Apologus Interviews is the title of these interviews with distinguished guests.[1] In this first interview-conducted largely via e-mail, I interviewed Reconstructionist Pastor Paul Michael Raymond. Pastor Raymond is the pastor of Reformed Bible Church in Appomattox, Virginia. This interview will be divided into two parts for your convenience.
Apologus:
Pastor Raymond, it is a delight to interview you. I have listened to many of your sermons on sermonaudio.com and have learned much from your zeal and passion for the reign of Christ in all areas of life.
Let me begin this discussion by pointing to a short article you wrote entitled: Law and Community: By What Standard? In this article you point out that the structure of a community must be based upon the Order of God’s Holy Standard, or upon Humanistic zeal? Explain what you mean by both terms.
Pastor Paul Michael Raymond:
Without exception, in every position taken by men, and in every theory held by men, whether it is a position or theory concerning politics, economics, education, science, society or religion, there is a basic and fundamental presupposition structuring that position or theory and all of its subsequent arguments and conclusions. Mankind views everything through a pre-set, pre-determined idea. This starting point is determined by man’s pre-established view of reality. Every living human being holds to some form of presupposition by which he views and seeks to understand the world around him. It is that particular presupposition, which must determine how, and to what end, that individual formulates his basic worldview, and it is that worldview that formulates his ideas. These ideas in turn determine his basic action. As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he. Ideas must, and do, translate into action.
Of these presuppositions there are only two, Biblical and non-Biblical. In my 1999 article “Law and Community: By What Standard” I define these two positions as Theistic and Humanistic. To be more accurate however, we should actually divide the two positions into the Biblical Revelational Position and the Non-Biblical
Humanistic (or natural) Position.
Since all mankind is, in one form or another, theistic by nature[2], serving the god or gods of their own making, dividing these spheres into ‘Theistic and Humanistic’ needs to be refined so as to be more precise. Since there are only these two positions man can choose from, mankind must analyze, define and understand the world around him either through the lens of Scripture or the lens of secular humanistic reasoning. There is no neutral beginning point. If there is a synthesis or synergism of the two, and the Biblical position becomes watered down or compromised by the secular humanist position, many serious difficulties result. While many may disagree, the fact remains; the structure of life and society is built upon one or the other of these two fundamental presuppositions. In the realm of the individual, family and state either the Scriptures will reign supreme or non-Biblical humanistic reasoning will reign supreme. There is no middle ground. Continue reading “Apologus Interviews Pastor Paul Michael Raymond, Part 1”