Who Rules?

By R.J. Rushdoony

One of the prevailing beliefs on the right and on the left is in conspiracies. People like to believe, “They did it to us.” Now a conspiracy is a plan by a group of men to accomplish a particular goal, and the goal may be good or bad. There has been no lack of conspiracies in history, and they are surely with us today. The important question is a moral and religious one: who determines history? Conspiracies, or men under God empowered by the sovereign and determining God?

Christianity has said, over the centuries, that man is in sin; Christ is man’s Savior, giving man salvation; and the purpose of our salvation is service, doing the King’s work in terms of the King’s law-word. If we do not see this, the power of God working through us as determinative of history, we will see another and a dangerous answer. We will then see history as determined by evil conspiracies which exercise a radical control and power over us. Men are then puppets and tools, not God’s viceregents called to make all things new in Him. To regard conspiracies as determinative of history is to deny God’s sovereignty.

Not too many years ago, a man became very angry with me for saying that the Soviet Union could not endure because it was anti-God. The Soviet Union moreover was so derelict in its economy that it was ensuring its own collapse. This man insisted that the laws of economy did not apply to the Soviet Union because it had replaced economics with slavery. He saw no hope of its collapse. In a world without God and His Law, tyrannies can rewrite reality and ensure their indefinite continuance, but in God’s world the wages of sin are always death. We are commanded, “Trust in Him at all times” (Ps 62:8). Because Yahweh is God, no power can or does exist except by His permission!!

To see history as determined by conspiracies, or by demonic forces, or by evil men means, first, to deny that God is the Lord, that He is Sovereign. Second, it also is a denial of our responsibility. Our Lord did not give us an impossible commission (Matt 28:18-20) but a totally possible, necessary, and required one. We need to read and reread the commission to Joshua (Josh 1:1-9), of which the Great Commission of our Lord is an expansion (from Canaan to the world and all [Israel, CIM] nations) while a summary thereof. The promises are remarkable: “Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you” (Josh 1:3). “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD (Yahweh) thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Jos 1:9

One of our problems today is that we forget that we are a commanded people. One of the greatest evils in the church today is the heretical belief that we chose Christ. Our Lord in John 15:16 is emphatic that we do not choose Him but He chooses us and commands us to bear fruit to Him. People who deny God’s predestination scare me; some actually say, “I know what the Bible says here, but it can’t mean what it says.” God is not our servant, although some will say, “He gives me what I ask for;” but He is our Lord and Commander who says, “You will give me all of yourself and your substance as I require it.” Between the two attitudes there is a world of difference, and they are different faiths. Armenians and conspiracy theories have much in common.

Ours is a command Faith because our God is the Lord,

Adam’s sin. Judgment was brought to him through his calling. While Eve was judged, her punishment was not as great.

So, it is for us today. A woman’s lot is not as difficult as a man’s. A man may have to search to know the will of God. The woman may not agree with the man’s judgment but he leaves her in no doubt about it, and with her assurance goes a degree of peace. Many women claim that they would like their husbands to be more responsible and aggressive. The way to gain this, if a woman really wants it, is to back off and let him take the responsibility and let him know he has it.

The world today is sin-sick, and anarchy looms ahead. It behooves all of us to make our Biblical contribution to Godly solutions for a proper respect for authority and He does whatsoever He pleases (Ps 115:3).

What He ordains cannot be undone. The nations or heathens do indeed rage, and the rulers con-spire together against God the Lord and His anointed (people, CIM), but God laughs, and he holds them in derision (Ps 2:14). We need to share in that heavenly laughter. Instead of trembling at the vain imaginations of man, we need to stand fast in our faith.

Paul has a magnificent answer to all the evils the ungodly perpetrate on God’s people. Whatever happens to us, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Rom 8:37). This is an audacious statement. Paul had in mind Roman conquerors, their triumphal entries with many slaves, the gold and other treasures of the conquered people, and their leaders in chains. As against this fact of mighty conquerors, Paul simply states that we are more than these conquerors in our victories when we faithfully serve our King. Our King shall reign when Marx, and all his followers, and all other tyrants and conspirators are only dim memories and fading lines in history. Our Lord is the great King over all kings!

The New Testament gets a major face-lift next month with a new English translation eliminating references to God the Father, turning the Son of Man into “the human one” and removing accusations that Jews killed Christ.

The new translation says children should not ‘obey’ their parents but heed them. Wives are no longer ‘subject’ to their husbands but committed to them.

‘Darkness’ is no longer equated with evil because of racist overtones and the ‘Lord’s Prayer’ now begins ‘Our Father-Mother in heaven.’

References to the right hand of God are also deleted, eliminating possible embarrassment to left-handed people.

(From Geelong Advertiser, Sept 5,1998]

In order to get people to follow another god, all that is required is for someone to rewrite God’s Word, and still call it ‘The Bible’ or New Testament. What was Politically Correct in 1611, is no longer acceptable to today’s gods, who insist that they shall decide what should be in God’s Word. “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight! Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward (bribes, fines), and take away the rightesousness of the righteous from him (those who would discriminate against queers etc. are prosecuted!)! Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD (Yahweh) of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 5:20-24