08/2/20 ORIGIN AND OBJECTIVE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION

08/2/20 ORIGIN AND OBJECTIVE OF PUBLIC EDUCATION

THE UNHOLY THREESOME OF PUBLIC EDUCATION
The three most influential powers in Public Education come from the National Education Association (NEA), the philosopher John Dewey and the United States Department of Education (DoEd).

The NEA began in 1857 as the National Teachers Association, becoming the National Education Association in 1870.
John Dewey lived from 1859-1952.
The US Department of Education only began in 1979, under President Jimmy Carter.

JOHN DEWEY
John Dewey, The Father of Modern Education, was a Philosopher, Psychologist and Pragmatist. America's Public Education system is based on and guided by Dewey's teachings.

The groundwork and superstructure of Dewey's Secular Humanism, Socialism, Atheism, Darwinian Evolution, Freudian Psychology, Relativism, Positivism and Dialectical Materialism had already formed American Public Education by the time President Lyndon Johnson started funding American education with federal dollars, through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

Dewey's philosophy of SECULAR (excluding religion from society) HUMANISM (man is central) has shaped and guided the stated and intended goal of Public Education in America.

After working in China, Turkey and Russia, and being influenced by Marx, Lenin and Stalin, Dewey viewed pupils as "WARDS OF THE STATE" (Public Educations present view) and promoted "THE COLLECTIVE MENTALITY" (Public Education's progressive/communistic agenda).

Dewey was a prime contributor to the HUMANIST MANIFESTO (replacing God with Man) and subscriber to RELATIVISM (denial of Biblical absolutes) and POSITIVISM (substituting faith and spiritual realities with materialism).

Dewey was largely responsible for the success of DARWINIAN EVOLUTION in the Public Schools. The NEA is following Dewey's stated purposes to this day, and intend to finish its course.

NATIONAL EDUCATION ASSOCIATION
The National Education Association (NEA), America's largest professional organization and largest union, promotes and maintains Public Education, which is built on Dewey's philosophy. Since its beginnings in 1857, the NEA has successfully hijacked the education of America's children. The NEA's anti-Christian and anti-American agenda is not localized or obscure, but systemic and growing in power and influence.

The NEA claims to be, "The guardians of the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of this nation" (Reg Weaver-President NEA). Of course, it is at odds with the hopes, dreams and aspirations of this nation. It has endorsed and financially supported every Democratic Presidential candidate from Carter to Obama. Ninety percent of NEA political contributions have gone to the Democratic Party. The NEA has promoted policies, programs and practices that are part of the national fears, nightmares and heartbreaks of this nation.

The NEA has promoted homosexuality, abortion, feminism, socialism, multi-nationalism, extramarital sex education (offered to lower elementary pupils), rewriting history (down playing the Christian influence on our nations laws, government, and celebrations i.e. Thanksgiving, Christmas and Resurrection of Christ), emphasizing and focusing on America's shortcomings while down playing Japan's and Germany's aggressive part in WW2 and distancing Islam from 9/11.
The NEA has been the change agent in moral values, undermining the American family and Judeo/Christian principles.
The dumbing down of American students has been on the climb in these last several decades because the NEA has changed its focus from academics to social preparedness. 

The NEA has led America's children in Radical departures from Capitalism, Judeo/Christian Morals, Family Values (family unit built on father and mother home life).
In its first 100 years (1857-1957) the NEA grew to a membership of 700,000 and now boasts over 3 million members. Undoubtedly the support given by Johnson in 1965 and Carter in 1979 has contributed to the growth of the union.

GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS
At the beginning of America's Cultural Revolution, President Lyndon B. Johnson, a Democrat from Texas and a former teacher, began federal financial support for education through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESCA) in 1965. This opened the door to federal intrusion into local schools. It also paved the way for another raving progressive (leftist liberal) President Jimmy Carter to create the United States Department of Education in 1979. The marriage between socialism, humanism, liberalism and academia spelled the end of local control in education.

Through a planned and concerted effort, the control of local schools was taken from the local community and given to the "progressives" in the NEA and the DoEd. Over the last 120 years public schooling has shifted from family, church and local community to the impersonal hands of a anti-Christian, anti-American movement, guided by and powered by the humanistic agenda of John Dewey and the NEA. As our government moves further from God and His word the death grip of Secular Humanism tightens around the public school children. The idea of local control is a ruse that pacifies the masses.

John Dewey, the National Education Association and the Department of Education have hijacked the Public Schools. Dewey and the NEA Planned Their Work and have Worked Their Plan and Their Plan Has Worked.

The answer to this is an All Out Assault by the men and women of God.
The answer is not sending our children to fight back with spit balls and pea shooters.
God has not told us to send our children, He has told us to train our children.
God has not told us to hide behind our children, He has told us to protect our children.
God has not commanded us to save a pagan system, He has commanded us to reach the lost and lead them OUT OF THE DARKNESS OF A SATANIC STORM.
Come out from them and be separate says the Lord.

PLEASE NOTE... My attack is not on the well meaning people who have served in the Public School system or the parents or children who have been involved in the Public School system. I am simply pointing out that the Public School system has become a major tool in undermining the people of God.

I am trying to point out that our children are unnecessarily endangered by being sent to the Public Schools.

I am going to examine various aspects of this problem and offer a radical, but reasonable response to this problem.

I encourage you to consider my arguments, as I present them. If you have questions, please ask.

08/25/20 TWO DLG FB NOTES ON JESUS AND TAXES

08/25/20 TWO DLG FB NOTES ON JESUS AND TAXES

#1 DID JESUS PAY TRIBUTE (TAXES) TO CAESAR IN MATTHEW 17? ... NO!
09/09/09

DID JESUS PAY TRIBUTE TO CAESAR IN MATTHEW 17? ...NO!
Matthew 17:24-27 is found at end of this NOTE. 

THE ASSUMPTION
This following statement came up in a discussion concerning obedience to the State. It is typical of the faulty thinking in the modern church today. "Jesus instructed Peter to go fishing so that His taxes would be paid, Jesus again teaches us obedience to the government that God has established over us."

Matthew 17 is often used (mistakenly) to prove that we ought to obey the State. It is erroneously argued that Jesus paid tax to Caesar and therefore, we should also. We certainly do have responsibilities to the State and a responsibility to pay taxes, however, it cannot be proved by this passage. Some of you who read my explanation are going to be crying "FOUL." At least read it through before you do.

THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING
There is a principle which carries over into many different areas of our lives. It is simple, but essential. IF WORDS MEAN ANYTHING, THEY MEAN WHAT THEY SAY. In order to understand Matthew 17 we need to know what words are being used and we need to know what those words mean. If we arbitrarily define words, they end up being useless. Since the Scriptures were written in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic, we need to go to the original language of a passage, in order understand it correctly. 

THE EVENT
Matthew 17:24-25 "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes...
The use of translations, other than KJV helps us understand the meaning of this passage, since they do not use the word "Tribute" in reference to the Temple Tax
"Tribute" is the word used to represent the tax which is in question here. From the English this seems to be the same word Matthew used in verse 25 and 22:17-21. IT IS NOT, therefore it should not be interpreted as the same. The tax in Matthew 17:24 is a religious or Temple tax which was placed upon Jewish men for the support of the Temple, whereas, the tax in Matthew 17:25 and Matthew 22:17-21 was a "Caesar" tax.

The origins of the Temple tax and Caesar's tax were different (the Jewish Temple and Rome).
The destination of these two taxes were different (the Jewish Temple and Rome).
The people involved were different people (Jewish males and Roman citizens).
The coins used for the payment were different coins (Grecian Didrachma and the Roman Denarius).
The Temple tax had nothing to do with Caesar and Caesar's Tribute tax had nothing to do with the Temple tax. It is as simple as that.

Matthew 17:24-25 "And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute? He saith, Yes..."

Though this was a voluntary tax, it was expected of men to pay it. Since they were in Peter's hometown, the Temple tax was Peters responsibility.

Peter did what so many still do today. He took it upon himself to speak in behalf of Jesus when He really did not understand the issue sufficiently. They asked Peter if Jesus paid the Temple tax, to which Peter readily said, "Yes." TAKE NOTICE, It was Peter and not Jesus who said that Jesus did pay this Temple tax (poll tax or head tax). Just because Peter said Jesus paid the Temple tax does not mean that it was true or accurate.

IN FACT, JESUS WAS NOT SUBJECT TO THE TEMPLE TAX.
Jesus was not present when Peter was questioned about the Temple tax, but He engages Peter in conversation concerning it when Peter came home.

Matthew 17:25 "... And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26 Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free"

THREE REASONS JESUS WAS NOT REQUIRED TO PAY THE TEMPLE TAX
1. Jesus was not a resident of Capernaum. The Temple tax would normally have been paid by resident men. Peter was a resident, therefore he was expected to pay for himself and possibly others. It may be that they asked if Jesus would pay for Peter because Peter was His disciple. 

2. The Temple Tax was voluntary. As was stated earlier, a Jewish man was not necessarily required to pay the Temple tax.

3. Jesus was not subject to the tax at all since it was for the purpose of maintaining His Father's House. This is the argument He offers in the next verses.

JESUS CLAIMED EXEMPTION FROM THE TEMPLE TAX
In His argument, Jesus used the practice of the kingdoms of this world to explain something about the Temple tax. He was not equating the Temple tax with a civil tax, therefore, neither should we. He was using an analogy. Analogies are not intended to do more than they are designed to do.

Jesus was simply pointing out that He was not subject to paying the Temple tax because it was collected to support His Father's House. He points out that the tax is not imposed on the "children" but on strangers. Since the Temple was His Father's House, He was exempt.

THOUGH HE WAS NOT OBLIGATED, JESUS PAID THE TEMPLE TAX FOR HIS OWN REASON
Matthew 17:27 "Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first comes up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee"

JESUS DID NOT ADDRESS "TRIBUTE TO CAESAR" IN THIS PASSAGE
To use this passage as an argument for paying "tribute to Caesar" is to go beyond the intent of the passage. If we say that we are obligated to Caesar, based on Jesus paying this tax, we can then interpret any and all other passages as loosely, and end up with something other than the Word of God.

Before you accuse me of saying that this passage teaches against paying "tribute to Caesar", let me save you the trouble of a false accusation. I am not saying it teaches against paying tribute to Caesar, I am saying, it does not teach that Jesus paid tribute to Caesar.

Therefore, this passage cannot be used to prove our obligation to pay government taxes.

THE PASSAGE IN QUESTION
Matthew 17:24-27
24) And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Does not your master pay tribute?
25) He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What think thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26) Peter saith unto him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
27 Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take up the fish that first comes up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

 

#2 DID JESUS ALLOW TRIBUTE (TAXES) TO CAESAR?
09/12/09

DID JESUS ALLOW TRIBUTE TO CAESAR? 

WHAT ABOUT MATTHEW 22?
This is the passage where Jesus said,
“Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.”

DO THIS FIRST
Before we go any further in our study, let me ask you to do something. Without looking at the passage, recount it from memory. Recount the events and the words and explain the meaning of this passage. After you have done this, either write down what you remember the passage to say and mean or at least tuck it away in your memory. I am going to want you to compare what you think it says and means with what I am about to tell you.

A PERSONAL WARNING (lighthearted approach to basic concerns)
One more thing before we get started. Many of you are not going to agree with what I say concerning this passage. I can save you some time.
* For those who have a hard time believing anything I say, don't read this article, it might cause you ulcers.
* For those who are looking for quick and easy answers, don't read this, it will require too much effort. This is a unified piece of work and must be considered as such.
* For those who are interested in my point of view but will get upset after reading a portion of this lesson and quit, don't read it, it will be a waste of time and you still won't be any more informed.
* For those who already know all there is to know about this passage and you already know that I must be wrong, don't read this, why mess with perfection.
* For those who find my point of view interesting or amusing but you are still going to disagree with me, read it, but don't worry about learning very much since you have your mind made up and you won't be confused by the facts. It will make the reading more fun.
I almost hesitate to mention the possibility that someone will actually agree with me, but anyway, let's see what happens.

GENERAL UNDERSTANDING OF THIS PASSAGE
Usually when this passage is brought up in a discussion, it does not start with the first part of the passage. It usually goes something like this.

"Jesus tells us that we are to pay our taxes. When He was asked whether we should pay taxes to Caesar, He told us to, 'Render to Caesar that which is Caesar's.'"

