Is Ray McBerry Biblically Qualified for the Civil Magistrate? by James Brown Jr.

Posted: 16 November 2009

Official BVG statement on reasons for resignation

Is Ray McBerry Biblically Qualified for the Civil Magistrate?

By James Brown Jr.

© Baptist Vision

"But if it be your duty, my dear brother and sister, thus to do the right, do it if the skies fall." -Charles Spurgeon

Based on the Biblical requirements for a civil magistrate, I have resigned from my participation with and am now publicly withdrawing my support and endorsement for Ray McBerry for Governor in 2010.

Even though this is a difficult situation, it is not simplistic, petty, or issues of personal liberty that bring us to this declaration.

There are issues in Ray's character that begs the question, “Is Ray Biblically qualified for the civil magistrate?”

The reimplementation of a Christian state seems impossible in our present condition. Because of this, we readily forsake our Scriptural duties, in not only the ecclesiastical realm, but also much more in the civil. However, we cannot tread lightly upon these issues.

Even those who are concerned and involved in transforming our civil society easily forsake their Scriptural duties and principles. We quickly join the cause of those who rhetorically proclaim our platform trying to get a front seat in the bus.

The Bible warns us of this very clearly.

"Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure." -1 Timothy 5:22

How many mistakes have we made in the church by putting people in leadership positions before they were proven qualified? In the civil realm, we conservative Christians have done a poor job in implementing a proper process to hold potential candidates accountable to prove themselves as Biblically qualified.

The subject of civil government, although it is not the starting point in transforming the world for Christ, is nonetheless of utmost importance because it is also Christ's institution.

Christian ecclesiastical and civil societies are moral people covenanted under Christ and His Word. This morality within the heart is only possible through regeneration by the work of the Holy Spirit through the grace of God. Though only regenerated persons should be covenanted within the Church, outward enforcement of this morality is obliged upon all in the civil realm, whether they be regenerated or not. Civil citizens, in a national covenant under the reign of Christ, are by Law forced to uphold the covenant in public conduct.

This morality defines what is acceptable and common to the whole body whether in the ecclesiastical or civil realm. Therefore, the code of conduct, regulations, and governmental structure for each sphere is to be enforced.

In both realms, there are also qualifications for the minister of God.

In the standards of the civil magistrate, our leaders are to be as that in the ecclesiastical covenant, meaning they are men who profess faith in Christ and are members in good standing of Christ’s Church.

As members of the covenant, Christians are not to follow the example of them who “lusted after evil things” (I Corinthians 10:6-14). This covenant is the ordinances (I Corinthians 11:2) as defined in all of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Proverbs 30:5; Psalm 12:6; Psalm 119:128).

This whole duty of man is to fear God and keep his commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Of course, because the carnal mind is enmity or the enemy of God and is not subject to the Law of God (Romans 8:7), man has never been able to fulfill this duty. However, Jesus Christ fulfills the Law in us through His death on the cross (Romans 8:3-4). We come into this covenant by the blood of Christ to walk in His Spirit as instruments of righteousness (Romans 6:13).

Rushdoony wrote in The Institutes of Biblical Law, “The purpose of Christ's atoning work was to restore man to a position of covenant-keeping instead of covenant-breaking, to enable man to keep the law by freeing man 'from the law of sin and death' (Rom 8:2), 'that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us' (Rom 8:4)."

Because of man’s rebellion against God, a Christian state must have Christian rulers who are Biblically qualified. Autonomous man cannot rule as a minister of God. We are not attempting to build a Tower of Babel with man doing what is right in his own eyes. We are not seeking to exalt ourselves to the throne of heaven. This is the desire of Satan.

We are seeking to build a theonomic state where Christ is King and our rulers represent Christ to the people and the people to Christ in the civil realm.

