Human Government will always end up reflecting the depravity and the insanity of man. It will always reject the God displayed through His Son. The Hope of Christians should always be on the promises of God in Jesus Christ. Our hope should not be on the governments of any nations that we occupy.
History shows us that those that put their hope in the governments of the world are always disappointed. The world without God will increasingly prove its depravity but our hope is for eternal life in a body of perfection in a city of perfection.
I want to caution those Christians that think we can change America to be a nation that follows God. No such concept is taught in the Bible. Only Israel as a nation ever knew God and that was because God made Himself known to Israel. Nevertheless, most of the citizens in Israel rejected God.
Those that now know God by grace through faith have died to this world, they are new creations in Christ. They are now born from above and their hope is the same as Abraham’s, we now look for a city made by God (Heb 11:12).
While we are in this world we should be salt and light to the world and live like God wants his people to live but we should not be under some delusion that any nation can have a spiritual rebirth when the people of the nation have not. Nor should we believe that a government in such a nation can be set up that will do the will of God or the will of the minority Christians living there.
Through our own political actions we could no more set up a government that fears God than we could gather the world religions and make these religious harlots one with God’s Son. Yet, that is exactly what some Christians think they can accomplish.
Christians have every reason in heaven to be living in hope of a better future but our hope is not in the lusts of our condemned body of flesh. We should know that the world is now reserved for judgment (2Pet 3:7). Only after Jesus purges the earth of evil and reigns on earth will there be any godly government on earth.
Even if the world or the nation we occupy burns down around us we should still be live in hope of deliverance. We are not to fear those who can kill our bodies of flesh. This body is just a shell for our eternal souls. We died with Christ and are only here in the flesh for God’s purpose. The scriptures says to Christians, “that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2Co 5:8). There is no real death for those that have been born of the Spirit.
I bring this up because I get emails from those that are going through great preparations preparing for perceived future troubles in our nation and in the world. There is nothing wrong with taking wise prudent precautions, we do have a God given responsibility to care for those we have charge over, but those that worry that God will not take care of His own in this nation cannot be walking by faith.
If you are stockpiling weapons for a fight against the government, you lack faith even if you call yourself a Christian patriot. Where is your hope in Christ? Better to die for the gospel of Christ than to place your hope in your guns as if your guns will buy you anymore time in this world than God has predetermined. You cannot fight evil with evil.
Jesus is our example. He did not resist those who persecuted Him neither did the Apostles and the martyrs of the Church. Yet, in a world very hostile to the Gospel, God was fully able to keep Paul alive for decades so his message would get out to the world. God also kept John alive into very old age to give the churches The Book of Revelation. The saints did not rise up in arms against the Jews and they did not rise up in arms against Rome. God is in control and no one has power on earth to kill you unless God permits. Those that are planing to fight in the flesh with carnal weapons of war had better be doing it in faith knowing that this is really what God called them to do.
If these are the last days like many claim to believe, then why would we expect our nation or any nation to make some turn toward morality?
If the people of the nations are corrupt the governments will also become corrupted. The governments of nations reflects the people. Some with right wing values are now calling for a Constitutional Convention to make their values law but if there is a Con Con and the delegates selected want a nation that reflects their own values they will come out of the Con Con with a post-modern Constitution and nation. In one shot the old American Constitution would be dead and it would be open season on all the politically incorrect.
If I had to make a judgment call on what a New Constitution would look like if the delegates were appointed by those in power today. I would have to say they would be founded on the teachings of people like Karl Marx and guests of Oprah. The aftermath of such a convention would bring open civil war but some misguided Christians are now putting false hope in a Con Con to save Christianity in America?
Those that want to save this nation need to use spiritual weapons. Nothing will change for the better unless many people in this nation believe, repent and are saved. The disease of unbelief in our nation will not be fixed by tossing out morality band-aids from church buses and you will not save your flesh from Christian haters or a police state through carnal self-defense preparations.
No matter what happens in this world, Christians should be the foremost to have hope. We know there is no death for the soul. The apostle Paul in 1 Co 13:13 tells us there are three virtues in the life of a Christian on earth. They are faith, hope, and love. Hope is an expectation, it keeps us going in the storms of life. People without any hope go into depression and become suicidal. Don’t go there. Live in the hope of eternal life and you will reject the fleshly fears that makes people become revolutionists.
