King David's Warning: The Perils of Governance Through Decrees in Modern America

Standing Firm Against the Rising Tide of Authoritarian Decrees in the U.S

I don't usually write anything that sounds like a sermon, but stories developing in California and Georgia deserve an exception.

Let AI Jane narrate this story

In Georgia, as the world knows, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has indicted Donald Trump and 18 others with violation of the state's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO).

Among those charges in the indictment are making "false statements and writings" about the 2020 elections.

That's a charge pulled out of thin air since no laws in Georgia make "false statements and writings" illegal.

If there were such laws, the prison doors would swing wide open for countless politicians, including Georgia's liberal democrat, Stacey Abrams, who claimed her election loss to Governor Brian Kemp in 2018 was stolen.

Fani Willis simply issued a decree making "false statements and writings" a crime.

On the opposite side of the country, California Attorney General Rob Bonta is bringing a lawsuit against the Chino Valley Unified School District for its completely sane and understandable policy on notifying parents if their child decides to change their gender.

But again, California has no laws making it illegal for school districts to exercise a bit of parental love and keep them informed if their child switches gender.

Like Fani Willis in Georgia, Rob Bonta issued a decree to make the parental notification policy illegal.

As anyone who has taken an elementary-level civic course knows, legislatures pass laws - not politicians, prosecutors, attorney generals, or any other self-appointed Master of the Universe.

Decrees, on the other hand, are dictatorial mandates issued by small-minded, egotistical, power-grabbing lunatics who think they are a god that can engrave any "thou shall nots" into tablets of stones.

America is a nation of laws, and issuing decrees is not legal in the land of the free.

Of course, that does not stop decrees from happening, as noted above.

Government officials desiring "laws" that legislatures refuse to pass simply issue "decrees" and hope courts will do their dirty work for them.

Now, going into the nitty-gritty details of this process is beyond the biblical scope of this message.

But it's important to note that most decrees are presented as nothing more than expanding an existing law.

For instance, California Attorney General Rob Bonta says it's illegal for school districts to notify parents about their child's gender status because that would violate California's Equal Protection Clause and Education and Government Code and constitutional right to privacy.

The goal is to get a court to buy into that argument and make the decree established law, thereby circumventing the state legislature.

The process has long been blasted as judicial activism among conservative critics, but it is the only way liberal activists can cement their radical policies into our legal system.

Decrees never express the people's will, but only that of puffed-up tiny tyrants who know their mandates would never pass a legislative body.

With rare exceptions, the goal of a decree is to subvert or override the will of the people and strip them of their rights, liberties, and freedoms.

The legendary warrior and ruler of the Nation of Israel, King David, tells us decrees will destroy a nation.

While David was on the run from King Saul, he warned that no throne could align itself with God "which devises mischief by decree." (Ps. 94:20)

Such a nation, he accurately describes, will be a "throne of destruction."

The word "throne" envelopes more than just its ruler; it includes all the kingdom's magistrates, city officials, department heads, superintendents, and administrators.

Together, their decrees will bring a nation to its knees and its people to their ultimate demise.

"They band themselves together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death." (v. 21)

How prophetic. And we need to look no further than the national legalization of abortion by decree from 1972 to 2022.

Before the Supreme Court rescinded its 1972 decree, over 25 million innocent babies were butchered to death, with nearly 60 percent of those killings committed against the pre-born of a minority race.

We are well aware of many other decrees infringing on our most fundamental rights and freedoms as Americans.

They range from limiting free speech and self-defense to burdensome constraints on our rights as parents.

Fresh in all our memories are decrees mandating face coverings, social distancing, "vaccine" shots, and even restrictions on attendance at places of worship.

A nation of decrees rather than laws cannot align itself with God.

King David knew that, and his cry in Psalm 94 should resonate with us all :

"Who will stand up for me against evildoers? Who will take his stand for me against those who do injustice?" (v.16)

Countless Americans are suffering from the injustices of decrees.

Christians have been denied the right to adopt children because of their biblical faith.

Parents have been told they have no right to stop schools from grooming their kids into the gay lifestyle.

Men and women are being threatened with imprisonment for what they say about an election.

Street preachers have been arrested for protesting drag queens parading down the streets in front of small children.

Christian businessmen and women have been taken to court for refusing to service homosexual marriages.

Medical professionals have lost their jobs for refusing to perform procedures that violate their religious faith.

Who will stand up for those suffering injustice from evildoers?

We are all familiar with the phrase "Take a Stand."

It involves an act of resistance, determination, and commitment.

Across the country, we have many faithful American patriots taking a stand.

Look what happened to Bud Light, Target, and Disney when fed-up consumers took a stand against Big Business and their efforts to push transgenderism on our youth.

Look what happens to school boards after parents say “enough” to teachers indoctrinate their children into Critical Race Theory.

Look what’s happening to network TV, the Oscars, and the Miss America pageant when Americans said “enough” to programming that lectured on woke DEI rather than entertainment.

And though most of these resistance moments have been directed against corporations, they exemplify what can be achieved against unjust mandates if enough grit, persistence, and endurance sweep the nation.

There are only two options when fighting the injustices of decrees: Stand and be counted and therefore free, or bow and become slaves to the Rich Men North of Richmond.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

Martin Mawyer is president of Christian Action Network, which he founded in 1990. Located in Lynchburg, VA, CAN was formed as a non-profit educational organization to protect America’s religious and moral heritage. He is the author of several books, including You Are Chosen: Prepare to Triumph in a Fallen World.