Righteousness Exalts a Nation
081005 Righteousness Exalts a Nation
Tim Franklin
Introduction:
· Today is the International Day of Prayer for Israel.
· How many of you watched the VP’s debate this past Thursday night?
o Our country is now entering one of the most somber seasons in its history, ever.
§ There are intense stirrings of prophetic proportions moving the hearts of children and adults alike. Often those stirrings go unnoticed or denied because of busy lives. It is interesting the signs that nature present to us at the changing of seasons and the sudden unexpected changes of storms, earthquakes, winds and the like. Lk 12:54,56
§ Stuart pointed out last week that the visible increase of sin in a nation is a sign that the people are rejecting the covenant of God.
§ Pray for me, as I desire to preach into the elections, not to tell you who to vote for but to restore to you the foundation on which our nation was established and to encourage you to the support the candidates that build on that foundation and to go so far as to begin a grassroots movement to remove those who do not.
o I wanted to present this message today while the children are with us. Not stir fear but to stir in them a hope and a sense of responsibility that will extend beyond the local church.
· We are going to learn a scripture together today. Prov. 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. NIV
· Every child 12 and under to stand. How many of you have a dollar or quarter in your hand? Get it out. Who does not have a dollar or a quarter in your hand? Whose picture is on that coin or bill? Keep that in your hand as we will look at it several times, today.
1. Righteousness Exalts
a. What is righteousness?
i. Definition:
1. Hebrew: tsidqah(Aramaic) — right-doing, doing right, righteousness (from The Online Bible Thayer's Greek Lexicon and Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, Copyright © 1993, Woodside Bible Fellowship, Ontario, Canada. Licensed from the Institute for Creation Research.)
2. Greek: dikaion—upright, keeping the commands of God, acceptable to God.
3. Purity of heart, the conformity of the heart of the Divine Law of God. Holy principles and affections of the heart. Forming your heart to God’s heart.
4. It is what God is after in the heart of humanity.
ii. In beliefs, God wants us to think like He thinks. Is 55:8,9 “My thoughts are not your thoughts…”
iii. In actions, God wants us to act according to His word. James 2:22-24Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness."And he was called the friend of God.You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. NKJV Even demons believe in God and they tremble.
b. Exalts
i. Definition:
1. Heb. Ruwm--To rise, to rise up, to be set on high. To be raised, to be caused to lift up.
2. It implies movement of a thing, therefore a sudden movement of a process that progressively lifts up.
ii. Righteousness lifts up a nation or causes a nation to be lifted up suddenly or over a given period of time. Right choices lift up a nation. Right choices will lift you up. Do not be afraid to live for what is right, even if it costs you. God is a God of justice and He will reward your obedience. Being lifted up is part of the reward! Personally and corporately.
iii. Ie. Illustration by putting child on shoulders. Was that fun? Part of your reward!
iv. Dt. 26:17-17 Doing right exalts/raises a nation.
c. Whose picture is on the bill/coin in your hand?! George Washington! Let me tell you some things about the man who is pictured on that dollar bill or silver coin. See Christian History and Biography Issue 99 pages 8-13 for reference.
i. In his inaugural address he thanked God for His past guidance and sought his favor for the nation’s future.
ii. In his farewell address as president he argued that religion (Christianity) and morality (good character) were the very pillars of the new republic.
iii. His very fears as well as those of the founding fathers were this: “If religion (Christianity) was voluntary, would citizens still act in the morally upright ways that were crucial to a Republics (a commonwealth were the exercise of sovereign power is lodged in representatives elected by the people) success?
1. He argued that popular government depended upon virtuous citizens and in America that meant Christianity.
2. He frequently asserted that religion (Christianity) helped promote virtue, order, and social stability. And he praised churches for helping make people “sober, honest, and good Citizens and the obedient subjects of a lawful government.”
iv. Many would argue that George Washington was not a Christian. Let’s look at some facts:
1. George Washington was raise in the Anglican Church and maintained a lifelong relationship with it.
2. As General he required his soldiers to attend Sunday worship.
3. After every victory they held Thanks Giving services.
4. As President he attended church almost every Sunday.
5. His letters to friends frequently contain quotations from the scriptures.
6. He believed that God controlled events.
7. He always appealed in prayer to the “All powerful Providence” (Meaning G0d)
8. During the War for Independence he asked for and acknowledge God’s guidance hundreds of times.
9. Because of his understanding of God he actively encouraged people revere, worship and obey God.
10. In 1794 in his address to Congress he asserted, “Let us unite..in imploring the supreme Ruler of nations” to protect the United States. He urged Americans to confess their corporate sin. And He also set aside days for national Thanksgiving as almost all his successors.
v. Righteousness Exalts a nation! Prov. 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a disgrace to any people. NIV
d. Daniel 4:26-33 Nebuchadnezzar falls.
