Praising the Wicked Rather Than Comforting the Victim

Praising the Wicked


By Rev. R.J. Rushdoony – bio





Category: Articles




(Reprinted from Bread upon the Waters: Columns from the California Farmer [Fairfax, VA: Thoburn Press, 1974], 93–94.)


CA Farmer 229:7 (Oct. 5, 1968), p. 37.


Praising the wicked, and rewarding them, seems to be the main purpose of our judges and legislators these days.


If this seems too strong a statement, then take it up with God because Scripture plainly declares, “They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them” (Prov. 28:4). The law in question is God’s law. If men abandon it, they are deserting not only law but righteousness and justice. They will therefore “praise the wicked” instead of contending with them, instead of trying to control and suppress evil.


Recently, I sat in a courtroom during hearings for two criminals, one caught in the commission of a crime, the other with a car he had stolen before witnesses. They were planning to plead innocent and were going to be provided with public defenders at taxpayers’ expense; those robbed would get no return, in one case for stolen funds and in the other case for a possibly damaged car. There was no thought in the court or law of the Biblical law of restitution. The penalty was being paid by the victims in many hours lost in the courtroom, lost goods, and taxes paid. The criminals, both with records, were dealt with gently, lest it prejudice the case, and the victims and police were questioned at times sharply.


A fair trail is a necessity under God’s law, but a court that continually penalizes the victims is in effect praising the wicked.


We need to ask the question, therefore, as to why men and nations praise the wicked. Birds of a feather flock together, and evil men will show their preference for evil, and guilty men will work to make justice ineffective lest it judge them also.


“Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Prov. 29:18). A Biblical scholar, the Reverend Derek Kidner, has pointed out that the Hebrew for this verse can be translated literally as, where there is no prophecy or vision, that is, no preaching of the Word, “the people run wild.” Because there has been very little true preaching of the Word of God, the people run wild. And a wild people will praise the wicked.




Rev. R.J. Rushdoony (1916-2001) was the founder of Chalcedon and a leading theologian, church/state expert, and author of numerous works on the application of Biblical Law to society.

Show A Little Grace

There are many in the church who think they are saved because they decided to be good and join an elite club of do gooders. This is not Christianity. Christ said that if we do not come to Him with a broken heart over our own sin, desiring to be changed by Him into a new creation, then we have come in pride and He will not change us when we elevate ourselves. In humility and brokenness we come and then He will make us a new creation. Did we hear this...HE makes us a new creation, we do not recreate ourselves to fit our ideas of a good person, but He changes us into His image. We have nothing to offer Him, He has everything to offer us if we will humble ourselves.






Those who think that they are better than others, comparing their sins against the sins of others, are deluding themselves. Every sin, no matter how small can put us in hell. There are no little and big sins. Pride was the sin that got Satan thrown out of heaven and which is at the center of every other sin in our lives.






If we have not trusted Christ in repentance and brokenness, comparing ourselves only to the holiness of God, then we have not been saved.






I have watched the strut of arrogant self absorbed men and women, grieved over their willful self exaltation. None of us has any reason to condemn another believer over their warts. A wart is a wart no matter how big. Let us deal with sin in our friends with caution, grace and deep love for their well being, not with pride and an attitude of stomping them down as far as we can to elevate ourselves. If we love our brother we will go to him about his sin, but with a compassion for them that we would want others to show to us if we needed to repent and become restored to the body or in a relationship.






When God said "love covers a multitude of sins" , I believe He was telling us not to condemn and harm other believers over the petty, small things, but to be willing to be inconvenienced for the sake of the other believer. God can show us our flaws in the small matters. We do not have to confront or exact revenge on every unimportant matters. We can act in grace and patience, JUST LIKE THE LORD DOES WITH US.






Let the little things pass, bless those who are not perfect, because we are not. If we compare ourselves with Christ, then we will spend more time being ashamed of ourselves than we would noticing the flaws of others.






Do not ignore the big sins, but handle them with love and grace, according to the Word, and let that little stuff pass.

Satan's Tactic: Intimidation

There is a movement afoot to blame "Christianity" for the falling away of Christians from the church.  There have been many articles in the past few years about the hordes of people leaving the church and becoming atheists.  They blame "religion" on the hypocrisy they experience within the walls of the "religious" institutions.  

They are right, those atheists, when they say there is hypocrisy in the church, not only is it there, but it is in all the institutions that are not Christian too.  Perhaps we need to look at the definition of hypocrisy before assigning that term to an organization or person.  

