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| Jim McAlister photo - China Oct, 1979 |
QUESTION - HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND: "It's the devil's world. What right do we have to tell him how to run his world?" William Shifflett, Pastor at Reasoning Tree Church
Malcolm West, Volunteer Work. at Access Radio
Jesus gave us authority over ALL the works of the enemy so I intend to use that authority.
John Deacon, VP at Deacon Insurance Agencies Limited
It isn't the devil's world. 'The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.' What might have been the devil's is the way the world runs - oppressing the poor, denying life to the vulnerable, persecuting those who seek justice and peace - but even there, the kingdom of God is present in the world, the light on a hill, the refuge to the poor and hurting, the pursuer of justice and peace among all, the Holy Spirit inspiring and enabling His people to prevail.
Jeanice McDade, Happily serving God and people
Some things are baits and need not be responded to. Pearl before swine, ya know?
William Shifflett, Pastor at Reasoning Tree Church
Thanks for the feedback. The statement was made in regards to social involvment like voting on moral issues. The individual also said that because we are seated in heavenly places with Christ we don't have to worry about those "worldy" issues. What say ye?
John Deacon, VP at Deacon Insurance Agencies Limited
For a long time there was an attitude prevalent among many Evangelicals - 'the world is going to hell in a hand basket' - and that our role was to stick to the sidelines and let the world slide into the great abyss.
But as we have since learned such escapism is not biblical; it is not condoned by the one who calls us to be the light of the world - which is this world - this world of business, politics, and social activism.
We are to immerse ourselves in the world the way Jesus did - walk its streets, care for the hurting, advocate for those without any defender. We are to build community with those who have no community, discover the Presence of God in fellowship and learn how to be devoted in our care for one another. We are to be our brothers and sisters keeper, and they ours.
So we don't run away from the world's problems, we do what we can to ameliorate them. We feed the hungry and plead with other social agencies to share with the church in that responsibility - businesses, governments, community organizations - for the need is great and the labourers few and all the more so with selfishness and greed so rampant in our society.
We become people interested in justice rather than believers indifferent to justice as were the people the prophet was speaking to in Isaiah 59:12-19. Our religion becomes characterized by the fast God calls us to in Isaiah 58:6-8 and in doing so we becoming a shining light to the world around us as described in Isaiah 60:1-3. All because of the Servant who arose among us described in Isaiah 61:1-3.
Deborah Barbee, missionary at Chewelah, Abundant Life Church
I suspect this attitude is directly related to the world's increasing view of "whatever makes you happy attitude." What is good is increasingly determined to be bad and what is bad is becoming and IS considered good.
This attitude is in NO way shape or form what God sent is only Son to die on the cross for. We (as Christians) are responsible for standing up and proclaiming the "Great Commission."
Not to bow down to the whims of this world. We need to stand up and be counted as children of the living God. AND LIVE OUR LIVES WITH GOD AS OUR FATHER.
The devil has NO right to tell me anything. I refuse, in the name of Jesus.
Kurt Kelley, Bassist/Vocalist at Treehouse Productions. Community Outreach Worker, Volunteer at Nursing Homes, Churches, etc...
Deborah, your first paragraph is addressed in Romans 1, especially verses 28-32. But remember something. Immediately following Romans 1, is Romans 2. Which begins by saying, "Therefore you have no excuse, whoever you are, when you judge others;, for in passing judgment on another, you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things."
And you are right in your second paragraph. We are responsible for standing up and proclaiming the Great Commission!
Trouble is, most of the American church has deviated from the call to spread the Gospel, and instead focusing on, and even obsessing on Conservative political and moral issues. Despite the fact that neither Jesus, nor Paul ever called for changing, combatting, or taking over the political system of their time.
Jesus said His Kingdom was NOT of this world. Nor should ours be. We are not called to enforce and institute a Western Christian Cultural morality kingdom and state. We are called to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. No more, no less.
