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What Does “Vox Populi, Vox Dei” Mean?
.
THE MAJORITY POSITION ON ANY SUBJECT DOES NOT IN AND
OF ITSELF ALONE MAKE IT RIGHT! When the people understand this point they will
know why the Bereans were called noble by God. "Vox Populi, vox Dei” is
Satan’s formula and has no place among the faithful of God - there is not any
indication that mankind, in the church or out of it, has changed - man has yet
to learn that the voice of the people is NOT the voice of God
David P. Brown
“The
voice of the people is the voice of God,” is the translation of the
ancient Latin expression serving as the title of this article.
In a
democracy such a sentiment sounds good. Especially does it soothe the ear in a
society that is permeated with humanism.
When
one examines God’s infallible Will, he immediately notices that most of the
time most of the people are not in sympathy with the Truth of God.
More
than this is the fact that the Bible reveals that God’s people are very rarely
content to remain submissive to His Will over any extended period of time.
Just
six chapters into the Bible and some 1500 years from the creation, God is
pleased with only eight people out of the whole human race (Genesis 6:5-6).
Concerning God’s chosen people of the Old Testament, the
Jews, God said of them at the time of the golden calf incident: “... I
have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiffnecked people” (Exodus 32:1-9).
Paul
warned that some members of the church would conduct themselves according to
the aforementioned phrase, with not a few elders and preachers in the
lead (Acts 20:28-31; I Timothy 4:1ff; II Timothy
4:1-4)!
Therefrom
a great apostasy resulted; and there is not any
indication that mankind, in the church or out of it, has changed.
That
is, man has yet to learn that the voice of the people is NOT the
voice of God.
It is still true that the Bereans “... were more
noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all
readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were
so” (Acts 17:11; also see II Timothy 2:15).
Yes,
all of us have, do, and will continue to benefit from those who have gone
before us in their studies.
Surely
no one is opposed to such benefits and blessings in the least; but that is not
the point under consideration.
My
point is this: THE MAJORITY POSITION ON ANY SUBJECT DOES NOT IN AND OF
ITSELF ALONE MAKE IT RIGHT!
When
the people understand this point, they will know why the Bereans were called
noble by God, and they will understand Acts 17:11.
"Vox
Populi, vox Dei” is Satan’s formula and has no place among the faithful of
God.
Our plea, therefore, is: “If any man speak, let him
speak as the oracles of God...” (I
Peter 4:11);
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is
the power of God unto salvation...” (Romans 1:16);
“But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1); and
“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (I Thessalonians 5:21).
The
authorized works of the New Testament church are: evangelism (Matthew
28:18-20), edification (Ephesians 4:16) and benevolence (James 1:27; Galatians
6:9-10). We invite you to come and worship God according to the precepts of the
New Testament and study with us from God’s Holy Word. You will be given a warm
welcome at every assembly of the church. At the present we are small in
numbers, but strong in the faith and in our world-wide commitment to seek and
save the lost. Come and grow with us in grace and in the knowledge of the Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ (II Peter 3:18).
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