Church Order: Worship, Sacraments, and the Lord's Supper

Secession Made Plain And Simple

Transcript: AI Transcript

Professor: John Weaver

Subject: Church Government

Genre: Sermon

Dictation Name:

Date: 2016-02-11

Synopsis: Pastor John Weaver argues that secession is a biblical doctrine, defined as the act of withdrawing or separating from evil, tyranny, or ungodly associations. Using 2 Chronicles 11:13-17 as the primary text, he illustrates how the priests and Levites seceded from Jeroboam's idolatrous Northern Kingdom to serve God in Judah. He parallels this with the American colonists' secession from England and modern applications, emphasizing that secession is a God-given right essential to liberty. The sermon distinguishes secession from revolution, asserts that it must begin on a personal and religious level, and commands believers to withdraw from evil in all spheres of life.

[John Weaver] I Don't want you to open your Bibles if you would please to 2nd Chronicles chapter 11 2nd Chronicles chapter 11 And I'll tell you about the sermon before we get started 2nd Chronicles chapter 11 Is that in the Old Testament? That's in the Old Testament. Right before you get to the Apocrypha. Alright. 2 Chronicles chapter 11. Our text is going to begin at verse 13. We'll read through verse 17.

[John Weaver] The title of the message is, Secession Made Plain and Simple. I was reading the scripture after a friend had asked me Since I've preached on secession a number of times, to put my messages in a booklet so that it could be distributed and everybody could understand the issue. And I was thinking about, well, where in the world would I start? Because I've got at least four messages. I've got one on the principle of secession. I've got one treason was not secession. Then I did two recently called a model for secession. And I just happened to be reading through the book of 2 Chronicles and this passage just jumped out at me and I thought, well this will be an interesting place to start so that everyone can really begin. So, secession made plain and simple and I want you to see it in 2 Chronicles chapter 11 beginning with verse 13.

[John Weaver] And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest office unto the Lord. And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years. For three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon." Years ago I made a statement that has basically made the rounds.

[John Weaver] It concerns the doctrine of predestination. I pointed out the fact that everyone that believes the Bible has to believe something about the doctrine of predestination. because predestination is very clearly taught and mentioned in the Bible. So we have to believe something about it. And here is the statement that I made, really and truly everyone believes in predestination. There is no disagreement on the fact that there is such a thing as predestination. The only disagreement is who does the predestination In other words, man has no problem with the doctrine as long as he is in control and as long as he is doing the predestinating. As long as he can play God, he's absolutely happy with the doctrine. Once you begin to study the scripture, you say, no, man is not in control. God is in control. And God does the predestinating. And since God does the predestinating, since He's eternal, He did the predestinating before the foundation of the world. And all of a sudden, men begin to howl and scream and they do not like that doctrine at all.

[John Weaver] The same is true concerning the doctrine of secession. And let me point out that, yes, secession is a doctrine. because it is plainly and clearly taught in the Bible. You must believe something about it because it is here in the Word of God. And if you don't believe something about it then what you're doing in essence is simply denying the Word of God. We wish to allow secession for ourselves but sometimes we want to deny it for other people. In other words if we secede then it's okay. But if others secede and that secession affects us adversely, then it's not okay. We're against it. So really it's like the doctrine of predestination. It all boils down to who secedes and who controls the secession.

[John Weaver] So let me make some statements. I want you to listen carefully. Secession is nothing more than the act of seceding or withdrawing. Secession is a personal, religious, vocational, political, and even an ecclesiastical act. I'll explain that a little bit later. Likewise, there are many reasons to secede. and there are many causes of secession. One may secede from many things and do so without violating the Scripture. In fact, there are places in the Word of God where we are commanded to secede. Let me show you. I want you to hold 2 Chronicles chapter 11.

[John Weaver] We will come back there. But look in your Bibles first of all to the book of Proverbs chapter 1. Proverbs chapter 1 and we'll be in reading there with verse 10 Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 10 watch carefully God says my son if sinners entice thee consent thou not If they say come with us, let us lay wait for blood. Let us work privately for the innocent without cause let us swallow them up alive as the grave and whole as those that go down into the pit and We shall find all precious substance.

[John Weaver] We shall fill our houses with spoil. Cast in thy lot among us, let us all have one purse. Now watch verse 15. My son Walk not thou in the way with them, that is, withdraw yourself, secede, refrain thy foot from their path, don't go with them, secede, for their feet run to evil and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird, and they lay wait for their own blood, they lurk privately for their own lives. So God says right here that we are to secede from those who do evil and commit evil.

[John Weaver] We're not to go with them. We're to withdraw our foot from them. If you would turn in the New Testament to second Thessalonians chapter three and look at verse six, second Thessalonians chapter three and verse six, then we'll turn over to first Timothy. But notice second Thessalonians chapter three and verse six. The Apostle Paul makes this exceedingly clear, and it is a command. Watch carefully.

[John Weaver] Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves or secede from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which ye received of us. So here's the commandment. There are certain individuals that we are to secede or withdraw from. If you would turn right over to first Timothy chapter 6 and look at verse 5 In fact, let's begin reading there with verse 3 Because the Apostle is saying if anyone denies the truth that he's laid down in verses 1 & 2 watch what he says in verse 3 if any man teach otherwise and and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness, from such secede or withdraw thy self."

[John Weaver] So, again, he tells us that we must have a personal secession. If you would turn back in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 6, everyone should be aware of this passage because, in reality, secession is very clearly taught in this text. Notice, if you would, 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 14. Look what God says. Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

[John Weaver] Wherefore, come out from among them, that is, secede, withdraw, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." So, there are plenty of passages in the Bible that very clearly teach secession. That is why I said secession is a doctrine.

[John Weaver] You have to believe something about it. Now, secession who advocates secession or claims secession as a personal, religious, vocational, ecclesiastical, and constitutional right that has been given by God Himself. One may secede based upon conscience, commandment, despotism, tyranny, preference, or a host of other reasons according to the Word of God. Let me say this very clearly. I want you to listen. Secession is a right. I will even go further and say secession is a God-given right.

[John Weaver] It is an act of liberty, freedom, and independence. If secession is not a right, if secession is not a God-given right, there is no such thing as liberty and freedom.

[John Weaver] Now listen, if I am not free to leave or secede from a situation or a circumstance or an institution, then I'm a slave. If I'm not free to leave, I'm a slave. It's just that simple.

[John Weaver] Now the same is true in reference to government. If the colonist did not have the right to secede or withdraw from England in 1776, then in reality they were slaves to George III and they were slaves to the British Parliament.

[John Weaver] Now, I'm going to read just two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence. I want you to pay a special attention to the second paragraph because I'm going to parallel that with Scripture just momentarily. But I want you to listen to the first statement. The unanimous declaration of the 13 United States of America. When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitled them Now let me just stop right there. When it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the bands, what are they saying? When it becomes necessary for one people to secede, to withdraw, then they're going to say it becomes a necessity for them to issue a decent respect to the opinions of mankind that requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. Now, before we get to the second paragraph, let me just say this.

[John Weaver] The Declaration of Independence is nothing more than a list of causes which cause the colonists to secede. Okay? So here's the second paragraph. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men. Let me stop there. Governments do not give right. rights, God ordained them to secure those rights."

[John Weaver] And then they go on to say,"...deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundations on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their safety and happiness." So the second paragraph says, it is the duty, it is the right, it is the obligation of a people to secede and withdraw from a wicked, tyrannical, despotic government and begin a government of their own.

[John Weaver] Now, It is important for you and I to understand that the colonists did not seek to overthrow the government of George III. They did not seek to control Parliament. They seceded. That is, they left the established government in order that they might establish a new government. So let me say it again, secession is not revolution. Secession does not seek to overthrow a government it seeks to separate and begin a new government you say ah but pastor In the war of 1861 1865 when the South seceded There was a war That is true But the war was not on the part of the South. I It was Abraham Lincoln and the Radical Republicans that raised 75,000 troops to invade the South. The South seceded legally and peacefully. It did not seek a revolution. It did not seek to overthrow Washington, D.C. It did not seek to overthrow the power structure that was in place. All the South wanted to do was to leave the confederation of the states and begin a new government. That's all.

[John Weaver] Now, you have to understand what secession is. And I'm going to try to give this to you on the lowest level. And I think we can find an excellent example of secession when we consider the family. Here's a young man that has been raised to honor his father and his mother, to obey his father and mother. And finally, when he becomes a man, a young man, he begins to seek and he does find the girl of his dreams.

[John Weaver] And so what he does is he marries her and he leaves home. What he has just done basically is he has seceded. He has withdrawn. He did not seek to overthrow his parents. He did not seek to deny their authority. He did not seek to destroy the girl's parents or deny their authority. No. What they both did, they seceded. They withdrew from their families. And they began a new family, let me say it another way, they began a new government where the young man, the husband, is now the head of this new home under the Lord Jesus Christ.

[John Weaver] That is cessation plain and simple. and we see it happening before our faces every day. And we never think that here it is, it is a peaceful, non-violent, withdrawing just in order to form a new government. It is just that simple. In our text today which we are going to be looking at, There are several illustrations of secession, and I'm going to show you, first of all, the context.

[John Weaver] I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles, Chapter 10. 2 Chronicles, Chapter 10. You would also find this in 1 Kings, Chapters 11 and 12. In fact, we'll look at Chapter 12 a little bit later. But let me just give you the rough background, and then we're going to read the Scripture. The background is this, Solomon is dead and Rehoboam, his son, is taken over the throne. And so the people come to Rehoboam and they said, look your father made our tasks onerous, the taxes were too high.

[John Weaver] If you lighten our burden we will serve thee. Now I want you to know they were not seeking to overthrow Rehoboam. They were not seeking to withdraw or secede at that particular time. All they were wanting was to have a righteous answer to their demands And so what Rehoboam does is this, he says, give me three days and then come back. And so he looks at the old men who grew up with his father and said, what do you advise? And the old men said, if you will be the servant to these people they will be your servants forever. And by the way the word servant there is ebed in the Hebrew. Here is what they told Rehoboam, if you will be the slave to the people, the people will be your slaves forever.

[John Weaver] In other words, it is reciprocal. You be their servant, they are going to be your servants. But He didn't listen old man. He then turned to the young man and the young man that grew up with him said, you tell those rascals that your little finger is going to be thicker than your father's loins. You tell them he laid heavy burdens on them but you are going to add to their burdens. You tell them that he whipped them with whips, he chastens them with whips but you are going to chasten them with scorpions.

[John Weaver] You show them who is the boss boy. You show them who has the power. And so what did Rehoboam do? He listened to the young men. So here it is. 2nd Chronicles chapter 10, look at verse 12. So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. And the king answered them roughly, and King Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, and answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto. My father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So the king hearkened not, unto the people, for the cause was of God, that he might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken to them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? And we have none inherent unto the son of Jesse.

[John Weaver] Every man to your tents, O Israel. And now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents."

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to call to mind that second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. And let's go back and read verse 16 like this, And when all the colonists saw that George III would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, George III, saying, What portion have we in England? What portion have we in Parliament? Every man to your tents, O Americans. And now, George III, see to thine own house." So all the colonists went to their homes. Do you see exactly that second paragraph parallels exactly what is being said in Scripture?

[John Weaver] Now listen carefully, it was despotism and tyranny plain and simple. caused the colonists to secede from England. And it was tyranny and despotism, plain and simple, that caused Israel to secede from the Davidic Kingdom.

[John Weaver] Now, Rehoboam was indeed the son of Solomon, the grandson of David. He had the proper lineage, but he did not have the sense and the understanding that David and Solomon had. years ago I was reading on this passage and one commentator made this statement. You have to remember that Solomon had all kinds of wives and concubines. Do you remember that? What was it 700 wives or 300 wives and 700 concubines? I get them mixed up, one or the other. But the commentator said, out of all of this Solomon only had one son, and that is true, Rehoboam was his only son. He said, Solomon only had one son and he was a fool. Well, obviously that is true.

[John Weaver] He certainly did not know how to deal with people. Now, so Jeroboam is chosen now to be the head of the Northern Kingdom. I want you to see the opportunity that Jeroboam had. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11. It's an amazing thing that Jeroboam had an opportunity to begin a new government under the laws of God. Now why was God judging and destroying the kingdom under Solomon? Because of Solomon's rebellion. Because of Solomon's sin.

[John Weaver] And Rehoboam continued in some of that. And so he gives Jeroboam a wonderful promise. I want you to watch it. We're reading in first Kings chapter 10 And I want us to begin reading there with verse 26 watch it verse 26. I tell you what No, let's let's begin reading as first Kings 11, I'm sorry first Kings 11 and verse 26 yeah 1 Kings 11 verse 26, And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zerida, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zerua, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king. Really? Well, why? Watch. And this was the cause of the lift of his hand against the king. Solomon built Milo and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor. And Solomon, seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. And it came to pass at the time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem that the prophet Ahijah the Shillonite found him in the way and he had clad himself with a new garment and they two were alone in the field and Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him and Rented in

[John Weaver] 12 pieces now. Let me ask you a question What would you think if you got a new coat and you're walking in the field and some stranger comes up to you? Snatches the coat off of you and tears it in 12 pieces and Well, it certainly got Jeroboam's attention. Watch verse 30, And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rended it in twelve pieces. And he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces. For thus saith the LORD the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give thee ten tribes. But he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. Here is why God is dividing the kingdom, because that they, Solomon and the people, have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways to do that which is right

[John Weaver] in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments as did David his father. Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand, but I will make him a prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose because he kept my commandments and my statutes. But I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand, that would be Rehoboam, and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light always before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there." And I will take thee, now look what he tells to Jeroboam, and I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth.

[John Weaver] and shall be king over Israel. And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that which is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, then I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel unto thee. I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not forever."

[John Weaver] Now here is an interesting thing. Of course Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam because of this promise. Jeroboam had to flee to Egypt. They called him back after Solomon died and when they were confronting Rehoboam. So Jeroboam now has a unique opportunity. He has a unique opportunity to begin a new government with the blessings of God upon it. It is true that God told David that he would build him a house. But it is also equally true that he told Jeroboam that I will build you a sure house. I will make sure that you have a house as long as you obey me. But unhappily, Jeroboam had no intention of obeying the one true and the living God. Because he then began his new kingdom, his new government, not only with idolatry, but with forced idolatry.

[John Weaver] Because he was going to force the people to worship his false gods. Look in 1 Kings 12, and let's begin reading there. 1 Kings 12. verse 26, And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David. In other words he knew he was not of the lineage of David. If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again to their Lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel.

[John Weaver] So this was no accident. This was no happenstance. This was done deliberately and premeditatedly. Whereupon the king took counsel and made two calves of gold and said unto them, to the people, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Behold, I God's old Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan. And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the One, even unto Dan. And he made a house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

[John Weaver] And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month of the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah. And he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel, the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even the month which he devised of his own heart. and ordained a feast unto all the children of Israel, and he offered upon the altar and burnt incense."

[John Weaver] So here he is deliberately, deliberately beginning his kingdom with idolatry. This is not only an instance of governmental tyranny and despotism, it is also an instance of religious tyranny and despotism. I want you to understand that what Jeroboam was doing was he was beginning a state religion or a governmental religion. Let me emphasize something for you. He not only had political correctness, he also had religious correctness. Political correctness and religious correctness are synonymous. You remember not too long ago I preached a message on the religion of political correctness. It is a religion because it is coming from the government.