2. Responsibility
a. If righteousness exalts a nation then we have the responsibility to see that we and our nation live accordingly.
i. IE. It was Winston Churchill who said, “The price of greatness is responsibility!” September 6th, 1943 Harvard Graduate School of Business. Listen the following quotes by important American historical figures.
ii. The Rev. Matthias Burnet (1803) Finally, ye . . . whose high prerogative it is to . . . invest with office an authority or to withhold them and in whose power it is to save or destroy your country, consider well the important trust . . . which God . . . [has] put into your hands. To God and posterity you are accountable for them. . . . Let not your children have reason to curse you for giving up those rights and prostrating those institutions which your fathers delivered to you.
iii. The Rev. Charles Finney (1830s) “The Church must take right ground in regard to politics. . . . [T]he time has come that Christians must vote for honest men and take consistent ground in politics. . . . Christians have been exceedingly guilty in this matter. But the time has come when they must act differently. . . . God cannot sustain this free and blessed country which we love and pray for unless the Church will take right ground. . . . It seems sometimes as if the foundations of the nation are becoming rotten, and Christians seem to act as if they think God does not see what they do in politics. But I tell you He does see it, and He will bless or curse this nation according to the course [Christians] take [in politics].”
iv. The Rev. Frederick Douglass (1852) “[I] have one great political idea. . . . That idea is an old one. It is widely and generally assented to; nevertheless, it is very generally trampled upon and disregarded. The best expression of it, I have found in the Bible. It is in substance, “Righteousness exalteth a nation; sin is a reproach to any people” [Proverbs 14:34]. . . This constitutes my politics – the negative and positive of my politics, and the whole of my politics. . . . I feel it my duty to do all in my power to infuse this idea into the public mind, that it may speedily be recognized and practiced upon by our people.”
b. How do we take responsibility?
i. Take responsibility and confess that you are part of the problem. We basically have received the leaders we deserve, because we have rejected the ways of God and embrace the notion of free choice.
iii. Teach your children how to value their nation and to value their governmental responsibility as a citizen.
iv. Represent Kingdom Values in your choices, because Proverbs 14:34 says, “Righteousness exalts a nation…
v. Know that you cannot control everything but you can control your response and contribute to the right answer and direction.
vi. Take action and vote accordingly and be a voice that your representatives and senators hear from.
c. Actions have consequences!
i. Ie. Responsibility to catch your friend. Choose two children: one will be the catcher (the government) the other will be the people (American Citizens). It is the catcher’s job to make sure the people stand.
1. Push them off balance-friend holds them up.
2. Push them over—friend catches them.
3. The people empower the catcher to do what they are asked to do.
3. Reward
a. Prov. 14:34 Righteousness exalts a nation…
i. It lifts it up. Right living rewards a nation.
b. Dt. 28:1-ff from the message Bible. Projection of the passage.
c. Declare a Fast—God Have Mercy!
i. Oct. 14-Nov. 23. Eat on election evening.
ii. First week soup.
iii. Second week green leafy salads.
iv. Broth/bullion, bread and grape juice. Finish with family communion.
v. Children are to eat good breakfasts and lunches. Let family meal time be one that is focused on the fast. Everyone should go to bed touched by hunger remembering the Lord and the night’s devotional thoughts.
vi. We will supply you with a daily focus consisting of: scripture reading, prayer target, American history nugget or thought.
vii. Parents are encourage to speak/teach children about the responsibilities of American Citizens and the values we hold. You can teach/talk about the different branches of government, about what our founding fathers believed (www.wallbuilders.com), or how God exalts a nation.
Conclusion:
· Give and invitation to the people to commit their lives to Christ.