This argument is presented as a clear and final answer to the issue, meaning that Jesus commanded us to pay taxes (or whatever the State requires).

But that is not what is recorded. To understand this passage we must read all of it and understand it in it's religio/socio/historical setting. Very few people will agree with my understanding, choosing instead to accept the explanations given by most commentators. Though most of the well known commentators verify the historical data I share here, they do not make the same application that I do. Let's examine this passage in context and then decide what it actually means.

People use this passage to prove that we must do anything and everything which the State tells us to do. It is as if this passage is a blank check for the State to do anything it wants to do, and require it's citizens to obey. Actually there is no passage in the Bible which gives absolute power to the State.

Matthew 22:15-22
15) Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk.
16) And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teach the way of God in truth, neither carest thou for any man: for thou regards not the person of men.
17) Tell us therefore, What think thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?
18) But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?
19) Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny.
20) And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?
21) They say unto him, Caesar's. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's.
22) When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way.

THE PLAYERS INVOLVED
The Jewish leadership was seeking to remove Jesus from His position of influence and impact among the people. Three different groups of Jewish leaders were trying to silence Jesus, much like our society today. These three groups were the Herodians, the Pharisees and the Saducees.

THE HERODIANS
The Herodians were the more politically oriented and less religiously oriented Jews. They were called "Herodians" because they had supported the Herods in their political and social platform. Remember, though the Herods were rulers over the Jews, they were not Jews themselves; they were Idumaens or descendants of Edom (Esau), which had been despised by the Jews for over 2000 years. Since Jesus held to the "old truths" and was a fulfillment of the Old Testament, the Herodians were enemies of Jesus and His Jewishness. They were also despised by the orthodox and popular Jewish party, the Pharisees.

THE PHARISEES
The Pharisees were the conservative group of Jewish leaders but they were not always spiritually inclined. They always wanted to maintain their "Jewishness" in things religious, social and political. Though they were both externalistic (concerned about their outward appearance of religion) and legalistic (concerned about keeping the letter of the law of Moses rather than the spirit, in which it was intended), they were also concerned about maintaining the teachings of the Jewish faith. They had been the ones to hold the line against the outside rulers who had come in to corrupt the Jewish culture. They were therefore favorites among many Jews in the time of Jesus. They did believe many of the same things Jesus believed, but they did not want some new, upstart leader and group to come in and move the Jews away from their interpretation of traditional Judaism. They would make sure that they were considered the "conservative" group.

THE SADUCEES
The Saducees were the more "liberal" group. They denied the authority of the Old Testament and spiritual existence, and the resurrection. They were major enemies of Jesus and His New Testament Church.

All three groups were seeking to undermine Jesus and His movement. That is why they engaged Jesus in discussions which they thought would discredit Him and even bring State reprisals.

THE PLOT IS CONCEIVED
Matthew 22:15
"Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle him in his talk."
The first thing to notice about this passage is that it is not primarily a teaching on paying taxes. It is a passage showing the trickery and conspiracy used by the Pharisees when they were trying to trap Jesus in His own words. This is not insignificant.

This is vital to the understanding of the passage.
This was not meant to be a declaration of our duty to the State. Maybe we can learn something about our responsibility to the State, but it is secondary to the passage.

Since this was not an honest inquiry into a believers responsibility to the State, Jesus did not answer it primarily as a teaching on the believers responsibility to the State.

It was a very specific question and Jesus gave a very pointed and specific answer.
We err when we make this into something it was not intended to be.

Understanding this first point is essential to understanding the true meaning of the passage.

It is also important to notice that the Pharisees chose a subject which they believed would indict Jesus either in the eyes of the people or the eyes of Rome.
If Jesus answered on one side of the issue, He would disenfranchise Himself from the people; if on the other side of the issue, He would jeopardize Himself with Rome. Since He knew this was the purpose of the question, Jesus did not fall prey to their snare. His answer was clear, but wise. He makes His answer clear to those who were concerned and honest with this issue, but it was not self incriminating.

Matthew 22:16
"And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians."
The Pharisees joined together with the Herodians to entrap Jesus in His own words.
Here is a couple of strange bedfellows. Avowed enemies working in concert to ensnare Jesus. The Muslims have a saying, probably stolen from an older source; "The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Since both the Pharisee and the Herodian considered Jesus as their enemy, they became allies against Him. People who have major differences with each other will often overlook their disagreements and join forces when they are trying to defeat a common enemy. The Pharisees and the Herodians were on opposite sides of the question which was about to be posed to Jesus. Whichever way Jesus answered, He would fall into their trap, and both of these opposing parties would benefit, or so they thought.

Matthew 22:16
"And they sent out unto him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that thou art true, and teaches the way of God in truth, neither cares thou for any man: for thou regards not the person of men."
The Pharisees and Herodians did not have a proper respect for Jesus and His teachings, however, they did recognize Him as a formidable opponent. They came to Him with flattering words to throw Him off guard. Remembering the Trojan Horse affair is what is meant when we are warned, "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts." We should be wary of people who speak kindly of Jesus, but do not truly own Him as Lord of their lives.

THE TRAP IS SET
Matthew 22:17
"Tell us therefore, What think thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?"
With this question they planned to trap Jesus with His Own words.

It is very important to notice what question was asked and how it was asked. Keep in mind, the question was being asked by the Pharisees. The Pharisees were very clever and cunning. They were well educated and very knowledgeable in debate. It was important to phrase the question just right or it would lose it's meaning. We make a mistake if we think this is a simple question about paying taxes. It was a well thought out and structured question. We need to understand the historical and cultural background to understand the the answer and meaning Jesus gave.

THE QUESTION WHICH WAS ASKED
Matthew 22:17
"...is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?"

The question was not simply, "Is it lawful to NOT pay tribute to Caesar?" They were not asking if there was a loophole in the Roman Tribute Tax. They did not ask, "Is it lawful to NOT pay taxes?" They were not looking for a way out of paying taxes; Jews paid taxes. These were not the questions. However, the tax which was being addressed in this passage was a very special tax. It was a poll or capitation or head tax which was paid with a specially minted coin. Though the coin could be used in other ways, the use in question had to do with PAYING TRIBUTE TO CAESAR. It is in this use of the coin we find the problem.