[John Weaver] Now let me make this exceedingly plain for you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Amos chapter 7. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look if you would, Amos chapter 7. Amos chapter 7. Now, let me tell you something about Amos. Amos was from the southern kingdom. But he was sent by God into the northern kingdom to prophesy against King Jeroboam II. Now this is not the same Jeroboam that is mentioned in 1 Kings 11 and 12. This is Jeroboam II, another king. However, he sent there to preach against him and his wickedness Because Jeroboam the second and all the kings that followed Jeroboam the first all of them continued the calf worship okay, so Amos is up there preaching against Jeroboam and the calves now watch if you would please verse 10 In fact, let's let's begin reading there with verse 8. Here is what Amos is prophesying, And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou?

[John Weaver] And I said, A plum-line. Then said the LORD, Behold, I will set a plum-line in the midst of my people Israel, will not again pass by them anymore." In other words I'm going to clean their plow and when I do it I'm going to do it right I won't have to do it a second time. And the high places of Isaac shall be desolate and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with a sword. In other words I'm going to kill Jeroboam. Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel, remember now Jeroboam has Bethel and Dan places of worship.

[John Weaver] This is where the golden calves are. So Amaziah the priest is a state priest. He is a state preacher. He is a state prophet. He is the priest of the king. So here is what he tells Amos, Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear his words. Watch! For thus Amos said, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away, captive out of their own land. Also," here it is, Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, O thou prophet go flee thee away into the land of Judah and there eat bread and prophesy there now Let me just stop momentarily. I Want to put in good South Georgia lingo What Emma's I said to Amos in verse 12? Here's what he said Boy You better get out of here and go home if you will need some bread if you want to live and Go back where you came from.

[John Weaver] We'll either put you in prison or we'll kill you. Get out of here. That's what he told him. Look at it again in verse 12. Also Amaziah said to Amos, O thou seer, go flee thee away into the land of Judah. Go back where you came. There eat your bread and prophesy there. You want to preach? Preach against your own people. Don't preach against us. Watch, but prophesy not again anymore at Bethel.

[John Weaver] It is the king's chapel and it is the king's court. One and the same. It's the king's chapel. It's the king's Political correctness is religious correctness. Just like Rehoboam made secession absolutely necessary, so Jeroboam made secession absolutely necessary.

[John Weaver] Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 11, because I want to give you two thoughts concerning secession. It is impossible, by the way, to worship without real liberty and freedom. It's impossible to function without real liberty and freedom. We began in Second Chronicles 11. I want us to look at verses 13 through 15 again. With the background that I've just given you, you should understand this passage.

[John Weaver] And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him, that is to Rehoboam, out of all their coast. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem. For Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the Lord. And he ordained him priest for the high places and for the devils and for the calves which he had made."

[John Weaver] Want you to think about this? I'm going to show you that there is a vocational and political Secession there is a vocational and a political secession So the priests and the Levites Were descendants of Aaron they were the Lord's priests and The Levitical family, of course, was from Levi as well. So was Aaron. And Jeroboam begins these, built these golden calves and begins his new state religion. He says, I'm not going to have these priests here and these Levites.

[John Weaver] You're not working here anymore. This is no longer your vocation. And as according to First Kings chapter 12, he appointed the lowest of the people to be his own priest. and to take care of things. So He cast them off. And when He cast them off, they then seceded, they withdrew, and they went to Judah and Jerusalem where the Temple was located. Their first allegiance was to the Lord and to His ministry.

[John Weaver] And so they were refusing then to bow to political correctness and they were refusing to serve as priests of the golden calves made by Jeroboam. Now I want to direct your attention to something that is revealed in these verses to show you the reality of their secession. Secession actually costs them. withdrawal was very, very expensive. If you will notice the Bible says in verse 14, for the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem.

[John Weaver] Now I want you to hold this but turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 35 and let's begin reading there with verse 1 and we'll read through verse 8. Numbers 35, beginning there with verse 1. I want you to understand what it cost these men to stay true to the Lord. Numbers 35 verse 1, And the Lord spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, Command the children of Israel that they give, notice the word give, that they give unto the Levites of their inheritance, of their possessions, cities to dwell in and you shall give also into the Levite suburbs for the cities round about them and The cities shall they have to dwell in and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle and for their goods and for all their beasts And the suburbs of the city, which you shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city an outward a thousand cubits round about. And you shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, on the south side two thousand cubits, on the west side two thousand cubits, on the north side two thousand cubits, and the city shall be in the midst, this shall be to them the suburbs of their cities.

[John Weaver] And among the cities which you shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which you shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither. And to them you shall add forty and two cities, which will be forty-eight cities. So all the cities which you shall give to the Levites shall be forty-eight cities, them shall you give with their suburbs. And the cities which you give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel. From them that have many you shall give the many, but from them that have the few you shall give the few. Everyone shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inherited."

[John Weaver] And may I tell you something that the Northern Kingdom was larger than the Southern Kingdom. So the Levites Had more property in the northern kingdom than they did in the southern Kingdom, so they are now kicked out of their inheritance They are now losing their cities their homes their fields their pastures. They're losing everything So they are forsaking all of that they were drawing from all of their material possessions and whatever they could take with them in order to serve the Lord.

[John Weaver] They seceded from the government of Jeroboam and from the worship of the calves. Let me just point out the fact that there are many people today that are seceding vocationally as well as politically. There are many people that have left their trained vocations in order to go back to the land. Go back to a simple way of life. There are people that are absolutely fed up with the rat race, the materialism, the regulations, and the bureaucratic interference of government in their lives. And they just want to get away from it. Allison, I know of doctors who have left their private practices because of all the bureaucratic regulations.

[John Weaver] Let me tell you something. If you are a medical doctor and you take Medicare and Medicaid and Obamacare, there is a list of regulations that you have to do. You have to dot every I and check every T across everything. If you don't, guess what? You're going to end up in court. and end up convicted and end up in prison yourself. And there's a lot of doctors that said, it's not worth it. We'll just leave. We'll go do something else or we'll be hospital physicians. We'll be something other than a private physician. We're just leaving. Engineers the same way.

[John Weaver] Any vocation that requires a license usually requires governmental regulation as well. And people are just fed up. Some of you have seen the headlines recently, how that over 60% of Americans hate, and that was the word they used, hate the government. Over 60%. That's quite interesting. So, there are plenty of people that have seceded vocationally just like these priests and just like these Levites. Likewise, there are many people today that are leaving the political parties that have hogtied them for decades. Many now are awakening to the very truth that George Wallace said in his presidential campaign in 1968, and I quote, he said, there is not a dime's worth of difference between the Democratic and the Republican parties. And folks are just waking up to the reality of that.

[John Weaver] As I was thinking about this, I thought, you know, we ought to have some bumper stickers. And I thought of a great slogan to go on a bumper sticker. The first one is this, secede, it's the right thing to do. And then maybe this one, secede, it's the right thing to do now. Now. And there are indeed a lot of people that are trying to get out of the rat race.

[John Weaver] And so what we need to learn is this. We need to learn to do without. We need to learn to sacrifice. We need to learn to be debt-free. We need to learn to be self-sufficient. We need to learn to read and study and think for ourselves. We don't have to put up with wickedness and tyranny. There is a vocational and a political secession.

[John Weaver] Secondly, I want you to note something. There is a personal and a religious secession look back in your Bibles to 2nd Chronicles chapter 11 Watch if you would verse 14 Watch verse 14 for the Levites left their suburbs and their possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem For Jeroboam and his sons and cast them all from executing the priest office unto the Lord So we have all these priests and all these Levites leaving Now, skip down if you would please, verse 16. After the priests and Levites left, and after them, that is after they left, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as sent their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers. Do you understand that secession begins on the lowest and the most basic level, that of personal secession?

[John Weaver] It is true that many are able to leave a certain area, state, or territory, or even a continent. I know people personally, and I know of people that have expatriated. They've left America. They're now in foreign countries. Some that I've been in contact with said they love it. They would never ever consider coming back They say there's far more liberty and freedom in some of those third world countries than there are in America So I'm just simply saying there are many that did that the these Levites and priests left the northern kingdom and came to the southern kingdom There are many people that are not able to secede physically. I don't know about you, but I'm not able to go live in South America, really have no desire to live in South America or anywhere else.

[John Weaver] I suppose if you were a multimillionaire, you could pretty well secede and go wherever you wanted to go and do whatever you wanted to do. But although you may not be able to live or leave physically, You can personally drop out, drop off the radar, lay low, secede as much as is humanly possible. And you do that by refusing to participate, cooperate, and validate tyranny and wickedness.

[John Weaver] So, just like in Israel, many then seceded from the perversions and the idolatry in Israel, Many are doing the same thing today. Do you realize that there are many Christians that are leaving the mainline churches and the mainline denominations? When you stop and think that there are plenty of denominations now that not only allow women as pastors, but they allow sodomites as pastors. They are recognizing sodomite marriage. How in the world can anyone preach and teach the whole Word of God when you have a situation like that? It's impossible. Moreover, you have to understand that there are many 501c3 state churches. You say, what in the world is a 501c3 state church? Well, first of all, it's a church that is incorporated. And once a church incorporates, it basically denies Jesus Christ as head, because now the state becomes the head of the church. The state demands certain things. And if the church does not follow those demands, and have their annual meetings, and pay their annual fees, and do what they say, then they can lose their incorporated status.

[John Weaver] It's just that simple. And then once they're incorporated, then they apply to the IRS to get a 501c3 tax exempt status. It's just that simple.

[John Weaver] Now, let me explain something to you. Churches are tax immune because they are a separate jurisdiction. No church needs an IRS tax exempt number to receive tax deductible gifts. You say, how can you say that? Well, let me read it to you. This is from IRS Publication 557, and I'm quoting. Churches, although a church has integrated auxiliaries or a convention or association of churches, is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax-deductible contributions. The organization may find it advantageous advantageous to obtain recognition of this exemption really Why would I find it an advantage to have the IRS? say that I'm exempt when I'm already immune and They're already saying I don't need it. And what a lot of people don't understand is this when you get your tax ID number You've already compromised How can I say that well I'm quoting IRS Publication 557 again, and here's what it says. Moreover, in order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is, not all of them, but this is just one of them, that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal.

[John Weaver] You say, I don't see anything wrong with that. Well, add and finish the sentence. agree that no belief or practice should be illegal, that is contrary to God's law, but let me finish it, that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal, or contrary to clearly defined public policy. Abortion is public policy. Sodomy is public policy. Socialism is public policy. Fascism is public policy. So once you sign on the dotted line to get your tax-exempt number, you're already saying, I agree not to preach against public policy.

[John Weaver] One author said it like this, listen carefully, the truth is incorporated churches are subject to total governmental control. Whom they hire, by the way, let me just stop there, whom they hire, Do you remember, I think it was here in Florida, a few years ago, a church fired an organist when they found out he was a sodomite? And he sued the church. And that's happening all over this country.

[John Weaver] And now the government is saying, you can't discriminate. You have to have these people in there. So I'm just quoting, the truth is incorporated churches are subject to total governmental control whom they may hire and what they may or may not teach or preach. And I've heard people say, nobody's going to tell me what to preach. They already have when you signed that you would not preach against clearly defined public policy. They cannot conflict with public policy, nor assault the hearer's sense of mental well-being, self-esteem, or sexual orientation.

[John Weaver] The IRS prohibits such organizations from carrying on propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation 26 U.S. Code 501c3. This prohibition extends not only to the endorsement of a political candidate, but also any other attempts to influence legislation including taking a public stand against government protected abominations as abortion and homosexuality. No wonder there are a lot of people that are being upset now with mainline denominations and mainline churches and it's not every week but practically every week I get a phone call from somewhere And someone is saying, but Brother Weaver, I cannot find a church in this area that preaches the gospel, that preaches the whole counsel of God, that preaches the truth. I can't do it.

[John Weaver] Obviously, we have been commanded not to participate in idolatry. Everyone in this room can quote the first commandment. Exodus 20 verse 3, thou shalt not have, or thou shalt have no other gods before me. I shall have no other gods before me. I want to show you something look in your Bibles to Jeremiah 25 Jeremiah 25 Look if you would at verse 6. Here's an interesting verse. I wish I Had a lot of time just to preach on this verse Jeremiah 25 verse 6. In fact, I will probably come back and Hopefully in the not-too-distant future and do so but look in Jeremiah 25 verse 6 God says and go not after other gods to serve them and to worship them and Provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands and I'll do you no hurt So God says you you sin against me. I'll hurt you Do you not remember the scripture says that our God is a jealous God and What does the father do to a son the father looks at the son and said now son don't do this If you do this, I'm gonna whip you You know, that's exactly what our Heavenly Father

[John Weaver] says us. Don't do this or I'm gonna whip you I tell people If every son could be whipped The way my father whipped me we Probably have a whole different generation of men because my father has a philosophy if you do it, right You don't have to do it often and he did it, right? I can assure you and may I tell you that when God chastens us when God whips us According to Hebrews chapter 12 his chastening is always successful. He does it right to begin with So God said don't do this and I won't whip you now I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2nd John, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. 2nd John, there is only one chapter there. I want to show you how God demands a personal and religious secession.

[John Weaver] Watch this, we must secede from those who are idolaters, and those who refuse to worship for We cannot commune with or support churches that deny Christ and His Word. Here it is. Look in 2 John 6, and this is love that we walk after His commandments. This is the commandment that, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world who confess not that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.

[John Weaver] This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves that we, he includes himself, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

[John Weaver] Now he said you better be careful about this. Watch verse 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. Watch if there come any unto you and bring up this doctrine. That is the doctrine of Christ Receive him not into your house neither bid him God's speed For he that bid him God's speed is partaker of his evil deeds Now, let me ask you a question If merely entertaining one that denies Christ and His Word and bidding such an individual God's speed brings a curse upon oneself and makes him a partaker of the evil deeds, how much worse is it to fellowship with people like that and call them Christians and then support them financially?

[John Weaver] You follow what I'm saying? Here's a passage where God absolutely demands secession. It has to be a personal and a religious secession. We cannot be partakers with evil. Secession is demanded. Secession is biblical. And secession must begin on a personal and religious level. It may extend to a vocational and political level. It may also extend to an ecclesiastical level, to a state level, or to a national level. But the most basic and foundational form of secession is personal and religious. God commands it now.

[John Weaver] I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2nd Chronicles chapter 11. Let me show you something Look in 2nd Chronicles chapter 11. I Want you to understand this that a godly and biblical secession Strengthens a godly local government. In other words if you have a decent liberty and local government, a God-fearing government, folks are going to flock there because people love liberty, and they want to worship God. So the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 11 and verse 17, so they, who's the they?

[John Weaver] The priests, the Levites, all the people that fled to Rehoboam, so they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years. For three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. Of course later on Solomon sinned and then he led the people into sin and rebellion as well. But the truth of the matter is for three years when they served God and did what was right, they were strengthened and it built up.