Rushdoony wrote in The Institutes of Biblical Law, "The first and basic duty of the state is to further the Kingdom of God by recognizing the sovereignty of God and His word and conforming itself to the law-word of God. The state thus has a duty to be Christian. It must be Christian even as man, the family, the church, the school, and all things else must be Christian."

Our rulers are not the law nor do they make the law. They are under the jurisdiction of the Law just like all members of the civil covenant. Rev. Samuel Rutherford understood this when he penned the classic Lex Rex or The Law and the Prince in 1644. In other words, the prince is not king, the Law is king over all the people including the civil rulers.

Therefore, no man has right to any civil office. The office of civil magistrate is for those called and gifted by God. Those divinely graced with ability and character are entrusted by the people. To set oneself above God’s ordained order in such matters makes one an usurper. Yes, that means nearly every one of our governmental officials are usurpers.

However, just because they are usurping Christ's office does not mean we have the right to do the same thing. Two wrongs do not make a right and the end does not justify the means. As William Einwechter wrote in his article, Biblical Standards for Choosing Civil Magistrates, "Magistrates must be men of the highest personal character. They must be men of truth and virtue. Their lives should be an example of righteous living. As those charged with enforcing God’s law in the civil sphere, they should keep all aspects of God’s moral law."

It is under this authority that I may endorse a man as God's minister in the civil realm. If he does not pass muster within this basic understanding of the civil magistrate, then I must withhold or withdraw endorsement until the right time or the right man comes along.

To violate these principles would be like endorsing a man for eldership (pastorate) or deaconship that is not qualified. To do so would be to fight against God’s sovereignty and order.

Jeremiah, persecuted by his own compatriots, understood this. Jeremiah preached that not only the people and ecclesiastical leaders must repent and get in a right covenant relationship with God, but also the civil leaders. Without this repentance and right standing with God, Jeremiah could not endorse them no matter their platform.

Today, our courage and confidence must be in Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

This whole situation began due to uncomfortable conduct from Ray. After our relationships became more watchful, I learned Ray was advertising in ways unbecoming a Christian according to the Scriptures. To my surprise, Ray was advertising himself as a photographer at two online modeling web sites.

The content was plainly the exposing of nakedness and promoting of fornication (porneia) according to the Biblical definitions of such.

One issue in question was a calendar layout. It was the Dixie version of the swimsuit issue of Sports Illustrated.

Let me be very clear. I have sought to follow Matthew 18 in this matter. However, Ray has refused repentance or the Matthew 18 process every step of the way.

Ray has been very clear to inform others and me that his involvement in these sorts of things is not an issue and is nothing more than business.

The Scripture is clear that true repentance will dictate a carefulness to clear oneself of sin according to the standards of God's Word. It will create a desire to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit because God is too holy to even look upon iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13) and even hates those who work in it (Psalm 5:5).

1 John 3:3 says, "And every man that hath this hope," meaning the hope of Christ, "in him purifieth himself, even as he [Christ] is pure." Therefore, we are to regulate every area of our life after the image of Christ. It is not only a command, but is also part of our new nature.

"For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter." -2 Corinthians 7:11

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." -Philippians 4:8

So, I ask, is it a secular thing or just business, to promote Biblically defined lewdness, Biblically defined unchasteness, Biblically defined nakedness, and Biblically defined fornication (porneia)? Porneia is the Greek word translated fornication in the King James version of the Holy Scriptures. It is any sin of a sexual nature.

As I cannot imagine any Christian man defending such, I can not believe a I imagine a minister of God defending that which the Bible condemns and warns against.

My position is as such:

1. A Christian man to be involved in the photography of nakedness as defined by Scripure is sin.

2. To promote lust is fornication, which is sin.

3. Sin is to be repented of.

4. Christians who will not repent of blatant sin are to be shunned.

5. Civil Magistrates are to be Biblically Qualified.

6. The promotion of fornication would disqualify one from ecclesiastical or civil magistrate leadership until established restoration if possible.

