“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14)
You may recall that Chief Justice Roy Moore, a member of the Supreme Court of Alabama, was removed from that state’s highest court in November 2003 because Moore refused to remove his personal Ten Commandments monument from the state capital building. The monument was removed eventually, but not by Judge Moore.
Then, in June 2005, the Supreme Court of the United States took a position on the Ten Commandments that upset many Jews and Christians. The court ruled that the Ten Commandments could be displayed in public places as long as no religious significance was attached to them.
Later that year, Ron Wexler (a real estate developer from Israel) and Pastor Myles Munroe (Bahamas Faith Ministry International—a Pentecostal organization) organized “The Ten Commandments Commission.” Their stated objective is to elevate the importance of the Ten Commandments by placing monuments, plaques and symbols throughout North America.
Many nationally known preachers, pastors and evangelists are supporting the objectives of the Ten Commandments Commission and together, they are calling for a nationwide Ten Commandments Day on Sunday, May 7, 2006. Thousands of pastors and rabbis have been asked to host special celebrations on that day and to deliver stirring messages centering on the enduring value of the Ten Commandments.
Why are they doing this? I think a number of honest and sincere Americans from all religious backgrounds are concerned about America’s rapid descent into Godlessness. They see degeneracy rapidly overtaking our nation and they know it will not be long before America careens into total anarchy if something is not done to revive our religious values!
Even though I am fully persuaded that the Ten Commandments are extremely important and obligatory, and the goals and purposes of this endeavor might sound like a good idea to most Christians, I cannot support this particular program. Let me clarify the problem and use an illustration to make my point.
I believe everyone reading this Wake Up Report! realizes that the United States has been fighting a so-called war on terror ever since the United States invaded Afghanistan in October 2001. The war on terror significantly escalated in March 2003 when the United States invaded Iraq.
Now that a few years have passed and we understand the issues more clearly, I believe the phrase war on terror has become misleading and inappropriate. Our war on terror has turned out to be a war against certain Moslems who are determined to stop the spread of western decadence. Islamic fundamentalists view the United States as the Great Satan.
They believe we are a nation of infidels and that we are a corrupt and immoral people. They see our foreign policies as self-serving and unfair. To a great extent, the Moslem world forms its attitudes toward the United States when they see American TV programs and movies.
They also see the results of our foreign policies—particularly our contribution to unrest in the Middle East through our support for Israel. They often regard our charity to third world countries as bribery or as “buying influence.”
The point I am making is that the secular term, war on terror, has become a misnomer. The United States is fighting certain Moslem zealots who are willing to die for God’s honor. In other words, the war on terror has become a war against a specific religious ideology and honestly, it should be represented that way.
The United States may think it is fighting a secular war, but let us be clear—our enemy is fighting a religious war. In my opinion, the core conflict in Iraq today centers around religion. Some Moslems want a “church-state” (which is popular among Moslems) and the United States is trying to set up a secular state.
Similarly, the Ten Commandments Commission appears to be after one thing, namely, religious revival and unity. However, with the passage of time, I suspect their endeavor will morph into political power. (Yes, I know I could be wrong.)
Legislative elections in the United States are coming this fall and in two years, we will vote for a new president. Unfortunately, the Ten Commandments Commission has a similar ring to it as Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority. Why am I suspicious? I believe there may be a hidden agenda within the Ten Commandments Commission.
From its inception, the Ten Commandments Commission has not been primarily concerned with what the Ten Commandments actually say. The Ten Commandments are not an icon and should not be used as a banner for political power and influence.
God wrote the Ten Commandments by His own finger and the commandments declare His sovereign will for mankind. If a group of people want to exalt the Ten Commandments by encouraging people to obey them, I could certainly support that!
Think about this for a minute. The Ten Commandments Commission was organized by a Jew and a Christian. I can understand how a Jew would want to uphold the obligatory nature of the Ten Commandments, but I cannot understand how hundreds of Christian leaders can participate in a “Ten Commandments Day” when these same religious leaders teach that the Ten Commandments were nailed to the cross.
I believe our nation is in moral trouble largely because pastors have led their members to believe that the Ten Commandments are no longer obligatory!
How can there be a lawful society when the prevailing theology of that society is lawless? Bible history indicates that once a majority of people within a nation become rebellious toward God’s laws, that nation cannot recover. (See 1 & 2 Kings.) Can sinful man cure his own degeneracy?
America is like a termite damaged house—still standing, but seriously weakened. If China and other nations were not investing heavily (buying our assets) in the United States, this nation would be bankrupt. Our enemies have become more numerous and more powerful than ever before.
As this nation turns further away from God, I guarantee that it will face increasing perplexities. These matters should not surprise us, since they clearly parallel the fall of ancient Israel.
Let me ask you, are the Ten Commandments observed in politics or big business today? Consider the corruption in Washington D.C. that has recently surfaced about the Abrahamoff scandal or the eight-year jail sentence of Congressman Duke Cunningham for bribery.
Consider the corruption that was swirling around the Enron Corporation and the various banks that participated in its fraudulent schemes. Consider the demise of WorldCom and the 25-year jail sentence imposed upon its CEO, Bernard Ebbers.
These situations make me wonder just how much corruption is occurring that we do not know about. Have we come to a moment in United States history when the relentless forces of moral degeneracy, false religion and powerful special interest politics are causing compromise for expedient purposes?
Do we want a decadent nation promoting the Ten Commandments as an icon or do we want a nation that loves and obeys Gods Ten Commandments?
Let me be clear. I do believe this nation would benefit from obeying the Ten Commandments. If people honestly wanted to obey the Ten Commandments, we would have a “Ten Commandments Day” every Saturday. God has commanded mankind, in the fourth commandment, to rest from our work just as He rested from His. (Genesis 2:1–3)
This is why the apostle Paul wrote, “There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters Gods rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.”
