Pneumatikos INSIGHT

On Religion, History & Society:

A Forum for Conservative Christian Thought

Volume 4, No. 4, December 1998

In This Issue:



Merry Christmas from INSIGHT!

Unlike last year, this issue does not focus mainly on Christmas cheer. However, in the spirit of Christmas, I invite you to read my Christmas message, "Christ, God's Greatest Gift,"

Or you may download or listen to my original Christmas song inspired by "White Christmas," "It's Christmas Every Day,"

A Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Rev. Paul Hughes, Editor



Changes in the INSIGHT website and Newsletter

The INSIGHT/RevHughes website has obtained a much larger allotment of server space on the Geocities domain, and is already resident at that location. I plan to continue to expand the website as time allows. This will be gradual, since I design all my web pages and most of my graphics myself. I hope to add new and better pages and update old ones as I enhance my own capabilities.

The website is now called Pneumatikos, which means "spiritual" or "characterized by spirit." That is a tall order, but I hope to live up to the name more and more. In the future, this newsletter will be known as Pneumatikos INSIGHT.

The new URL for the main page is http://www.oocities.org/Athens/Crete/6111/pneumatikos/launch.htm.

In the future, my email address will be pneumatikos@oocities.com.

Editor



Followup to "A Major Act of God in September 1998?"

(from the September issue)

The prophecy referred to in the previous issue, that in September a heinous terrorist act would cause the United States to begin to withdraw from involvement in the Middle East, obviously did not "pan out," at least as expected. I see two basic possibilities:

First, the prophecy was wrong, because the "prophet" was in error.

Or second, I was wrong about the timing. As I noted in the report, my recollection was that the prophet said September. Perhaps the reference was to the earlier terrorist bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, in which case the error is mine. However, it cannot be foreseen at this time whether an eventual U.S. withdrawal will transpire from these terrorist acts.

Editor



America's Lengthening Moral Crisis

With Many Americans Willing to Excuse the President, Where Will Christians Draw the Line?

by Rev. Paul A. Hughes

View Bill Clinton's Infamous Denial
(Quicktime movie, 1.4 Meg)

"The hottest places in Hell are reserved for those who,
in time of moral crisis, maintain their neutrality."

- Dante's Inferno

In recent months, Americans have been observing a morality play on a grand scale, one with incalculable implications for the future of government and the nation:   the Clinton/Lewinsky Scandal. In fact, the country has been increasingly divided along social and political lines not just since the scandal broke, but since Bill Clinton entered the national spotlight in 1992.

For all this time, I have wrestled with how to write on this subject without getting political. First, taking political sides is not the purpose of this publication, nor indeed appropriate. Second, I would not be considered qualified by many to talk politics on an authoritative level. I can lay claim, however, to higher qualifications than most of the pundits, in terms of training and experience, to discuss morality. My conclusion is to focus on the moral implications, avoiding anything which is irrelevant to the moral question or overtly political.

As a matter of record, please note that I refuse to separate morality from the more popular concept "ethics," since that is a false secular demarcation. Secularists complain that "morality" is inherently religious, being based on claims of divine revelation. However, true ethics must be based on morality. Why else do we swear on the Bible, "so help me God," if truthfulness and honesty is not dependent on deference to God, recognizing his authority and his high standards? There is nothing else, not even threat of punishment, which has the same effect, the same authority. If witnesses do not swear to God, all we are left to rely on is their word.

Ethics, if non-moral, is mere relativism and pragmatism. That which may be effective, agreeable, and expedient, yet immoral, cannot rightly be said to be ethical. Moreover, morality does not evolve, is not a matter of opinion:   it is absolute.


Taken for a Ride

I had caught a ride to a ministers' meeting, back in 1992, with an elderly, retired pastor. Discussing current issues, my driver announced that he planned to vote for Bill Clinton. I was surprised at this, mentioning several items of information which caused me to seriously question Clinton's fitness for the office, from a Christian standpoint. "Paul," he said, "it doesn't matter who is president. God is in control." I had to wonder, in that case, why he should bother to vote at all.