Remember, when Roman soldiers conquered an area, the religious and political leaders of that community were required to come to the city square and bow before Caesar's representative, acknowledging Caesar as God. After this, the religions, which had subordinated themselves before Caesar, were allowed to practice their beliefs. Recognizing Caesar as god was essential for conquered people. The Tribute Tax, the Poll Tax, the Head Tax was a tax placed upon conquered people, acknowledging Caesar as god.

In the days of the early Church, when the pledge of allegiance was demanded from the citizenry, the Jews and the Christians would not accept Caesar as god, and they would be executed. This is the way we should understand the importance if this "tax."

Think about it. The question was, IS IT LAWFUL, AM I ALLOWED TO PAY TRIBUTE TO CAESAR? Why would they ask the question that way? There was something special about this tax which made it exceptionally objectionable to the Jews on the basis of the Jewish law.

IS IT LAWFUL TO PAY TRIBUTE TO CAESAR?
The tax in question was not an expensive tax. The tax was paid with a single coin the Denarius. Commentators have given the value of this coin at just a few cents. However, this coin was considered in the Gospels as a day's wages for laborers. This is not as much of a problem as it appears. In the days of my grandfather's youth (circa 1915) a day's wages was about 25 cents.

THE TRAP IS SEEN
Matthew 22:18
"But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites?"

Jesus knew the issue at hand was not the paying of taxes. Jesus knew He was being set up. Despite the flattering words which they offered Him, He saw through their ploy. He did not mince words, He called them hypocrites because of their craftiness, trickery.

Matthew 22:19
"Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny."
People think that Jesus used the coin simply as an object lesson. NO! It was more than an object lesson. It was the point on which the whole controversy pivoted. The coin itself was the problem. Jesus asked for someone to bring Him the coin (Mark 12:15) and then He had someone show it to the crowd.

Matthew 22:20
"And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?"
Jesus asked for a Denarius to be handed to Him. He then asked those around Him who's image and superscription were on the coin. It was Tiberius Caesar. The royal line of Emperors had started with Julius Caesar and continued through his adoptive son, Octavius, called Augustus and was later passed, in turn, to his stepson Tiberius. There seems to have been different superscriptions on the different tribute coins, but they all made the same kind of declaration. These Caesars were either referred to as, “god" or as, "the son of god.”

Most financial transactions in history had been made with measured amounts of gold, silver, grain, wine, oil or some other commodity. As time went by, the precious metals were formed into bracelets, or some other convenient object from which parts could be removed and used in payment. Eventually (circa 540 B.C.) coins were minted, sometimes with the value stamped on them. The Jews did not mint coins until about 100 B.C. Oftentimes the head of the ruler of a region was printed on the coin with other symbolic art work. Being an occupied country, Judah had used coins from the Persians, Greeks and Romans. This Denarius was the Roman coin used for "Tribute" tax. The coin had gone through changes with the changing of Emperors of the Roman Empire. This tribute coin carried the image of Tiberius Caesar.

THE REAL QUESTION
Do you now see where the real problem was with paying the Tribute money? The more conservative Jews had a problem giving tribute of any kind to any occupying government, but the major problem in this case was using a coin that bore the image of a man who claimed to be god, and the superscription on the coin declared his deity. This was a violation of the cornerstone of Israel's religion.

The first of the Ten Commandments forbade the recognizing of other gods. This prohibited having any other gods at all (besides, before, alongside, with).
Exodus 20:3 "Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

The second of the Ten Commandments forbade the forming of "graven" images for the purpose of worshiping and serving.
Exodus 20:4-5 "Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God"

And the most important passage in the Old Testament to the Jews declared that there is only One God.
Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:"

I did not always understand why this question asked of Jesus was so "tricky." But that is because I was looking at it from a Gentile point of view. I was looking at it from a modern point of view. I was looking at it as if it was a question about "taxes." I couldn't have been more wrong. This was a very important and basic question concerning the very Person and Nature of the Only True God.

NOW, REMEMBER THE QUESTION?
"Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?"

IS IT LAWFUL? “Are we Jews even allowed to deal with this unclean coin?” It posed a problem of gargantuan proportions.

If Jesus responded by saying, "Yes, it is lawful to pay the Tribute Coin," He would be going against the most basic and important of all Jewish beliefs and would alienate Himself from a major portion of Israel. Jesus could not say yes to this question, because “yes” was the wrong answer.”

If He said, "No, it is not lawful to pay the Tribute Coin," He would be guilty of insurrection against Rome.

The Pharisees and the Herodians had planned well. It was no simple "tax" question.

Now we come to the part of the event which will be even more difficult for some of you to accept, because it will go against everything you have ever heard from your favorite preachers.

JESUS ANSWERS THE QUESTION
When Jesus asked whose image was on the coin, Matthew 22:21 "They say unto him, Caesar's..."

This statement is usually explained by saying that Jesus made a clear declaration that we should all pay our taxes. This passage is not a lesson on Christian duties to the State. It is a response to a "trick" question which involved Jewish law.

The question was not concerned with the simple use of the coin, but with the use of this coin in Paying TRIBUTE to CAESAR. It was a form of honoring Caesar as God. With this in mind let's see if we can find the true meaning to His answer.

Those around Jesus acknowledged Caesar's image on the coin. That, after all, was the point of the question. Jesus then said,
Matthew 22:21
"Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Ceasar's; and unto God the things that are God's"
Do you see it? Is it not totally clear? Well, maybe and maybe not. So, exactly where did Jesus say, “YES, PAY YOUR TAXES?” Nowhere! He did not say any such thing.

Instead Jesus told them that if they have something which belongs to Caesar, render it to him. It is even questionable if all the people present possessed or even trafficked in the Tribute Coin. Certainly there were Jews that did not participate in "Giving Tribute to Caesar, and it appears that Jesus did not have this coin on His own Person." Since there were some in that day who did not, it is safe to say that some of those present did not. After all, He had to ask for a coin to be brought and then shown to the people. Those who dealt with the coin had an obligation, those who did not have the coin did not have an obligation. It was reminiscent of His statement concerning the sword,
Matthew 26:52 "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword."