Likewise, we are not called to confront and control the sins of unbelievers. We are called to point them, lead them, and teach them about the Good News of Jesus Christ. HE will deal with their sins, just as He did YOURS.
Bishop Bruni, Religious Institutions Professional
Nay, by His relation to this world as...
Maker - Jer. 10:12
Possessor - Ps. 24:1
Redeemer - John 3:16
Judge - Ps. 96:13
This world belongs to God, not satan.
Gideon Gaitano, Pastor at New Life Community Church
It's the devil's world indeed. What do you guys think about the survivalist movement? Have you given some thought to what the role of the church would be in the event of a nuclear war or an economic meltdown?
What would you do when the riots begin in the big cities for lack of food and basic needs?
Kurt Kelley, Bassist/Vocalist at Treehouse Productions. Community Outreach Worker, Volunteer at Nursing Homes, Churches, etc...
God is in control, in the cities, and the boonies. Survivalists have put their faith in themselves, their stockpiling, strategies, and weapons. You cant hide from God's will. And why do you assume that all the dangers and riots will only be in the big cities? I find paranoid, anti-government isolationists who hide out in the boonies with their weapons to be far more dangerous to the general public, than gangsters in the hood. Gangsters shoot at rival gangsters. Whereas, paranoid survivalists will shoot at ANYONE who appears to be different than them in dress, culture, and ethnicity.
Those who put their trust in the Lord will find their rest, peace, and strength in the Lord. No matter where they happen to live. And in the case of a nuclear holocaust, who, why would you want to survive on a scorched earth, with few survivors? Moreover, what good is surviving for only a week or two longer than everyone else? Thats about all it would last. For those who are in the Lord, death holds no terror.
stevenson maranga, Pastor at Religion
It is indeed the devil world, see in John 14:30 Jesus calls him the prince of this world!!!
John Deacon, VP at Deacon Insurance Agencies Limited
To repeat the affirming words of Bishop Bruni, this world is the Lord's and the fullness thereof. The devil indeed is the prince of the power of the air, but in real terms what does that mean? The devil affects the world's system, undermines belief, thwarts justice and infects us to care more about ourselves than others; none of which affects who really is in charge. Christ is Lord of heaven and earth.
For truly 'it has come at last - salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ' (Rev 12:10); in Jesus words: 'I have been given all authority in heaven and earth, therefore GO and make disciples of all the nations.' (Matthew 28:18)...
What is this survivalist crap? We are not called to be survivalists. We are called to bear witness to the resurrection, not to hide from our fellows in the event of global disaster, nuclear or otherwise. We are to be on the front lines of care, not people who run away from catastrophe.
In the first years of the Christian Church, the disciples were so empowered by their belief in the resurrection they would intentionally move into the poorest areas of cities like Ephesus where disease and poverty were most rampant and care for the poor and dying. As John writes: 'they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die' (Rev 12:11b).
To answer Gideon's question: What would you do when the riots begin in the big cities for lack of food and basic needs?
If we are Christians, there is only answer - we will share our food with those who have none and we will seek to make peace when there are riots in the streets. Which of course is what we are doing now, if in fact we are living out the gospel.
Bruno VAN de VLIET, National director of Every Home for Christ
We don't. It is his world and we should not interfere with it. We are in the world but not part of it.
It is the same as speaking to the devil. Totally absurd. We don't. The only heavenly being we speak to is the Lord God himself, not the lower eschelons.
Arun Prakash, Branch Manager at IIFL Gold Loan
Let GOD rebuke him for persecuting spiritual men/women.Jude :9.
Pam Flanery, Customer Care at Church Community Builder
We are Ambassadors for Christ here on the earth and Jesus told us to pray "Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven". We have a responsibility to vote on issues that line up with the Word and for those who stand for what the Word says. Too many Christians are way too passive while Christian foundations of our nation are being taken away daily. Time to rise up and BE the Church!