Since then, I have thought of this conversation many times. As Christians, we are required on the one hand to obey the "powers that be." On the other hand, it is incumbent on us to support God's laws and stand for truth against falsehood and evil. As Peter said, "We ought to obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). This seeming contradiction actually illuminates our responsibility to make a godly choice:   generally speaking, we are to obey the laws of the land; but sometimes we have to draw the line.

Another relevant Bible passage describes an event which occurred in the reign of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. At the time, wicked King Ahab ruled over the northern tribes of Israel. Ahab convinced Jehoshaphat to go with him to fight his enemy, Syria. In the battle, Ahab was mortally wounded. Jehoshaphat was nearly killed as well, but managed to escape with his life. Returning home, Jehoshaphat was met by the prophet Jehu, who asked rhetorically, "Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord? Therefore the wrath of the Lord is upon you" (2 Chronicles 19:2).

I believe it does matter to God whom we support, especially politically. Whether God chooses to exert control and overrule the situation (which sometimes He chooses not to do), God will hold us responsible for our choice.

In case you are wondering, I did not press the point with the older pastor. First, I did not want to risk a long walk home, if he took exception. Second, I was taught to respect my elders; and as Paul instructed Timothy, "Rebuke not an elder." So I swallowed most of my objections in the interest of peace, with my best show of humility.


A Slippery Slope

Government leaders are responsible to God, to the law, and to their constituencies. Make no mistake:   no matter what his or her politics, I object on general principles to ANY leader lying, whether it is about sex or about a parking ticket; lying in a public capacity, whether it is under oath or not; and committing lewd acts, especially adulterous ones, whether it is in a government office building or not. That Bill Clinton lied to the public and committed adultery is beyond question.

Worse still, Mr. Clinton is alleged to have committed a number of felonious criminal acts related to his other indiscretions. The worst, in many minds, is his denial of Paula Jones' civil rights by lying under oath in her court proceedings. Our Constitution was written by men who knew too well the tyranny of a ruling elite which was above the law. The Mother Country, England, had a long history of such abuse. The Founding Fathers were determined that all Americans should be equal, subject to the same laws, both small and great -- even the president. No president was to be allowed to make himself into a king. To allow an elite to rule with impunity is to disempower and abuse the people.

God requires justice. True, God reserves to himself the power to set up kings and to bring them down. But look at the Biblical history. God sanctioned many governments ruled by pagan kings, with some very ungodly ways. God sanctions human government to keep order among men. But the governments which were allowed to continue were at least just, in a general sense. When a government ceased to be just, and began to abuse its people, the Bible often records that the Lord heard the cry of the oppressed, and moved to avenge them.

If we let go of requiring that our leaders be just and abide by the law, we are headed down a slippery slope towards destruction as a nation. If a government is no longer just, its people are no longer free.

God sometimes anoints people to bring down kings and governments that He has judged. Truly godly people withstand evil rule. David was anointed king to replace Saul, waiting only for God's timing. Jonathan, one of the noblest characters in the Bible, stood in defiance of his father Saul on several occasions. Jeremiah, Elijah, and many other prophets denounced kings and their advisors. God purposed to overthrow Ahab and Jezebel, prophesying their deaths at the hands of men. Esther and Mordecai conspired to thwart laws enacted by Haman, the king's right-hand man. Daniel and his friends flouted laws which conflicted with their religious beliefs and practices. Jesus and the Disciples defied the Sanhedrin and various local governments. The list goes on. Obeisance to government is not absolute.


Saul, the Archetypal Carnal Leader

After being caught hiding illicit activities, President Clinton drew publicly on the analogy of King David. The legitimate, God-anointed ruler of Israel, David nevertheless drifted far from God in his heart and began to rely more on the power of kingship than on the Lord. Ultimately, David was confronted by his personal prophet Nathan for stealing another man's wife and having him killed. Convicted in his heart, David acknowledged his sin and repented. David remained king, but there were still consequences. The child of the adultery was taken in infancy. David's kingdom was for a time usurped and his life endangered by his own son Absalom, who was then himself killed, to David's added remorse. In many ways, David died a sad, tainted old man.

However, a better analogy would be to Saul, David's predecessor. Israel had never before had a king. God wanted the people to be led by his Word, delivered by his prophets and priests with the authority of his tabernacle in their midst. In other words, God had intended a theocracy, not a monarchy. But the people were not content to rely on God and obey his commands. They wanted to be like the other nations, with an earthly king they could see, and whose voice they could hear.