[John Weaver] May I remind you of something? It is not the wicked that encourage and develop and work at establishing a godly and a free society. It is the righteous. That's why Proverbs 28 28 says when the wicked rise men hide themselves, but when they perish the righteous increase it That's why Proverbs 29 verse 2 says when the righteous are in authority the people rejoice But when the wicked bear rule the people mourn It's not the wicked that seeks to establish a free and Godly government full of liberty It's the righteous. It's the righteous.

[John Weaver] And God demands that we secede from evil, wherever it is. If it is on a personal level, If it is on a familial level, if it is on an ecclesiastical level, if it is on a state level, if it's on a national level, what did he say? My son, walk not with them. Withdraw thy foot from them. Secede, get out of the way. Secession is a biblical doctrine. You have to believe something about it because it's all through the Word of God. Let's pray.

[John Weaver] Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for your grace and your mercy. We pray that you would teach us, that you would build us up in the most holy faith, that you would help us to understand this, Lord, and apply it to our hearts. And help us, Lord, to withdraw ourselves from evil and wickedness and anything and everything that's contrary to thee and thy word. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen. ♪ ♪ you

Secession Made Plain And Simple

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	SQn6Jz5KjL8
Subject	Church Government
Course	Church Order: Worship, Sacraments, and the Lord's Supper
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-02-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 039: Church Order and Worship - Volume 1 — Chapter 23
Source Timed Segments	80

Formatted Transcript

Introduction: Secession as a Biblical Doctrine

Weaver introduces secession as a doctrine plainly taught in Scripture, comparing it to predestination—everyone believes in it, but the issue is who controls it. He defines secession as the act of withdrawing and states it is a personal, religious, vocational, political, and ecclesiastical act.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to 2 Chronicles chapter 11. 2 Chronicles chapter 11. And I'll tell you about the sermon before we get started. 2 Chronicles chapter 11—is that in the Old Testament? That's in the Old Testament, right before you get to the Apocrypha. Alright, 2 Chronicles chapter 11. Our text is going to begin at verse 13. We'll read through verse 17.

The title of the message is, "Secession Made Plain and Simple." I was reading the Scripture after a friend had asked me, since I've preached on secession a number of times, to put my messages in a booklet so that it could be distributed and everybody could understand the issue. And I was thinking about, well, where in the world would I start? Because I've got at least four messages. I've got one on the principle of secession. I've got one, "Treason Was Not Secession." Then I did two recently called "A Model for Secession." And I just happened to be reading through the book of 2 Chronicles and this passage just jumped out at me and I thought, well, this will be an interesting place to start so that everyone can really begin. So, "Secession Made Plain and Simple," and I want you to see it in 2 Chronicles chapter 11, beginning with verse 13.

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 11:13-17

"And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the Lord. And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon."

Years ago I made a statement that has basically made the rounds.

It concerns the doctrine of predestination. I pointed out the fact that everyone that believes the Bible has to believe something about the doctrine of predestination, because predestination is very clearly taught and mentioned in the Bible. So we have to believe something about it. And here is the statement that I made: really and truly, everyone believes in predestination. There is no disagreement on the fact that there is such a thing as predestination. The only disagreement is who does the predestinating. In other words, man has no problem with the doctrine as long as he is in control and as long as he is doing the predestinating. As long as he can play God, he's absolutely happy with the doctrine. Once you begin to study the Scripture, you say, no, man is not in control. God is in control. And God does the predestinating. And since God does the predestinating, since He's eternal, He did the predestinating before the foundation of the world. And all of a sudden, men begin to howl and scream and they do not like that doctrine at all.

The same is true concerning the doctrine of secession. And let me point out that, yes, secession is a doctrine, because it is plainly and clearly taught in the Bible. You must believe something about it because it is here in the Word of God. And if you don't believe something about it, then what you're doing in essence is simply denying the Word of God. We wish to allow secession for ourselves, but sometimes we want to deny it for other people. In other words, if we secede, then it's okay. But if others secede and that secession affects us adversely, then it's not okay. We're against it. So really, it's like the doctrine of predestination. It all boils down to who secedes and who controls the secession.

So let me make some statements. I want you to listen carefully. Secession is nothing more than the act of seceding or withdrawing. Secession is a personal, religious, vocational, political, and even an ecclesiastical act. I'll explain that a little bit later. Likewise, there are many reasons to secede, and there are many causes of secession. One may secede from many things and do so without violating the Scripture. In fact, there are places in the Word of God where we are commanded to secede. Let me show you. I want you to hold 2 Chronicles chapter 11.

We will come back there. But look in your Bibles first of all to the book of Proverbs chapter 1. Proverbs chapter 1, and we'll be reading there with verse 10. Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 10. Watch carefully. God says,

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 1:10-15

"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit: we shall find all precious substance."

Biblical Commands to Secede

Weaver cites Proverbs 1:10-15, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, and 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 to show that God commands believers to withdraw from evildoers, disorderly brethren, false teachers, and unbelievers.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 1:10-15

"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit: we shall find all precious substance."

"We shall fill our houses with spoil: cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse." Now watch verse 15. "My son, walk not thou in the way with them"—that is, withdraw yourself, secede—"refrain thy foot from their path"—don't go with them, secede—"for their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives." So God says right here that we are to secede from those who do evil and commit evil. We're not to go with them. We're to withdraw our foot from them. If you would turn in the New Testament to 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and look at verse 6. 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 6. Then we'll turn over to 1 Timothy. But notice 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 6. The Apostle Paul makes this exceedingly clear, and it is a command. Watch carefully.

"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves"—or secede—"from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us." So here's the commandment. There are certain individuals that we are to secede or withdraw from. If you would turn right over to 1 Timothy chapter 6 and look at verse 5. In fact, let's begin reading there with verse 3, because the Apostle is saying if anyone denies the truth that he's laid down in verses 1 and 2, watch what he says in verse 3. "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such"—secede or—"withdraw thyself."

So, again, he tells us that we must have a personal secession. If you would turn back in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 6, everyone should be aware of this passage because, in reality, secession is very clearly taught in this text. Notice, if you would, 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 14. Look what God says. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."

"Wherefore come out from among them"—that is, secede, withdraw—"and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." So, there are plenty of passages in the Bible that very clearly teach secession. That is why I said secession is a doctrine.

Secession as a God-Given Right and Act of Liberty

Weaver argues that secession is a God-given right essential to liberty; without the freedom to leave, one is a slave. He applies this to the American colonists' secession from England, reading from the Declaration of Independence to show it was a list of causes for separation, not revolution.

You have to believe something about it. Now, secession—who advocates secession or claims secession as a personal, religious, vocational, ecclesiastical, and constitutional right that has been given by God Himself. One may secede based upon conscience, commandment, despotism, tyranny, preference, or a host of other reasons according to the Word of God. Let me say this very clearly. I want you to listen. Secession is a right. I will even go further and say secession is a God-given right.

It is an act of liberty, freedom, and independence. If secession is not a right, if secession is not a God-given right, there is no such thing as liberty and freedom. Now listen, if I am not free to leave or secede from a situation or a circumstance or an institution, then I'm a slave. If I'm not free to leave, I'm a slave. It's just that simple.

Now the same is true in reference to government. If the colonists did not have the right to secede or withdraw from England in 1776, then in reality they were slaves to George III and they were slaves to the British Parliament. Now, I'm going to read just two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence. I want you to pay special attention to the second paragraph because I'm going to parallel that with Scripture just momentarily. But I want you to listen to the first statement. "The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them..." Now let me just stop right there. When it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the bands, what are they saying? When it becomes necessary for one people to secede, to withdraw, then they're going to say it becomes a necessity for them to issue a decent respect to the opinions of mankind that requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. Now, before we get to the second paragraph, let me just say this.

The Declaration of Independence is nothing more than a list of causes which caused the colonists to secede. Okay? So here's the second paragraph. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men..." Let me stop there. Governments do not give rights; God ordained them to secure those rights. And then they go on to say, "...deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." So the second paragraph says, it is the duty, it is the right, it is the obligation of a people to secede and withdraw from a wicked, tyrannical, despotic government and begin a government of their own.

Now, it is important for you and I to understand that the colonists did not seek to overthrow the government of George III. They did not seek to control Parliament. They seceded. That is, they left the established government in order that they might establish a new government. So let me say it again, secession is not revolution. Secession does not seek to overthrow a government; it seeks to separate and begin a new government. You say, "Ah, but pastor, in the war of 1861–1865, when the South seceded, there was a war." That is true. But the war was not on the part of the South. It was Abraham Lincoln and the Radical Republicans that raised 75,000 troops to invade the South. The South seceded legally and peacefully. It did not seek a revolution. It did not seek to overthrow Washington, D.C. It did not seek to overthrow the power structure that was in place. All the South wanted to do was to leave the confederation of the states and begin a new government. That's all.

Secession Illustrated in the Family and in Israel's History

Weaver uses the example of a young man leaving home to marry as a peaceful secession. He then provides the historical context of Rehoboam's tyranny leading to Israel's secession under Jeroboam, paralleling it with the colonists' grievances against George III.

Now, you have to understand what secession is. And I'm going to try to give this to you on the lowest level. And I think we can find an excellent example of secession when we consider the family. Here's a young man that has been raised to honor his father and his mother, to obey his father and mother. And finally, when he becomes a man, a young man, he begins to seek and he does find the girl of his dreams. And so what he does is he marries her and he leaves home. What he has just done basically is he has seceded. He has withdrawn. He did not seek to overthrow his parents. He did not seek to deny their authority. He did not seek to destroy the girl's parents or deny their authority. No. What they both did, they seceded. They withdrew from their families. And they began a new family—let me say it another way, they began a new government where the young man, the husband, is now the head of this new home under the Lord Jesus Christ.

That is secession plain and simple. And we see it happening before our faces every day. And we never think that here it is, it is a peaceful, non-violent, withdrawing just in order to form a new government. It is just that simple. In our text today which we are going to be looking at, there are several illustrations of secession, and I'm going to show you, first of all, the context. I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 10. 2 Chronicles chapter 10. You would also find this in 1 Kings chapters 11 and 12. In fact, we'll look at chapter 12 a little bit later. But let me just give you the rough background, and then we're going to read the Scripture. The background is this: Solomon is dead and Rehoboam, his son, has taken over the throne. And so the people come to Rehoboam and they said, "Look, your father made our tasks onerous, the taxes were too high."

"If you lighten our burden, we will serve thee." Now I want you to know they were not seeking to overthrow Rehoboam. They were not seeking to withdraw or secede at that particular time. All they were wanting was to have a righteous answer to their demands. And so what Rehoboam does is this: he says, "Give me three days and then come back." And so he looks at the old men who grew up with his father and said, "What do you advise?" And the old men said, "If you will be the servant to these people, they will be your servants forever." And by the way, the word "servant" there is ebed in the Hebrew. Here is what they told Rehoboam: if you will be the slave to the people, the people will be your slaves forever.

In other words, it is reciprocal. You be their servant, they are going to be your servants. But he didn't listen to the old men. He then turned to the young men, and the young men that grew up with him said, "You tell those rascals that your little finger is going to be thicker than your father's loins. You tell them he laid heavy burdens on them, but you are going to add to their burdens. You tell them that he whipped them with whips, he chastened them with whips, but you are going to chasten them with scorpions." "You show them who is the boss, boy. You show them who has the power." And so what did Rehoboam do? He listened to the young men. So here it is. 2 Chronicles chapter 10, look at verse 12.

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 10:12-16

"So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, and answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents."

Now, I want you to call to mind that second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. And let's go back and read verse 16 like this: "And when all the colonists saw that George III would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, George III, saying, What portion have we in England? What portion have we in Parliament? Every man to your tents, O Americans. And now, George III, see to thine own house. So all the colonists went to their homes." Do you see exactly that second paragraph parallels exactly what is being said in Scripture?

Now listen carefully, it was despotism and tyranny, plain and simple, that caused the colonists to secede from England. And it was tyranny and despotism, plain and simple, that caused Israel to secede from the Davidic Kingdom. Now, Rehoboam was indeed the son of Solomon, the grandson of David. He had the proper lineage, but he did not have the sense and the understanding that David and Solomon had. Years ago I was reading on this passage and one commentator made this statement. You have to remember that Solomon had all kinds of wives and concubines. Do you remember that? What was it, 700 wives or 300 wives and 700 concubines? I get them mixed up, one or the other. But the commentator said, out of all of this Solomon only had one son, and that is true, Rehoboam was his only son. He said, Solomon only had one son and he was a fool. Well, obviously that is true.

Jeroboam's Idolatrous State Religion and Forced Worship

Weaver details how Jeroboam established golden calf worship, appointed non-Levitical priests, and created a state religion, making secession necessary for the faithful. He connects this to modern political and religious correctness.

He certainly did not know how to deal with people. Now, so Jeroboam is chosen now to be the head of the Northern Kingdom. I want you to see the opportunity that Jeroboam had. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11. It's an amazing thing that Jeroboam had an opportunity to begin a new government under the laws of God. Now why was God judging and destroying the kingdom under Solomon? Because of Solomon's rebellion. Because of Solomon's sin.

And Rehoboam continued in some of that. And so he gives Jeroboam a wonderful promise. I want you to watch it. We're reading in 1 Kings chapter 11, and I want us to begin reading there with verse 26. Watch it, verse 26. I tell you what, no, let's begin reading at 1 Kings 11, I'm sorry, 1 Kings 11 and verse 26. Yeah, 1 Kings 11 verse 26.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 11:26-39

"And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king."

Really? Well, why? Watch.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 11:26-39

"And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: and Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces."

Now, let me ask you a question. What would you think if you got a new coat and you're walking in the field and some stranger comes up to you, snatches the coat off of you and tears it in twelve pieces? Well, it certainly got Jeroboam's attention. Watch verse 30. "And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: and he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (but he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father."

"Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand"—that would be Rehoboam—"and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. And I will take thee"—now look what he tells to Jeroboam—"and I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel. And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever."

Now here is an interesting thing. Of course Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam because of this promise. Jeroboam had to flee to Egypt. They called him back after Solomon died and when they were confronting Rehoboam. So Jeroboam now has a unique opportunity. He has a unique opportunity to begin a new government with the blessings of God upon it. It is true that God told David that He would build him a house. But it is also equally true that He told Jeroboam, "I will build you a sure house. I will make sure that you have a house as long as you obey me." But unhappily, Jeroboam had no intention of obeying the one true and the living God. Because he then began his new kingdom, his new government, not only with idolatry, but with forced idolatry.

Because he was going to force the people to worship his false gods. Look in 1 Kings 12, and let's begin reading there. 1 Kings 12, verse 26.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 12:26-33

"And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel."

So this was no accident. This was no happenstance. This was done deliberately and premeditatedly. "Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them"—to the people—"It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense."

So here he is deliberately, deliberately beginning his kingdom with idolatry. This is not only an instance of governmental tyranny and despotism, it is also an instance of religious tyranny and despotism. I want you to understand that what Jeroboam was doing was he was beginning a state religion or a governmental religion. Let me emphasize something for you. He not only had political correctness, he also had religious correctness. Political correctness and religious correctness are synonymous. You remember not too long ago I preached a message on the religion of political correctness. It is a religion because it is coming from the government.