John Deacon, VP at Deacon Insurance Agencies Limited
Building on Pam's submission - let's ask ourselves the question: 'If we are ambassadors for a kingdom in which God's will is done here on earth, what should we be advocating for given the times we live in?'
If we were living 200 years ago, two of the key issues the Church would align herself against would have been: child labour and slavery. And because she did, governments eventually abolished slavery and child labour in Western society.
That was then. What about now?
Borrowing from a recent World Council of Churches 'call to action' - there is plenty for us to do!
In their words, we are: "in a time of dire necessity. People and the earth are in peril due to the over-consumption of some, growing inequalities as evidenced in the persistent poverty of many in contrast to the extravagant wealth of a few, and intertwined global, financial, socio-economic, ecological and climate crises...
"The groaning of creation and the cries of people in poverty (Jeremiah 14:2-7) alert us to just how much our current social, political, economic and ecological state of emergency runs counter to God's vision for life in abundance...Our greed and self-centredness endanger both people and planet earth...
"Our vision of justice is rooted in God's self-revelation is Jesus Christ who drove away money changers from the temple (Matthew 21:12), made the weak strong and the strong weak (1 Corinthians 1:25-28) and redefined views of poverty and wealth (2 Corinthians 8:9). Jesus identified himself with the marginalized and excluded people not only out of compassion, but because their lives testified to the sinfulness of the systems and structures.
"Our faith compels us to seek justice, to witness to the presence of God and to be part of the lives and the struggles of people made weak and vulnerable by structures and cultures: women, children, people living in poverty in both urban and rural areas, Indigenous Peoples, racially oppressed communities, people with disabilities, Dalits, forced migrant workers, refugees and religious ethnic minorities. Jesus says 'Whatever you did to the least of these you did to me' (Matthew 25:40).
"We must embody a 'transformative spirituality" that reconnects us to others, motivates us to serve the common good, emboldens us to stand against all forms of marginalization, seeks the redemption of the whole earth, resists life-destroying values and inspires us to discover innovative alternatives. This spirituality provides the means to discover the grace to be satisfied with enough, while sharing with any who have need (Acts 4:35)...
"Churches must be challenged to remember, hear and heed Christ's call today: 'The time has come...the Kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!' (Mark 1:15). We are called to be transformed, to continue Christ's acts of healing and reconciliation and 'to be what we have been sent to be - a people of God and a community in the world'. The church is a community of disciples of Jesus Christ, who affirms the fullness of life for all, against any denial of life."
Gideon Gaitano, Pastor at New Life Community Church
Nice answer, John. Are you gathering supplies and preparing for the worst as Joseph did before the 7 years of famine hit? The Great Tribulation is 7 1/2 years long.
Jesus says, those years had to be shortened for the sake of the elect. Revelation says, people will not be able to buy or sell in this new economy of the one world government unless they have the mark of the beast.
Our world is clearly moving toward a one world government. Our socialist and progressive leaders are making sure that the US constitution is modified. US citizens are losing their freedoms as manifested by the introduction of a health care system that allows no choice for US citizens. The US military is being purged of Generals and officers loyal to the US Constitution. The entire American way of life is being unraveled before our very eyes.
We need wisdom how to deal with these realities and looked at from the perspective of prophecy... The coming Great Tribulation!!
John Deacon, VP at Deacon Insurance Agencies Limited
Gideon - I concede neither to your paranoia nor to your interpretation of the Revelation.
Our time as terrifying as it is at times, is no more terrifying than in the 1600's when one of out every 3 people were dying of the plague. We may be in the end times, we may not be. No one knows.
Perfect love casts out fear. Which is to be our strength and resolve regardless of the times we live in. The US constitution as well crafted as it is, has never been nor will ever be the marching orders to those advancing God's kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount is our Constitution regardless of the times we're in. We are to love our enemies, we are not to fear death, we are to pray for those who oppose and persecute us, we are to live at peace with all people and we are to sell our possessions to provide for the poor.