Hypocrisy: "pretending to be what one is not, one who pretends to be virtuous and pious when one is really not."

Obviously, a person who is judging another as virtuous when they are not, is the self righteous non-believer.  They think that there should be a higher standard for believers than they assign to themselves.  Anyone who will not live up to a particular standard, becomes a hypocrite when accusing others of also not living up to the standard.  This flawed thinking is nothing more than verbal manipulation to confuse and embarrass the believer.

This definition describes every human being on the face of the earth.  Those who say they hate hypocrisy and blame Christians for being so, do not hold the same standards that they expect out of believers, therefore they are what they blame others of being.  This is Satan's tactic for silencing the believers.  If he can make us ashamed of our failures and leave us with a sense that we have no right to speak boldly on the subject of the lost sinner, then we will have little or no effect on our culture, families or friends.  We will be muted for the sake of shame and tolerance.

It is important to live up to God's standard, but not for the sake of the non-believer, but because of our love for God.  When we love Him and live according to His will, He will bless us with a proper witness in the community.  He will use us for His purposes.  We do not have to walk about worried that we do everything to impress others, we can rest in Him. Obey Him and when we fail, confess it and move on to obedience once again. 

There is one thing that the accusers can not know and don't think of and that is the nature of the human race.  All people are "desperately wicked" and all people do not have the ability to be anything other than sinful, hypocritical and self willed. Everyone "falls short of the glory of God."

The only remedy to combat this wretched condition is to be changed into something we could not be on our own. Someone else would have to change what we do not have the ability to change in us.  We can work ourselves silly to be something we would like to be, but we can not do it in our depraved condition.  So how can non-believers open their mouths in protest at the imperfections of the believer when they are still in their lost status?

One of Satan's tactics is to keep the believer focused on their past sin and human failures.  He is the accuser of the brethren in the heavenlies.  God says that if we have trusted Christ, He has changed us and will keep us.  

Don't fall for the attacks of the devil.  Look to Christ rather than the words and manipulations of unsaved people.  When they accuse us of being hypocrites, agree with them.  We are all hypocrites when we do not obey the Lord.  Some who are in the church are not saved just as the accusing unbeliever.  They walk not with our Savior, but they claim His name.  Any non-believer who loves his sin, has no standing to accuse others of theirs.  

The non-believer needs the gospel message that he is lost in his sin and his only recourse is to trust Christ to avoid the punishment that is coming for those who will not love Him.  The key to our emotional sanity is to ignore the accusations of the non-believer or the believer who is disobedient, and keep our eyes focused on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Pray for all those who are saved and walking disobediently, those who are unsaved and those in the church who would claim Christianity but appear to be unsaved.  God knows who is who and what each one needs.  Also we should be praying that we are not sucked into the whiles of the devil through argumentative spirits who wish to disarm us through shame and embarrassment.  

The most effective weapons against the onslaught of accusation are to continually stay in the Word, prayer and the companionship of other like minded believers who can keep us focused on Him.  May the Lord make us all effective, focused and bold in our witness and walk.  

Can We Hear The Holy Spirit?

When we become saved we are given the Holy Spirit by God. He will speak to us in our hearts, we will know it is Him. If we read our Bibles and know God's Word, we will be more able to hear the Holy Spirit. He will speak to us through the Word (the Bible). We have the choice to obey or ignore His promptings. If we obey, we are blessed and grow. If we ignore Him, we will suffer the consequences that come with disobedience and we will remain baby Christians. We should feel guilty over sin, although if we ignore Him long enough we lose the ability to hear Him. God will allow us to experience the consequences of our disobedience. Sometimes it means He will take us home early, we will then miss His blessing. We don't ever want to grieve the Holy Spirit. We want to please God and obey the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 "All Scripture is inspired of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Criticism and Failure are our Friends and Teachers

Toil and sweat, then stand back and enjoy the consequence of our labors.

Recieve correction and criticism with gladness and we will grow into accomplished individuals with a greater purpose.

As a culture, we have praised children to the point of being dishonest with them. We have told them they did a good job on something when they didn't even try, just to "encourage" them. What we have created are self inflated monsters who feel a sense of entitlement to praise and personal attention.

We no longer have children who can be  team players and cooperate with others, because their focus is completely on themselves as the center of attention. They are selfish and materialistic. There are those exceptions, but for the most part children are entertained continually and not expected to work hard enough to draw a sweat, so they are also lazy and angry when they have to work. Productivity will fall off, and has, in our country, if we do not raise the next generation to invite criticism to be able to improve themselves.