REMEMBER, THIS PASSAGE IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT TAXES, IT IS ABOUT TRIBUTE TO DEITY. If a person was willing to recognize the deity of Caesar he should serve Caesar and pay the Tribute Tax. A person is a slave to the one he recognizes as his master. If a person is willing to recognize Caesar as god, he should render to Caesar his due. If a person is willing to honor Caesar as his god then he should serve his god. But for those who refuse to defile themselves with the Tribute Coin, they should render to God the honor and tribute which belongs to God. Those who refuse to recognize Caesar as God and refuse to honor him as God, they are not obligated to serve him as God.

I realize not many people will accept this position. Some are saying, "Ah Ha! he is just looking for a way out of paying taxes." No. We are commanded to pay our taxes, but not from this passage. The answer Jesus gave did not force the faithful Jews to defile themselves with the Tribute Coin or the act of rendering Tribute to Caesar, an act of worship. Those who chose to accepted the supreme authority of Caesar would pay the Tribute Tax.

Jesus gave an answer that put the whole issue in perspective; that is, "Choose ye this day whom you will serve." That is why the people,
Matthew 22:22
"When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way."

THE ANSWER WAS WISER THAN THE QUESTION
He answered them in such a way that no one could fault Him. He had not fallen into their trap by saying, "Yes" or "No."

Of course, most people today, who have never considered the facts of the passage, are totally sure what His answer was and what He meant with His answer.

Remember, this is not a study to excuse not paying of taxes, this is a study to show that Matthew. 22 is not proof that we owe everything to the State. We can say the passage means whatever we want it to mean, but it actually means what it means and that is all.

SUMMARY
The Pharisees (fundamentalist Jews) devised a trick question, to indict Jesus. They wanted Jesus to say either "Yes" or "No" to a question that would either align Him with the God of the Jews or with the Roman Government, who honored Caesar as God.

The Pharisees joined with the Herodians (politically/secular oriented Jews) in their conspiracy to trick and trap Jesus into rejecting either Judaism or Caesar.

They did not ask Jesus if they should pay taxes.

They did not ask if they should pay taxes to Rome.

They did not ask if it was good to pay taxes to Rome.

THEY ASKED IF IT WAS LAWFUL, PERMITTED, ALLOWED FOR A JEW TO PAY THE TRIBUTE TAX TO ROME.

Jesus saw their wickedness and trickery.

Jesus called their ploy a "temptation," a snare.

Jesus called them hypocrites, since they were asking a question, in order to trap Jesus, rather than asking a question because they were seeking wise counsel.

Jesus asked for someone to bring Him a Denarius, the coin used in paying Tribute to Caesar.

When the coin was brought to Him, Jesus asked whose image and superscription were on it.

The Denarius had the head of Tiberius Caesar and a superscription that declared Caesar's deity.

The Pharisees, Herodians, all Israelites and Jesus knew that polytheism was condemned by God.

They also knew that graven images were condemned by God.

Jesus was being asked to either accept or condemn the use of the Tribute Coin, the Denarius as a payment to Caesar's deity.

Jesus simply said to render to Caesar that which is Caesar's and to God, that which is God's.

JESUS DID NOT SAY, "Yes, pay Tribute" or "You must pay Tribute" or "You are allowed to pay Tribute."

The questioners did not get the clear and open answer they had hoped for.

The questioners did not get an answer that approved the paying of Tribute to Caesar.

The questioners were actually amazed at His answer. Jesus did not deny or betray the basics of Judaism with His answer.

There would have been no reason to "be amazed" at His answer, if Jesus either said, "Yes" or "No."

If we interpret this passage loosely we stand the chance of dishonoring God. We should not accept an interpretation just because it is widely held or long standing if it does not agree with the context.

Though this document has almost 4200 words, I realize it does not cover every point fully. I will be glad to respond to questions or statements relating to this passage. I may make additions or adjustments where I have failed to make my position clear. Thank you for taking the time to read this article.

08/25/20 KEEPING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

08/25/20 KEEPING THE RECORD STRAIGHT

My vote is not the endorsement of anyone's sins or faults or errors; it is a vote against anarchy, dictatorship and the political, governmental attacks against morality, common sense, Christ, His Word and His people. This is not a solution. I am simply trying to keep the door open for the masses of unsaved people who are falling victim to anti-American, anti- Christian propaganda.

(I Copied the following from a friend.)

To answer all of those of you who would say “I can't believe you would vote for Trump." Well folks listen up! I'm not just voting for him. I'm voting for the second Amendment. I'm voting for the next supreme court justice. I'm voting for the electoral college, and the Republic we live in. I'm voting for the Police,and law and order. I'm voting for the military, and the veterans who fought for and died for this Country. I'm voting for the Flag that is always missing from the Democratic background. I'm voting for the right to speak my opinion and not be censored. I’m voting for secure borders. I’m voting for the right to praise my God without fear. I’m voting for every unborn soul the Democrats want to murder. I’m voting for freedom and the American Dream. I’m voting for good and against evil. I'm not just voting for one person, I'm voting for the future of my Country! What are you voting for?
Copy and paste, I did!!!

08/25/20 DLG FB NOTE 10 Years Ago

08/25/20 DON'T FOLLOW THE UNGODLY

I recently referred to Psalm 1:1. Here is a different reference to the same passage I made10 years ago.

Here is an interesting thought from Psalm 1:1... Do not listen to, believe in, trust, follow or obey the counsel of anyone who does not believe it is possible to live a godly life. God said, Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly. Why would anyone listen to a person who does not believe we can be godly? Don't let sinning religionists teach you, counsel you or shepherd you. They'll mislead you.

 

08/23/20 DLG FB POST Righteous and Upright: Fact or False Doctrine.

08/23/20 DLG FB POST Righteous and Upright: Fact or False Doctrine.
11/18/14

TO BE RIGHTEOUS OR NOT TO BE RIGHTEOUS

I give over 130 verses, which tell us that it is possible to be "righteous" and over 40 verses, which tell us it is possible to be "upright." I only found 1 verse that seems to say that it is impossible to be "righteous" and only 2 verses that seem to say that it is impossible to be "upright." Check it out.

God's word requires us to be righteous. God's grace enables us to be righteous. This document deals with this. The position presented in this document will fly in the face of what Christians are being taught today by so-called Bible believing teachers and pastors.

When the idea of being righteous and living righteously comes up, the typical response of sinning religion is,

"The Bible says,“There is none righteous, no, not one” (Ro. 3:10)."

 But they fail to add,

"The Bible also says,“Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous” (1 Jn 3:7)."

If this is all we have of God’s revelation, we are faced with an apparent contradiction. Without any explanation, these verses seem to be mutually exclusive and diametrically opposed to one another. It appears that if one statement is true, the other statement cannot be true.

However, this is not all we have in God’s revelation. In fact, these two verses are not contradictory but complimentary; they are in total agreement. Both of these statements are true. One statement is just as truly the inspired and inerrant word of God as the other statement, therefore both statements must be embraced totally by the believer in Christ. The Romans 3:10 passage is referring to the spiritual condition of lost men, and the First John 3:7 passage is referring to the spiritual condition of saved men.

There is a segment of the Christian religion that exalts the sin of man above the grace of God. They are constantly telling us that man is born in sin (which is true) and will continue in sin until the day he dies (which is true for the unsaved). They say, "God does not want us to sin and God’s grace is sufficient to save us from all sin, but we are only human and therefore we will always sin against God as long as we are in this world and in this sinful body (flesh).” They make human sinfulness to be greater than Divine grace.

This document does not try to prove God’s deliverance from all sin. This document simply wants to prove that God’s word declares that salvation makes saved people righteous.

MY BELIEFS ON THIS SUBJECT

Let me make some statements right at the beginning, which will state my beliefs and the purpose of this article. I offer these statements because most of the people who read this article are going to accuse me of claiming “sinless perfection,” a term that is usually used by those who do not believe in the power of God to save from all sin. Those who believe in God’s full salvation seldom use the term, “sinless perfection” since it is not a Biblical term and it causes more confusion than understanding.

I state my beliefs in order to be completely open with you. My beliefs are important only if they are Biblical. If you cannot find these truths or verses in the Bible, please let me know and I will send you a list of references. After I give you a brief overview of my beliefs on this subject, I will give you a great number of verses, straight from the Bible. In fact, these verses are the reason for this document.

I believe God is the only absolutely perfect Person (Being) Who has ever existed, exists at present or ever will exist.

I believe God is inherently holy and He is the Fountainhead of holiness for all those who have been holy, either by creation (Angels and Adam), or by salvation (those saved through faith in Christ).

I believe Adam incurred a sinful nature at the time of his disobedience in the garden and has passed that sinful propensity to all of his offspring and that all humans have sinned, (except for Jesus Christ).

I believe Jesus Christ came to the world as “God in the flesh,” that is, He was fully God and fully Man, one Person with two natures (Divine and human) but he did not have Adam’s sinful nature, having been conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus lived a sinless life, died a sacrificial death on the cross for the sins of the world and was raised from the dead, physically, for our justification.

I believe Jesus came to save His people from their sins, not in their sins.

I believe if we confess our sins, then God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

I believe if we walk in the light as He is in the light, then we have fellowship with Him and the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.

I believe those who are trusting the grace of God, the blood of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit can live in obedience to God.

I believe sin separates us from God or God separates us from sin.

I believe God enables believers to obey Him fully, because, where sin did abound, grace did much more abound.

I believe that believers, by the grace of God, can live without disobeying the known will of God and that God will help us with our infirmities, which are not sins, yet are weaknesses that are less than absolute perfection (He. 4:15-16).

I believe God does not require us to be absolutely perfect or angelically perfect or Adamically perfect, but He does require us to love Him with perfect love (the love of God), which is called the “law of love,” and “the royal law,” “the perfect law of liberty” and “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.”

I believe, if a person loves God, then he will obey God.

I believe, if a person loves God, then he will keep God’s commands.

I believe that by the grace of God we must keep ourselves in the love of God.

I believe those who do not keep God’s commands do not love God and they are of the devil.

I believe those who commit sin are of the devil.

I believe Christians are expected to live without disobeying God and can give testimony to the power of God to save from all sin.

I am sure that there are many other points I could make, but I will move on to the article itself.

MY APPROACH IN THIS DOCUMENT

I will provide passages from the Bible, which clearly tell us that we can be righteous, through the redemptive work of Christ. I wanted to present Bible verses so that you can look at them as a group of verses; think about them and allow them to influence your faith, because faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. There is a lack of belief in the possibility of being righteous and living a righteous life, and I hope that these verses will help someone see the truth of God more clearly.

Sometimes people “threaten” to read the context, supposing that the context will “disprove” the Biblical doctrine of imparted and experiential righteousness. I encourage you to read the context of every passage, though that will take quite a while. However, a complete reading of the passage will actually prove that there is such a thing as a righteous person, according to God and His word. In addition, a reading of the context will provide valuable insight into God’s saving power. After you have at least scanned the following lists of verses, PLEASE read their contexts. I even challenge you to read their contexts.

Some people say that the verses are being misinterpreted. Actually, these verses are presented without interpretation. They stand alone. It is true that some verses need to be studied in their original language and in their cultural setting and in their literary context, but the Bible is crystal clear in this area. Some truths are obvious to the open mind and they are repeated over and over again, time after time, ad infinitum (do you think you get my point). The truth that God makes us righteous and the fact that we can live righteously is stated and re-stated time and again. If God did not mean what He said, He should have said something else instead. If the translators failed to get the real meaning of the passage, they failed hundreds of times. If the Bible is wrong on personal and experiential righteousness in the believer, it is wrong about everything.

If we are going to understand the Scriptures, we need to understand the few verses (such as, “there is none righteous“) in the light of the many verses. We should understand the difficult verses in the light of the simple verses.

I only quote verses in this list, which clearly reflect God’s point of view. I do not use verses, which quote dubious sources, such as Job’s friends.

I did not include all of the words and phrases which address this issue, such as “holy,” “holiness,” “pure,” “purity,” “innocent,” “righteousness,” “righteously,” “uprightness,” “uprightly,” “right,” “good,” “saints” or “without sin,” for instance.

I did not include verses that declare that God is righteous, since that is not in dispute. However, it might be worth your while to see how many verses declare that God is righteous as compared with how many declare that there are righteous men.