Congress, the Culture, and Christian Voting
(1992-2006)
David Barton
©2007
I. On many current cultural and pro-family issues, polling numbers show that public support is
high, but voting numbers show that the support in Congress is much lower. For example:
A. Prohibiting federal courts from removing “Under God” in the Pledge
1. Public support: 91%, 1 thereby giving it public bi-partisan support (approximately
28% of the nation identifies as Republican, 33% as Democrat, and 38% as thirdparty
or independent 2)
2. In the vote on HR 2389 (Pledge Protection Act of 2006, introduced by Rep. Todd
Akin of Missouri), only 60% of House Members voted for it 3 – certainly much
lower than the 91% of the nation that supports it
3. In that vote, 96% of Republicans voted to preserve “under God” from the hands
of activist judges, but only 19% of Democrats did so 4
4. The measure passed the House but was not taken up by Senate 5
B. Permitting public displays of the Ten Commandments
1. Public support is at 76%, 6 thereby giving it public bi-partisan support
2. In the vote on The Aderholt Amendment in which Rep. Robert Aderholt’s (of
Alabama) bill, HR 1501, “The Ten Commandments Defense Act,” was inserted as
language within another bill), only 57% of House Members voted for it 7
3. 93% of Republicans voted for the Ten Commandments amendment but only 27%
of Democrats 8
4. That measure passed the House but was not taken up by Senate 9
C. Authorizing faith-based programs
1. Currently, in government-run prisons (state or federal), the average recidivism rate is
68% 10(meaning that 68% of inmates, within three years of their release from prison,
will commit a crime that will place them back in prison); however, in faith-based
prisons (currently operating in about a dozen states 11) such as the ones in Texas, the
recidivism rate is only 8% 12 (a rate that is 88% lower than government-run prisons).
Consider the effect of this not only in reduced spending and crime but also in
strengthening the family, since an exstimated 1.5 million children presently have at
least one parent in prison 13
2. Currently, in government-run drug rehab programs (state or federal), the average
cure rate is under 20%;14 however, in faith-based drug rehab programs such as
Teen Challenge, the cure rate is over 70% 15
3. Public support for faith-based programs is at 75%, 16 thereby giving it public bipartisan
support
4. In the vote on HR 7 (Community Solutions Act), only 54% of House Members
voted for that measure 17
2
5. 98% of Republicans voted for it but only 7% of Democrats 18
6. The measure passed the House but was not taken up by the Senate 19
D. Permitting voluntary school prayer
1. Public support is at 76%, 20 thereby giving it public bi-partisan support
2. The vote on HJ Res 78 (Community Life Amendment): only 52% of House
Members voted for it 21
3. 87% of Republicans voted for it but only 13% of Democrats 22
E. Defining marriage as being one man and one woman
1. Opposition to same sex marriage is at 66%, 23 thereby giving public bi-partisan
support in support of traditional marriage
2. In the Senate, on the vote to address The Federal Marriage Amendment (SJ Res 1)
to define marriage as the union of a man and a woman, only 49% of Senators
voted in support of that definition 24
3. 85% of Republican Senators voted for it but only 5% of Democratic Senators 25
4. In the House vote on HJ Res 88 (The Federal Marriage Amendment), only 55% of
House Members voted for it 26
5. 87% of House Republicans voted for it but only 16% of Democrats 27
F. Repealing the anti-family Death Tax (also called the Estate Tax, or Inheritance Tax)
(see Proverbs 13:22, Ezekiel 46:18, Proverbs 19:14, I Chronicles 28:8, Ezra 9:12,
etc.)
1. Public opposition to the tax is 68%, thereby giving public bi-partisan support for
its repeal
2. In the vote on HR 8 (Estate Tax Repeal Act), only 57% of voted for its repeal 28
3. 96% of Republicans voted to repeal it but only 9% of Democrats 29
4. The measure passed the House but 30 failed in the Senate 31
G. Repealing the Marriage Penalty Tax
1. Public support to repeal that anti-family policy is 80%, 32 thereby giving public
bi-partisan support to rid the nation of this onerous measure
2. In the vote on HR 4810 (Marriage Tax Penalty Relief Act), 87% of Republicans
voted for it but only 16% of Democrats voted to stop penalizing marriage 33
H. Controlling the Supreme Court
1. The Supreme Court and the federal courts in general are the primary cause for the
culture war. Consider: while no legislature has passed a law permitting abortionon-
demand, it has become national policy via a Supreme Court decision; 34
similarly, no legislature has prohibited voluntary school prayer but that
prohibition has become national policy via Supreme Court decisions;35 the same
is true on numerous other cultural issues.