Criticism is our friend, but our culture considers it rude and unkind. A child feeling good about himself has taken priority over actually doing well at something and standing back to enjoy the accomplishment.

Failure teaches, discipline teaches and criticism teaches, when we remove these elements we set a child up for life long failure and continual disappointment.  

Phony praise is not a blessings but a curse.  Honest evaluation brings true accomplishment that the children can build on for future success.  To doom a child to mediocrity is not only unkind but a sin.  Teaching excellence builds a person of character and resolve to do what is best and gratifying.  There can be no better feeling than knowing that we worked hard, learned new things and can stand back and look at our creation with confidence and pleasure.  

Learning is a wonderful thing, but it is not without hardship and sweat.  Let's go for the greater good and feelings of accomplishment rather than the temporary feelings of flattery.

Honor Your Father and Mother

Taken from EliYah's Home Page

Children, Turn Your Hearts!

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Related Studies:

Fathers | Husbands | Mothers | Wives | Children

Before I begin, I would like to say that there may be some scriptures that are a little difficult for young children to understand. I would like to encourage the parents reading this to go over those scriptures with their children and answer all the questions that they have. With that it mind, let's begin:

Proverbs 30:11 There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother. 12 There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. 13 There is a generation, O how lofty are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up. 

Indeed, this scripture speaks well of this generation. In a time where it is even considered funny when children dishonor their parents, we very much need to get back to looking at what Yahweh says He expects of children. 
This study will be brief, but is very important for children to hear and understand. As important as it is for Fathers to turn their hearts to their children, part of the EliYah message is for children to turn their hearts to their Fathers:

Malachi 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. 

Children, can you see how important it is for you to turn your heart to your father? Yahweh will smite the earth with a curse when it has children who will not turn their heart to their father. What does it mean for a child to turn their heart to their father? Let's read what Solomon wrote to his son:

Proverbs 23:26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways.

Solomon was a very wise man. He knew how important it was to raise his children to know Yahweh and do what is right. Children, your father has also been given the job of teaching you to know Yahweh and do what is right. It is very important that you pay close attention to what he says, especially when he instructs and corrects you:

Proverbs 13:1 A wise son heareth his father's instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.

A scorner is someone who will not listen. You do not want to be a scorner, you want to be wise and hear your father's instruction and teaching. You see, this life is like walking through a large maze where there are many wrong turns a person can make. If you stay on the straight path where Yahweh wants you to be, you can be a wise son. Your parents have been through the maze already and have probably made some wrong turns. They want you to avoid those bad things and stay on the right path.

Can you imagine a ship sailing without a pilot? The ship would go wherever the wind took him because it had nobody who knew where the dangerous rocks and rivers were. That ship would likely run into big trouble and sink. That's what it is like when children will not listen to their parents direction. It is very foolish for children to not listen to their pilot:

Proverbs 15:5 A fool despiseth his father's instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent. 

Oh, how important it is for children to pay very close attention to the words of their parents! They love you and want to guide you to be wise children. 
Wise children
Yahweh's will for you is to be wise children. What are some of the things that wise children do? Let's look at what scripture says about wise children:

 Proverbs 10:5 He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. 

So we see that wise children are willing to work when told and are not lazy. If you are like lazy children who sleep or play when it is time to work, you can bring much shame to your parents. Solomon warned his son:

Proverbs 6:6 Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, 8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. 9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep -- 11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. 

Working is a part of life. We are expected by Yahweh to work and it is important that we learn this early in life. 
Another thing scripture says wise children do is keep Yahweh's law:

Psalm 119:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 
Proverbs 28:7 Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father. 

Wise children keep Yahweh's law and do not want to be friends with those who are unwise. Wise children know how important it is to be friends with the wise:

Proverbs 13:20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.

Wise children do not want to be destroyed, so they do what wise men do and make friends with the wise. Solomon warned his son also about being friends with foolish people:

Proverbs 23:19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. 20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. 22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. 

So it is very important for you to be guided by your parents, who are wise and were children at one time just like you. Yahweh thought it was so important that you do this, that He included this in the Ten Commandments:

Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which Yahweh thy Elohim giveth thee. 

And he repeats Himself on this:

Leviticus 19:3 Ye shall fear every man his mother, and his father, and keep my sabbaths: I am Yahweh your Elohim. 