I have included a list of verses that say humans are not righteous or cannot be righteous. I have been consistent in this report. If you think I failed to list all of the pertinent verses, please do it yourself and let me know what you find. I admit I could have missed some, but on the other hand, I deliberately left out many of the verses, which state that man is righteous. Remember too, these are only lists that use verses with the two specific words, “righteous” and “upright.” However, the principle holds true, regardless of the words used. God’s word acknowledges that men will be righteous, upright, holy and pure, when they are in a right relationship with God.

I have not included verses that declare the unrighteousness of specific individuals, since there is no disagreement that all men are unrighteous while in their unregenerate condition. It is not essential or helpful to list verses that support a point that is not in controversy.

There is a great danger in presenting the minority view of God (i.e. there is none righteous) as though it is the sole view of God. Actually, to deceitfully handle the word of God in such a way is wicked. The whole view is, there is none inherently righteous, no, not one and those who are in a salvific relationship with God are not only called righteous, they are righteous. For every verse that seems to say man is not righteous, there are hundreds of verses that declare man’s personal and experiential righteousness through Christ. Yet most people will laud and applaud man’s sinfulness rather than God’s glorious and great salvation.

I am eager for responses to this article, whether you like what I have written or not. If you can prove me wrong, please do. Be assured, if I do not agree with your position I will probably respond. However, the final authority is the word of God, not our opinions or the opinions of learned religionists and theologians. I know people who will say, “Doctor Hootchiebob does not agree with this point of view.” Well, Doctor Hootchiebob is wrong and God is right. “Let God be true and every man a liar.”

RIGHTEOUS, THE PASSAGES

Old Testament

Genesis 7:1
1 And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.

Genesis 18:23-26
23 And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
24 Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
25 That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
26 And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.

Exodus 23:7-8
7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked.
8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Deuteronomy 25:1
1 If there be a controversy between men, and they come unto judgment, that the judges may judge them; then they shall justify the righteous, and condemn the wicked.

2 Samuel 4:11
11 How much more, when wicked men have slain a righteous person in his own house upon his bed? shall I not therefore now require his blood of your hand, and take you away from the earth?

1 Kings 8:32
32 Then hear thou in heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, condemning the wicked, to bring his way upon his head; and justifying the righteous, to give him according to his righteousness.

2 Chronicles 6:23
23 Then hear thou from heaven, and do, and judge thy servants, by requiting the wicked, by recompensing his way upon his own head; and by justifying the righteous, by giving him according to his righteousness.

Psalms 1:5-6
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Psalms 5:12
12 For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favor wilt thou compass him as with a shield.

Psalms 7:11
11 God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day.

Psalms 11:3; 5
3 If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?
5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.

Psalms 14:5
5 There were they in great fear: for God is in the generation of the righteous.

Psalms 31:18
18 Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

Psalms 32:11
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Psalms 33:1
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

Psalms 34:15
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.

Psalms 34:17
17 The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.

Psalms 34:19
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Psalms 34:20-21
20 He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.

Psalms 37:16, 21, 25, 29, 30; 32; 39
16 A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.
21 The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth.
25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein forever.
30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
32 The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.
39 But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.

Psalms 52:6
6 The righteous also shall see, and fear, and shall laugh at him:

Psalms 55:22
22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalms 58:10-11
10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11 So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.

Psalms 64:10
10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

Psalms 68:3
3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

Psalms 69:28
28 Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and not be written with the righteous.

Psalms 72:7
7 In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth.

Psalms 75:10
10 All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off; but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Psalms 92:12
12 The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Psalms 94:21
21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.

Psalms 97:11-12
11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Psalms 107:42
42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

Psalms 112:6
6 Surely he shall not be moved forever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

Psalms 118:15
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.

Psalms 118:20
20 This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.

Psalms 125:3
3 For the rod of the wicked shall not rest upon the lot of the righteous; lest the righteous put forth their hands unto iniquity.

Psalms 140:13
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

Psalms 142:7
7 Bring my soul out of prison, that I may praise thy name: the righteous shall compass me about; for thou shalt deal bountifully with me.

Psalms 146:8
8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:

Proverbs 2:7, 20
7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
20 That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

Proverbs 3:32
32 For the froward is abomination to the LORD: but his secret is with the righteous.

Proverbs 10:3, 11, 16, 21, 24, 25, 28, 30, 32
3 The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked.
11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked.
16 The labor of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin.
21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.
24 The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted.
25 As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation.
28 The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.
30 The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.
32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

Proverbs 11:8, 10, 21, 23, 28, 30, 31
8 The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.
10 When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
21 Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.
23 The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.
28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.31 Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.

Proverbs 12:3, 5, 7, 10, 12, 26
3 A man shall not be established by wickedness: but the root of the righteous shall not be moved.
5 The thoughts of the righteous are right: but the counsels of the wicked are deceit.
7 The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.
10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
12 The wicked desireth the net of evil men: but the root of the righteous yieldeth fruit.
26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor: but the way of the wicked seduceth them.

Proverbs 13:5, 9, 21, 25
5 A righteous man hateth lying: but a wicked man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth: but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.
21Evil pursueth sinners: but to the righteous good shall be repaid.
25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul: but the belly of the wicked shall want.

Proverbs 14:9, 19, 32
9 Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favor.
19 The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous.
32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness: but the righteous hath hope in his death.

Proverbs 15:6, 19, 28, 29
6 In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble.
19 The way of the slothful man is as a hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain.
28 The heart of the righteous studieth to answer: but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.
29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Proverbs 18:5, 10
5 It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Proverbs 21:12, 18, 26
12 The righteous man wisely considereth the house of the wicked: but God overthroweth the wicked for their wickedness.
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
26 He coveteth greedily all the day long: but the righteous giveth and spareth not.

Proverbs 23:24
24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

Proverbs 24:15
15 Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling of the righteous; spoil not his resting place:

Proverbs 28:1, 10, 12, 28
1 The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
10 Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.
12 When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden.
28 When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase.

Proverbs 29:2, 6, 7, 16
2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.
6 In the transgression of an evil man there is a snare: but the righteous doth sing and rejoice.
7 The righteous considereth the cause of the poor: but the wicked regardeth not to know it.
16 When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall.

Ecclesiastes 3:17
17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

Isaiah 5:23
23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

Jeremiah 20:12
12 But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I opened my cause.

Ezekiel 3:20, 21
20 Again, When a righteous man doth turn from his righteousness, and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumblingblock before him, he shall die: because thou hast not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteousness which he hath done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
21 Nevertheless if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul.