Now let me make this exceedingly plain for you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Amos chapter 7. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look, if you would, Amos chapter 7. Amos chapter 7. Now, let me tell you something about Amos. Amos was from the southern kingdom. But he was sent by God into the northern kingdom to prophesy against King Jeroboam II. Now this is not the same Jeroboam that is mentioned in 1 Kings 11 and 12. This is Jeroboam II, another king. However, he was sent there to preach against him and his wickedness, because Jeroboam the second and all the kings that followed Jeroboam the first, all of them continued the calf worship. Okay, so Amos is up there preaching against Jeroboam and the calves. Now watch, if you would please, verse 10. In fact, let's begin reading there with verse 8. Here is what Amos is prophesying. "And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more: and the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." In other words, I'm going to kill Jeroboam. Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel—remember now, Jeroboam has Bethel and Dan, places of worship.

This is where the golden calves are. So Amaziah the priest is a state priest. He is a state preacher. He is a state prophet. He is the priest of the king. So here is what he tells Amos.

Scripture Reading — Amos 7:8-13

"Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there."

Now, let me just stop momentarily. I want to put in good South Georgia lingo what Amaziah said to Amos in verse 12. Here's what he said: "Boy, you better get out of here and go home if you want some bread, if you want to live. Go back where you came from." "We'll either put you in prison or we'll kill you. Get out of here." That's what he told him. Look at it again in verse 12.

Scripture Reading — Amos 7:8-13

"Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah"

—go back where you came—

Scripture Reading — Amos 7:8-13

"and there eat bread, and prophesy there: but prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court."

One and the same. It's the king's chapel. It's the king's court. Political correctness is religious correctness. Just like Rehoboam made secession absolutely necessary, so Jeroboam made secession absolutely necessary.

Vocational and Political Secession: The Example of the Priests and Levites

Weaver explains that the priests and Levites seceded vocationally and politically when Jeroboam cast them off; they left their possessions and lands to serve God in Judah. He applies this to modern professionals leaving regulated vocations and people abandoning political parties.

Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 11, because I want to give you two thoughts concerning secession. It is impossible, by the way, to worship without real liberty and freedom. It's impossible to function without real liberty and freedom. We began in 2 Chronicles 11. I want us to look at verses 13 through 15 again. With the background that I've just given you, you should understand this passage.

"And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him"—that is, to Rehoboam—"out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: and he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made." I want you to think about this. I'm going to show you that there is a vocational and political secession. There is a vocational and a political secession. So the priests and the Levites were descendants of Aaron; they were the Lord's priests. And the Levitical family, of course, was from Levi as well. So was Aaron. And Jeroboam builds these golden calves and begins his new state religion. He says, "I'm not going to have these priests here and these Levites. You're not working here anymore. This is no longer your vocation." And as according to 1 Kings chapter 12, he appointed the lowest of the people to be his own priests and to take care of things. So he cast them off. And when he cast them off, they then seceded, they withdrew, and they went to Judah and Jerusalem where the Temple was located. Their first allegiance was to the Lord and to His ministry.

And so they were refusing then to bow to political correctness and they were refusing to serve as priests of the golden calves made by Jeroboam. Now I want to direct your attention to something that is revealed in these verses to show you the reality of their secession. Secession actually costs them. Withdrawal was very, very expensive. If you will notice, the Bible says in verse 14, "For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem."

Now I want you to hold this, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 35 and let's begin reading there with verse 1 and we'll read through verse 8. Numbers 35, beginning there with verse 1. I want you to understand what it cost these men to stay true to the Lord. Numbers 35 verse 1,

Scripture Reading — Numbers 35:1-8

"And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, Command the children of Israel, that they give"

—notice the word give—

Scripture Reading — Numbers 35:1-8

"that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them. And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts. And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs. And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth."

And may I tell you something, that the Northern Kingdom was larger than the Southern Kingdom. So the Levites had more property in the northern kingdom than they did in the southern kingdom. So they are now kicked out of their inheritance. They are now losing their cities, their homes, their fields, their pastures. They're losing everything. So they are forsaking all of that; they were withdrawing from all of their material possessions and whatever they could take with them in order to serve the Lord. They seceded from the government of Jeroboam and from the worship of the calves. Let me just point out the fact that there are many people today that are seceding vocationally as well as politically. There are many people that have left their trained vocations in order to go back to the land, go back to a simple way of life. There are people that are absolutely fed up with the rat race, the materialism, the regulations, and the bureaucratic interference of government in their lives. And they just want to get away from it. I know of doctors who have left their private practices because of all the bureaucratic regulations.

Let me tell you something. If you are a medical doctor and you take Medicare and Medicaid and Obamacare, there is a list of regulations that you have to do. You have to dot every I and cross every T across everything. If you don't, guess what? You're going to end up in court and end up convicted and end up in prison yourself. And there's a lot of doctors that said, "It's not worth it. We'll just leave. We'll go do something else or we'll be hospital physicians. We'll be something other than a private physician. We're just leaving." Engineers the same way.

Any vocation that requires a license usually requires governmental regulation as well. And people are just fed up. Some of you have seen the headlines recently, how that over 60% of Americans hate—and that was the word they used—hate the government. Over 60%. That's quite interesting. So, there are plenty of people that have seceded vocationally just like these priests and just like these Levites. Likewise, there are many people today that are leaving the political parties that have hogtied them for decades. Many now are awakening to the very truth that George Wallace said in his presidential campaign in 1968, and I quote, he said, "There is not a dime's worth of difference between the Democratic and the Republican parties." And folks are just waking up to the reality of that.

As I was thinking about this, I thought, you know, we ought to have some bumper stickers. And I thought of a great slogan to go on a bumper sticker. The first one is this: "Secede—it's the right thing to do." And then maybe this one: "Secede—it's the right thing to do now." Now. And there are indeed a lot of people that are trying to get out of the rat race. And so what we need to learn is this. We need to learn to do without. We need to learn to sacrifice. We need to learn to be debt-free. We need to learn to be self-sufficient. We need to learn to read and study and think for ourselves. We don't have to put up with wickedness and tyranny. There is a vocational and a political secession.

Personal and Religious Secession: The Heart of the Matter

Weaver emphasizes that secession begins personally and religiously, as seen in those who set their hearts to seek the Lord and left idolatry. He warns against 501(c)(3) incorporated churches that compromise with state demands, and cites 2 John 6-11 to command separation from false teachers.

Secondly, I want you to note something. There is a personal and a religious secession. Look back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 11. Watch, if you would, verse 14. Watch verse 14. "For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD." So we have all these priests and all these Levites leaving. Now, skip down, if you would please, to verse 16. "And after them"—that is, after they left—"out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers." Do you understand that secession begins on the lowest and the most basic level, that of personal secession?

It is true that many are able to leave a certain area, state, or territory, or even a continent. I know people personally, and I know of people that have expatriated. They've left America. They're now in foreign countries. Some that I've been in contact with said they love it. They would never ever consider coming back. They say there's far more liberty and freedom in some of those third world countries than there are in America. So I'm just simply saying there are many that did that. These Levites and priests left the northern kingdom and came to the southern kingdom. There are many people that are not able to secede physically. I don't know about you, but I'm not able to go live in South America, really have no desire to live in South America or anywhere else.

I suppose if you were a multimillionaire, you could pretty well secede and go wherever you wanted to go and do whatever you wanted to do. But although you may not be able to leave physically, you can personally drop out, drop off the radar, lay low, secede as much as is humanly possible. And you do that by refusing to participate, cooperate, and validate tyranny and wickedness. So, just like in Israel, many then seceded from the perversions and the idolatry in Israel, many are doing the same thing today. Do you realize that there are many Christians that are leaving the mainline churches and the mainline denominations? When you stop and think that there are plenty of denominations now that not only allow women as pastors, but they allow sodomites as pastors. They are recognizing sodomite marriage. How in the world can anyone preach and teach the whole Word of God when you have a situation like that? It's impossible. Moreover, you have to understand that there are many 501(c)(3) state churches. You say, "What in the world is a 501(c)(3) state church?" Well, first of all, it's a church that is incorporated. And once a church incorporates, it basically denies Jesus Christ as head, because now the state becomes the head of the church. The state demands certain things. And if the church does not follow those demands, and have their annual meetings, and pay their annual fees, and do what they say, then they can lose their incorporated status.

It's just that simple. And then once they're incorporated, then they apply to the IRS to get a 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. It's just that simple. Now, let me explain something to you. Churches are tax immune because they are a separate jurisdiction. No church needs an IRS tax exempt number to receive tax deductible gifts. You say, "How can you say that?" Well, let me read it to you. This is from IRS Publication 557, and I'm quoting. "Churches, although a church, its integrated auxiliaries, or a convention or association of churches, is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax-deductible contributions. The organization may find it advantageous to obtain recognition of this exemption." Really? Why would I find it an advantage to have the IRS say that I'm exempt when I'm already immune? And they're already saying I don't need it. And what a lot of people don't understand is this: when you get your tax ID number, you've already compromised. How can I say that? Well, I'm quoting IRS Publication 557 again, and here's what it says. "Moreover, in order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is"—not all of them, but this is just one of them—"that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal."

You say, "I don't see anything wrong with that." Well, add and finish the sentence. Agree that no belief or practice should be illegal—that is contrary to God's law—but let me finish it: "that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal, or contrary to clearly defined public policy." Abortion is public policy. Sodomy is public policy. Socialism is public policy. Fascism is public policy. So once you sign on the dotted line to get your tax-exempt number, you're already saying, "I agree not to preach against public policy." One author said it like this, listen carefully: "The truth is, incorporated churches are subject to total governmental control." Whom they hire—by the way, let me just stop there—whom they hire. Do you remember, I think it was here in Florida, a few years ago, a church fired an organist when they found out he was a sodomite? And he sued the church. And that's happening all over this country.

And now the government is saying, "You can't discriminate. You have to have these people in there." So I'm just quoting: "The truth is, incorporated churches are subject to total governmental control whom they may hire and what they may or may not teach or preach." And I've heard people say, "Nobody's going to tell me what to preach." They already have when you signed that you would not preach against clearly defined public policy. They cannot conflict with public policy, nor assault the hearer's sense of mental well-being, self-esteem, or sexual orientation. The IRS prohibits such organizations from carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (26 U.S. Code 501(c)(3)). This prohibition extends not only to the endorsement of a political candidate, but also any other attempts to influence legislation, including taking a public stand against government-protected abominations as abortion and homosexuality. No wonder there are a lot of people that are being upset now with mainline denominations and mainline churches. And it's not every week, but practically every week I get a phone call from somewhere, and someone is saying, "But Brother Weaver, I cannot find a church in this area that preaches the gospel, that preaches the whole counsel of God, that preaches the truth. I can't do it."

Obviously, we have been commanded not to participate in idolatry. Everyone in this room can quote the first commandment. Exodus 20 verse 3,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:3

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

I shall have no other gods before me. I want to show you something. Look in your Bibles to Jeremiah 25. Jeremiah 25. Look, if you would, at verse 6. Here's an interesting verse. I wish I had a lot of time just to preach on this verse. Jeremiah 25 verse 6. In fact, I will probably come back and hopefully in the not-too-distant future and do so. But look in Jeremiah 25 verse 6. God says, "And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt." So God says, "You sin against me, I'll hurt you." Do you not remember the Scripture says that our God is a jealous God? And what does the father do to a son? The father looks at the son and said, "Now son, don't do this. If you do this, I'm gonna whip you." You know, that's exactly what our Heavenly Father says to us. "Don't do this or I'm gonna whip you." I tell people, if every son could be whipped the way my father whipped me, we probably would have a whole different generation of men, because my father had a philosophy: if you do it right, you don't have to do it often. And he did it right, I can assure you. And may I tell you that when God chastens us, when God whips us, according to Hebrews chapter 12, His chastening is always successful. He does it right to begin with. So God said, "Don't do this and I won't whip you." Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 John. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. 2 John, there is only one chapter there. I want to show you how God demands a personal and religious secession.

Scripture Reading — 2 John 6-11

Watch this. We must secede from those who are idolaters, and those who refuse to worship, for we cannot commune with or support churches that deny Christ and His Word. Here it is. Look in 2 John 6. "And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

"Look to yourselves, that we"—he includes himself—"that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." Now he said you better be careful about this. Watch verse 9. "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine"—that is, the doctrine of Christ—"receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." Now, let me ask you a question. If merely entertaining one that denies Christ and His Word and bidding such an individual God speed brings a curse upon oneself and makes him a partaker of the evil deeds, how much worse is it to fellowship with people like that and call them Christians and then support them financially?

You follow what I'm saying? Here's a passage where God absolutely demands secession. It has to be a personal and a religious secession. We cannot be partakers with evil. Secession is demanded. Secession is biblical. And secession must begin on a personal and religious level. It may extend to a vocational and political level. It may also extend to an ecclesiastical level, to a state level, or to a national level. But the most basic and foundational form of secession is personal and religious. God commands it now.

The Strengthening Effect of Godly Secession and Conclusion

Weaver notes that the influx of faithful people strengthened Judah for three years. He concludes that the righteous, not the wicked, build free and godly societies, and God commands secession from evil at every level. He ends with a prayer for grace to withdraw from wickedness.

I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 11. Let me show you something. Look in 2 Chronicles chapter 11. I want you to understand this: that a godly and biblical secession strengthens a godly local government. In other words, if you have a decent, liberty-loving local government, a God-fearing government, folks are going to flock there because people love liberty, and they want to worship God. So the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 11 and verse 17, "So they"—who's the they? The priests, the Levites, all the people that fled to Rehoboam—"so they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon." Of course, later on Solomon sinned and then he led the people into sin and rebellion as well. But the truth of the matter is, for three years when they served God and did what was right, they were strengthened and it built up.

May I remind you of something? It is not the wicked that encourage and develop and work at establishing a godly and a free society. It is the righteous. That's why Proverbs 28:28 says, "When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase." That's why Proverbs 29:2 says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." It's not the wicked that seeks to establish a free and godly government full of liberty. It's the righteous. It's the righteous. And God demands that we secede from evil, wherever it is. If it is on a personal level, if it is on a familial level, if it is on an ecclesiastical level, if it is on a state level, if it's on a national level, what did He say? "My son, walk not with them. Withdraw thy foot from them." Secede, get out of the way. Secession is a biblical doctrine. You have to believe something about it because it's all through the Word of God. Let's pray.

Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for your grace and your mercy. We pray that you would teach us, that you would build us up in the most holy faith, that you would help us to understand this, Lord, and apply it to our hearts. And help us, Lord, to withdraw ourselves from evil and wickedness and anything and everything that's contrary to thee and thy word. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen. ♪ ♪

you Now he said you better be careful about this. Watch verse 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. Watch if there come any unto you and bring up this doctrine. That is the doctrine of Christ Receive him not into your house neither bid him God's speed For he that bid him God's speed is partaker of his evil deeds Now, let me ask you a question If merely entertaining one that denies Christ and His Word and bidding such an individual God's speed brings a curse upon oneself and makes him a partaker of the evil deeds, how much worse is it to fellowship with people like that and call them Christians and then support them financially?

I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2nd Chronicles chapter 11. Let me show you something Look in 2nd Chronicles chapter 11. I Want you to understand this that a godly and biblical secession Strengthens a godly local government. In other words if you have a decent liberty and local government, a God-fearing government, folks are going to flock there because people love liberty, and they want to worship God. So the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 11 and verse 17, so they, who's the they? The priests, the Levites, all the people that fled to Rehoboam, so they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years. For three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. Of course later on Solomon sinned and then he led the people into sin and rebellion as well. But the truth of the matter is for three years when they served God and did what was right, they were strengthened and it built up.