The disarming thing about Christ's kingdom is that it prevails when we turn the other cheek, it advances when we lay down our lives to express love the way he did and it requires courage to neither deny him nor deny the forgiveness he extends to others.
To act as though we're survivalists rather than children of the resurrection is to deny him. It is to concede to the mark of the beast rather than to the marks of his cross. It is to take up the sword, when Jesus said that to live by the sword was to die by it.
If we want to live with him we must live like him rather to adopt foolish 'save yourself' strategies.
Kurt Kelley, Bassist/Vocalist at Treehouse Productions. Community Outreach Worker, Volunteer at Nursing Homes, Churches, etc...
John, great post! "The Sermon on the Mount is our Constitution." Amen and amen. Too many American Christians think like Americans first, who happen to go to church, as opposed to thinking like Christ Followers, who happen to live in America.
Gideon Gaitano, Pastor at New Life Community Church
Great faith, John. May you find yourself in the position to help in these difficult times. But do move forward in the effort to bring in as many into the saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
I'm curious as to your efforts in turning your cheek to reach out to muslims in your community. I'm curious as to your efforts in reaching the poor and needy, the broken and dysfunctional in your community? Is this all religious talk?
Are you really selling your possessions and giving to the poor? Are you really moving into the neighborhoods where Christ or the mere mention of HIM is anathema?
Easy to talk big. Show me your love by your works!
John Deacon, VP at Deacon Insurance Agencies Limited
Great response Gideon! Less fearful than the last one. I was afraid you had forgotten how to live up to your name, given your great forerunner in Judges 6:11,12.
In terms of how well or badly I am responding to the radical call of Jesus, best to leave that with the Lord. He is my judge as he is yours. I do know he will judge me based on whether I loved my enemies, gave food and clothing to the needy, shelter to the homeless - so I have some healthy fear for the severity of judgment I face if my talk is not replicated in my actions.
If you're sincerely interested in my manner of life, I would recommend you go to www.homelessguide.com and judge for yourself. I'm not saying you'll be awestruck, but you will have some feel for how the Lord is working in my life.
The tough part of our faith - as you have rightly said - is putting it into practice. Words are cheap and God calls us to account for the variance between what we say we believe and how we put into practice what we believe.
But regardless of how in tune with my words my life is, doesn't exempt any of us to live something less than the way Jesus calls us to live.
God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of love, authority, and soundness of mind. We deny the spirit he has given us when we concede to paranoia and survivalist strategies. We deny the Lord who calls us into fellowship with the hurting and the vulnerable when we give ourselves to escapist thinking and preaching.
To this juncture my reaching out to Muslims has not resulted in my having to turn the other cheek. It may in future, but to this juncture I am finding a commonality about issues (i.e. social justice, racism, immigrant and refugee legislative reform) that make the sharing of my faith more possible, rather than less so. Muslims in Canada have experienced their own persecution by way of suspicion, mistrust and ridicule from outsiders.
But dialogue is beginning to happen to lessen these barriers of fear and misunderstanding.
Last Saturday I was part of an inter-faith dialogue in one of Toronto's poorest communities which featured presentations by Evangelical Christians (one who works with at risk youth, the other, Aboriginal), as well as a Hindu priest, who spoke of what he does to make employment available to 'at risk' youth, and concluded with a presentation by Muslim women who spoke freely about how their religion can impede at times the empowerment of Muslim women.
It was an amazing experience and the best part about it, is more than half of those in attendance were under 30.
Kurt Kelley, Bassist/Vocalist at Treehouse Productions. Community Outreach Worker, Volunteer at Nursing Homes, Churches, etc...
Have you seen the new bible translation, the 'Revised Conservative Republican Standard'? Check out its version of the Sermon on the Mount:
"You have heard it said, 'Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, do whatever you must to resist and repay an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, you have the right and duty to stand your ground and shoot him. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tailored suit, find a better lawyer, and take everything he has. If someone tries to force you to go one mile, stand your ground and shoot him. Don't give to the one who asks you, because they are just lazy, worthless welfare bums and drug addicts. Turn away from the one who asks of you, and never lend to anyone, because they don't deserve your help or your money. They should find better jobs so they don't have to bother you.
You have also heard that it was said to 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy'. But I tell you, don't just hate your enemies, SHOOT them! And if someone persecutes you, shoot them too. Its your God-given right as a Christian to exercise your constitutional duty to bear arms and shoot whoever trespasses on your property, enters your gated community that doesn't belong there, or steals your possessions. Shoot them. Shoot those who offend, threaten, or disagree with you, that you may be sons of the father that you are truly serving."
William Shifflett, Pastor at Reasoning Tree Church
I hope you guys are speaking somewhat tongue in cheek because this conversation was started by a Republican. In my defense lest I be demonized by my own admission, I don't own a gun and in regards to the poor I recently preached a four week series on how to help the poor and recently loaned my vehicle to a family who had none for four months. But while we are on the topic of turning the other cheek does that apply to Republicans?
There has been a lot of good said along the way by a number of people but demonizing other believers because of their difference of opinion on social issues was part of the purpose of the original question to begin with. The man whose statement was the basis of the discussion was implying that we were somehow less than Christian because of political involvement. The goal of the discussion was balance in our political involvment not a demeaning of the party through which we exercise that balanced involvment.
Sirvante E. Hunter, Executive Director/Founder at The Santana Foundation
It was never the devil's world. That's a pure luciferian deception in an attempt to usurp the right of God, over first rights to the soul of man! The world and all things thereof were created by and for the will of God. And it is HIs alone to do what He will. That's why it is now the Kingdom of Christ Jesus!
Evangelist Blessed Brother Sirvante
The Santana Foundation (www.thesantanafoundation.org)
Gideon Gaitano, Pastor at New Life Community Church
John, for some reason I couldn't stay in your recommended website. Some "mapittool" kept replacing the website.
Nice to know you're striving to match your talk with your deeds as all of us should. So you're Canadian. Looks like the Canadian Evangelicals have succumbed to the liberal, socialist agenda of your country.
We'd probably disagree on this point but GOD does raise people in all walks of life to shine forth their Christian convictions and that includes politics and the military. All it takes for evil men to succeed is for the good to be silent.
So this is where I'm coming from. I believe in Christian activism, being a John the Baptist so that together, with a moral majority, we can introduce godly change in a hurting world.
I also believe that the reason the terrorists and the Islamic radicals have not succeeded in pushing their demonic agenda in this world is because GOD has raised powerful freedom loving countries like the USA and others with their powerful militaries to stem the tide of evil. governments.
John Deacon, VP at Deacon Insurance Agencies Limited
God bless you William for identifying your political preferences. Although left leaning myself, who thinks Obama too right wing for my liking - there will be some on this Network who will think it impossible that I am a Christian. Name calling happens on both sides of the political spectrum and though it gums up any meaningful discussion, it is understandable given the huge divide between us. Right-wingers tend to raise issues like homosexuality and abortion as the measure of their Christian political opinions, whereas left-wingers tend to raise issues like the growing gap between rich and poor, the excessive greed of the markets and the growing militarism reflected in both individual and government policy as the measure of their Christian opinions.
Jesus as we know has his own politics. More left than the left on certain issues - for example 'selling all one's possessions to provide for the poor' - and more right than the right on other issues in extending the sanctity of life definition to include not only the unborn, but those on death row in our prisons.Since the aim of this Network is to remind ourselves what Jesus wants of us - we can't be appealing to what America used to be, or even what the US Constitution says - to find the instruction we need. We do have to go to the words of our Lord and as Kurt did in an earlier entry identify when they are out of step with the prevalent political mindset of many evangelical Christians. For no faith group has been more in support of the right to bear arms than American Evangelicals. And yet how can that in anyway be said to align with the teachings of Jesus?
