December 19, 2019 – Dr. Paul Michael Raymond
Whenever God’s people fail to influence the culture with the Truth of Holy Writ, a cultural vacuum is created allowing secularists and tyrants to gain control by filling that vacuum. The Church’s retreat from their God given responsibly for societal involvement allows the wicked to construct an anti-Christian, anti-liberation paradigm. Once that paradigm is accepted by the populace as normal, tyranny gains a foothold over the people. The constant propaganda cries that ‘guns kill people’ and that there needs to be a restriction on guns for the “safety of our children” has polluted the American mind. Say something over and over and people start to believe it even though it makes no sense whatsoever. Such is the situation in Virginia and it is quickly manifesting itself across the rest of the country.
As a result of the Church’s silence in political matters, Virginia’s legislative branches of government have been taken over by the wickedness of men who seek to be as God deciding for themselves what is right and what is wrong and what is ‘best’ for the people. This year’s elections shifted the balance of power in both legislative branches of government in the Commonwealth. A minority of Libertines surrounding the densely populated liberal cities in Northern Virginia, around Washington DC, and Richmond has designated themselves the “Supreme Pontiff” in matters of tyranny, and they are determined to strip the citizens of Virginia of their God given liberties beginning with the encroachment upon the state’s constitutional 2nd amendment rights.
In a bold (and I must add foolish) attempt to violate Virginia’s state constitution concerning the right to keep and bear arms, the state’s tyrannical left have declared heavy restrictions on gun owners with the end goal of confiscating certain fire arms from its citizens. What the left fails to understand is that they have awakened a sleeping giant, and he is furious.
Virginia is one of 44 states that have embedded in their constitution the right of its citizens to bear arms,
The Virginia State Constitution declares,
“That a well regulated militia, composed of the body of the people, trained to arms, is the proper, natural, and safe defense of a free state, therefore, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed; …”
This last clause, “the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed..” however was not added until 1971. It was added to make perfectly clear what the phrase, “a well regulated militia” means. It clearly means citizens of the Commonwealth.
There is a weird irony to this entire situation. It was in Virginia during the days of the tyranny of King George III and the British Parliament that the Colonists realized that if they were deprived of their weapons of defense they would become slaves to the British tyrants. The tyrants knew that if they could not confiscate the Colonist’s means of self defense they would fail in their attempt at a bloodless coup. And so the race to confiscate arms began. Providentially by the Grace of God the colonists kept their defensive weapons and were able to finally secure their liberties. America’s freedom was insured by the second amendment principle, and it was in Virginia that that principle originated and thereby enshrined.
Virginia’s own Thomas Jefferson had this to say,
“The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of tyrants.”
Patrick Henry added,
“…[W]e shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God Who presides over the destinies of nations; and Who will raise up friends to fight our battle for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave…”
Recently Virginia has become a hotbed of more than simple discussion and debate over second amendment rights. Virginians have begun to act. With the renewed threat of gun registration, restriction and the looming possibility of confiscation, Virginians have galvanized, and perhaps without even realizing, have resurrected the long forgotten doctrine of Interposition by the lesser magistrate.
Interposition is “that calling of God which causes one too step into the gap – willingly placing oneself between the oppressor and his intended victim…The lesser magistrate demonstrates the doctrine of interposition by placing himself between the tyrant or bad law – and the people. Trewhella, The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate, p5
Historically, the seat of real power actually lies in the local government and not in the State or Federal. The county Sheriff is the executor; the Supervisors are the legislatures, and the Commonwealth Attorney in conjunction with the judges of the county act as the judiciary branch of the locality. These three branches hold tremendous power against any unjust laws or unlawful encroachments upon the freedom of its citizens. These have the legitimate authority to deny the enforcement of any unjust laws in the realm of their jurisdiction as lesser magistrates. Whenever such threats arise, as they did in the colonies during the late 1700s, the local government can position themselves between the tyrant and their people.
The situation in Virginia is not only frighteningly reminiscent of the late 1700s, but weirdly ironic since the state of Virginia’s motto is ‘Sic Semper Tyrannis’ (Always Death to Tyrants) which was adopted in 1776 in light of Virginia taking the lead against the tyranny of men who would be king, like George and his parliament. Virginia’s official state seal depicts a warrior woman of virtue, holding a spear and stomping on a Caesar with his crown far removed from his head. The motto was originally suggested by George Mason to the Virginia convention as part of Virginia’s philosophical roots and remains its motto and symbol today. Perhaps those in Richmond should reconsider what they are proposing since they are preparing to violate their own state constitution which they swore to uphold. (But I digress).