2. The Supreme Court’s own Justices have described the Court as “a super board of
education for every school district in the nation,”36 “a national theology board,”37
3
and amateur psychologists on a “psycho-journey.”38 Far too many of the nation’s
current policies on criminal justice, education, morality, etc., are not the result of
legislative action but rather of judicial decrees.
3. 77% of the nation thinks that courts have overreached in driving religion out of
public life, and 59% believe that they have singled out Christianity for attack, 39
thereby giving public bi-partisan support to efforts to restrain judicial activism
4. Two strict-constructionists, John Roberts and Samuel Alito, were nominated to
the Supreme Court as part of the effort to restrain judicial activism
5. Public support for Alito’s confirmation was 54% 40 and for Roberts’ was 60%, 41
thereby giving them public bi-partisan support
6. The vote on Alito’s confirmation was 98% of Republicans, 9% of Democrats; 42 and
the vote on the Roberts confirmation was 100% of Republicans, 50% of
Democrats 43
II. Why is Congress so far out of step with the people on so many cultural issues, frequently
demonstrating a level for those issues that is 20 to 30% lower than the public support?
President James A. Garfield (the 20th President, and a minister of the Gospel during
the Second Great Awakening) answered this question in 1876:
“Now, more than ever before, the people are responsible for the character of their
Congress. If that body be ignorant, reckless, and corrupt, it is because the people
tolerate ignorance, recklessness, and corruption. If it be intelligent, brave, and pure, it
is because the people demand these high qualities to represent them in the national
legislature. . . . [I]f the next centennial does not find us a great nation . . . it will be
because those who represent the enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the nation
do not aid in controlling the political forces.” 44
The Church probably better represents the “enterprise, the culture, and the morality of the
nation” than any other group, but it has not “aided in controlling the political forces”
III. Christian voting
A. There are three types of Christian voters in polling
1. Christian voters – largest group; this is the group that simply self-identifies as
(i.e., calls themselves) Christians
2. Born-again voters – a Christian voter who says he has had a life-changing experience
with Jesus Christ; 45 a smaller group than that of Christian voters
3. Evangelical voters – a born-again voter who also believes the Bible is important
and who attends church, prays, and reads the Bible at least once a week; 46 this is
the group of Christians that take their faith most seriously
B. Christian voting patterns
1. 1992-1996: a 17% decrease in Christians who voted
2. 1996-2000: an additional 23% decrease in Christians who voted
3. 1992-2000: a 40% total decrease in Christians who voted
a. There are 60 million evangelicals in America 47
4
b. Only 15 million evangelicals voted in 2000 48
c. Some 24 million (40%) evangelicals are not even registered to vote 49
C. 2002 efforts
1. In the 2002 election, following the dramatic drop in 1992-2000, national evangelical
leaders widely urged Christians to register, vote, and vote their values
2. The national efforts resulted in 2% increase in Christian voter turnout
3. Even that percentage resulted in dramatic improvements, which were visible in
exit polling on the abortion issue
a. 41% of all voters said the abortion issue impacted their vote
b. 23% said they voted a straight pro-life ticket
c. 16% said they voted a straight pro-abortion ticket
d. This resulted in a 7% advantage for a pro-life candidate (it had been some years
since most federal candidates had an advantage by being openly pro-life 50)
e. The results were visible in those elected to Congress
i. Of the 54 Freshmen elected to the U. S. House, 36 were pro-life – a 67%
pro-life class 51 (anything over 50.1% is moving forward)
ii. Of 10 Freshmen elected to the U. S. Senate, 8 were pro-life – an 80% prolife
class 52 (the Senate is where the help is most needed)
7. Legislative impact
a. Based on the logic of President Garfield (as well as that of Proverbs 29:2), if
pro-life voters elect pro-life legislators, the logical result would be that they
would begin to get pro-life legislation
b. Since the Roe v. Wade Court decision in 1973, Congress had not reduced the
scope of abortions or the type of abortions performed but instead restricted
only money
i. Congress regularly defeats the Sanchez Amendment that would fund