May I remind you of something? It is not the wicked that encourage and develop and work at establishing a godly and a free society. It is the righteous. That's why Proverbs 28 28 says when the wicked rise men hide themselves, but when they perish the righteous increase it That's why Proverbs 29 verse 2 says when the righteous are in authority the people rejoice But when the wicked bear rule the people mourn It's not the wicked that seeks to establish a free and Godly government full of liberty It's the righteous. It's the righteous. And God demands that we secede from evil, wherever it is. If it is on a personal level, If it is on a familial level, if it is on an ecclesiastical level, if it is on a state level, if it's on a national level, what did he say? My son, walk not with them. Withdraw thy foot from them. Secede, get out of the way. Secession is a biblical doctrine. You have to believe something about it because it's all through the Word of God. Let's pray.

Study Guide

Major Themes

Secession as a Biblical Doctrine

Summary: Secession is not merely a political concept but a doctrine clearly taught in Scripture, with multiple commands to withdraw from evil and ungodly associations.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'secession is a doctrine, because it is plainly and clearly taught in the Bible' and cites Proverbs 1, 2 Thessalonians 3, 1 Timothy 6, and 2 Corinthians 6.

Secession as a God-Given Right and Essential to Liberty

Summary: The right to secede is endowed by God; without it, individuals and peoples are slaves. This principle undergirded the American Declaration of Independence.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'Secession is a right. I will even go further and say secession is a God-given right... If I am not free to leave or secede... then I'm a slave.' He reads from the Declaration to show it is a list of causes for secession.

Secession Distinguished from Revolution

Summary: Secession is a peaceful withdrawal to form a new government, not an attempt to overthrow the existing one. The South seceded peacefully; the war was initiated by Lincoln's invasion.

Evidence: Weaver explains, 'secession is not revolution. Secession does not seek to overthrow a government; it seeks to separate and begin a new government.' He applies this to the Civil War and the family example.

Tyranny and Idolatry as Causes for Secession

Summary: Both Rehoboam's despotism and Jeroboam's forced idolatry made secession necessary for God's people. Modern parallels include governmental overreach and state-imposed religious correctness.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'it was despotism and tyranny... that caused the colonists to secede... and it was tyranny and despotism... that caused Israel to secede.' He details Jeroboam's golden calves and state priesthood.

The Cost and Necessity of Personal and Religious Secession

Summary: True secession often requires sacrificing possessions and status. It must begin with personal separation from idolatry and false worship, including leaving compromised churches.

Evidence: Weaver notes the Levites 'left their suburbs and their possession' and emphasizes, 'the most basic and foundational form of secession is personal and religious.' He warns against 501(c)(3) churches and cites 2 John.

The Righteous Strengthen Godly Government

Summary: When the righteous secede from evil and gather under godly authority, they strengthen that government and society, as seen in Judah under Rehoboam's early years.

Evidence: Weaver cites 2 Chronicles 11:17: 'they strengthened the kingdom of Judah' and references Proverbs 28:28 and 29:2 to show the righteous increase when the wicked perish.

Key Arguments

Everyone must believe something about secession because it is in the Bible

Summary: Just as with predestination, secession is a biblical term that demands a doctrinal stance; denying it is denying Scripture.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'secession is a doctrine, because it is plainly and clearly taught in the Bible. You must believe something about it because it is here in the Word of God.'

Secession is commanded by God in multiple passages

Summary: Scripture explicitly commands believers to withdraw from sinners, disorderly brethren, false teachers, and unbelievers, making secession a divine imperative.

Evidence: Weaver reads Proverbs 1:15 ('walk not thou in the way with them'), 2 Thessalonians 3:6 ('withdraw yourselves'), 1 Timothy 6:5 ('from such withdraw thyself'), and 2 Corinthians 6:17 ('come out from among them').

Without the right to secede, there is no liberty

Summary: If one cannot leave a tyrannical situation or government, one is a slave. The American Revolution was an act of secession, not revolution.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'If I am not free to leave or secede from a situation or a circumstance or an institution, then I'm a slave.' He parallels the Declaration of Independence with Israel's secession from Rehoboam.

Secession is peaceful withdrawal, not violent overthrow

Summary: True secession seeks separation to form a new government, not the destruction of the old. The South seceded peacefully; the North invaded.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'secession is not revolution. Secession does not seek to overthrow a government; it seeks to separate and begin a new government.' He uses the family example of a son marrying and leaving home.

Jeroboam's idolatry and state religion made secession necessary for the faithful

Summary: Jeroboam's establishment of golden calf worship and a state priesthood forced the Levites and all who sought the Lord to secede to Judah.

Evidence: Weaver reads 1 Kings 12:26-33 and Amos 7:10-13, showing Jeroboam's deliberate idolatry and Amaziah's declaration that Bethel was 'the king's chapel' and 'the king's court.'

Modern 501(c)(3) churches have compromised with the state and require secession

Summary: Incorporated churches with IRS tax-exempt status have agreed not to preach against public policy, making them state-controlled and necessitating separation.

Evidence: Weaver quotes IRS Publication 557 and states, 'once you sign on the dotted line to get your tax-exempt number, you're already saying, "I agree not to preach against public policy."' He cites the prohibition on influencing legislation.

Personal and religious secession is the foundation for all other forms

Summary: Secession must begin with individuals setting their hearts to seek God and withdrawing from idolatry and false teaching, as seen in 2 Chronicles 11:16 and 2 John.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'the most basic and foundational form of secession is personal and religious. God commands it now.' He reads 2 John 9-11 to show that even bidding a false teacher Godspeed makes one a partaker of evil.

Godly secession strengthens righteous government

Summary: When the righteous withdraw from evil and gather under godly rule, they strengthen that society, as the influx of faithful Israelites strengthened Judah.

Evidence: Weaver cites 2 Chronicles 11:17 and Proverbs 28:28, 29:2, concluding, 'It's not the wicked that seeks to establish a free and godly government full of liberty. It's the righteous.'

Scripture References

2 Chronicles 11:13-17

Context: Primary text: the priests and Levites secede from Jeroboam's Northern Kingdom to Judah, along with all who set their hearts to seek the Lord.

Proverbs 1:10-15

Context: Command not to walk with sinners or consent to their enticements; an example of personal secession from evil.

2 Thessalonians 3:6

Context: Command to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly, not according to apostolic tradition.

1 Timothy 6:3-5

Context: Command to withdraw from those who teach contrary doctrine and are destitute of the truth.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Context: Command not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers; to come out from among them and be separate.

2 Chronicles 10:12-16

Context: Rehoboam's harsh answer leads Israel to secede, saying 'every man to your tents, O Israel.'

1 Kings 11:26-39

Context: Ahijah's prophecy to Jeroboam, giving him ten tribes and promising a sure house if he obeys God.

1 Kings 12:26-33

Context: Jeroboam's idolatry: making golden calves, appointing non-Levitical priests, and devising his own feasts.

Amos 7:8-13

Context: Amaziah the priest of Bethel tells Amos to flee because Bethel is the king's chapel and court, illustrating state religion.

Numbers 35:1-8

Context: God's command to give the Levites cities and suburbs as their possession, showing what they forfeited by seceding.

Exodus 20:3

Context: First commandment: 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me,' cited as the basis for refusing idolatry.

Jeremiah 25:6

Context: Warning not to go after other gods, lest God bring hurt; used to show God chastens disobedience.

2 John 6-11

Context: Command not to receive or bid Godspeed to those who do not bring the doctrine of Christ, lest one partake of their evil deeds.

Proverbs 28:28

Context: When the wicked rise, men hide; when they perish, the righteous increase.

Proverbs 29:2

Context: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people mourn.

Historical References

American Declaration of Independence (1776)

Context: Weaver reads the first two paragraphs, paralleling the colonists' secession from England with Israel's secession from Rehoboam, emphasizing it was a list of causes for separation, not revolution.

American Civil War (1861-1865)

Context: Weaver argues the South seceded legally and peacefully; the war was caused by Lincoln raising troops to invade, not by Southern revolution.

George Wallace presidential campaign (1968)

Context: Weaver quotes Wallace: 'There is not a dime's worth of difference between the Democratic and the Republican parties,' to illustrate modern political secession.

IRS Publication 557 and 501(c)(3) status

Context: Weaver explains that churches are tax-immune but many incorporate and seek 501(c)(3) status, agreeing not to preach against public policy, thus compromising with the state.

Important Quotes

Secession is a right. I will even go further and say secession is a God-given right.

Significance: This is the central thesis of the sermon, asserting that secession is not merely a political option but a divinely endowed right essential to liberty.

If I am not free to leave or secede from a situation or a circumstance or an institution, then I'm a slave.

Significance: Weaver argues that the absence of the right to secede reduces a person to slavery, making secession foundational to freedom.

Secession is not revolution. Secession does not seek to overthrow a government; it seeks to separate and begin a new government.

Significance: This distinction is crucial to Weaver's argument that secession is peaceful and lawful, unlike revolution.

The most basic and foundational form of secession is personal and religious. God commands it now.

Significance: Weaver emphasizes that all secession must begin with individual separation from evil and false worship, grounding it in personal obedience to God.

It is not the wicked that encourage and develop and work at establishing a godly and a free society. It is the righteous.

Significance: This quote encapsulates the sermon's application: the righteous, by seceding from evil, build godly societies.

Discussion Questions

How does Weaver define secession, and how does he distinguish it from revolution?

Context: Weaver defines secession as withdrawing or separating, and contrasts it with revolution by stating secession does not seek to overthrow but to form a new government.

What biblical passages does Weaver use to show that secession is commanded by God?

Context: He cites Proverbs 1:10-15, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, and 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 as direct commands to withdraw from evil.

In what ways does Weaver parallel the American colonists' secession from England with Israel's secession from Rehoboam?

Context: He reads the Declaration of Independence and 2 Chronicles 10:16, showing both were responses to tyranny and lists of causes for separation.

What does the example of the Levites leaving their possessions teach about the cost of secession?

Context: The Levites forfeited their cities, suburbs, and inheritance to serve God in Judah, illustrating that secession may require material sacrifice.

How does Weaver apply the concept of secession to modern churches and their relationship with the state?

Context: He criticizes 501(c)(3) incorporated churches for compromising with government regulations and agreeing not to preach against public policy.

According to Weaver, why must secession begin on a personal and religious level?

Context: He argues that personal separation from idolatry and false teaching is foundational, citing 2 Chronicles 11:16 and 2 John 6-11.

What role do the righteous play in establishing a free and godly society, according to Proverbs 28:28 and 29:2?

Context: Weaver uses these verses to show that the righteous increase and bring rejoicing when they are in authority, while the wicked cause mourning.

Applications

Examine personal associations and withdraw from evil

Summary: Believers must evaluate their relationships and associations, seceding from those who entice to sin or walk disorderly, as commanded in Proverbs 1 and 2 Thessalonians 3.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'My son, walk not thou in the way with them... withdraw yourself, secede' and 'withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly.'

Separate from false teachers and compromised churches

Summary: Christians should not fellowship with or financially support churches and teachers who deny Christ's doctrine or compromise with state mandates, per 2 John and 1 Timothy 6.

Evidence: Weaver warns, 'if merely entertaining one that denies Christ... makes him a partaker of the evil deeds, how much worse is it to fellowship with people like that and call them Christians and then support them financially?'

Prioritize obedience to God over material possessions

Summary: Like the Levites who left their lands, believers must be willing to sacrifice property and career for the sake of serving God faithfully.

Evidence: Weaver notes, 'they are now losing their cities, their homes, their fields, their pastures. They're losing everything... in order to serve the Lord.'

Resist state-imposed religious and political correctness

Summary: Believers should refuse to bow to governmental or cultural pressures that demand conformity to idolatrous or immoral public policies, as the Levites refused Jeroboam's state religion.

Evidence: Weaver states, 'they were refusing then to bow to political correctness and they were refusing to serve as priests of the golden calves made by Jeroboam.'

Pursue self-sufficiency and simplicity to enable secession

Summary: Weaver encourages learning to do without, becoming debt-free, and being self-sufficient to be able to withdraw from tyrannical systems.

Evidence: Weaver says, 'We need to learn to do without. We need to learn to sacrifice. We need to learn to be debt-free. We need to learn to be self-sufficient.'

Strengthen godly local government and community

Summary: By gathering with like-minded believers under righteous authority, Christians can strengthen and build up free and godly societies.

Evidence: Weaver cites 2 Chronicles 11:17: 'they strengthened the kingdom of Judah' and applies it to flocking to liberty-loving, God-fearing local government.

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:13:12Z

deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | weaver_study | 2026-06-06T14:51:07Z

Clean Transcript

Secession Made Plain And Simple

Clean readable transcript. This view follows the Commentary.net cleaned segment text while preserving timestamps for audio follow-along.