As of this post more than 77 Virginia counties have declared themselves 2nd Amendment sanctuary counties. Many towns and cities across the Commonwealth have also declared. The response has been overwhelming with hundreds and hundreds of law abiding citizens packing the chambers of local government to make their voices known that they will not allow such an encroachment upon their constitutional freedoms to be enforced. More counties are voting this week. All of us need to take note of what is happening in Virginia because if this is not successfully challenged here you can be sure it is coming to a city near you. You can keep track of developments here. http://VA2nd.com
So what can be done at this point?
Sadly, whatever we do now may be too little too late and yet, the situation is not hopeless. The great Puritan Samuel Rutherford said this,
That power which is contrary to [just] law, and is evil and tyrannical, can tie none to subjection, but is mere tyrannical power and unlawful; and if it tie none to subjection, it may be lawfully resisted. Rutherford, Lex Rex, p141
The first thing we must understand is that the right to keep and bear arms as stated in the 2nd Amendment does not originate from the Bill of Rights or from State constitutions. The organic source of man’s right to keep and bear arms comes from God’s Word. It is a divine right of man given by the Creator God! We find countless examples of what happens to a people when they are deprived of their weapons of defense against a hostile government. In the book of the Judges we find men and women resorting to the use of plough shares, axes, mattocks, ox goads, tent pegs and, in one instance, the jaw bone of an ass to defend themselves and their people against tyrannical governments. The loss of defensive weapons also deprived the people of the skillful use of those weapons since there were none to be found under the tyrannical nations.
1Sa 13:19 Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel: for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears: 20 But all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. 21 Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. 22 So it came to pass in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan…
Consider the following recommendations as a tactical approach to influencing our culture and securing our freedom:
- Make sure you are a member of a church community that is Biblically based and not afraid to be politically vocal and active. All members, especially the minister, must be culturally involved in their community. Church isolationism is not acceptable. That is what has gotten us in this mess already.
- Introduce yourself and your minister to your elected officials locally and state wide. Remember your pastor is an ecclesiastic magistrate which means he is an officer of the church. That is a powerful position. He needs to know how to use that power for good.
- Start going to local county supervisor or city council meetings. Know what is going on. Ask questions offer commentary. Be visible!
If you find that a local legislator is not voting Biblically, call him or her out on it. If they ignore you, do what you can to get them out of office.
- Run candidates that are Biblically grounded or run for a local office yourself.
- Get to know your local sheriff and commonwealth attorney. Give them reading materials. Bring them cookies at Christmas and Easter. Befriend them if possible. Support them in their work provided they are functioning properly.
- Develop trusting relationships with local officials AND local businessmen.
Ask questions. Get a feel of what is important to the people of your community. Listen first. Then offer possible solutions. Be the voice of sobriety and wisdom.
- Know your state reps. Go to the state house and visit them. Know where they are coming from as far as their worldview. If they seem to be anti-Biblical make a note of it and begin praying imprecatory prayers against them. Remember politicians respond to only two things; Pleasure and pain. When they do right, support them (pleasure). When they do wrong, do all that you can to make their political life difficult. (Pain)
- Educate the populace. Write letters to the editor. Publish tracts, pamphlets, blog posts, et al. Use every means possible to educate the people as to what is going on and what must be done about it.
- Most counties have ministerial associations. Attend those meetings. Get your pastor involved. Pay attention to what the focus is and then offer a wider scope of involvement. Don’t be discouraged when you find that most churches are ignorant of their political responsibility.
A final note of extreme importance: The Kingdom of God cannot be advanced through political means. Politics and righteous governance is only one area of importance that we must influence for the Glory of God. The Kingdom of God is advanced through the declaration of the Word of God, His Law and His ordinances, which must infiltrate and dominate every area of the societal order including, but not limited to, politics.
These are just a few suggestions
that you can begin to implement in your local community. The power of change
lies in the localities. Become the voice of God in your community.
For more information about what is happening here in VA: https://www.vcdl.org/
Rev. Dr. Paul Michael Raymond is the
pastor of the Reformed Bible Church in Central Virginia @ Appomattox, the dean
of The New Geneva Christian Leadership Academy and chairman of the Appomattox Republican Committee of the 5th
district. You can contact Dr. Raymond at
pastor@hisglory.us
