To imagine to what extent the Word of God in this Authorized Version was read aloud in congregations across the land??? how did not revival break out in the power of the Most High God? could it be because many were "serving themselves of them also" usurping the very Truth to their own personal advantages, and were deeply revolting against the Lord, and breaking the very word they were holding forth? It might challenge some people's mind here, but they were robbers of God, and for refusing to do the true Christian judgment, were merely shadows of the very form (same for all of those hypocrite types who came before it), and abominable children of their Mother, serving the last king of the South and Mystery Babylon.

To those of us who are ashamed for all that has been done (Ezek.43:11), and only then, will the LORD show the fashion, forms, goings, comings, ordinances, laws of the house, which measure we ourselves are expected to fill and make up.

Pro.24:27 "Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house."

"For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil."

Amos 3:4

"Will a lion roar in the forest, when he hath no prey? will a young lion cry out of his den, if he have taken nothing? (5) Can a bird fall in a snare upon the earth, where no gin is for him? shall one take up a snare from the earth, and have taken nothing at all? (6) Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD hath not done it? (7) Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets."

Luke 12:1

Acts 22:28 "And the chief captain answered, With a great sum obtained I this freedom. And Paul said, But I was free born."

How is it that everything down to every bit of a citizen's liberty and affairs has a price tag for the billing? What are we, in the land of the free? As Nebuchadnezzar said "there is but one decree for you: for ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed".

All the security efforts we read about make a far cry from John the Baptist's command to the officers and publicans to not exact more wages than what is appointed to them (through the taxes levied): so is this generation, judging for perceived gains and rewards. When we do what is the good and right thing, the Lord will mightily tend to all the undue inflation and deflation.

But look at our system compared to the righteous example we have here:

Acts 19:37
"For ye have brought hither these men, which are neither robbers of churches, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess."

Take the revelation from Zech.8:9-10 for an example. "For before these days there was no hire for man, nor any hire for beast; neither was there any peace to him that went out or came in because of the affliction: for I set every man against his neighbor."

Generation upon generation that this nation has not learned to be safe in Christ and rent the clothes straightway for the abominations and perversions that are overspread, for judging for reward, a carnal and wicked circumspection, robbing the widow and betraying the fatherless. And more they do.

Ezekiel 12:1 "The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, (2) Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house."

Ezekiel 16:28 "Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast UNSATIABLE..."

Nahum 2:4 "The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings. (5) He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared. (6) The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. (8) But Nineveh is of old like a pool of water: yet they shall flee away. STAND, stand, shall they cry; but none shall look back. (9) Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for there is none end of the store and glory out of all the pleasant furniture."

Amos 3:8 "the Lord GOD hath spoken, who can but prophesy?"

Rom. 15:4"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning"

Point being, there are a great deal many things to learn about God by studying the Old Testament, and taking all the lessons as applicable to our own present situation: this is for the disciple of Jesus Christ to do, seeing it is through him and his doctrine that we may discern all things, even as Jesus said, "We know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews": whereas the Lord said of the heathen (who are not circumcised in their hearts through the faith of the Son of God) "Ye worship ye know not what".

So, for professed followers of Christ to ignore such, the rod they take up, beit against criminals or any other is not the rod of Christ and Israel, but of the heathen, a carnal sword and warfare: in spirit they are the same that persecuted the saints, and they become the Babylon-hypocritical nation who say "Lord Lord", but turn and give their sons and daughters to the fire, by using the school of brute-force and warfare.

You say you find the foundation for civil justice in Scriptures, but clearly there is a distinction between the doctrine of Christ, and the hierarchical government of Gentile/heathen: Satan has the deck stacked as he frames mischief by the worldly laws (where they say "Lord" does not certify the will of God). Jesus referred to them as adversary, saying "agree with them lest they hail thee into the prison". Paul said if one is being called as a servant of these systems "use it that ye may be free, rather". Jesus also approved of the temporary use of this world when he said the Centurion was more faithful than all in Israel, because he gave what was in his power to the interests of the Lord's ministry.

John UK wrote:
Ahhhh...Matthew 5:19, about keeping and teaching others to keep the ten commandments. However, I don't see how you get from the ten commandments to putting to death heretics. I wasn't relating it to that at all.

John UK wrote:
I'm sorry but you've completely lost me? Passage? What passage? I gave no passage. Could you rephrase your comment, and refer it to the penalty for committing murder. I take it you do believe in civil justice?

Paul showed us that we through the Spirit of God can deliver one to Satan for the great offenses, which I believe is fit if the course of rebuking and teaching with all long suffering is not the further order. Jesus affirms this by saying "Make the tree good or evil."

There's nothing privy about this open display of folly, so that the end of it will be clear beyond the first trespass. The fact that by very definition of forming an image (an abomination to the LORD) is to give it service, and due to the very nature of moving the weights themselves must one offer strength unto it (being out from under the Lord the whole time, even as all sin is done without the body of Christ): they are taking to idolize the works of their own hands, even if they say "it is naught, it is naught". Whereas the Saints will glorify Christ Jesus the Lord, and our LORD God, and exalt his entire Word in discipleship, and abide together in agreement in the living works we go to do. To be otherwise minded is to be falling from grace, no matter the conceits.

Gal.5:10 "I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be."

Mike wrote:
God's word is Protestant? What was God protesting in its writing? I find it hard to imagine something getting by him, such that he needed to protest whatever it was. Did he have any other harumph moments?

1 Sam.8:7 "And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them...(9) Now therefore hearken unto their voice: howbeit yet protest solemnly unto them, and shew them the manner of the king that shall reign over them."

Jer. 1:7 "For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice."