Posted on 08/31/2009 9:13:12 AM PDT by freed0misntfree
A Phoenix-area pastor has started to draw protesters to his congregation after he delivered a sermon titled, "Why I Hate Barack Obama," and told his parishioners that he prays for President Obama's death.
Pastor Steven Anderson stood by his sermon in an interview with MyFOXPhoenix, which reports that the pastor continues to encourage his parishioners to join him in praying for the president's death.
"I hope that God strikes Barack Obama with brain cancer so he can die like Ted Kennedy and I hope it happens today," he told MyFOXPhoenix on Sunday. He called his message "spiritual warfare" and said he does not condone killing.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
“Why I Hate Barack Obama,”
There may be other nuances here, but I’m in the “love the sinnder, hate the sin” camp.
You too. Your judging. I always find it useful to consult with the gospel and bible, rather than come to any hasty conclusion.
"Do not judge, and you will not be judged; because the judgements you give are the judgements you will get, and the amount you measure out is the amount you will be given." (Mt.7:1-2).
"Anybody who is convinced that he belongs to Christ must go on to reflect that we all belong to Christ no less than he does." (2 Cor.10:7).
Article 8. Whether we ought to pray for our enemies
Objection 1. It would seem that we ought not to pray for our enemies. According to Romans 15:4, "what things soever were written, were written for our learning." Now Holy Writ contains many imprecations against enemies; thus it is written (Psalm 6:11): "Let all my enemies be ashamed and be . . . troubled, let them be ashamed and be troubled very speedily [Vulgate: 'Let them be turned back and be ashamed.']." Therefore we too should pray against rather than for our enemies.
Reply to Objection 1. The imprecations contained in Holy Writ may be understood in four ways. First, according to the custom of the prophets "to foretell the future under the veil of an imprecation," as Augustine states [De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 21. Secondly, in the sense that certain temporal evils are sometimes inflicted by God on the wicked for their correction. Thirdly, because they are understood to be pronounced, not against the men themselves, but against the kingdom of sin, with the purpose, to wit, of destroying sin by the correction of men. Fourthly, by way of conformity of our will to the Divine justice with regard to the damnation of those who are obstinate in sin.
Objection 2. Further, to be revenged on one's enemies is harmful to them. But holy men seek vengeance of their enemies according to Apocalypse 6:10, "How long . . . dost Thou not . . . revenge our blood on them that dwell on earth?" Wherefore they rejoice in being revenged on their enemies, according to Psalm 57:11, "The just shall rejoice when he shall see the revenge." Therefore we should not pray for our enemies, but against them.
"Reply to Objection 2. As Augustine states in the same book (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i, 22), "the martyrs' vengeance is the overthrow of the kingdom of sin, because they suffered so much while it reigned": or as he says again (QQ. Vet. et Nov. Test. lxviii), "their prayer for vengeance is expressed not in words but in their minds, even as the blood of Abel cried from the earth." They rejoice in vengeance not for its own sake, but for the sake of Divine justice.
Objection 3. Further, man's deed should not be contrary to his prayer. Now sometimes men lawfully attack their enemies, else all wars would be unlawful, which is opposed to what we have said above (Question 40, Article 1). Therefore we should not pray for our enemies.
Reply to Objection 3. It is lawful to attack one's enemies, that they may be restrained from sin: and this is for their own good and for the good of others. Consequently it is even lawful in praying to ask that temporal evils be inflicted on our enemies in order that they may mend their ways. Thus prayer and deed will not be contrary to one another.
This kind of prayer is certainly not unbiblical. David praciticed it often. Psalm 58:6: “Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD.
7: Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces.
8: As a snail which melteth, let every one of them pass away: like the untimely birth of a woman, that they may not see the sun.
9: Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath.
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. “
Want something from the New Testament? Luke 19:27 - “But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me. “ That’s meek and mild Jesus talking.
Some of us Christians have a lot to learn about spiritual warfare. Yes, it says, we wrestle not against flesh and blood. Nevertheless, if God is telling this man to pray thus, then I won’t come against him.
The thing about this kind of prayer, or any prayer, is that it’s out of our hands and into God’s hands, and if He chooses to take Obama, that’s as it should be. If he refuses, God’s right and the praying man hasn’t lost anything.
Spiritual warfare, folks. Learn it. It starts with studying the Bible until we’re familiar with all of it. It’s no good to run with part of it.
Do not judge harshly, Yes. Now look at you judging me? A little bit of the self righteous sliver versus the plank there? No preacher would ever say they pray for President to die, get brain cancer like Ted? No sorry. He is a wolf among the sheep and has no business labelling himself as a disciple of our risen Savior.
No, I believe today’s progressives are evil. They know what their goal is and they’re misleading the blind and the stupid.
“1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2 for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” - 1 Timothy 2:4
I appreciate you posting that and what you quoted bears repeating one more time. This is the last word of God on our relation to prayer for our leaders, including Barak Obama. We are bound by this last word to pray for the good of all our leaders. Nowhere in the New Testament is their any contradiction of this, nothing authorizing and commanding us to pray for evil upon any man, including Barak Obama. Christians should believe that David was under the Old Law and what was right for him as the Anointed of God is not applicable to us. (Ephesians 2:15, Colossians 2:14)
Patriot Preacher said:
“Now, the “spiritual” reality is that this “Pastor” has a WRONG heart and an unChristian attitude toward Barack Obama.”
Nathan Zachary replied:
“I don’t believe so. Obama is an enemy of the Church and all it stands for, therefore it is not wrong to pray against our enemies, as others have done in the bible (Psalms 69,109) as you can see.”
Jesus said:
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matt. 5:44).
I am not saying we should be pacifists — far from it. I am saying that our task is to live righteous, upright, peaceful lives to the best of our ability as Christians, as much as it depends on US. IF our enemies choose to do violence to us, then we have an inherent right to self defense. But to pray for their deaths, particularly at this point, is out of step with Biblical teachings.
I say again, this Pastor should be rebuked for his statements, and Biblical Christians ought to make it clear WHY, without compromising either our rights OR our responsibilities as both disciples or Christian citizens of the USA.
Pastors like him drive many many soul way from the church.
Rather than kill your elected president, why not send the same powerful prayer of to save him? What will love do: Kill or save?
If you must kill, there is something we need to kill. You can then declare war on the bad economy and kill it with your prayer.
Let me ask you Pastor Anderson, If God broke your tooth or your church members everytime you and they messed up, where would you be today?
You man killing christians remember the words of the Master “The son of man came to save men’s lives”
(Luke 9:56 … For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them..”)
Who acts out of a desire to do evil? I think Adolf Hitler himself rose every morning thinking he was completely justified in what he was doing. Most evil people are sincere in their actions.
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