as they think fit and to pay the appointees what sums they please For whole malconduct. They are no accountable, from when it may happen that the officers of the crown may be multiplied to such a degree as to become dangerous to the liberty of the people, by virtue of a commission which does not appear to this house to derive any such advantages to trade as may have been led to expect. These are the sentiments and proceedings of this house and, as they have too much reason to believe that the enemies of the colonies have represented them to His Majesty's ministers and the Parliament as factitious, disloyal and having a disposition to make themselves independent of the mother country. They have taken occasion, in the most humble terms, to assure His Majesty and his ministers that, with regard to the people of this province, and as they doubt not of all the colonies that the charge is unjust, and as they doubt not of all the colonies that the charge is unjust, the House is fully satisfied that your assembly is too generous and enlarged in sentiment to believe that this letter proceeds from an ambition of taking the lead or dictating to the other assemblies. They freely submit their opinion to the judgment of others and shall take it kind in your house to point out to them anything further that may be thought necessary. This house cannot conclude without expressing their firm confidence in the King, our common head and father, that the united and dutiful supplications of his distressed American subjects will meet with his royal and favorable acceptance.
Speaker 1:Signed by the Speaker, a copy of the above letter is also, by order of the House, sent to Dennis DeBert, esquire, agent to the province in London, that he might make use of it if necessary to prevent any misrepresentations in England. So you see, again interestingly right that the colonies didn't want to separate from Great Britain. They just didn't want to be treated as slaves. God bless y'all. God bless your families. God bless your marriages, if you're married. God bless America. God bless your nation, wherever you are around the world. Listen, we'll talk to y'all again real soon, looking forward to it.