John Deacon, VP at Deacon Insurance Agencies Limited
Gideon:
Thanks for trying to explore the www.homelessguide.com site to see if there was any action to back up my beliefs. I am encouraged. It is a google/blogger website so typically it is routinely accessible even to those outside Canada.
I don't believe in redemptive violence. I don't believe Jesus did either, otherwise why die on a cross to establish his kingdom when he could have wiped out all evil with a single thrash of his sword. The kingdom of God is advanced when we lay down our lives for others, not when we take up guns. Otherwise the Sermon on the Mount is a bunch of flower child platitudes and the words from the cross 'Father forgive them, they know not what they are doing' meaningless.
I agree it is hard to imagine what living the way Jesus did would look like in our time. But looking at the lives like Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King - it is truly powerful when individuals of conscience put the words of Jesus into practice. Even when in the case of Gandhi, they were put into practice by someone who by his own confession, wasn't a Christian.
Unless we as Christians forsake the way of revenge and self-preservation, we have nothing of real substance to share with the world which makes the kingdom of God visible. It is our job to make his kingdom visible. But if we don't love our enemies, how can Jesus be made known?
Kurt Kelley, Bassist/Vocalist at Treehouse Productions. Community Outreach Worker, Volunteer at Nursing Homes, Churches, etc...
Remember who Jesus called out the most. It was the Pharisees, the self righteous religious leaders of His day. The way many conservative Christian groups speak out and behave, they are behaving exactly like Pharisees. Jesus also challenged us to stand out from the Pagans, such as loving those who DONT love us, and BLESSING those who persecute us. But the common stance of the conservative evangelical is the exact opposite of what Jesus taught. Stand your ground, exact revenge, accumulate as much and as many posessions as possible, attain personal success, protect yourself and your possessions and your family, at all costs, even if it causes harm to others, and self preservation.
Jesus modelled selflessness. Evangelicals, by their words and actions and political positions, model SELFISHNESS. Me and MINE are my only concern.
A Tax Collector was the most hated kind of sinner in Jesus day. Dining at the home of a Tax Collector then, would be the evangelical cultural equivalent of Jesus dining at the house of a homosexual abortionist today.
As I have stated many times before, too many Christians in America find their identity more in the self indulgent American lifestyle, than the selfless Christ following lifestyle.
Jesus didn't die in order for us to make it our top goal to protect and preserve our comfortable, self indulgent American lifestyle. Including demanding the right to shoot anyone who poses a threat to our personal comforts, indulgences, and safety.
William Shifflett, Pastor at Reasoning Tree Church
I guess the thing that I am pointing out is the tendency to stereotype people a certain way because they identify as Republican or Democrat. I know lots of gun toting liberals who would fight to keep their guns. They aren't conservative in any sense of the word except in their interpretation of the right to bear arms. Its like saying all public school teachers are left leaning union members in favor of evolution and homosexuality. I have four in my congregation who don't fit the stereotype. Such comments are often untrue and paint with a broad brush that simply isn't helpful in a discussion like this one. When we negate someone's value because they are R or D its the same to me as dissing Presbyterians or Baptists. It also makes the very point about political involvement. Only the person who holds no position on anything whatsoever can truly call themselves apolitical.
Like Reply privately Flag as inappropriate 6 hours ago
Gideon Gaitano, Pastor at New Life Community Church
God did establish government for the purpose of establishing order.
Government is there to protect the innocent from criminals, terrorists and
evil people. Government will enforce violence against those who break the
law!
Jesus recognized the purpose of government when he said give to Caesar what
is Caesar's and to GOD what is GOD's.