abortions on military bases 53
ii. Congress regularly enacts the Hyde Amendment that prohibits federal
funds from being used for abortions 54
iii. Congress regularly enacts the Mexico City policy that prohibits foreign aid
monies from going to groups that perform abortions overseas 55
c. The 2002 Congress became the first to pass not just one but three bills that
protected unborn human life; all three were signed by President Bush
i. Infant Born-Alive Protection Act 56
ii. Unborn Victims of Violence Act 57
iii. Partial-Birth Abortion Ban 58
D. 2004 efforts
5
1. National evangelical leaders continued to widely urge voter registration, voter
turnout, and Christians voting their values 59
2. Those efforts resulted in a 93% increase in Christian voter turnout (28.9 million
evangelicals voted, 60 up 93% from the 15 million that voted in 2000; of course,
28.9 million of the 60 million still means that under half of evangelicals are
voting, but this still is a dramatic increase over 2000)
3. The effect was reflected in exit polling on the abortion issue
a. 42% of all voters said the abortion issue impacted their vote 61
b. 25% said they voted a straight pro-life ticket 62
c. 13% said they voted a straight pro-abortion ticket 63
d. This resulted in a 12% advantage for pro-life candidates
e. The results were visible in those elected to Congress
i. Of 40 Freshmen elected to the U. S. House, 25 were pro-life 64 (a 63%
pro-life class)
ii. Of 9 Freshmen elected to the U. S. Senate, 7 were pro-life 65 (a 77% prolife
class)
E. Overall effects of the past two elections
1. Not only have a number of pro-life, pro-faith, and pro-family legislators been elected
to Congress but the change has been especially visible in the Senate
2. Over the last two elections, of the 19 Freshman Senators elected, 15 have been
pro-life – a 79% pro-life group
3. It has been the addition of these new pro-life Senators that has allowed the
confirmation of two new pro-life Justices to the U. S. Supreme Court – something
that likely would not have happened had not Christians showed up in the past two
election cycles and voted their values
4. Those two new Justices have already had a significant impact on a number of
Biblical and pro-family issues, including a pro-life Court ruling that ended a 1981
policy wrongly used to prosecute pro-life protestors, 66 upholding the ban on
partial-birth abortions, 67 a refusal to hear a challenge to the Defense of Marriage
Act (a federal law defining marriage as being the union of a man and a woman for
federal purpose), 68 and a decision to uphold a public display of the Ten
Commandments 69 – the Court’s first favorable ruling on such displays in 27 years
5. Only one more such Justice is needed to place five solid votes on the Court, thus
potentially ending the federal control of the culture war and returning it back to
the people, where they can direct it through their elected officials
F. 2006 voting efforts
1. There was a 30% decrease in Christian voter turnout, falling from 28.9 million
evangelicals down to 20.5 million 70
2. The result was clearly visible in the philosophy of those elected to Congress
6
i. Of 54 Freshmen elected to the U. S. House, only 17 were pro-life 71 (a 31%
pro-life class)
ii. Of 10 Freshmen elected to the U. S. Senate, 72 only 1 was pro-life (a 10% prolife
class), and one of those two will not vote for marriage as being only
between a man and a woman
iii. The Baltimore Sun described this Congress as “the most pro-choice Congress
in the history of the Republic” 73
G. Just as Christian voter turnout directly affects policies on life issues, so, too, on issues
related to slowing the promotion of the homosexual agenda
1. The 2006 Congress has been active in promoting the homosexual agenda through
its onerous homosexual hate-crimes bill as well as the Employment Non-
Discrimination Act that would force employers, including churches, to hire
homosexuals
2. While Evangelical voting turnout reaches only at 50% when at its highest,
homosexual men vote at a rate of 92.5% and lesbian women at a rate of 91% 74
H. Clearly, there is a direct correlation between Christian voter turnout and the
percentage of elected leaders who embrace and reflect basic Biblical values
– – – ◊ ◊ ◊ – – –
Many of the above statistics (and their documentation) as well as the historical quotations can be
found in several articles on the WallBuilders website (www.wallbuilders.com) as well as in
WallBuilders resources available from the store on our website.
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