When we get demanding of God, sometimes He teaches us a lesson by giving us exactly what we want. God gave Israel a king like they would have chosen for themselves:   tall, youthful, and vigorous, and so handsome that all the women admired him. God was even faithful to put his Spirit upon Saul, providing all he needed to lead God's people. Saul led Israel to many great victories over their enemies.

Blessed as Saul was, he did not have an obedient heart. He increasingly rebelled against God's commands and did as he pleased. In time, Saul gave in to murderous impulses, flirted with the occult, was afflicted by a tormenting spirit, and ultimately took his own life.

In my booklet, "Christ Within You!:   the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit", I argue that God bestows two types of anointing:   internal and external. David, in his prime, had an internal anointing from God, one which came from seeking God with all his heart and obeying his commands. The anointing of God, which might have begun as an external empowerment for leadership, David internalized. He allowed God to work in his heart, changing and purifying his life. God found him faithful, so He established David's kingship. More than that, God was pleased to make a covenant promise that David's dynasty would rule Israel forever, ultimately through the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

Saul, on the other hand, never went beyond an external anointing. God provided his Spirit, at Saul's disposal, to fulfill the office of king. On two occasions recorded in Scripture, the Holy Spirit took over Saul and caused him to perform God's will. But otherwise Saul was still Saul. He did not seek after God nor let the Spirit change him from within. The Spirit covered him, but did not truly fill or indwell him. In the end, God withdrew his anointing as king, and with it his Spirit.

Like Saul, Bill Clinton is a carnal leader, the choice of the people (a plurality, at least). To his supporters he looks like a president should look, acts like a president should act, stands for what they think a president should stand for. They admire him and back him unequivocally and unreservedly.

I have no doubt that, as leader of this great and God-blessed nation, leader of the free world, God's anointing has rested upon the president, and perhaps still does. Yet by his immoral actions, lack of obedience and true repentance, and failure to confess the full scope of his wrongdoing and face adequate consequences, he has shown himself to be unrepentent, rebellious, and unchanged by the Spirit of God in his heart.


An Outrageous Lack of Outrage

For many years, I have urged my fellow Christians to allow God's Word to not only influence but rule their public life and actions. Some years ago, I published a local newspaper piece entitled, "Christians Have Responsibility to Speak Out", pointing out the responsibility Christians have to stand publicly for God. Since 1992, I have tried to warn other Christians of certain telltale signs of Bill Clinton's true character and intentions. Before the 1996 election, I wrote about disturbing social and political trends in "Ten Evil Influences:   Cultural War -- the Battle for Hearts and Minds". I also assembled a collection of Bible passages published as "Voting Christian:   Scriptures to Vote By", hoping to give Christians pause to think (and pray) before they vote.

By and large, what I have found is made-up minds and a denial of both relevance and consequences. Like the elder pastor mentioned earlier, they have chosen other criteria to judge, or have refused to deal with the questions. They claim to be trusting God for the outcome, yet try to influence it themselves to their own benefit. They have cited an ambiguous need for "change," certain social and political causes, and most of all the economy. In the same way Bill Clinton admittedly "compartmentalizes" his public and private lives, many Christians compartmentalize their religious beliefs versus their outward actions and participation. This reminds me of those businessmen who say, when their business practices are questioned, "Business is business, and church is church." Like the split between morality and ethics, this attitude is a false demarcation.

I still believe that unless what one believes affects every aspect of one's life, one does not truly believe it. To "believe" Christian teachings but not stand for them, absolutely, is utter hypocrisy. Clinton supporters say that his public virtues outweigh "private" sins. In other words, his support for certain social and political causes and for select special interest groups is indispensible. Truth, justice, fairness, and the rule of law, on the other hand, are expendable. It is to them a matter of winning and advantage, not of principle.

The American public, if network polls can be believed, wants to excuse the president because the economy appears strong. They are apathetic, being more concerned with conducting their own lives and seeking their own pleasure and prosperity. Like the people of Jeremiah's time, they prefer messages of "peace and safety" that make them feel secure and good about themselves to the turbulence of scandal, trial, protest, and crusades for justice. Like the men who refused to hear the prophet Zechariah, and those who stoned the martyr Stephen, they prefer to "stop up their ears" to unpleasant messages which might convict their hearts and make corrective action incumbent upon them. Such apathy is not natural disinterest but enforced, hardened, willful, self-interested resistance to unwanted truth.


