Gov. Bill Haslam meets with state regulators in August 2013. (Photo Tn.gov/governor)
For us, it’s over in Wisconsin. The federal courts have ruled that this decision by this court of appeals *** is the law of the land and we will be upholding it.”
— Gov. Scott Walker
[I have been considering our situation in Tennessee regarding the flood of moves in federal courts to redefine marriage. Last night at Trail Life USA I talked with a lawyer about the propensity of everyone in contact with an attorney to hold that supreme court rulings are law, pursuant to that early claim in Marbury v. Madison that the U.S. supreme court has power of judicial review, or final say. Yes, he says, high court opinions are seen as “vacating” or “deleting” existing law, even if those laws are not directly in view of the litigation upon which the opinion is rendered. Some county clerks across the U.S. have licensed and recorded homosexual unions even though their state has a still-standing constitutional provision for marriage — they are acting not under law, but under the power of gay theory, law be damned. In other words, trends and opinions control, not laws, duly amended constitutions or measures passed by the people’s representatives.
[What about governors’ and clerks’ oath of office? Are these magistrates free to not honor oaths to uphold laws that remain on the books after the smoke clears from another gay opinion from Washington or an appellate court circuit? Do clerks perjure themselves in OK’ing a marriage license when they “know” such is a falsehood and that two men can not be a man and wife? Can a governor or county clerk who is a professing Christian agree to yield on gay rights? Is he sinning to do so? Or is he sinning to refuse to do so? Do I have a remedy by which to attempt to uphold law? Would there be public support for you, or for Hamilton County Bill Knowles, if we fought to uphold the law in Tennessee? The spiritual condition of Christendom is today in view as 32 states are “gay rights” friendly by federal edict or election. Christendom in Wisconsin has compromised, we saw this week. God’s people do not support vigorous action to defend in that state the crown rights of Jesus Christ and of His grand and beneficent standard for human conduct. What about in Tennessee? — DJT]
By Matt Trewhella
MILWAUKEE, Wisc. — Christians in Wisconsin have squandered a great opportunity to defend marriage against a federal government that is bent on imposing the filth of homosexuality upon the people of our state. Rather than demand that Gov. Scott Walker defend our state constitution regarding marriage, they have decided to give him a pass.
I have been excoriated by other Christians and Christian leaders for taking Gov. Walker to task for his failure to speak forthrightly regarding marriage as revealed in Scripture and defend our state constitution. They want me to shut up lest a rival candidate, Mary Burke, wins election. Let me make my case for why they are wrong.
First, we should be principled people. Principled people don’t compromise with evil just as the French Resistance refused to compromise with Hitler. Homosexual marriage should not be tolerated, nor should a people bow their necks to federal tyrants that want to impose such evil upon them.
Christian people should demand of their governor to defy the federal tyrant. They should make it known to him that they will not vote for him unless he does defend marriage and our state constitution. They should obtain his word that he will in fact defend the constitution and defy the federal tyrants.
Why should they demand this and obtain his word to do it? Because, as shocking as this may sound to present day American Christianity, the magistrates have the duty to defend the law and Word of God. Romans 13 is clear on this point. Verse 4 plainly declares that “he is God’s minister; an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.”
Verse 3 states that “rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil.” Homosexual acts are evil. Saying two homosexuals can marry is evil. When the higher civil authority tries to impose evil upon the people, the lower or lesser civil authorities have a right and are duty bound not to join the higher authority in their rebellion against God.
If evil imposed, what steps might we take?
Hence, when the federal government imposes evil upon the people of our state, interposition by the civil authorities in our state is needed and necessary.
Gov. Walker refuses to interpose. In fact, he can’t even bring himself to say that marriage is between a man and a woman. In fact, he ordered the Office of Vital Records to process the homosexual marriage licenses which were issued by lawless county clerks. In fact, he has already stated that he will comply with the tyrant federal courts.
A principled people would tell such a man that he will not get their vote.
But because Christians in Wisconsin are not a principled people they instead whimper and say – “But if you don’t vote for Scott Walker, Mary Burke will get elected.”
The saddest part of this whole equation is that if Christians in Wisconsin would be principled people — it would pragmatically result in our state constitution being defended by Gov. Walker and our state officials. But because they put pragmatics before principle, the result will be that our state constitution regarding marriage will be trampled.
On principle we should have told Gov. Walker we will not vote for him because of our love for Christ and our fealty to God’s law and Word. On principle we should have told Scott Walker we will not vote for him because he refuses to do his duty and execute wrath on evil. The result would have been a pragmatic victory – he would have defended our constitution. Why? Because Scott Walker needs our votes to win the election.
As Christians concede, a pol panders
But because Christians in Wisconsin are unprincipled and have embraced pragmatics by giving Scott Walker a pass in his utter failure to do his God-given duty and defy the federal tyrant and defend our state constitution – Scott Walker is now free to pander to the homosexuals and their supporters. And he is.
He already knows he has the votes of the Christians, hence he is now busy pandering to the homosexuals to secure votes. Understand that Scott Walker could not win without the votes of the Christians. But the Christians have betrayed Christ at the altar of ‘the lesser of two evils’ – the Christians have given him a pass. And they don’t mind spitting in Christ’s face while they do it. If the Christians of Wisconsin had stood in fealty to Christ and on principle refused to vote for a man who can’t even bring himself to say that marriage is between a man and a woman, not to mention will not defend our state constitution, Scott Walker would have given his word to defy the federal tyrant and defend marriage in our state.
Instead we have given power through law to men who practice evil.
Matt Trewhella is the pastor of Mercy Seat Christian Church (MercySeat.net) and the founder of Missionaries to the Preborn (MissionariesToPreborn.com). He and his wife, Clara, reside in the Milwaukee, Wisc., area and have 11 children. He is the author of the important book, The Doctrine of the Lesser Magistrate.
See David Tulis’ slight essay, If county clerk caves under gay ruling, citizen ‘relators’ given authority to oust him. David hosts Nooganomics.com at Hot News Talk Radio 910 1190 and 1240 from 1 to 3 p.m. weekdays, covering local economy and free markets here and beyond.
