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Many of us grew up in Sunday School and
church. We have heard the great Bible stories over and over. We heard
about the story of how Moses’ mother defied Pharaoh and hid her little
baby boy in bulrushes. We heard the story of how Moses killed the
Egyptian taskmaster defending a Hebrew slave and later became the great
deliverer of God’s people. We heard the story of young David going out
alone against the Philistines’ greatest warrior, Goliath. We heard the
story of how Saul’s servants refused to carry out the king’s order to
murder the priest Ahimelech. We know well the story of Daniel who defied
his government’s order to refrain from praying. The names Shadrach,
Meshach, and Abednego are very familiar to us. We heard our teachers and
preachers extol their courage in defying the government’s order to bow
to the image of their emperor. We remember that John the Baptist went to
prison (and was eventually beheaded), not for preaching the Gospel, but
for criticizing the king for his immoral behavior. We certainly recall
the story of Simon Peter who bluntly told his civil magistrates, “We
ought to obey God rather than men.” We know that the Apostle Paul wrote
many of his epistles from inside government prisons. We certainly recall
that before John penned the Revelation, he had been banished to an
island-prison by his civil authorities.
I challenge Christians to objectively look at the great stories of
Bible heroes (in both testaments) and observe how many times they are
noted for either being martyred for defying a civil authority, or,
perhaps, for being delivered from death for defying a civil authority.
The stories of defiance to civil government (in one form or another)
comprise a great percentage of all the stories contained in the
Bible–perhaps even a majority of them.
So, how has it happened that a majority of today’s Christians, it
seems, have become such sheepish slaves of government? How has it
happened that, for the most part, the concept of courage in the face of
government oppression has been totally lost to the average Christian,
pastor, and church? For all intents and purposes, it is time for many
Christians to shred their Bibles, because the lessons and principles of
God’s Word have absolutely no influence over their attitudes and
conduct.
http://chuckbaldwinlive.com/home/?p=2579
For example, if the story of Peter in prison were being experienced
today, instead of the church rallying behind their pastor and conducting
an all-night prayer meeting for him, most church members would be
excoriating him in the name of Romans chapter 13. Instead of Paul being
let down the wall in a basket to escape the civil authorities trying to
apprehend him, the average Christian today would be the first one to
turn him over to the authorities.
In the mind of the average Christian, God is not God; government is
God! For instance, when one well-known Christian attorney was recently
confronted by the teaching of Scripture relative to the church’s
independence from government (meaning, no church should allow itself to
be subject to the government’s tyrannical 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt
status), he said, “That might be Biblically correct, but it is not
legally correct.” In other words, the “Christian” attorney would rather a
church be legal than Biblical. And, unfortunately, that seems to be the
attitude of the vast majority of professing Christians today. They
would rather please the government than please God; they would rather
obey the government than obey God; they would rather be at peace with
the government than be at peace with God.
And when it comes to the courage of risking anything of value in order to do right, forget it!
Think of what Abram risked when he obeyed God and left his country
and kin and struck out for a land that God had not even told him of.
Think of what Moses risked when he killed that Egyptian; think of what
Joshua and Caleb risked when they defied the entire nation that was
following the evil counsel of the ten spies; think of what David risked
when he faced the giant; think of what Elijah risked when he confronted
850 false prophets all by himself; think of what the Old Testament
prophets risked when they rebuked or challenged the kings of Israel and
Judah; think of what the disciples risked when they “left all” and
followed Jesus; think of what the early church risked when it embraced
the Gospel and defied the wishes of Rome and Jewry (not to mention their
own families and friends). But these stories are more like fairy tales
to the average Christian today. They serve no practical benefit
whatsoever!
Let a church deacon, trustee, or elder be told by some
government-backed attorney that he is really a corporate officer,
subject to the laws and punishments of IRS tax codes, and that church
leader will say anything, sign anything, or do anything to save his own
financial security. In order to not jeopardize his own standing with the
IRS, that same church leader would turn his back on his best friend, or
gladly join with the government in prosecuting a fellow believer.
I personally know of more than one case where professing Christians
either lied against a beloved brother in order to protect themselves
against threatened government (read: IRS) penalties, or actually
testified for the prosecution (read: IRS) under oath in a court of law
against a Christian brother. In each case, these “brothers” actually
felt it was their “Christian duty” to betray their friends and brothers
and help the government.
I am reminded of the verse where Jesus said, “Yea, the time cometh,
that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.” (John
16:2 KJV)
I am also reminded of the warning from the prophet Jeremiah when he
cautioned, “Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in
any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every
neighbour will walk with slanders. And they will deceive every one his
neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue
to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.” (Jeremiah 9:4,5
KJV)
Jeremiah’s prophecy is spot-on! Christians today cannot be trusted to
be faithful to the truth; they cannot be trusted to not betray and turn
against their brethren; they cannot be trusted to not be party with
slander and libel. If it means saving their own skin, or keeping their
bread buttered, or staying in the good graces of the IRS, they would
sell out their best friend–maybe even their own mother! And it is no
coincidence that Jeremiah, himself, experienced firsthand that which he
had spoken. It is no wonder he said, “Trust ye not any brother.”
When will Christians get it through their heads (and in their hearts)
that oftentimes government is the enemy of God? When will they
understand that they have only one Sovereign: King Jesus? When will they
come to comprehend that helping government perpetrate unjust action
against fellow believers is a crime against Heaven? When will they stop
talking about the Bible and actually start internalizing its teachings,
examples, and principles?
It has gotten to the point today many unbelievers are far more
trustworthy than today’s Christians–especially when it comes to the
subject of resisting unjust government. It grieves me say that many
“Christian” attorneys, politicians, pastors, and church leaders are
merely shills and toadies for a government that has often become both
oppressive and illegitimate!
May God help us! He will have to, because we won’t get much help from
the vast majority of today’s professing Christians. That is for sure!
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Nov.12