The argument that is being discussed here is not about Christians being
persecuted for their faith but Christians protecting themselves from
criminals! You who allow criminals to step all over you can only be
thankful that America defeated Hitler who killed 6 million Jews!!
You can be thankful that you are protected by the US Constitution much of
which is based on Judeo/Christian teaching. I dare you then to go and be
missionaries to Afganistan, Iran, Iraq, Libya, etc...
Go tell the Christians in these places to just take all there torture
quietly and submissively. Do you know that their continuous plea is for
Western nations like America to put pressure on these Radical Islamic
nations to release all Christians in prison? If America weren't that strong
we'd all be over run.
GOD in HIS omniscience, wisdom and omnipotence raises nations to balance
the powers in this world and yes, if necessary through the use of force!!!
Because America is a republic Christians citizens have a responsibility to
mobilize and speak out against evil, immorality and injustice.
It is easy for those who hold on to passivistic views when they are under
the security of a pro-Christian nation. It's another story when you
experience daily the torture and killing of loved one's because of their
faith in CHRIST.
But GOD does act out HIS judgement against the evil. He sends natural
disasters, and plagues to bring judgement against the wicked and yes, HE
raises nations, including pagan nations, to mete out HIS judgement. GOD is
still in control!
John Deacon, VP at Deacon Insurance Agencies Limited
Gideon:
There is an inherent contradiction in your remarks about the US government.
On the one hand you insist that it protect Americans from Islamic militants but on the other that it not protect Americans from becoming bankrupt for the lack of health insurance. It's okay for the US government to fund a industrial military complex which exceeds the military budgets of Britain, China, Russia and the Arab League combined but it's not okay to provide adequate Food Stamps for poor people and housing for the homeless.
When you say that America is protecting the freedoms of peoples around the world, surely you must know that the interests being protected are that of multi-national corporations and its wealthy. Very rare are the poor protected - whether in Nicaragua, Guatemala, Iraq, Somalia, Libya, Syria etc. etc...
As Christians we are not called to be advocates of the American way of life, nor of corporate greed nor of military intervention for the sake of preserving our supply of oil.
We are called to be advocates for Christ and by extension advocates of the poor he calls 'blessed.'
We are to promote his 'foolishness' in the midst of a world which demands an eye for an eye, and vengeance against one's enemies. 'God chose things the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose the powerless to shame those who are powerful and those despised as nothing to bring to nothing what the world considers important.' (1 Corinthians 1:27, 28)
Just imagine if enough evangelicals Christians - the heart of George W Bush's support base - had spoken out against the US invasion of Iraq. Think of the lives that would have been spared, and the expense saved - for a war which we know now was rooted in falsehood and a major contributor of the huge debt crisis the US now finds itself in.
When Paul tells Timothy 'not to get tied up in the affairs of civilian life' - he is warning Timothy not to resort to worldly ways and opinions at the expense of being a soldier for Christ.
To be a soldier for Christ means obeying his command to turn the other cheek.
To be a soldier for Christ means loving our enemies.
To be a soldier for Christ means our being peacemakers regardless of who the enemy is.
To be a soldier for Christ means 'giving up everything we own.' (Luke 14:33)
Gideon you are not called to defend the American way of life. You are not called to wrap yourself in the American flag. You are not called to advocate for corporate greed, or the 2nd Amendment, or for the continued exploitation of the poor by the wealthy.
You are called to represent the teaching, the wisdom and the person of Christ who 'did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threatened revenge when he suffered.' This is the way he calls us to, this is the way he calls us to teach others, this is the way he calls us to declare in every realm we are engaged in - whether the church, the community we reside in, to our government and to all nations.
Leave the flag waving and the defence of the American way of life to others - to those who have yet to hear the call to be Christ's witnesses and disciples. The way of destruction is wide, few there be that proclaim and live out his narrow way of peace and love, forgiveness and redemption, freedom and discipline, mercy and the cross.
Anything else is idolatry.
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