‘Line in the sand’: defiant pastor plans July 4 beach service after town’s denial of permit

Matthew Eastland wrote: “My primary purpose was to show how there is no biblical basis for defying governmental authority or fomenting rebellion.

So far, no one since then has disagreed with the substance of that.”

Matthew,

I disagreed with it, but I don’t have time to say everything twice. You can find my comments on the thread about the revolution.

Then we can have fun discussing it there.

Eventually we’ll get to the actual biblical reasoning, I first was covering the correct historic information that most people don’t seem to know.

From Principles and Practices for Baptist Churches, by Edward Hiscox (1899):

Civil governments, rulers and magistrates are to be respected, and in all temporal matters, not contrary to conscience and the word of God, to be obeyed; but they have no jurisdiction in spiritual concerns, and have no right of dictation to, or control over, or of interference with, matters of religion; but are bound to protect all good citizens in the peaceable enjoyment of their religious rights and privileges.

This Pastor is seeking controversy. He is out of line. He seems more zealous to defend the secular American Constitution than the word of God. I understand the sentiment, but our authority is Scripture, not the Constitution.

[TylerR]

This Pastor seems to be inviting persecution, rather than encountering it in the normal course of ministry.

That would be a better word!