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Refreshing to hear the Truth. I was doing a web search on the Christian Authority In Christ Jesus and ran across your site. Your message of Christians being priests and kings here on earth should be preached in every church on earth. We do not realize the gifts God has given us.

- Juli Jones, Pittsburgh

Excellent material!! May God Bless and Prosper You!!

- Glenn Arnett

In the National Reform Association convention for 1873, held in New York City, Jonathan Edwards, D.D., a vice-president, made a speech in which he said:

We want State and religion, and we are going to have it. It shall be that so far as the affairs of State require religion, it shall be revealed religion--the religion of Jesus Christ. The Christian oath and Christian morality shall have in this land "an undeniable legal basis." We use the word "religion" in its proper sense, as meaning a man's personal relation of faith and obedience to God.

Then according to the definition of the NRA, the National Reform Association intends that the State shall obtrude itself into every man's personal faith and obedience to God.

Having browsed the web site I have not noticed a change of attitude. This is regrettable; for this attitude is not that of Jesus Christ and it does not concur with the word of God. Therefore this position held by the NRA shall utterly fail even though it have the appearance of success.

"Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God... : for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:22, 23).

Thus The Christian Statesman, the NRA, and all else who desire this stranglehold on the conscience of mankind, desire to enforce the gospel by law and lead blindly in the way of only sin. This in no way is pleasing to God, for it is not of faith, but rather of force.

"But without faith it is impossible to please him...." (Heb. 11:6). Faith is that which people need! Let us live and teach faith!

- Steven Hughes

Editor Responds: A careful reading of the statement by Jonathan Edwards reveals that he is not talking of regulating the personal religious faith of men or of enforcing the gospel by law. He states only "that so far as the affairs of the state require religion" it should be the true revealed religion of the Bible. The legitimate affairs of state are related to justice, and in the pursuit of that justice a Christian oath and Christian morality should form the basis.

The NRA has no desire to obtrude into a man's personal faith, to strangle the conscience of mankind, or to force people to believe the gospel of Christ. But we do desire to have the state submit to the authority of Christ and be governed by the law of God.

Faith is based on the Word of God. True Christian ministry proclaims that Word and calls men to believe and obey it. The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords and the Governor of the nations. The Bible says that rulers are to govern in the fear of God and to take His law as their standard of justice. The Bible declares that civil magistrates are God's ministers and are to serve the Lord with fear in their office and to publicly submit to the authority of Christ over them. The NRA calls all men to believe these biblical truths and act upon them. Ours is a ministry that calls men to faith in the lordship of Christ over civil government. Without faith in that lordship no one, either as a citizen or ruler, can please God.

It is refreshing to hear you say that you do not detect any change in thinking from what the NRA taught in 1873 and what we are teaching today. We praise God that we are proving faithful to the biblical vision of our forefathers.

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