Month: September 2021

BREAKING: Religious Leaders File Huge Lawsuit Against State Governments to Restore Freedoms · Caldron Pool

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This is interesting. It looks like some churches are taking a stand for in-person worship to be classed as “essential.”

From caldronpool.com

BREAKING: Religious Leaders File Huge Lawsuit Against State Governments to Restore Freedoms · Caldron Pool

Internationally renowned COVID-19 expert, Jayanta Bhattacharya, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University in California has provided an independent expert report in support of the action brought forward by the plaintiffs.

Three evangelical pastors, along with several Jewish congregations, have filed a joint lawsuit with the Australian Federal Government, seeking an injunction against the New South Wales and Victorian Government’s current COVID-19 lockdown measures.

The lawsuit, filed on Wednesday in the Federal Court, argues the state governments have selectively discriminated against religious groups in denying citizens the ability to congregate in Houses of Worship by arbitrarily deeming them “non-essential,” while allowing the public to gather elsewhere, such as in supermarkets and liquor stores.

The lawsuit will argue that Houses of Worship provide significant spiritual, psychological, and emotional support for communities, especially those who are suffering financially and psychologically from the impacts of the state government’s lockdown policies.

Furthermore, it will be argued that the governments’ indiscriminate selection of “essential” and “non-essential” venues under the Public Health Order is not supported by robust scientific or medical evidence.

According to the complaint, neither the NSW nor Victorian Governments have the constitutional or common law power to deny citizens their religious freedom which includes their ability to fulfill particular religious obligations and practices in their designated House of Worship.

Internationally renowned COVID-19 expert, Jayanta Bhattacharya, Professor of Medicine at Stanford University in California has also provided an independent expert report in support of the action brought forward by the plaintiffs.

Lawyer Tony Nikolic said his clients were forced to appeal to the courts after the matter had been repeatedly ignored by the NSW state government, in particular.

“My clients have attempted to engage with the NSW and Victorian Premiers and their Ministers as well as various NSW, Victorian, and Federal Parliamentarians to have their grievances addressed in a diplomatic and respectful manner.

“Unfortunately, in the context of NSW, the NSW Government has been unwilling to engage with my clients in any meaningful dialogue. As a result, our only last venue for relief is the courts.”

Pastor Robert Ayoub, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said they have exhausted other options to no avail.

“Now we have. a legal option, where we take the matter to the courts and have it heard by a court,” Pastor Ayoub said in a recent interview. “We believe this is a respectful way to do things, and importantly, a legal way to do things.

“We’re not here to be vindictive, or dishonouring towards the government, we’re just seeking to be able to practice our religion freely, and we’re appealing to our government to allow. us to love our God and also love our neighbour, to love our community.”

The plaintiffs in the case have also backed The Moses Statement, an open letter to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and the State Premiers, urging a reopening of churches across the nation.

The Moses Statement can be read and signed here.

The case will be heard in court later today.

Ephesians 5:11

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Here is my commentary on Ephesians 5:11. I am publishing these once or twice a week, but you can read all of the available articles at our web-site, http://www.new-life.org.au

Ephesians 5:11

“Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.”

Christians are the children of light, and so must have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness.

The deeds of darkness, that is sin, do not produce fruit. We might think that just as the Spirit produces fruit in the believer, then sin must also produce its own kind of fruit, even if it is a disgusting kind of fruit.

Paul is thinking of a plant left in a dark place. It not only produces no fruit, but will itself wither and die.

Sin does not produce anything that is worthy of eternity. Quite the opposite, in fact. The product of sin will be thrown into the fire to be burnt (see John 15:6, where Jesus talks of the fate of the branch that produces no fruit).

Sin produces results that might seem fruitful in the world, but will not last beyond this life. Since we are children of light not of darkness, we must have nothing to do with such things.

This is not “moderation in all things”, but ”have nothing to do with them.” While we are allowed to enjoy the fruits of creation which God has given us for our benefit, when it comes to sin we are to completely avoid it.

Christians have in the past, and continue into the present, to have disagreements about where the line between light and darkness should be drawn. Some avoid alcohol in faith while others drink alcohol in faith. Some have certain dress codes, while others do not have the same dress codes – all in order to please the Lord.

Where it is clear that certain practices are condemned in the Bible, we must have nothing to do with them. This is forbidden territory for christians. We must live lives of light not darkness.

While we are to avoid the fruitless deeds of darkness, we must not avoid the people who walk in the darkness. We are called to be salt and light in the world, even while we live by different rules and values. We must be friends of sinners, as Jesus was, while avoiding the sin.

To expose the deeds of darkness means we let the light of God shine on them. Paul is thinking here that, as we live in the ways of Jesus, the contrast between us and the people of the world will expose the ugly reality of sin.

We do not have to lecture the ungodly about their ways, although there is room for public proclamation of righteousness. In other words, the church must find ways of describing the kingdom lifestyle without pointing the finger at those who live differently.

Paul sees the role of Christians as shining the light of Christ so that people start to see that their own lives are dark and fruitless. This should raise the question of how people get the power to live exemplary lives, and then to them wanting to follow Jesus as the result.

This exposing the deeds of darkness is simply shining a spotlight that enables people to see clearly that their lives are indeed fruitless.

As John points out, there are people who love the darkness rather than the light because their deeds are evil (John 3:19-21). There are people in the world who are so committed to their evil deeds that no amount of light will convince them to change. They see the light as a painful thing and flee from it. This in itself exposes the darkness.

Christians are called to be imitators of Christ. We find out what pleases the Lord and delight in it so that our lives become winsome and attractive to those who welcome the light.

Key points in this verse:

  • We are to have nothing to do with the deeds of darkness
  • Sin produces no fruit for eternity
  • As we live in the light of Christ, we will expose the deeds of darkness
  • Not everyone welcomes the light