Under Penalty of Death

By:  Pastor Butch Paugh, P.P.P.

www.pastorbutch.com

A nation that once was abundantly prosperous drowns in its own debt.  A nation that was once considered a light on a hill, a place of refuge, a place where the citizens dwelt in peace with their neighbors;  where doors were never locked and children could frolic safely in their neighborhoods have now become communities which are places of vile evil, disorder, chaos and fear.  What happened?  Why the drastic change?  A nation where its citizens once lived in freedom and where all rights were recognized by their form of government as God-given and inviolable and now that once peaceful, prosperous and free society has become engulfed in an atmosphere of fear and dread.  Dread of losing their property and freedom to an all powerful tyranny.  Why?  What happened?  Why did that nation and its society die?  Why did the once unquestioned moral common sense principles that kept this nation on a solid foundation and that guided her through all perils fall into an evil decadence that boggles the minds of all those who can see and understand the destruction around them?  We will endeavor in this brief article to show the “why” of these happenings, and explain how it has happened to many once-great nations and societies in the past.  It is very easily understood by those who wish to understand.

            For those among us who believe that there is only one true God, and that He gave us His word to live by, fully realize that not to obey His commandments is sin, and that sin brings forth death.  (I John 3:4, James 1:15)  We also know that the word teaches us that all men have come short of the glory (perfect will of God), and that there is none righteous in and of himself (Romans 3:23, Romans 3:10-12) and that when men lean unto their own wisdom and understanding, it is always leads to destruction and death.  (Prov. 3:5, Prov. 14:12)  We should praise our Creator that in His divine wisdom and foreknowledge, He provided a way out of man’s ABSOLUTE inability to keep His commandments.  Despite our best effort, without the intervention of His son’s righteous atonement for our sin, we would all be condemned to death.  All flesh must die, of men and animals, BUT after the physical death of man there is an eternal judgment waiting; one unto eternal death, the other unto eternal life.  (Heb. 9:27)  What today’s modern Christians have failed to see, and through their ignorance have allowed to happen, is the fact that God’s commandments also include righteous and severe punishment on evil!  Because we have decided that we could out-god God and be more benevolent in meting out punishment for wrong doing, we have fought to “moderate” His commands on how to punish crime (sin).  We have disobeyed His commandments and destroyed our society!  Because we the people have allowed our “law makers” to sidestep God’s divine laws for punishment of evil doers, we have shifted that righteous judgment from individuals to our nation and society.  Hence, we have, by not obeying God as a society, caused His judgment and righteous wrath to befall the whole nation!  We have literally damned ours and our children’s future to destruction because of our ignorance, apathy, arrogance and rebellion against God’s word.  We leaned unto our own understanding, worshiped the creation by becoming our own gods and developing our own laws and legal system.  You see, my friend, righteous judgment WILL be fulfilled on evil men as individuals or as a whole!  You may say, “Now wait a minute, we are not evil”!  My answer is simply this:  sinning outright or tolerating sin IS evil!  To tolerate sin IS sin.  Simple huh?  Deuteronomy chapters 11, 28, 30 confirms this truth completely!  We as a nation, as a people, were to make certain that righteous judgment is carried out for all men.  Rich or poor, young or old, famous or obscure!  Judgment must be performed righteously and equally for and to all people!  But because we have violated God’s judgments on evil doers such as murderers, rapists, kidnappers, sodomites, lesbians and much more, we have totally damned our nation!  We were commanded to mete out “lawful” punishment so that the people would see it being done, and they would fear to commit such vile acts and we would rid the evil from among us!  (Deut. 13:6-11, Deut 21:18-21, Romans 1:32)

            We have been commanded to purge ourselves (I Cor.5:7, II Tim.2:21).  Christ said that He will purge His people (Matt. 3:12, Heb 1:3, II Pet 1:9).  If His people will not purge themselves and their land from sin, (crimes against God’s law system), He will purge and punish their nation, children and grandchildren (Hosea 4:6)!  Josiah is an example of a righteous leader that obeyed God’s word, and by doing so blessed his people (II Chron. 34).  Unfortunately, this was not usually the case and ultimately Israel sinned beyond redemption.   (See my article titled “To Sin Beyond Redemption” on newswithviews.com)  God himself judged Israel with severe punishment for not purging themselves and their society on many occasions I John 4:4 and Ezek. 24:13-14 are good examples.  There are MANY more!  Ec. 8:11 states the truth very clearly and why evil spreads and how nations place themselves under the death penalty.

            For those who read this article, who do not believe that there is a righteous God who rules in the affairs of men, all I can say is this:  I truly feel sorry for you and your family.  (Ps. 14:1)  For those among you who are willing to hear and accept the truth, you know that what has been written here is true.  This does not mean that we are not to fight and expose evil in ourselves or in our nation.  To not strongly oppose evil is to become part of that evil.  Do not be discouraged my brethren, we WILL win when our Savior says the war is over.  He himself will deal the final blow to all lawlessness (iniquity)!  Believe Joshua 1:9! 

            In closing, I must proclaim with the loudest voice possible that WE have allowed evil to prosper among us, and judgment on this land and us in this world is sure (Gal. 6:7-8).  We have tolerated evil and condoned abominations and even moderated our beliefs in order to go along to get along.  We have wanted to have our ears tickled with smooth things such as “don’t worry, we‘re going to be raptured” or “to sin is okay, once you’re saved you’re always saved”.  (Isaiah 30:10, 5:20, II Tim 4:3).  Because we have placed our trust in man’s government, religious organizations, financial system, and more, we have damned ourselves as a nation.  (Jer. 12:5, Ps. 9:17, Mt. 6:24)

            I say unto ALL!  Quit trusting in man, ANY man!  Without a heart-felt repentance there is NO hope for America!  Men who say they have the answer based solely on man’s wisdom are fools in the eye of God!  To say you believe in our founding fathers writings and work, and condone abortion, human depravity and more is damnable. POLITICIANS CANNOT save us!  ONLY Christ can!  (II Chron.7:14, Ps 127:1, Mt.7:24-27)

            You have read the truth.  The choice is now yours.  CHOOSE WISELY!