Living In Peace

Romans 12: 9-21

The Reformer's Fire
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Exposition by Max A Forsythe

Question 68:
What is required in the sixth commandment?
Answer 68:
The sixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life, and the life of others.

Romans 12: 9-21

Some of you may well be wondering if I have grasped the sixth commandment rightly in these last few weeks? Hardly have I spoken of the various types of charges which may be brought against those who cause the death of another human. We have also yet to explore the justifiable allowances of the Old Covenant understandings in this matter as well. Be patient, we have yet another week and the specifics of the next question will see your answers developed from Scripture.

Our Shorter and Larger Catechism in this matter of requirements has focused upon what we as Christians are to do positively in living under this law. Of course the worldly crowd could say amen to much of the non-violence that I have been preaching these last few weeks. However, that same crowd neither understands how difficult it is to live accordingly nor comprehends that those worthwhile goals are unattainable in the midst of a wicked and perverse generation! We are learning from the commandments just that fact, that all have fallen short of the glory of God and everyone of us - to the extent of Jesus' teaching that hate and murder are the same thing - is condemned by this sixth commandment.

Those self same new age pagans, even while they mouth peace, love and contentment have turned upon the most "innocent" powerless victims to prove the murderous intent of the human heart! If they can have their way, it will soon be possible for those who desire death to find it at the hands of a killing devil like the bad Doctor in Michigan. Were it possible to make mercy killing and euthanasia legal for six months only, then all of those who like the idea might find their exit and the matter could possibly be closed. However, we cannot allow even that to happen, because once the killing starts it is almost impossible to end it. In the Netherlands, where euthanasia is allowed and practiced, the killers are moving on to victims who did not desire or request the dreadful service. At least once in the Netherlands, a Doctor killed an elderly patient because the hospital needed her bed for someone else, - more likely to live perhaps? In time, besides counselors outside of abortuaries, will we have to have volunteers in rest homes and hospitals to guard the residents? I hope not, because the line between question sixty-eight and sixty-nine are very fine lines indeed. I would take as our text today the eighteen verse of Romans Twelve:

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.

This is a tall order, while the worldly happily destroy their own children in abortuaries, we may protest and use every legal means possible to return our society to rule by law instead of convenience. We may only use violence if the statist trend is continued and our worldly crowd decides to copy the Chinese proactive approach to compelling abortion. And I do believe that our long suffering activists have prevented this tyrannical tragedy from happening! But there is more here in this passage which is summarized in verse twenty-one: Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

This is what the Larger Catechism advocates in its listing of: The duties required in the sixth commandment are: ... charitable thoughts, love, compassion, meekness, gentleness, kindness, peaceable, mild, and courteous speeches and behavior; forbearance, readiness to be reconciled, patient bearing and forgiving of injuries, and requiting good for evil; comforting and succoring the distressed, and protecting and defending the innocent.

Unfortunately, all of those once Christian agencies that practiced the ministries in that list have been co-opted by the enemy and turned to creating profitable careers for caring professionals. In addition the source of the charitable gifts that once made those ministries possible have been turned into taxes that twist and turn responsible obligations into enslavement agencies which harvest their own benefits from human tragedy. It is sad that we live in such a complex time where the laws and revenue enhancement techniques keep Christ's Church from doing the work of the Kingdom. But, I am certain that the tends of the last one hundred years have been by design.

And when the socialist statist crowd have finally convinced themselves that they have co-opted every nuance of any the necessity for the church, they will announce their victory, publish their self-righteous histories and persecute any organization that truly desires to fulfill the commands of Christ. If you think I'm just whistling Dixie in a die-hard red necked extremist mode, bear with me for a few years as the evangelical church continues to degrade the gospel and accept the evolutionary and psychological, materialism that predominates as acceptable myth in this land of ours.

Haven't we learned yet, that every commandment of our God and King is despised by the Media, the elite and the power hungry? And yet, we have only to consider what happened to the Church of Jesus Christ in Communist China! What glorious chapters in the history of the Church have been lived out in the context of such a society that is already some decades "ahead" of our own! Should we wonder that the humanists of the Orient have been covertly funding the political process during our elections? While I do not necessarily worry myself about international conspiracies, the Devil certainly manages to recruit all of the right people who share his disdain for everyone and everything that is Holy!

I once imagined a short discussion with an avid feminist who deplored the spineless men who have allowed Western Civilization to be overthrown in this century. You can be sure that when the New Aquarian Age blossoms that there will be no charity to the opposition! We may look at the last hundred years in dismay and wonder why the Christian leaders did not defend their civilization better. May I suggest, however humbly that the defense offered in the spirit of our catechism has been the greatest glory of any civilization. Those of us in the West, who have known Christ have not executed our political enemies, we have not tortured those who have opposed us, we have not stolen the wealth of those who would overturn every good thing that came out of the Reformation. Why, because it was the Christian thing to do! And in the historic context, if I have just written the obituary of Western Civilization - its passing will be sourly missed! You can bet that the politically correct crowd will not limit itself by any mere commandments of the God of heaven!

And perhaps, in their coming to power the second coming will be all the more closer in realization. Come Lord Jesus, Come quickly! Amen.

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Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
Westminster Shorter Catechism Series