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NASB | Acts 20:28 "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 20:28 "Take care and be on guard for yourselves and for the whole flock over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as overseers, to shepherd (tend, feed, guide) the church of God which He bought with His own blood. |
Subject: R, Can you Biblically justify actions? |
Bible Note: EdB You have quoted the following verses: Romans 13 1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 5 Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience' sake. 6 For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. 7 Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (NAS95) 1 Peter 2 13 Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, 14 or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. 15 For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. (NAS95) Would this submission to government also extend to the genocide of native American Indians or the slavely of African Americans? You seem to be operating by the supposition that these scriptures are all-inclusive, in regard to any and all laws. But then again, church-ordained marriages are not illegal. Or are you suggesting that they are? Might you find it remotely possible that the government is capable of evil? In my own case, the penalties incurred by the government could cost my bodily organs or my life. Would I be a righteous servant of God, by sacrificing my blood upon the altar of state government? Are you suggesting that I play the hero to adjust the laws of the land, by valiant and energetic effort? Such an endeavor would likely go well beyond my natural lifespan, and a battle with the government has been contra-indicated to me by medical professionals. - You stated: "Here in Florida for a pastor to legally marry someone a marriage license must exist and the Pastor must have said license in his hands and to sign such. Without that the Pastor would be breaking the law and the marriage would be nonexistent." Pastors are not prohibited from engaging in marriage ceremonies that are not state-ordained, so I view your reference to legal contract marriages as not applicable in my situation. You have offered a great deal of unpleasant possibilities, of what could happen if a marriage is not bound by legal contract, and is merely church-ordained. And I suppose they would be fully applicable when addressing an otherwise healthy marriage couple. You may consider me to be short-sighted if I overlook these possibilities, but i suggest that the immediate future is much more crucial in this particular situation. In other words, all of these scenarios that you offer would become obsolete, if I were to die within the next three years, for lack of medical provisions. Further, the weight of medical financial responsibilities would break a potential marriage partner, and would result in immediate divorce with alimony dues. - I think inparticular of my close friend who is supplied with 900,000 dollars of life-sustaining medications per year. In the next 40 years, his medications will cost close to 40 million dollars. However, if he were to get a job making more than 12,000 dollars per year, his government medical coverage would be rescinded and he would die. Or if he were to get legally married, he would again automatically die. Would his death be good for a marriage? Would the removal of my bodily organs be productive in a marriage, with the wife paying the bill? Insurance carriers do not pay for pre-existing conditions, and the government does not provide medical funding for couples, wherein one spouse is gainfully employed and the other is not. And God forbid if I should fail to fall in love with a female millionaire. What then? Shall I cut off my parents bloodline, by failing to procreate? My brother can't have kids. EdB, I understand the legal concerns that you present, but I consider them nominal when the lifeblood of others is at stake. Thanks for the prayers. Meanwhile, I'll endeavor to fulfill the following scripture, with or without your support. - Genesis 2 24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. 25 And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. (NAS95) - Blessings, Reighnskye |