Ezekiel 13:22
22 Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life:

Ezekiel 18:20, 24, 26
20 The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.
26 When a righteous man turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and dieth in them; for his iniquity that he hath done shall he die.

Ezekiel 33:12, 13, 18
12 Therefore, thou son of man, say unto the children of thy people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not deliver him in the day of his transgression: as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turneth from his wickedness; neither shall the righteous be able to live for his righteousness in the day that he sinneth.
13 When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surely live; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, all his righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.
18 When the righteous turneth from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, he shall even die thereby.

New Testament

Matthew 10:41
41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

Matthew 13:17
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

Matthew 23:29, 35
29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchers of the righteous,
35 That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zechariah son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

Matthew 25:37, 46
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee hungry, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

Luke 1:6
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Romans 5:19
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

Hebrews 11:4
14 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

James 5:16
16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

1 Peter 3:12
12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

1 Peter 4:18
18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

2 Peter 2:8
8 For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds

1 John 2:29
29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

1 John 3:7
7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.

1 John 3:12
12 Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.

Revelation 22:11
11 He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.

UPRIGHT, THE PASSAGES

Old Testament

1 Samuel 29:6
6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favor thee not.

2 Samuel 22:24, 26
24 I was also upright before him and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
26 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt show thyself upright.

Job 1:1, 8
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Job 2:3
3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause.

Psalms 7:10
10 My defense is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.

Psalms 11:2, 7
2 For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart.
7 For the righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.

Psalms 18:23, 25
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
25 With the merciful thou wilt show thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt show thyself upright;

Psalms 19:13
13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.

Psalms 20:8
8 They are brought down and fallen: but we are risen, and stand upright.

Psalms 32:11
11 Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

Psalms 33:1
1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

Psalms 36:10
10 O continue thy lovingkindness unto them that know thee; and thy righteousness to the upright in heart.

Psalms 37:14, 18, 37
14 The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation
18 The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever.
37 Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.

Psalms 64:10
10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.

Psalms 94:15
15 But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.

Psalms 97:11
11 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

Psalms 111:1
1 Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

Psalms 112:2, 4
2 His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
4 Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

Psalms 125:4
4 Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts.

Psalms 140:13
13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

Proverbs 2:21
21 For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

Proverbs 10:29
29 The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity.

Proverbs 11:3, 6, 11, 20
3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.
6 The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
11 By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
20 They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.

Proverbs 12:6
6 The words of the wicked are to lie in wait for blood: but the mouth of the upright shall deliver them.

Proverbs 13:6
6 Righteousness keepeth him that is upright in the way: but wickedness overthroweth the sinner.

Proverbs 14:11
11 The house of the wicked shall be overthrown: but the tabernacle of the upright shall flourish.

Proverbs 15:8
8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Proverbs 16:17
17 The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul.

Proverbs 21:18, 29
18 The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright.
29 A wicked man hardeneth his face: but as for the upright, he directeth his way.

Proverbs 28:10
10 Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession.

Proverbs 29:10, 27
10 The bloodthirsty hate the upright: but the just seek his soul.
27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

Ecclesiastes 7:29
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.

Song of Solomon 1:4
4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

Isaiah 26:7
7 The way of the just is uprightness: thou, most upright, dost weigh the path of the just.

DLG note… In this case God is called “most upright” but the way of the justified person is called “uprightness.”

SUMMARY

I GAVE YOU A LIST OF MORE THAN 130 VERSES THAT PROVES HUMANS CAN BE “RIGHTEOUS” IN THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD.

I NOW OFFER THE ONLY VERSE I KNOW ABOUT, WHICH SEEMS TO INDICATE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A “RIGHTEOUS” PERSON.

NONE RIGHTEOUS, THE PASSAGE

Romans. 3:10
10 “There is none righteous, no, not one”

DLG note… This is a true statement concerning the unsaved. Paul said that all people are in need of a Savior, because all have sinned. The context makes it perfectly clear that Paul was speaking about those who are not justified and sanctified.

Remember, this document only addresses verses that use the word “righteous.” Someone may point out that there are other words used in the Bible, when referring to sinful people. YES, there are. But if we used the verses that say man is not holy, we would need to make a list of verses that say man can be and is holy, when in a right relationship with God. This would produce other lists that are overwhelmingly numerous and clear that God does indeed make for Himself a holy, righteous, pure, obedient, good, upright people.

Someone may say, “But, there are several different Greek and Hebrew words, which are translated as, “righteous” and they do not mean what David says.”

David responds… I will be glad to do a word study with you concerning the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek words. But the point is, people claim that the Bible says people cannot be righteous and then use one Bible verse to prove their point, ignoring over one hundred and thirty other verses. If we are going to use Bible words, we must use Bible words honestly. The Bible says that we can be righteous.

These verses do not contradict each other, they compliment one another and they deal with different subjects. The point is, the Bible clearly teaches that humans can be and must be personally and experientially righteous.

I GAVE YOU A LIST OF MORE THAN 40 VERSES THAT PROVES HUMANS CAN BE UPRIGHT IN THIS PRESENT EVIL WORLD.

I NOW OFFER 2 VERSES THAT SEEM TO INDICATE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS AN UPRIGHT PERSON.

NONE UPRIGHT, THE PASSAGES

Micah 7:2, 4
2 The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net.
4 The best of them is as a brier: the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge: the day of thy watchmen and thy visitation cometh; now shall be their perplexity.

DLG note… The context clearly addresses a particular people in a particular time and place. The prophet Micah was pointing out how far reaching was Judah’s sin. The fact that the prophet looked for the “upright” man indicates that upright people had existed, but had died or been killed.

The fact that Micah said, “all lie in wait for blood; they hunt every man his brother with a net” makes it clear that he is not referring to all men of all times and all places, since the saved do not fit this profile, nor did Micah fit this description.

Also, the prophet said that the day of visitation was going to come upon the people. This is a prophecy of judgment and deliverance. Not only will God forgive sins, He will tread underfoot the power and corruption of sin. He will forgive people of their sins committed and He will deliver them of sin indwelling (vss. 18-20).

I hope you will overlook any typographical errors or other honest mistakes. Please let me know about them and I will make the correction.