I want you to open your Bibles, if you would please, to 2 Chronicles chapter 11. 2 Chronicles chapter 11. And I'll tell you about the sermon before we get started. 2 Chronicles chapter 11—is that in the Old Testament? That's in the Old Testament, right before you get to the Apocrypha. Alright, 2 Chronicles chapter 11. Our text is going to begin at verse 13. We'll read through verse 17.
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The title of the message is, "Secession Made Plain and Simple." I was reading the Scripture after a friend had asked me, since I've preached on secession a number of times, to put my messages in a booklet so that it could be distributed and everybody could understand the issue. And I was thinking about, well, where in the world would I start? Because I've got at least four messages. I've got one on the principle of secession. I've got one, "Treason Was Not Secession." Then I did two recently called "A Model for Secession." And I just happened to be reading through the book of 2 Chronicles and this passage just jumped out at me and I thought, well, this will be an interesting place to start so that everyone can really begin. So, "Secession Made Plain and Simple," and I want you to see it in 2 Chronicles chapter 11, beginning with verse 13.
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"And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the Lord. And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon." Years ago I made a statement that has basically made the rounds.
#3 | 1:53 to 2:42 | cleaned
It concerns the doctrine of predestination. I pointed out the fact that everyone that believes the Bible has to believe something about the doctrine of predestination, because predestination is very clearly taught and mentioned in the Bible. So we have to believe something about it. And here is the statement that I made: really and truly, everyone believes in predestination. There is no disagreement on the fact that there is such a thing as predestination. The only disagreement is who does the predestinating. In other words, man has no problem with the doctrine as long as he is in control and as long as he is doing the predestinating. As long as he can play God, he's absolutely happy with the doctrine. Once you begin to study the Scripture, you say, no, man is not in control. God is in control. And God does the predestinating. And since God does the predestinating, since He's eternal, He did the predestinating before the foundation of the world. And all of a sudden, men begin to howl and scream and they do not like that doctrine at all.
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The same is true concerning the doctrine of secession. And let me point out that, yes, secession is a doctrine, because it is plainly and clearly taught in the Bible. You must believe something about it because it is here in the Word of God. And if you don't believe something about it, then what you're doing in essence is simply denying the Word of God. We wish to allow secession for ourselves, but sometimes we want to deny it for other people. In other words, if we secede, then it's okay. But if others secede and that secession affects us adversely, then it's not okay. We're against it. So really, it's like the doctrine of predestination. It all boils down to who secedes and who controls the secession.
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So let me make some statements. I want you to listen carefully. Secession is nothing more than the act of seceding or withdrawing. Secession is a personal, religious, vocational, political, and even an ecclesiastical act. I'll explain that a little bit later. Likewise, there are many reasons to secede, and there are many causes of secession. One may secede from many things and do so without violating the Scripture. In fact, there are places in the Word of God where we are commanded to secede. Let me show you. I want you to hold 2 Chronicles chapter 11.
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We will come back there. But look in your Bibles first of all to the book of Proverbs chapter 1. Proverbs chapter 1, and we'll be reading there with verse 10. Proverbs chapter 1 and verse 10. Watch carefully. God says, "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit: we shall find all precious substance."
#7 | 5:45 to 6:24 | cleaned
"We shall fill our houses with spoil: cast in thy lot among us; let us all have one purse." Now watch verse 15. "My son, walk not thou in the way with them"—that is, withdraw yourself, secede—"refrain thy foot from their path"—don't go with them, secede—"for their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood. Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird. And they lay wait for their own blood; they lurk privily for their own lives." So God says right here that we are to secede from those who do evil and commit evil.
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We're not to go with them. We're to withdraw our foot from them. If you would turn in the New Testament to 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and look at verse 6. 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 6. Then we'll turn over to 1 Timothy. But notice 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 6. The Apostle Paul makes this exceedingly clear, and it is a command. Watch carefully.
#9 | 7:01 to 7:29 | cleaned
"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves"—or secede—"from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us." So here's the commandment. There are certain individuals that we are to secede or withdraw from. If you would turn right over to 1 Timothy chapter 6 and look at verse 5. In fact, let's begin reading there with verse 3, because the Apostle is saying if anyone denies the truth that he's laid down in verses 1 and 2, watch what he says in verse 3. "If any man teach otherwise, and consent not to wholesome words, even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness; he is proud, knowing nothing, but doting about questions and strifes of words, whereof cometh envy, strife, railings, evil surmisings, perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such"—secede or—"withdraw thyself."
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So, again, he tells us that we must have a personal secession. If you would turn back in your Bibles to 2 Corinthians 6, everyone should be aware of this passage because, in reality, secession is very clearly taught in this text. Notice, if you would, 2 Corinthians 6 and verse 14. Look what God says. "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people."
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"Wherefore come out from among them"—that is, secede, withdraw—"and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." So, there are plenty of passages in the Bible that very clearly teach secession. That is why I said secession is a doctrine.
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You have to believe something about it. Now, secession—who advocates secession or claims secession as a personal, religious, vocational, ecclesiastical, and constitutional right that has been given by God Himself. One may secede based upon conscience, commandment, despotism, tyranny, preference, or a host of other reasons according to the Word of God. Let me say this very clearly. I want you to listen. Secession is a right. I will even go further and say secession is a God-given right.
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It is an act of liberty, freedom, and independence. If secession is not a right, if secession is not a God-given right, there is no such thing as liberty and freedom.
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Now listen, if I am not free to leave or secede from a situation or a circumstance or an institution, then I'm a slave. If I'm not free to leave, I'm a slave. It's just that simple.
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Now the same is true in reference to government. If the colonists did not have the right to secede or withdraw from England in 1776, then in reality they were slaves to George III and they were slaves to the British Parliament.
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Now, I'm going to read just two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence. I want you to pay special attention to the second paragraph because I'm going to parallel that with Scripture just momentarily. But I want you to listen to the first statement. "The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them..." Now let me just stop right there. When it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the bands, what are they saying? When it becomes necessary for one people to secede, to withdraw, then they're going to say it becomes a necessity for them to issue a decent respect to the opinions of mankind that requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. Now, before we get to the second paragraph, let me just say this.
#17 | 11:47 to 13:03 | cleaned
The Declaration of Independence is nothing more than a list of causes which caused the colonists to secede. Okay? So here's the second paragraph. "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men..." Let me stop there. Governments do not give rights; God ordained them to secure those rights.
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And then they go on to say, "...deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness." So the second paragraph says, it is the duty, it is the right, it is the obligation of a people to secede and withdraw from a wicked, tyrannical, despotic government and begin a government of their own.
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Now, it is important for you and I to understand that the colonists did not seek to overthrow the government of George III. They did not seek to control Parliament. They seceded. That is, they left the established government in order that they might establish a new government. So let me say it again, secession is not revolution. Secession does not seek to overthrow a government; it seeks to separate and begin a new government. You say, "Ah, but pastor, in the war of 1861–1865, when the South seceded, there was a war." That is true. But the war was not on the part of the South. It was Abraham Lincoln and the Radical Republicans that raised 75,000 troops to invade the South. The South seceded legally and peacefully. It did not seek a revolution. It did not seek to overthrow Washington, D.C. It did not seek to overthrow the power structure that was in place. All the South wanted to do was to leave the confederation of the states and begin a new government. That's all.
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Now, you have to understand what secession is. And I'm going to try to give this to you on the lowest level. And I think we can find an excellent example of secession when we consider the family. Here's a young man that has been raised to honor his father and his mother, to obey his father and mother. And finally, when he becomes a man, a young man, he begins to seek and he does find the girl of his dreams.
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And so what he does is he marries her and he leaves home. What he has just done basically is he has seceded. He has withdrawn. He did not seek to overthrow his parents. He did not seek to deny their authority. He did not seek to destroy the girl's parents or deny their authority. No. What they both did, they seceded. They withdrew from their families. And they began a new family—let me say it another way, they began a new government where the young man, the husband, is now the head of this new home under the Lord Jesus Christ.
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That is secession plain and simple. And we see it happening before our faces every day. And we never think that here it is, it is a peaceful, non-violent, withdrawing just in order to form a new government. It is just that simple. In our text today which we are going to be looking at, there are several illustrations of secession, and I'm going to show you, first of all, the context.
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I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 10. 2 Chronicles chapter 10. You would also find this in 1 Kings chapters 11 and 12. In fact, we'll look at chapter 12 a little bit later. But let me just give you the rough background, and then we're going to read the Scripture. The background is this: Solomon is dead and Rehoboam, his son, has taken over the throne. And so the people come to Rehoboam and they said, "Look, your father made our tasks onerous, the taxes were too high."
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"If you lighten our burden, we will serve thee." Now I want you to know they were not seeking to overthrow Rehoboam. They were not seeking to withdraw or secede at that particular time. All they were wanting was to have a righteous answer to their demands. And so what Rehoboam does is this: he says, "Give me three days and then come back." And so he looks at the old men who grew up with his father and said, "What do you advise?" And the old men said, "If you will be the servant to these people, they will be your servants forever." And by the way, the word "servant" there is ebed in the Hebrew. Here is what they told Rehoboam: if you will be the slave to the people, the people will be your slaves forever.
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In other words, it is reciprocal. You be their servant, they are going to be your servants. But he didn't listen to the old men. He then turned to the young men, and the young men that grew up with him said, "You tell those rascals that your little finger is going to be thicker than your father's loins. You tell them he laid heavy burdens on them, but you are going to add to their burdens. You tell them that he whipped them with whips, he chastened them with whips, but you are going to chasten them with scorpions."
#26 | 19:12 to 19:43 | cleaned
"You show them who is the boss, boy. You show them who has the power." And so what did Rehoboam do? He listened to the young men. So here it is. 2 Chronicles chapter 10, look at verse 12. "So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, and answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents."
#27 | 19:44 to 20:45 | cleaned
Now, I want you to call to mind that second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. And let's go back and read verse 16 like this: "And when all the colonists saw that George III would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, George III, saying, What portion have we in England? What portion have we in Parliament? Every man to your tents, O Americans. And now, George III, see to thine own house. So all the colonists went to their homes." Do you see exactly that second paragraph parallels exactly what is being said in Scripture?
#28 | 20:46 to 20:52 | cleaned
Now listen carefully, it was despotism and tyranny, plain and simple, that caused the colonists to secede from England. And it was tyranny and despotism, plain and simple, that caused Israel to secede from the Davidic Kingdom.
#29 | 20:53 to 21:42 | cleaned
Now, Rehoboam was indeed the son of Solomon, the grandson of David. He had the proper lineage, but he did not have the sense and the understanding that David and Solomon had. Years ago I was reading on this passage and one commentator made this statement. You have to remember that Solomon had all kinds of wives and concubines. Do you remember that? What was it, 700 wives or 300 wives and 700 concubines? I get them mixed up, one or the other. But the commentator said, out of all of this Solomon only had one son, and that is true, Rehoboam was his only son. He said, Solomon only had one son and he was a fool. Well, obviously that is true.
#30 | 21:43 to 22:01 | cleaned
He certainly did not know how to deal with people. Now, so Jeroboam is chosen now to be the head of the Northern Kingdom. I want you to see the opportunity that Jeroboam had. I want you to turn in your Bibles to 1 Kings 11. 1 Kings 11. It's an amazing thing that Jeroboam had an opportunity to begin a new government under the laws of God. Now why was God judging and destroying the kingdom under Solomon? Because of Solomon's rebellion. Because of Solomon's sin.
#31 | 22:02 to 22:56 | cleaned
And Rehoboam continued in some of that. And so he gives Jeroboam a wonderful promise. I want you to watch it. We're reading in 1 Kings chapter 11, and I want us to begin reading there with verse 26. Watch it, verse 26. I tell you what, no, let's begin reading at 1 Kings 11, I'm sorry, 1 Kings 11 and verse 26. Yeah, 1 Kings 11 verse 26. "And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king." Really? Well, why? Watch. "And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: and Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces."
#32 | 22:56 to 23:42 | cleaned
Now, let me ask you a question. What would you think if you got a new coat and you're walking in the field and some stranger comes up to you, snatches the coat off of you and tears it in twelve pieces? Well, it certainly got Jeroboam's attention. Watch verse 30. "And Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces: and he said to Jeroboam, Take thee ten pieces: for thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Behold, I will rend the kingdom out of the hand of Solomon, and will give ten tribes to thee: (but he shall have one tribe for my servant David's sake, and for Jerusalem's sake, the city which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel:) because that they have forsaken me, and have worshipped Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians, Chemosh the god of the Moabites, and Milcom the god of the children of Ammon, and have not walked in my ways, to do that which is right in mine eyes, and to keep my statutes and my judgments, as did David his father."
#33 | 23:43 to 25:01 | cleaned
"Howbeit I will not take the whole kingdom out of his hand: but I will make him prince all the days of his life for David my servant's sake, whom I chose, because he kept my commandments and my statutes: but I will take the kingdom out of his son's hand"—that would be Rehoboam—"and will give it unto thee, even ten tribes. And unto his son will I give one tribe, that David my servant may have a light alway before me in Jerusalem, the city which I have chosen me to put my name there. And I will take thee"—now look what he tells to Jeroboam—"and I will take thee, and thou shalt reign according to all that thy soul desireth, and shalt be king over Israel. And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee. And I will for this afflict the seed of David, but not for ever."
#34 | 24:45 to 26:03 | cleaned
Now here is an interesting thing. Of course Solomon sought to kill Jeroboam because of this promise. Jeroboam had to flee to Egypt. They called him back after Solomon died and when they were confronting Rehoboam. So Jeroboam now has a unique opportunity. He has a unique opportunity to begin a new government with the blessings of God upon it. It is true that God told David that He would build him a house. But it is also equally true that He told Jeroboam, "I will build you a sure house. I will make sure that you have a house as long as you obey me." But unhappily, Jeroboam had no intention of obeying the one true and the living God. Because he then began his new kingdom, his new government, not only with idolatry, but with forced idolatry.
#35 | 26:03 to 26:47 | cleaned
Because he was going to force the people to worship his false gods. Look in 1 Kings 12, and let's begin reading there. 1 Kings 12, verse 26. "And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel."
#36 | 26:48 to 27:19 | cleaned
So this was no accident. This was no happenstance. This was done deliberately and premeditatedly. "Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them"—to the people—"It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan. And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense."
#37 | 27:19 to 28:24 | cleaned
So here he is deliberately, deliberately beginning his kingdom with idolatry. This is not only an instance of governmental tyranny and despotism, it is also an instance of religious tyranny and despotism. I want you to understand that what Jeroboam was doing was he was beginning a state religion or a governmental religion. Let me emphasize something for you. He not only had political correctness, he also had religious correctness. Political correctness and religious correctness are synonymous. You remember not too long ago I preached a message on the religion of political correctness. It is a religion because it is coming from the government.
#38 | 28:25 to 29:03 | cleaned
Now let me make this exceedingly plain for you. I want you to turn in your Bibles to the book of Amos chapter 7. Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos. Look, if you would, Amos chapter 7. Amos chapter 7. Now, let me tell you something about Amos. Amos was from the southern kingdom. But he was sent by God into the northern kingdom to prophesy against King Jeroboam II. Now this is not the same Jeroboam that is mentioned in 1 Kings 11 and 12. This is Jeroboam II, another king. However, he was sent there to preach against him and his wickedness, because Jeroboam the second and all the kings that followed Jeroboam the first, all of them continued the calf worship. Okay, so Amos is up there preaching against Jeroboam and the calves. Now watch, if you would please, verse 10. In fact, let's begin reading there with verse 8. Here is what Amos is prophesying. "And the LORD said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel: I will not again pass by them any more: and the high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste; and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword." In other words, I'm going to kill Jeroboam. Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel—remember now, Jeroboam has Bethel and Dan, places of worship.
#39 | 29:03 to 29:38 | cleaned
This is where the golden calves are. So Amaziah the priest is a state priest. He is a state preacher. He is a state prophet. He is the priest of the king. So here is what he tells Amos. "Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there." Now, let me just stop momentarily. I want to put in good South Georgia lingo what Amaziah said to Amos in verse 12. Here's what he said: "Boy, you better get out of here and go home if you want some bread, if you want to live. Go back where you came from."
#40 | 29:39 to 30:09 | cleaned
