Until Further Titling – Week 2; Covenantal Love
More of a long-time-coming collection of verses and articles, I thought today might be a good day to reflect on the following…
Go to the ant, O sluggard;
consider her ways, and be wise.
Without having any chief,
officer, or ruler,
she prepares her bread in summer
and gathers her food in harvest.
– Proverbs 6:6-8
And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of asking a king (Mortal Gov’t/Authority/Leader) for ourselves.
– 1 Samuel 12:19
We must obey the laws of God, not men.
– Acts 5:29
But the Jews which believed not, (Did Not Accept Christ’s Teaching Of Liberty/Simplicity/Christ Being King) moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, and gathered a company, and set all the city on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down (Their Belief System) are come hither also; Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king,(Authority/Ruler/Government) one Jesus.
– Acts 17:5-7
The Lord sent Paul to the people and to the nations “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me”
– Acts 26:18
And call no [man] your father (Authority – Ruler – Leader) upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
– Matthew 23:9
Live as free [eleutheros] men, yet without using your freedom [eleutheria] as a pretext for evil; but live as servants of God.
– 1 Peter 2:16
His divine power has given us —-everything—- we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, (Free Will / The Right To Choose?/ Liberty) having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires (Mortal Government).
– 2 Peter 1:3
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election (To Liberty). For if you do these things (Liberty), you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
– 2 Peter 1:10-11
They (Men/Gov’t/Leaders/Kings/Politicians) promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.
– 2 Peter 2:19-22
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
– 1 Peter 5:8-9
Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey–whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?
– Romans 6:16
Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms (Governing Authority/Leaders) of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’
– Luke 4:4-8; (See also Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13.)
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
– Luke 6:31
Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
– Luke 11:46
And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
– Luke 22:25
Have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.
– Ephesians 5:11
God has given us the weapons we need to resist the devil: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints
– Ephesians 6:10-19
But Jesus called them to Himself and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
– Mark 10:42-45
Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
– 1 Timothy 4:1-5
But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.
– James 1:25
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
– James 4:7
Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations–“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using–according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.
– Colossians 2:20-23
They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them.
– Hosea 8:4
Then they will say, “We have no king because we did not revere the Lord.But even if we had a king,what could he do for us?” They make many promises,take false oaths and make agreements; therefore lawsuits spring up like poisonous weeds in a plowed field.
– Hosea 10:3-4
Sow righteousness for yourselves, reap the fruit of unfailing love,and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the Lord, until he comes and showers his righteousness on you. But you have planted wickedness, you have reaped evil, you have eaten the fruit of deception. Because you have depended on your own strength and on your many warriors, the roar of battle will rise against your people, so that all your fortresses will be devastated — as Shalman devastated Beth Arbel on the day of battle, when mothers were dashed to the ground with their children. So will it happen to you, Bethel,because your wickedness is great. When that day dawns, the king of Israel will be completely destroyed.
– Hosea 10:12-15
You are destroyed, Israel,because you are against me, against your helper. Where is your king, that he may save you? Where are your rulers in all your towns,of whom you said,‘Give me a king and princes’? So in my anger I gave you a king, and in my wrath I took him away.
– Hosea 13:9-11
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
– Judges 21:25
When Samuel was old, he made his sons judges over Israel. Now the name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second, Abijah. They were judges in Beersheba. His sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain, took bribes, and perverted justice. All the elders of Israel assembled and came to Samuel at Ramah And said to him, Behold, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint us a king to rule over us like all the other nations. But it displeased Samuel when they said, Give us a king to govern us. And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, Hearken to the voice of the people in all they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not be King over them. According to all the works which they have done since I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking Me and serving other gods, so they also do to you. So listen now to their voice; only solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them. So Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who asked of him a king. And he said, These will be the ways of the king who shall reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen and to run before his chariots. He will appoint them for himself to be commanders over thousands and over fifties, and some to plow his ground and to reap his harvest and to make his implements of war and equipment for his chariots. He will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. He will take your fields, your vineyards, and your olive orchards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and to his servants. He will take your men and women servants and the best of your cattle and your donkeys and put them to his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves shall be his slaves. In that day you will cry out because of your king you have chosen for yourselves, but the Lord will not hear you then. Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, No! We will have a king over us, That we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles. Samuel heard all the people’s words and repeated them in the Lord’s ears. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Hearken to their voice and appoint them a king.”
– 1 Samuel 8-22
When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what [is] before thee: And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat.
– Proverbs 23:1-3
This is the word that came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the king Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people which were at Jerusalem, to proclaim liberty unto them;
– Jeremiah 34:8
And ye were now turned, and had done right in my sight, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbour; and ye had made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my name: But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom he had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids. Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother, and every man to his neighbour: behold, I proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.
– Jeremiah 34:15-17
And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.
– Leviticus 25:10
And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
– Psalm 119:45
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
– Isaiah 61:1
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
– 1 Corinthians 6:12
Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather.
– 1 Corinthians 7:21
You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.
– 1 Corinthians 7:23
For though I am free [eleutheros] from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
– 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
– 1 Corinthians 10:23
Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another [man’s] conscience?
– 1 Corinthians 10:29
But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power.
– 1 Corinthians 15:23-24
Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
– 2 Corinthians 3:17
But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
– 2 Corinthians 4:3-4
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
– Galatians 4:6-7
Stand fast therefore in the liberty [eleutheria] by which Christ has made us free [eleutheros], and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.
– Galatians 5:1
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty [eleutheria]; only do not use liberty [eleutheria] as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
– Galatians 5:13-14
My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the goatherds.
– Zechariah 10:3
Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.
– Matthew 23:13
So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty [eleutheria].
– James 2:12
You recently repented and did what was right in my eyes by proclaiming liberty, each to his neighbor, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name, but then you turned around and profaned my name when each of you took back his male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your slaves. Therefore, thus says the Lord: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the Lord. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.
– Jeremiah 34:15-17
Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
– John 12:31
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me.
– John 14:30
Articles:
- Jesus was an Anarchist
- Does Romans 13 Demand That We Pay Income Taxes?
- Render Unto Caesar: A Misunderstood Passage
- Rights, Liberties, & Romans 13
- The Kingdom of God Is Within You (see also Tolstoy, a renowned anarchist, on the topic)
- Practical Anarchy
- The Nature of Law
- Anarchy & Efficient Law
- Society without a State