Articles
Let's Be Careful
Let’s Be Careful
By Mike Willis
“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people” (Exod. 22:28).
Christians generally remember and obey the third of the Ten Commandments: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exod. 20:7).
Unfortunately, the second half of Exodus 22:28 is not so widely respected. Sometimes we Christians speak of our political servants with the same lack of civility so widespread in American politics. Solomon warned of the danger of such speech: “Do not curse the king, even in your thought; . . . For a bird of the air may carry your voice, And a bird in flight may tell the matter” (Eccl. 10:20). Then government might use its tools to stifle or punish such speech.
When the Apostle Paul was defending himself before the Jewish council, he said, “Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day” (Acts 23:1). Upon hearing this sentence, the High Priest Ananias commanded those who stood by Paul to smite him on the mouth. Paul responded, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! For you sit to judge me according to the law, and do you command me to be struck contrary to the law?” (Acts 23:3). Paul called the High Priest a hypocrite. Those who stood nearby said, “Do you revile God’s high priest?” Paul responded, “I did not know, brethren, that he was the high priest; for it is written, ‘You shall not speak evil of a ruler of your people’” (Acts 23:5). Although what Paul said was true, he had disrespected the ruler of his people.
More temperate speech by all of our public servants and their supporters would be welcomed, or soon we will just be the States of America, not the United States of America. God forbid that we have another Civil War.