Right on Don. It does amuse me to read diatribes by people attempting to bring America back to God (as if it or any other nation was ever with God in the first place). I place my faith in him and him alone. Having said that I am stockpiling some food. We don’t know what God will permit us to go through before the rapture, and I was thinking that even if its not used by me, perhaps it will be of use to someone after my family is gone.. Perhaps I should even put a message with my stockpile pointing people to Christ.. just in case. God moves in mysterious ways! 😉 I’ve never thought about weapons, but then my society is far less gun motivated than America. so its not something I would ever do anyway.
I completely agree. We are “preparing” with the thoughts that people will be needing what we have collected….and we are leaving notebooks of scriptures and messages with it. We have collected a great deal of Bibles and hymnals for people who come after we have gone. I am living in anticipation of a this “stockpiling” that God definitely will reach people through our efforts. In Christ’s service.
Those who want to try and “take over” the government and make it more Christian are “barking up the wrong tree”. Governments are man’s creation and will always reflect our limitations and sin. That is why government needs to be limited — to limit the amount of mischief that sinful men can do when wielding the levers of power.
The whole idea of limited government means that the government is not to be the major intitution in our lives. The reality is that big government actively tries to crowd out and weaken other institutions. Government-run schools compete with parents and family in teaching values. Government-run social welfare programs take the place of church community-sponsored charity.
If we as Christians want to strive to do anything, we should strive to limit government and strengthen and purify the Church, which currently is a pitiful, weak, and compromised organization in our world.
There is an excellent article on the dangers of a Con Con at:
http://www.newswithviews.com/DeWeese/tom169.htm
This is not a thing that we need now. Sounds good, but incredible danger.
Don’t put your faith in leaders or government. They’ll always let you down. God is on the throne and totally in control. Those on power who don’t know God think they are in control. They just don’t feel the leash that God has them on. They just don’t see that History is HIS STORY!
He’ll take care of us and we’ll get home safe…not a minute too early or late.
Thanks Kevneto, I had read that article by DeWeese and I wanted to include it in the article but I could no longer find it. So I came up with the other link. I think DeWeese makes it very clear why a Con Con could be a real disaster for this nation.
Hi Don,
This was a wonderful post!
You might remember that I worried to you in an email about the preparations bit because our circumstances are such, due to chronic medical issues in the family, that I cannot do much to prepare. I’m in a position such that I *must* abandon myself to our Father’s care and trust that He will take care of us. Since I wrote you, I’ve gone through a long series of exercises with Him in a difficult part of my life that have helped me to learn to trust Him (and others) again. He’s taught me to abandon myself to Him and His great purpose of making me (and my family) Christlike. Now that doesn’t mean that I don’t care, but it does mean that I don’t worry any longer. This world has nothing for me, and I’m terribly homesick for eternity with my Abba. My concern is that I live the rest of my life before others such that they see Him and are attracted to Him and then accept His offer of forgiveness and a redeemed life.
Thank you especially for sharing the part about stocking-up on weapons. There are people for whom that is their main supply – they intent to use them to take everything else they need. My family and I only truly need Him and He will give us what we need, and if that means taking us home “early,” then to “die is gain.”
In His Love & Rejoicing,
Brett
Our Father will never let us down, Brett. You’re in good hands.
I like the part of your post about feeling “homesick”. I often say (and people think I’m nuts) that I’ll shed no tears when I leave this world. Of course I’ll miss my friends and family (temporarily), but this world system holds no allure for me. As creation groans waiting for it’s redemption, so do I.
My prayers are with you and your family during this tough time.
God bless you
Kevin
Brett, thanks. May God continue to comfort you.
To live is good for the sake of others that do not know Him but to die for His sake is our gain. You are a good witness even in your trials.
I hope Christians realize that we certainly are not going to win and battles against spiritual forces in high places using man made weapons.
Thanks for encouragement Brothers!
I can’t wait to see what God has done through you both at the Bema!
God, in his word and in his Spirit, has given us discernment. We know what is happening in this world and disapprove it. We, the sons of God, judge people and things because we have the truth. But discernment without hope–joyful hope— makes us weary. Discernment tells us what is happening at this moment, but hope tells us what is about to happen. Discernment with hope give us joy. It is a God given gift to be joyful, and at the same time to understand the reality of this world. Maybe that is why John wrote: “That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.” 1Jn 1:3,4.
Edward, great point. Thank you for reminding me to continue in joyful hope.