"We'll either put you in prison or we'll kill you. Get out of here." That's what he told him. Look at it again in verse 12. "Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah"—go back where you came—"and there eat bread, and prophesy there: but prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court." One and the same. It's the king's chapel. It's the king's court. Political correctness is religious correctness. Just like Rehoboam made secession absolutely necessary, so Jeroboam made secession absolutely necessary.
#41 | 30:09 to 31:11 | cleaned
Now, I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 11, because I want to give you two thoughts concerning secession. It is impossible, by the way, to worship without real liberty and freedom. It's impossible to function without real liberty and freedom. We began in 2 Chronicles 11. I want us to look at verses 13 through 15 again. With the background that I've just given you, you should understand this passage.
#42 | 31:12 to 32:37 | cleaned
"And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him"—that is, to Rehoboam—"out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD: and he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made."
#43 | 32:37 to 33:12 | cleaned
I want you to think about this. I'm going to show you that there is a vocational and political secession. There is a vocational and a political secession. So the priests and the Levites were descendants of Aaron; they were the Lord's priests. And the Levitical family, of course, was from Levi as well. So was Aaron. And Jeroboam builds these golden calves and begins his new state religion. He says, "I'm not going to have these priests here and these Levites. You're not working here anymore. This is no longer your vocation." And as according to 1 Kings chapter 12, he appointed the lowest of the people to be his own priests and to take care of things. So he cast them off. And when he cast them off, they then seceded, they withdrew, and they went to Judah and Jerusalem where the Temple was located. Their first allegiance was to the Lord and to His ministry.
#44 | 33:12 to 34:17 | cleaned
And so they were refusing then to bow to political correctness and they were refusing to serve as priests of the golden calves made by Jeroboam. Now I want to direct your attention to something that is revealed in these verses to show you the reality of their secession. Secession actually costs them. Withdrawal was very, very expensive. If you will notice, the Bible says in verse 14, "For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem."
#45 | 34:18 to 34:41 | cleaned
Now I want you to hold this, but turn in your Bibles to the book of Numbers chapter 35 and let's begin reading there with verse 1 and we'll read through verse 8. Numbers 35, beginning there with verse 1. I want you to understand what it cost these men to stay true to the Lord. Numbers 35 verse 1, "And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, Command the children of Israel, that they give"—notice the word give—"that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them. And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts. And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs. And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth."
#46 | 34:42 to 35:10 | cleaned
And may I tell you something, that the Northern Kingdom was larger than the Southern Kingdom. So the Levites had more property in the northern kingdom than they did in the southern kingdom. So they are now kicked out of their inheritance. They are now losing their cities, their homes, their fields, their pastures. They're losing everything. So they are forsaking all of that; they were withdrawing from all of their material possessions and whatever they could take with them in order to serve the Lord.
#47 | 35:10 to 35:49 | cleaned
They seceded from the government of Jeroboam and from the worship of the calves. Let me just point out the fact that there are many people today that are seceding vocationally as well as politically. There are many people that have left their trained vocations in order to go back to the land, go back to a simple way of life. There are people that are absolutely fed up with the rat race, the materialism, the regulations, and the bureaucratic interference of government in their lives. And they just want to get away from it. I know of doctors who have left their private practices because of all the bureaucratic regulations.
#48 | 35:50 to 36:19 | cleaned
Let me tell you something. If you are a medical doctor and you take Medicare and Medicaid and Obamacare, there is a list of regulations that you have to do. You have to dot every I and cross every T across everything. If you don't, guess what? You're going to end up in court and end up convicted and end up in prison yourself. And there's a lot of doctors that said, "It's not worth it. We'll just leave. We'll go do something else or we'll be hospital physicians. We'll be something other than a private physician. We're just leaving." Engineers the same way.
#49 | 36:20 to 37:05 | cleaned
Any vocation that requires a license usually requires governmental regulation as well. And people are just fed up. Some of you have seen the headlines recently, how that over 60% of Americans hate—and that was the word they used—hate the government. Over 60%. That's quite interesting. So, there are plenty of people that have seceded vocationally just like these priests and just like these Levites. Likewise, there are many people today that are leaving the political parties that have hogtied them for decades. Many now are awakening to the very truth that George Wallace said in his presidential campaign in 1968, and I quote, he said, "There is not a dime's worth of difference between the Democratic and the Republican parties." And folks are just waking up to the reality of that.
#50 | 37:06 to 37:35 | cleaned
As I was thinking about this, I thought, you know, we ought to have some bumper stickers. And I thought of a great slogan to go on a bumper sticker. The first one is this: "Secede—it's the right thing to do." And then maybe this one: "Secede—it's the right thing to do now." Now. And there are indeed a lot of people that are trying to get out of the rat race.
#51 | 37:35 to 38:14 | cleaned
And so what we need to learn is this. We need to learn to do without. We need to learn to sacrifice. We need to learn to be debt-free. We need to learn to be self-sufficient. We need to learn to read and study and think for ourselves. We don't have to put up with wickedness and tyranny. There is a vocational and a political secession.
#52 | 38:15 to 39:36 | cleaned
Secondly, I want you to note something. There is a personal and a religious secession. Look back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 11. Watch, if you would, verse 14. Watch verse 14. "For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the LORD." So we have all these priests and all these Levites leaving. Now, skip down, if you would please, to verse 16. "And after them"—that is, after they left—"out of all the tribes of Israel such as set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the LORD God of their fathers." Do you understand that secession begins on the lowest and the most basic level, that of personal secession?
#53 | 39:37 to 40:13 | cleaned
It is true that many are able to leave a certain area, state, or territory, or even a continent. I know people personally, and I know of people that have expatriated. They've left America. They're now in foreign countries. Some that I've been in contact with said they love it. They would never ever consider coming back. They say there's far more liberty and freedom in some of those third world countries than there are in America. So I'm just simply saying there are many that did that. These Levites and priests left the northern kingdom and came to the southern kingdom. There are many people that are not able to secede physically. I don't know about you, but I'm not able to go live in South America, really have no desire to live in South America or anywhere else.
#54 | 40:13 to 40:56 | cleaned
I suppose if you were a multimillionaire, you could pretty well secede and go wherever you wanted to go and do whatever you wanted to do. But although you may not be able to leave physically, you can personally drop out, drop off the radar, lay low, secede as much as is humanly possible. And you do that by refusing to participate, cooperate, and validate tyranny and wickedness.
#55 | 40:58 to 41:53 | cleaned
So, just like in Israel, many then seceded from the perversions and the idolatry in Israel, many are doing the same thing today. Do you realize that there are many Christians that are leaving the mainline churches and the mainline denominations? When you stop and think that there are plenty of denominations now that not only allow women as pastors, but they allow sodomites as pastors. They are recognizing sodomite marriage. How in the world can anyone preach and teach the whole Word of God when you have a situation like that? It's impossible. Moreover, you have to understand that there are many 501(c)(3) state churches. You say, "What in the world is a 501(c)(3) state church?" Well, first of all, it's a church that is incorporated. And once a church incorporates, it basically denies Jesus Christ as head, because now the state becomes the head of the church. The state demands certain things. And if the church does not follow those demands, and have their annual meetings, and pay their annual fees, and do what they say, then they can lose their incorporated status.
#56 | 41:54 to 42:30 | cleaned
It's just that simple. And then once they're incorporated, then they apply to the IRS to get a 501(c)(3) tax exempt status. It's just that simple.
#57 | 42:31 to 43:32 | cleaned
Now, let me explain something to you. Churches are tax immune because they are a separate jurisdiction. No church needs an IRS tax exempt number to receive tax deductible gifts. You say, "How can you say that?" Well, let me read it to you. This is from IRS Publication 557, and I'm quoting. "Churches, although a church, its integrated auxiliaries, or a convention or association of churches, is not required to file Form 1023 to be exempt from federal income tax or to receive tax-deductible contributions. The organization may find it advantageous to obtain recognition of this exemption." Really? Why would I find it an advantage to have the IRS say that I'm exempt when I'm already immune? And they're already saying I don't need it. And what a lot of people don't understand is this: when you get your tax ID number, you've already compromised. How can I say that? Well, I'm quoting IRS Publication 557 again, and here's what it says. "Moreover, in order to receive a tax-exempt number, one of the requirements is"—not all of them, but this is just one of them—"that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal."
#58 | 43:34 to 44:01 | cleaned
You say, "I don't see anything wrong with that." Well, add and finish the sentence. Agree that no belief or practice should be illegal—that is contrary to God's law—but let me finish it: "that the practices and rituals associated with the organization's religious belief or creed are not illegal, or contrary to clearly defined public policy." Abortion is public policy. Sodomy is public policy. Socialism is public policy. Fascism is public policy. So once you sign on the dotted line to get your tax-exempt number, you're already saying, "I agree not to preach against public policy."
#59 | 44:02 to 44:25 | cleaned
One author said it like this, listen carefully: "The truth is, incorporated churches are subject to total governmental control." Whom they hire—by the way, let me just stop there—whom they hire. Do you remember, I think it was here in Florida, a few years ago, a church fired an organist when they found out he was a sodomite? And he sued the church. And that's happening all over this country.
#60 | 44:26 to 45:25 | cleaned
And now the government is saying, "You can't discriminate. You have to have these people in there." So I'm just quoting: "The truth is, incorporated churches are subject to total governmental control whom they may hire and what they may or may not teach or preach." And I've heard people say, "Nobody's going to tell me what to preach." They already have when you signed that you would not preach against clearly defined public policy. They cannot conflict with public policy, nor assault the hearer's sense of mental well-being, self-esteem, or sexual orientation.
#61 | 45:26 to 46:36 | cleaned
The IRS prohibits such organizations from carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (26 U.S. Code 501(c)(3)). This prohibition extends not only to the endorsement of a political candidate, but also any other attempts to influence legislation, including taking a public stand against government-protected abominations as abortion and homosexuality. No wonder there are a lot of people that are being upset now with mainline denominations and mainline churches. And it's not every week, but practically every week I get a phone call from somewhere, and someone is saying, "But Brother Weaver, I cannot find a church in this area that preaches the gospel, that preaches the whole counsel of God, that preaches the truth. I can't do it."
#62 | 46:37 to 47:12 | cleaned
Obviously, we have been commanded not to participate in idolatry. Everyone in this room can quote the first commandment. Exodus 20 verse 3, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." I shall have no other gods before me. I want to show you something. Look in your Bibles to Jeremiah 25. Jeremiah 25. Look, if you would, at verse 6. Here's an interesting verse. I wish I had a lot of time just to preach on this verse. Jeremiah 25 verse 6. In fact, I will probably come back and hopefully in the not-too-distant future and do so. But look in Jeremiah 25 verse 6. God says, "And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt." So God says, "You sin against me, I'll hurt you." Do you not remember the Scripture says that our God is a jealous God? And what does the father do to a son? The father looks at the son and said, "Now son, don't do this. If you do this, I'm gonna whip you." You know, that's exactly what our Heavenly Father says to us. "Don't do this or I'm gonna whip you." I tell people, if every son could be whipped the way my father whipped me, we probably would have a whole different generation of men, because my father had a philosophy: if you do it right, you don't have to do it often. And he did it right, I can assure you. And may I tell you that when God chastens us, when God whips us, according to Hebrews chapter 12, His chastening is always successful. He does it right to begin with. So God said, "Don't do this and I won't whip you." Now I want you to turn in your Bibles to 2 John. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John. 2 John, there is only one chapter there. I want to show you how God demands a personal and religious secession.
#63 | 47:12 to 48:33 | cleaned
Watch this. We must secede from those who are idolaters, and those who refuse to worship, for we cannot commune with or support churches that deny Christ and His Word. Here it is. Look in 2 John 6. "And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."
#64 | 48:33 to 48:43 | cleaned
"Look to yourselves, that we"—he includes himself—"that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward." Now he said you better be careful about this. Watch verse 9. "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine"—that is, the doctrine of Christ—"receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds." Now, let me ask you a question. If merely entertaining one that denies Christ and His Word and bidding such an individual God speed brings a curse upon oneself and makes him a partaker of the evil deeds, how much worse is it to fellowship with people like that and call them Christians and then support them financially?
#65 | 48:43 to 50:21 | cleaned
You follow what I'm saying? Here's a passage where God absolutely demands secession. It has to be a personal and a religious secession. We cannot be partakers with evil. Secession is demanded. Secession is biblical. And secession must begin on a personal and religious level. It may extend to a vocational and political level. It may also extend to an ecclesiastical level, to a state level, or to a national level. But the most basic and foundational form of secession is personal and religious. God commands it now.
#66 | 50:24 to 51:11 | cleaned
I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles chapter 11. Let me show you something. Look in 2 Chronicles chapter 11. I want you to understand this: that a godly and biblical secession strengthens a godly local government. In other words, if you have a decent, liberty-loving local government, a God-fearing government, folks are going to flock there because people love liberty, and they want to worship God. So the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 11 and verse 17, "So they"—who's the they?
#67 | 51:12 to 51:43 | cleaned
The priests, the Levites, all the people that fled to Rehoboam—"so they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon." Of course, later on Solomon sinned and then he led the people into sin and rebellion as well. But the truth of the matter is, for three years when they served God and did what was right, they were strengthened and it built up.
#68 | 51:45 to 52:19 | cleaned
May I remind you of something? It is not the wicked that encourage and develop and work at establishing a godly and a free society. It is the righteous. That's why Proverbs 28:28 says, "When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase." That's why Proverbs 29:2 says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn." It's not the wicked that seeks to establish a free and godly government full of liberty. It's the righteous. It's the righteous.
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And God demands that we secede from evil, wherever it is. If it is on a personal level, if it is on a familial level, if it is on an ecclesiastical level, if it is on a state level, if it's on a national level, what did He say? "My son, walk not with them. Withdraw thy foot from them." Secede, get out of the way. Secession is a biblical doctrine. You have to believe something about it because it's all through the Word of God. Let's pray.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for your grace and your mercy. We pray that you would teach us, that you would build us up in the most holy faith, that you would help us to understand this, Lord, and apply it to our hearts. And help us, Lord, to withdraw ourselves from evil and wickedness and anything and everything that's contrary to thee and thy word. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen.
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Now he said you better be careful about this. Watch verse 9. Whosoever transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. Watch if there come any unto you and bring up this doctrine. That is the doctrine of Christ Receive him not into your house neither bid him God's speed For he that bid him God's speed is partaker of his evil deeds Now, let me ask you a question If merely entertaining one that denies Christ and His Word and bidding such an individual God's speed brings a curse upon oneself and makes him a partaker of the evil deeds, how much worse is it to fellowship with people like that and call them Christians and then support them financially?
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You follow what I'm saying? Here's a passage where God absolutely demands secession. It has to be a personal and a religious secession. We cannot be partakers with evil. Secession is demanded. Secession is biblical. And secession must begin on a personal and religious level. It may extend to a vocational and political level. It may also extend to an ecclesiastical level, to a state level, or to a national level. But the most basic and foundational form of secession is personal and religious. God commands it now.
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I want you to go back in your Bibles to 2nd Chronicles chapter 11. Let me show you something Look in 2nd Chronicles chapter 11. I Want you to understand this that a godly and biblical secession Strengthens a godly local government. In other words if you have a decent liberty and local government, a God-fearing government, folks are going to flock there because people love liberty, and they want to worship God. So the Bible says in 2 Chronicles 11 and verse 17, so they, who's the they?
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The priests, the Levites, all the people that fled to Rehoboam, so they strengthened the kingdom of Judah and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years. For three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon. Of course later on Solomon sinned and then he led the people into sin and rebellion as well. But the truth of the matter is for three years when they served God and did what was right, they were strengthened and it built up.
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May I remind you of something? It is not the wicked that encourage and develop and work at establishing a godly and a free society. It is the righteous. That's why Proverbs 28 28 says when the wicked rise men hide themselves, but when they perish the righteous increase it That's why Proverbs 29 verse 2 says when the righteous are in authority the people rejoice But when the wicked bear rule the people mourn It's not the wicked that seeks to establish a free and Godly government full of liberty It's the righteous. It's the righteous.
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And God demands that we secede from evil, wherever it is. If it is on a personal level, If it is on a familial level, if it is on an ecclesiastical level, if it is on a state level, if it's on a national level, what did he say? My son, walk not with them. Withdraw thy foot from them. Secede, get out of the way. Secession is a biblical doctrine. You have to believe something about it because it's all through the Word of God. Let's pray.
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Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we do ask for your grace and your mercy. We pray that you would teach us, that you would build us up in the most holy faith, that you would help us to understand this, Lord, and apply it to our hearts. And help us, Lord, to withdraw ourselves from evil and wickedness and anything and everything that's contrary to thee and thy word. We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord, in whose name we pray. Amen. ♪ ♪ you
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deepseek | deepseek-v4-pro | clean_readable_transcript | 2026-06-06T00:13:12Z