Conclusions

What should be the outcome of the Clinton impeachment proceedings? Clearly, if the evidence shows the president's guilt, he should be severely punished. To do less would be destructive to the rule of law. The precedent would be set for future presidencies to consider themselves above the law.

The only Constitutionally-prescribed punishment for presidential misconduct is impeachment. The president's supporters now readily concede his guilt, but insist that his misdeeds are not worthy of impeachment. They promote the concept of censure, essentially a reprimand. The Constitution, however, does not give Congress the authority to reprimand the president. But if Congress once concedes to censure, there is strong evidence that the text of the censure statement would be hotly debated, the president's supporters working to water it down. This would effectively remove any real punishment from the action. Adequate punishment, however, would be so severe that no president would dare do the same sort of thing again.

Spiritually speaking, how should Christians approach punishing the president? Certainly, there should be no hatred, glee, or desire for retribution, but a solemn attitude of mourning that such an action was deemed necessary. Christians should pray earnestly for the president's soul. To fail to do so reveals personal judgment and animosity. Whether removed from office or censured, the president's punishment should be aimed at upholding the rule of law, equality, and high moral standards. To fall short of that goal would be an utter travesty.

What about the question of the president being God-appointed? Dare we attempt to remove him, any more than David moved against Saul? As described above, God is the judge -- but sometimes He uses human instruments to carry out his judgment. If the presidential anointing is merely external, like Saul's, it may be removed at God's discretion, and will go to Clinton's successor.

Finally, Christians must realize that they are not free to support political candidates or causes at their discretion. As Paul wrote (twice), "You are not your own; you are bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23). We are absolutely responsible to God for whatever causes we support, and for whom we vote. Jehoshaphat discovered this principle to his regret. As Christians, no matter what mistakes we might have made in the past in this regard, let us resolve that in the future we will inform our choices with the Bible and other sources of fact, and truly seek God before we vote.



Echoes of the End-Times

Is Big Brother Around the Bend?

Amongst the End-time prophecies in the Bible are predictions of one world government, increased control of commerce and freedom of movement, the expansion of knowledge, and a spirit of deception which blinds the eyes of the masses to the truth. I cannot claim prophetic authority here, and believe in neither trying to set a date for the Rapture of the Church, nor trying to identify the Antichrist. However, I think I can see a number of trends which suggest that these events might already be beginning to unfold.



Proofs of Creation

The Baobab Tree

A recent PBS documentary described the amazing baobab tree of Africa. On the plains of Africa, where trees are rare, the huge, magnificent baobab is often the only tree for many miles. They are easily recognized by their broad trunks and widespread branches. Baobabs are often ripped apart and the pulp chewed by elephants in search of moisture in the dry climate. Seemingly destroyed, the damaged baobabs have a remarkable ability to rejuvenate and survive. They are thought to live up to a thousand years.

Even more amazing is the baobab's reproductive cycle. Baobab trees bloom only once a year, for a 24-hour period. The blooms exude a scent comparable to rotting meat, which draws bats, insects, and other wildlife from miles away. The bats and insects carry pollen from one tree to the next, fertilizing them.

Obviously, this reproductive method is by design, not evolution. Had the instrumentation of fertilization not been in place from the first, the original baobab would never have reproduced. No alternate method of reproduction can be demonstrated. This scenario holds true for many thousands of organisms.

Editor



News



Book Reviews

These are a few books I've read in recent months which I find particulary meaningful and highly recommend. Most of them should still be in print, or can probably be found in libraries or used book stores.


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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER

Rev. Paul A. Hughes, M.Div., is an ordained Assemblies of God minister, Bible teacher, writer, musician, and songwriter. He is available nationally for pulpit ministry, Bible teaching, singles seminars, Holy Spirit conferences, and music ministry.

© 1998-2001 Paul A. Hughes
Last updated November 2001. For more information, comments, or suggestions, write westloop@yahoo.com or pneuma@aggienetwork.com