07/20/24 SALVATION IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY

07/20/24 SALVATION IS NOT A POLITICAL PARTY

People have always tended to align their spiritual beliefs with their political foundation. This is problematic for those who want to be Christian because Biblical faith is separate from and independent of political authority.

Americans, for the most part, and especially those who have a western culture Christianity, build their faith foundation on Americanized Christianity, which means it is Statist oriented rather God oriented. This is because the State became intermingled with Christendom, beginning with Roman Catholicism and Anglicanism, followed by the Reformed movement (Lutheranism, Calvinism), and then passed-on to Presbyterianism, Methodism. It has continued to infiltrate most denominational groups since the time of the American Revolution, until today Patriotism and Nationalism (both of which have a legitimate, but limited place the Christian worldview). However, our relationship with the State should always be defined by our faithful relationship with God, rather than our relationship with God being defined by our relationship with the State. 

The idea of human government came from God, going all the way back to Noah. Biblically, human government is the right and the responsibility of men to provide law, order and stability for their society. God is the Lawgiver and God is Judge and God is King (Is. 33:22), therefore human government is supposed to recognize and enforce Divine law, Divine Justice and Divine rule. 

God is sovereign over the entire universe, but His earthly kingdom, since the time of Christ's resurrection, is comprised of those who believe Christ for salvation and acknowledge Him as Lord (King, Master, God) of their lives. 

Human government was established by God to protect the law abiding and punish the law breakers, and it carried with it the authority to punish the wicked. The New Testament clearly states this and makes it clear that this authority and power is given to the State (as a legitimate representative of God) and not to the Church. However, Christians are required to submit to legitimate authority, as long as the authority of man does not conflict with the rule, the authority of God. 

Even godless Governments are accountable to God for their decisions. Though God has not set up a Theocratic Rule over nations, He requires all men to submit to His rule. This does not mean God forces individual compliance, but rather God requires responsibility and accountability. When rulers or citizens disobey God's rule, they are allowed to be willfully disobedient, but they will answer for their disobedience. Sometimes God limits the wickedness of man, but this does not mean that God decreed evil. 

With this as a background, we need to realize that the influence of our society, our culture, our families, our spiritual leaders and teachers, and our nation has often instilled within us beliefs that are not Biblical. We therefore, as Christians, must examine our hearts, our minds, our lives, our habits, our views, our commitments, our relationships and take steps to turn from that which is not Biblical and then pursue that which is God's revealed truth. 

Too many folks align with worldly and even demonic beliefs and behaviors that have been presented as Christian principles. This leads people to abandon God's truth for Satan's counterfeits. God, His word, salvation, Christian values must not be wrapped in the Flag or Red, White and Blue (or any other worldly system). Christians must not substitute or mingle God's rule with human rule or authority. This is something, which Christians must become proactive in doing. Nonchalance and gullibility are two of Satan's off-ramps to deception and destruction.