Secession Made Plain And Simple

John Weaver | Freedom Ministries

Pastor John Weaver argues that secession is a biblical doctrine, defined as the act of withdrawing or separating from evil, tyranny, or ungodly associations. Using 2 Chronicles 11:13-17 as the primary text, he illustrates how the priests and Levites seceded from Jeroboam's idolatrous Northern Kingdom to serve God in Judah. He parallels this with the American colonists' secession from England and modern applications, emphasizing that secession is a God-given right essential to liberty. The sermon distinguishes secession from revolution, asserts that it must begin on a personal and religious level, and commands believers to withdraw from evil in all spheres of life.

Introduction: Secession as a Biblical Doctrine

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 11:13-17

"And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him out of all their coasts. For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest's office unto the Lord. And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made. And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, came to Jerusalem to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers. So they strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and made Rehoboam the son of Solomon strong three years: for three years they walked in the way of David and Solomon."

Years ago I made a statement that has basically made the rounds.

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 1:10-15

"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit: we shall find all precious substance."

Biblical Commands to Secede

Scripture Reading — Proverbs 1:10-15

"My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not. If they say, Come with us, let us lay wait for blood, let us lurk privily for the innocent without cause: let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those that go down into the pit: we shall find all precious substance."

Secession as a God-Given Right and Act of Liberty

Secession Illustrated in the Family and in Israel's History

Scripture Reading — 2 Chronicles 10:12-16

"So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come again to me on the third day. And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, and answered them after the advice of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. So the king hearkened not unto the people: for the cause was of God, that the LORD might perform his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat. And when all Israel saw that the king would not hearken unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? and we have none inheritance in the son of Jesse: every man to your tents, O Israel: and now, David, see to thine own house. So all Israel went to their tents."

Jeroboam's Idolatrous State Religion and Forced Worship

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 11:26-39

"And Jeroboam the son of Nebat, an Ephrathite of Zereda, Solomon's servant, whose mother's name was Zeruah, a widow woman, even he lifted up his hand against the king."

Really? Well, why? Watch.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 11:26-39

"And this was the cause that he lifted up his hand against the king: Solomon built Millo, and repaired the breaches of the city of David his father. And the man Jeroboam was a mighty man of valor: and Solomon seeing the young man that he was industrious, he made him ruler over all the charge of the house of Joseph. And it came to pass at that time when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, that the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him in the way; and he had clad himself with a new garment; and they two were alone in the field: and Ahijah caught the new garment that was on him, and rent it in twelve pieces."

Because he was going to force the people to worship his false gods. Look in 1 Kings 12, and let's begin reading there. 1 Kings 12, verse 26.

Scripture Reading — 1 Kings 12:26-33

"And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. Whereupon the king took counsel."

This is where the golden calves are. So Amaziah the priest is a state priest. He is a state preacher. He is a state prophet. He is the priest of the king. So here is what he tells Amos.

Scripture Reading — Amos 7:8-13

"Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words. For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land. Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there."

Scripture Reading — Amos 7:8-13

"Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah"

—go back where you came—

Scripture Reading — Amos 7:8-13

"and there eat bread, and prophesy there: but prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court."

Vocational and Political Secession: The Example of the Priests and Levites

Scripture Reading — Numbers 35:1-8

"And the LORD spake unto Moses in the plains of Moab by Jordan near Jericho, saying, Command the children of Israel, that they give"

—notice the word give—

Scripture Reading — Numbers 35:1-8

"that they give unto the Levites of the inheritance of their possession cities to dwell in; and ye shall give also unto the Levites suburbs for the cities round about them. And the cities shall they have to dwell in; and the suburbs of them shall be for their cattle, and for their goods, and for all their beasts. And the suburbs of the cities, which ye shall give unto the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the city and outward a thousand cubits round about. And ye shall measure from without the city on the east side two thousand cubits, and on the south side two thousand cubits, and on the west side two thousand cubits, and on the north side two thousand cubits; and the city shall be in the midst: this shall be to them the suburbs of the cities. And among the cities which ye shall give unto the Levites there shall be six cities for refuge, which ye shall appoint for the manslayer, that he may flee thither: and to them ye shall add forty and two cities. So all the cities which ye shall give to the Levites shall be forty and eight cities: them shall ye give with their suburbs. And the cities which ye shall give shall be of the possession of the children of Israel: from them that have many ye shall give many; but from them that have few ye shall give few: every one shall give of his cities unto the Levites according to his inheritance which he inheriteth."

Personal and Religious Secession: The Heart of the Matter

Obviously, we have been commanded not to participate in idolatry. Everyone in this room can quote the first commandment. Exodus 20 verse 3,

Scripture Reading — Exodus 20:3

"Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Scripture Reading — 2 John 6-11

Watch this. We must secede from those who are idolaters, and those who refuse to worship, for we cannot commune with or support churches that deny Christ and His Word. Here it is. Look in 2 John 6. "And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it. For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."

The Strengthening Effect of Godly Secession and Conclusion

Secession Made Plain And Simple

John Weaver | YouTube

Lecture Metadata	Details
Speaker	John Weaver
Source	YouTube
Media ID	SQn6Jz5KjL8
Subject	Church Government
Course	Church Order: Worship, Sacraments, and the Lord's Supper
Genre	Sermon
Date	2016-02-11
Dictation Name
Book	Book 039: Church Order and Worship - Volume 1 — Chapter 23
Source Timed Segments	80

Lecture Guide

Outline

Introduction: Secession as a Biblical Doctrine: Weaver introduces secession as a doctrine plainly taught in Scripture, comparing it to predestination—everyone believes in it, but the issue is who controls it. He defines secession as the act of withdrawing and states it is a personal, religious, vocational, political, and ecclesiastical act.
Biblical Commands to Secede: Weaver cites Proverbs 1:10-15, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, and 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 to show that God commands believers to withdraw from evildoers, disorderly brethren, false teachers, and unbelievers.
Secession as a God-Given Right and Act of Liberty: Weaver argues that secession is a God-given right essential to liberty; without the freedom to leave, one is a slave. He applies this to the American colonists' secession from England, reading from the Declaration of Independence to show it was a list of causes for separation, not revolution.
Secession Illustrated in the Family and in Israel's History: Weaver uses the example of a young man leaving home to marry as a peaceful secession. He then provides the historical context of Rehoboam's tyranny leading to Israel's secession under Jeroboam, paralleling it with the colonists' grievances against George III.
Jeroboam's Idolatrous State Religion and Forced Worship: Weaver details how Jeroboam established golden calf worship, appointed non-Levitical priests, and created a state religion, making secession necessary for the faithful. He connects this to modern political and religious correctness.
Vocational and Political Secession: The Example of the Priests and Levites: Weaver explains that the priests and Levites seceded vocationally and politically when Jeroboam cast them off; they left their possessions and lands to serve God in Judah. He applies this to modern professionals leaving regulated vocations and people abandoning political parties.
Personal and Religious Secession: The Heart of the Matter: Weaver emphasizes that secession begins personally and religiously, as seen in those who set their hearts to seek the Lord and left idolatry. He warns against 501(c)(3) incorporated churches that compromise with state demands, and cites 2 John 6-11 to command separation from false teachers.
The Strengthening Effect of Godly Secession and Conclusion: Weaver notes that the influx of faithful people strengthened Judah for three years. He concludes that the righteous, not the wicked, build free and godly societies, and God commands secession from evil at every level. He ends with a prayer for grace to withdraw from wickedness.

Major Themes

Key Arguments

Everyone must believe something about secession because it is in the Bible

Just as with predestination, secession is a biblical term that demands a doctrinal stance; denying it is denying Scripture.

Weaver says, 'secession is a doctrine, because it is plainly and clearly taught in the Bible. You must believe something about it because it is here in the Word of God.'

Secession is commanded by God in multiple passages

Scripture explicitly commands believers to withdraw from sinners, disorderly brethren, false teachers, and unbelievers, making secession a divine imperative.

Weaver reads Proverbs 1:15 ('walk not thou in the way with them'), 2 Thessalonians 3:6 ('withdraw yourselves'), 1 Timothy 6:5 ('from such withdraw thyself'), and 2 Corinthians 6:17 ('come out from among them').

Without the right to secede, there is no liberty

If one cannot leave a tyrannical situation or government, one is a slave. The American Revolution was an act of secession, not revolution.

Weaver states, 'If I am not free to leave or secede from a situation or a circumstance or an institution, then I'm a slave.' He parallels the Declaration of Independence with Israel's secession from Rehoboam.

Secession is peaceful withdrawal, not violent overthrow

True secession seeks separation to form a new government, not the destruction of the old. The South seceded peacefully; the North invaded.

Weaver says, 'secession is not revolution. Secession does not seek to overthrow a government; it seeks to separate and begin a new government.' He uses the family example of a son marrying and leaving home.

Jeroboam's idolatry and state religion made secession necessary for the faithful

Jeroboam's establishment of golden calf worship and a state priesthood forced the Levites and all who sought the Lord to secede to Judah.

Weaver reads 1 Kings 12:26-33 and Amos 7:10-13, showing Jeroboam's deliberate idolatry and Amaziah's declaration that Bethel was 'the king's chapel' and 'the king's court.'

Modern 501(c)(3) churches have compromised with the state and require secession

Incorporated churches with IRS tax-exempt status have agreed not to preach against public policy, making them state-controlled and necessitating separation.

Weaver quotes IRS Publication 557 and states, 'once you sign on the dotted line to get your tax-exempt number, you're already saying, "I agree not to preach against public policy."' He cites the prohibition on influencing legislation.

Personal and religious secession is the foundation for all other forms

Secession must begin with individuals setting their hearts to seek God and withdrawing from idolatry and false teaching, as seen in 2 Chronicles 11:16 and 2 John.

Weaver says, 'the most basic and foundational form of secession is personal and religious. God commands it now.' He reads 2 John 9-11 to show that even bidding a false teacher Godspeed makes one a partaker of evil.

Godly secession strengthens righteous government

When the righteous withdraw from evil and gather under godly rule, they strengthen that society, as the influx of faithful Israelites strengthened Judah.

Weaver cites 2 Chronicles 11:17 and Proverbs 28:28, 29:2, concluding, 'It's not the wicked that seeks to establish a free and godly government full of liberty. It's the righteous.'

Scripture References

2 Chronicles 11:13-17: Primary text: the priests and Levites secede from Jeroboam's Northern Kingdom to Judah, along with all who set their hearts to seek the Lord.
Proverbs 1:10-15: Command not to walk with sinners or consent to their enticements; an example of personal secession from evil.
2 Thessalonians 3:6: Command to withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly, not according to apostolic tradition.
1 Timothy 6:3-5: Command to withdraw from those who teach contrary doctrine and are destitute of the truth.
2 Corinthians 6:14-18: Command not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers; to come out from among them and be separate.
2 Chronicles 10:12-16: Rehoboam's harsh answer leads Israel to secede, saying 'every man to your tents, O Israel.'
1 Kings 11:26-39: Ahijah's prophecy to Jeroboam, giving him ten tribes and promising a sure house if he obeys God.
1 Kings 12:26-33: Jeroboam's idolatry: making golden calves, appointing non-Levitical priests, and devising his own feasts.
Amos 7:8-13: Amaziah the priest of Bethel tells Amos to flee because Bethel is the king's chapel and court, illustrating state religion.
Numbers 35:1-8: God's command to give the Levites cities and suburbs as their possession, showing what they forfeited by seceding.
Exodus 20:3: First commandment: 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me,' cited as the basis for refusing idolatry.
Jeremiah 25:6: Warning not to go after other gods, lest God bring hurt; used to show God chastens disobedience.
2 John 6-11: Command not to receive or bid Godspeed to those who do not bring the doctrine of Christ, lest one partake of their evil deeds.
Proverbs 28:28: When the wicked rise, men hide; when they perish, the righteous increase.
Proverbs 29:2: When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; when the wicked rule, the people mourn.

Historical References

American Declaration of Independence (1776): Weaver reads the first two paragraphs, paralleling the colonists' secession from England with Israel's secession from Rehoboam, emphasizing it was a list of causes for separation, not revolution.
American Civil War (1861-1865): Weaver argues the South seceded legally and peacefully; the war was caused by Lincoln raising troops to invade, not by Southern revolution.
George Wallace presidential campaign (1968): Weaver quotes Wallace: 'There is not a dime's worth of difference between the Democratic and the Republican parties,' to illustrate modern political secession.
IRS Publication 557 and 501(c)(3) status: Weaver explains that churches are tax-immune but many incorporate and seek 501(c)(3) status, agreeing not to preach against public policy, thus compromising with the state.

Important Quotes

Secession is a right. I will even go further and say secession is a God-given right.

This is the central thesis of the sermon, asserting that secession is not merely a political option but a divinely endowed right essential to liberty.

If I am not free to leave or secede from a situation or a circumstance or an institution, then I'm a slave.

Weaver argues that the absence of the right to secede reduces a person to slavery, making secession foundational to freedom.

Secession is not revolution. Secession does not seek to overthrow a government; it seeks to separate and begin a new government.

This distinction is crucial to Weaver's argument that secession is peaceful and lawful, unlike revolution.

The most basic and foundational form of secession is personal and religious. God commands it now.

Weaver emphasizes that all secession must begin with individual separation from evil and false worship, grounding it in personal obedience to God.

It is not the wicked that encourage and develop and work at establishing a godly and a free society. It is the righteous.

This quote encapsulates the sermon's application: the righteous, by seceding from evil, build godly societies.

Discussion Questions

[Question]

How does Weaver define secession, and how does he distinguish it from revolution?

[Context]

Weaver defines secession as withdrawing or separating, and contrasts it with revolution by stating secession does not seek to overthrow but to form a new government.

[Question]

What biblical passages does Weaver use to show that secession is commanded by God?

[Context]

He cites Proverbs 1:10-15, 2 Thessalonians 3:6, 1 Timothy 6:3-5, and 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 as direct commands to withdraw from evil.

[Question]

In what ways does Weaver parallel the American colonists' secession from England with Israel's secession from Rehoboam?

[Context]

He reads the Declaration of Independence and 2 Chronicles 10:16, showing both were responses to tyranny and lists of causes for separation.

[Question]

What does the example of the Levites leaving their possessions teach about the cost of secession?

[Context]

The Levites forfeited their cities, suburbs, and inheritance to serve God in Judah, illustrating that secession may require material sacrifice.

[Question]

How does Weaver apply the concept of secession to modern churches and their relationship with the state?

[Context]

He criticizes 501(c)(3) incorporated churches for compromising with government regulations and agreeing not to preach against public policy.

[Question]

According to Weaver, why must secession begin on a personal and religious level?

[Context]

He argues that personal separation from idolatry and false teaching is foundational, citing 2 Chronicles 11:16 and 2 John 6-11.

[Question]

What role do the righteous play in establishing a free and godly society, according to Proverbs 28:28 and 29:2?

[Context]

Weaver uses these verses to show that the righteous increase and bring rejoicing when they are in authority, while the wicked cause mourning.

Applications

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