Therefore, as I have publicly endorsed a man, putting my seal of approval upon him as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, so too must I publicly withdraw that endorsement upon knowing that I can no longer bear testimony of it according to the Scriptures.

“Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:” -Exodus 18:21

“Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.” -Deuteronomy 1:13

“The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.” -2 Samuel 23:3

“That I gave my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the ruler of the palace, charge over Jerusalem: for he was a faithful man, and feared God above many.” -Nehemiah 7:2

Our only hope is that God will bring us to repentance and turn us away from trusting in princes, horses, and chariots for our deliverance. We hear it all the time but it never seems to register. The hope of our deliverance is when we, as God's people, truly repent and turn from our wicked ways.

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." -2 Chronicles 7:14

May we heed and follow in sincerity and truth the prayer of Charles Spurgeon:

“Called by the name of the Lord, we are nevertheless erring men and women. What a mercy it is that our God is ready to forgive! Whenever we sin let us hasten to the mercy seat of our God, seeking pardon. We are to humble ourselves. Should we not be humbled by the fact that after receiving so much love we yet transgress? O Lord, we bow before Thee in the dust and own our grievous ingratitude. Oh, the infamy of sin! Oh, the sevenfold infamy of it in persons so favored as we have been! Next, we are to pray for mercy, for cleansing, for deliverance from the power of sin. O Lord, hear us even now, and shut not out our cry. In this prayer we are to seek the Lord's face. He has left us because of our faults, and we must entreat Him to return. O Lord, look on us in Thy Son Jesus, and smile upon Thy servants. With this must go our own turning from evil; God cannot turn to us unless we turn from sin. Then comes the triple promise of hearing, pardon, and healing. Our Father, grant us these at once, for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake.” -Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892).

God will not turn to us as long as there is sin in the camp, either in our leaders or in the people. David is an example of the sin of a leader causing the nation to be defeated. In I Chronicles 21, he numbered the people in direct disobedience to God and God smote 70,000 men of Israel. Achan was one of the regular members of the congregation of Israel. Yet, he took of the accursed (forbidden) things in Jericho. The Bible says because there was sin in the camp Israel could not stand before their enemies and the little city of Ai defeated them in battle. It was not until the sin had been put away from them were they able to be victorious.

Such is true with us today. We will never see victory and the success of our cause, which first must be the Crown Rights of Jesus Christ, until we are a people who "are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

How can we ever reprove the darkness if we walk in darkness? We cannot, which is exactly what Israel learned by the sin of Achan.

"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them. For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them." -Ephesians 5:3-11

The Church has long erred in our "reclaim America" movements and we continue to reap the errors of our ways. As the "pillar and ground of the truth (I Timothy 3:15), we have not built the foundations for a proper Christ ruled society.

As William Einwechter wrote, “The church must labor to raise up men who will meet the biblical standards for magistrates. Where will men come from who are qualified for civil office if not from the covenant people? If there are no men qualified for a particular office, it is because the church has failed; it is not because the biblical standards are unworkable in the present context. The goal of the church should be to have a biblically qualified man running for every civil office in the land. We are a long way from reaching this goal. But the church must begin by equipping men to serve as magistrates and challenging them to glorify God as His minister in the civil sphere. Race by race, office by office, the church needs to take dominion over politics by raising up biblically qualified men.”

In rebuilding the home, the church, and civil government, we must build men who are qualified and fit for offices, for battle, for the trenches, for following, and for all areas of service. We have not trained leaders or followers because we have not built homes and churches under the authority of Christ.

My withdrawal does not come from emotion or feelings, but Scripture commands my actions.

"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us." -2 Thessalonians 3:6

“In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” -1 Corinthians 5:4-13

“Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.” -3 John 1:11

According to the Word of God, every man must answer, “Is Ray McBerry Biblically qualified for the civil magistrate?”

Disappointed but not Discouraged (original statement of resignation)

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