Maligning The Faith

I am becoming greatly concerned that our Christian faith is going to be caught u in the times. That because so many prominent Christian leaders are involved with the Current US Administration, and that so many Christians support Israel in the middle of a war with Gaza and Iran, that soon the sight of our Crosses, and expressions of our faith will incur ire and we will become persecuted for those involved in the politics of America and Israel. 

It is rather sad, Iran is from whence Abraham came, Ur was in Iran and the Promised Seed, the Sons of Isaac are descended from the native Iranian. Now those who remained in Ur are at war with those who went to Palestine, and caught in middle is us Christians who will become scapegoats. Inevitably what will happen is people will associate Christian symbols with the Administration and those who support Israel, not considering that not everyone who puts their trust in Jesus agrees with the politics of US and Israel. I am for one am more concerned about the whole, that our Church remain as it has for two thousand years, making “disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Name of The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19)’ 

This Christian Preterism and Politicanity is going to turn the hatred towards the Jews on us. Make no mistake, when people begin to associate Christianity with the policies of the current Administration of America, and Israel, we will see Antifa and Fre Palesgtine and Pro Iran protesters throwing moltave cocktails at churches, and assaulting Christians. Already in Seattle, Washington some Free Palestine people crashed a Christian event and threw baloons full of human urine at people (https://www.foxnews.com/video/6373586883112). This is going to increase, this vehemence towards anyone that supports the Political powers of the US and Israel will grow and spread. 

We have to do two things in wake of all this. Firstly, we have to unhitch our Faith from the plows of the US and Israel, and explain to people that Jesus died for all peoples and loves all peoples, and that Heaven and New Earth will be filled with all nations, “Who will not fear you, Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous deeds have been revealed” (Revelation 15:4). The Next thing we need to do is perhaps be cautious, you may need to adopt some more clandestine aspects of expressing your Christianity, that means put that cross under your shirt, and be like Secret Christians of Japan. Remember that Jesus said, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves, be as shrewd as serpents, and as gentle as doves.” (Matthew 10:16). I am not saying hide your faith, I do not want to violate Jesus words of, “but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.,” (Matthew 10:33). However, there is nothing in the New Testament that says you have to wear a cross in public or put a Ichythus Fish on your car. I am not saying to cease evangelizing, or become ashamed of the gospel. I am warning that we are entering a period when very violent people are going to associate our religion with the powers they want to torch and overthrow. That we are going to become targets not because of the Evangelion, the Message of Christ, but rather because of Christianity being associated with political leaders and policies that they hate. See that is different, its not an issue of you are be cautious or even covert because the people hate the Gospel and Jesus, rather they hate the support of Western Churches for political causes. 

I am not urging that we abandon Israel, there are passages in the Bible that terrify me to say such a notion, because they are eschatological. However, we need to determine if the Israel the Beast surrounds is the Country (State of Israel), the children of Jacob/Israel (Jews), or the New Isael that is the Church. I do not think the Lord expects us to defend all of the State of Israel’s choices. For they are not believers in Christ, and Jesus says they are sons of their true father, the devil (John 8:33-55) and that anyone who refuses to believe is condemned already, “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son.” (John 3:18). So why would our Lord call us to align with those who hate Him? I am not saying do anything cruel to the Jews, I am against anti-Semitic attacks and pogroms, but that does not mean we cannot critique their spirituality, or that we must defend them no matter what, especially in politics. 

I am feeling very alarmed at how our Church, the body of all Christian believers is getting pulled into these political theaters, and that message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ could end up obscured and tainted by those politics. Too many Christians think that they can mingle politics and their religion, but Jesus made a distinction, “Give to Cesar what belongs to Cesar, and to God what belongs to God.” (Mark 12:17). He did not put the two together, despite Constantine’s attempts later. Our Lord even said, “The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you,” (John 15:19) and “My kingdom is not of this world, or my disciples would be fighting for me.” (John 18:36). Clearly we are not suppose to mix the kingdoms of this world and their politics with our Faith and the Kingdom of Heaven, and yet that is what people have attempted to do. In the Late Middle Ages Popes tried to be Lords of Temporal and the Spirit, and the Papal States fell. Byzantium which was a combination; The Emperor ruling the church and state fell in 1453 A.D. to the Ottoman Empire, and never was restored. The Puritans tried to control England through King Edward, Lady Jane Grey, and even Elizabeth Tudor, but all their attempts came to nothing; God clearly resisting theocracy in all these historical attempts. 

I do not know what LORD thinks of these matters of Palestine/Israel and the US. I do not presume to know everything the Almighty intends, but I can with my pulpit say that I am gravely concerned that our faith is becoming mutantar, mutated into something that will when it comes under fire cause the entire Church to feel the fires of persecution. It is one thing to be persecuted for the Gospel and our faith in Jesus, its another to intermingle that faith in politics, and it be judged for those politics with great vitriol. 

I know this post may alienate some. I try to avoid politics, but this is not a matter of politics to me, but the purity of the gospel. For thousands of years the gospel was under the umbrella of the political power known as the Papacy, and Martin Luther was raised up by the LORD to free it. I am afraid we ae surrendering the Testimony of Jesus to those who intend only to gain power, and who are Neo Byzantines that use religion to further their ambitions. All I can do it raise the alarm, that I feel our faith is going to be tied to political movements and agendas that will close its effect on the hearts and minds of the lost. Amen.