When you honor your parents, you can be given a long life. The Apostle Paul said that this is the first commandment with a promise:

Ephesians 6:1 Children, obey your parents in Yahweh: for this is right. 2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 3 That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 

So it is very wise to honor your father and mother, and very foolish to dishonor them:

Proverbs 28:24 Whoso robbeth his father or his mother, and saith, It is no transgression; the same is the companion of a destroyer.
Deuteronomy 27:16 Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen. 
Proverbs 20:20 Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness. 
Proverbs 30:17 The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. 
Proverbs 19:26 He that wasteth his father, and chaseth away his mother, is a son that causeth shame, and bringeth reproach. 

So we see that there are some very strong warnings given by Yahweh about dishonoring or cursing your father or mother. You need to be very very careful about dishonoring them in any way, for Yahweh used them to bring you into this world. Without them, you would not even exist. In the law of Yahweh, rebellious children were put to death:

Deuteronomy 21:18 If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: 19 Then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, and bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; 20 And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard. 21 And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear. 

Yahweh wanted others to learn from the example of what happens to disobedient children. Children of Yahweh, be wise! Be a blessing to your father and your mother. Love to honor and obey them and not only will you be blessed, you will bring them much joy:

Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. 

Be not foolish, be wise!

Proverbs 17:25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.
Proverbs 19:13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
Proverbs 17:21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy. 
Proverbs 15:20 A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.
Proverbs 29:3 Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance. 
Proverbs 23:24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. 

Not only will you please your father and mother, but you will please Yahweh also:

Colossians 3:20 Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto Yahweh. 

So give them the honor Yahweh desires and watch the blessings of Yahweh rain down upon you. 

Proverbs 6:20 My son, keep thy father's commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 
Proverbs 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
Proverbs 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 

So, dear children put away any foolish pride and turn your hearts to your fathers and bless them. Ask your parents to guide your life. You will be glad you did, and it will save you from a lot of trouble. 

Ecclesiastes 12:1 Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, Before the difficult days come, And the years draw near when you say, "I have no pleasure in them": 2 While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain; 3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim; 4 When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low; 5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets. 6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shattered at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well. 7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to Elohim who gave it. 

So then, remember Yahweh and seek wisdom! Love your father who provides for you and your mother who nursed and cares for you! You do not need to honor them because they have been perfect, but you honor them because of who they are. They are your mother and father. Then they will rejoice, and you will too. Then they will declare that you are a wise son or daughter. Then you will find life and Yahweh will look upon you with favor. Then you can praise Yahweh, for all the glory we receive should be given back to Him. That is a picture of a wise child, one that loves Yahweh, one whose heart is turned to their father.
May Yahweh bless you all!

I Follow Christ and Him Alone!

Calvan and Augustine were staunch Catholics and persecutors of Christians in their day.  Augustine never left the Catholic church and Calvin based all his writings on Augustine.  We need to be careful and prayerful over following the writings of men.

 When someone calls themselves by the names of these men they are endorsing what those men believed.  Unfortunately most people who are following these men have not studied their theology enough to know that they were the persecutors of the church in their day.  Or, they have been spoon fed certain things they like about the men, ignoring their Catholic bent.  

It is a sin to say "I follow Calvin or I follow Augustine."  We should be saying I follow Christ.   Many Calvinists don't realize that when we are "returning" to the teachings of these men we are returning to Catholicism.  Those who have never been in the Catholic church think that Augustine and Calvin were "Christian patriarchs."  They were not, they were Catholic through and through.  Many of their teachings were counter to the gospel in terms of a work oriented, keeping of the sacraments religion.

It is also disturbing to me that the use of the word "sacraments" has been growing within Christendom in the past 40 years.  This is an effort on the part of some to meld together all denominations with Catholicism.  If Satan can blur the lines between Christianity and the Catholic church we are well on our way to the one world religion.  

The papacy has worked hard in the last 60 years to meld all religions of the world.  Calvinism is one of the most insidious ways that Satan has used to confuse and deceive believers.  

Another tactic used by these two staunch Catholics was to claim that the promises that the Lord made to Israel have been done away with and the church is now recipient of them.  This is the silliest of all doctrines.  God spent the entire old testament promising things to the Jews that were for no one else but them.  Many of these promises have been fulfilled and some are yet to be fulfilled.  It makes no sense to me that God would put up with all of us as believers sending His Son to die for us inspite of us and then claim that the Jews were so bad that God would no longer keep His promises to them.  God does not break promises because of our unfaithfulness.  God is always faithful and He always keeps His promises.  Hallelujah!!!  

All of Israel will return to Christ during the tribulation, they will be the last vestage of Christianity on the earth and will be the ones from which the witnesses come.   God has "loved them with an everlasting love."  He said so, I believe Him.