|
PATRIOTISM IN
LIGHT OF THE SCRIPTURES (Jan.
2004)
Patriot – One who loves his
country and zealously guards its welfare.
In America today, one wears his flag pin on his lapel with great pride.
God and country: the flag and the cross almost seem synonymous. In an era
where there is international turmoil and the country is “under attack”, it
would seem unpatriotic and even unchristian not to rally behind your
country. We are taught to back our leaders and support our troops as if they
are one in the same. Anyone even caught questioning the decisions of our
current leadership is looked upon with a certain contempt, as if he or she
were personally responsible for the events of 9/11/01.
But people’s opinions really don’t matter when it comes to honoring God.
The only test is to ask: What does the bible say about patriotism and what
role the Christian has in it? Let no one deceive you. The bible is actually
quite clear about what a true Christian’s relationship to the world should
be. I say “True Christian” because not everyone who professes Christianity
is a “True Christian”.
Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that says unto
me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom
of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many
will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?
and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful
works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me,
ye that work iniquity.
Believe it or not, we are taught not to take everyone at their word.
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit,
but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are
gone out into the world.
Matthew 12:33 Either make the tree good, and
his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for
the tree is known by his fruit.
It’s not just what a person says, but what a person does that counts.
In order to take a closer look at the “True Christian’s” relationship
with his or her country, one has to first get an overall picture of the
world and a Christian’s relationship to it. There are many scriptures that
clearly state what a Christian’s relationship to the world should be. The
bible clearly states that the world and all the worldly kingdoms, (all of
them, including the United States), are currently under Satan's control and
will remain that way until Christ returns.
Revelation 11:15
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great
voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms
of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”
This doesn’t happen until Christ’s return and, until then, as the
following scriptures show, all the kingdoms of this world are under Satan's
control.
Luke 4:5-6 And the devil, taking him up into an
high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of
time. And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the
glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I
give it.
John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world:
now shall the prince of this world be cast out.
John 14:30
Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world
cometh, and hath nothing in me.
John 16:11 Of judgment, because the prince of
this world is judged.
John 18:36 Jesus answered,
My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of
this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to
the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence
2 Corinthians 4:4 In whom the god of this world
hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
1 John 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and
the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the
Father is not in him.
This doctrine of Christians allying themselves with the kingdoms of this
present evil world is certainly not the doctrine that Christ himself or his
disciples taught. If we use a well proven algebraic principal, it’s not hard
to see how Christians are being deceived and going against the very
teachings of Christ. The principle is that if A=B, and B=C, then by default,
A=C. Thus, if we love our country, and our country is a thing of the world,
then by
default we love the things of the world.
1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the
Father is not in him.
The only exceptions to this would be if one's country were the heavenly
kingdom, which anyone with a modicum of spiritual knowledge knows it's not,
or that the United States is a "special kingdom" set up by God to rid the
world of evil and take it back for Christ. This statement is completely
without merit and actually has no scriptural backing at all.
I know that in today’s tumultuous environment this logic does not sit
well with many professing Christians. If we, however, get too comfortable in
this world it might be cause for concern.
2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live
godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
As soon as Christianity allies itself with the world, we know that that
form of Christianity has become apostate. We should not be surprised by this
because the bible clearly states that this will happen.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 Now we beseech you,
brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering
together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,
neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as
that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man deceive you by any means: for
that day shall not come, except there come a falling away (apostasy) first,
and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.
The falling away is not a total and complete denial of one’s
Christianity, rather than a melding of religion with the undisputed leader
of military, economic, and political might. One might say a worldly or “luke
warm” form of Christianity. Is it a coincidence that today’s church bears a
striking resemblance to the Laodicean (or last times) Church of
revelation?
Revelation 3:14-17 And unto the angel of the
church of the Laodiceans write; These things says the Amen, the faithful and
true witness, the beginning of the creation of God I know thy works, that
thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then
because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of
my mouth. Because thou say, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have
need of nothing; and know not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked:
A complete departure from the faith altogether would not deceive anyone
and we know that there is going to be a strong deception and delusion.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan
with all power and signs and lying wonders, And with all deceivableness of
unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of
the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them
strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be
damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
In these turbulent times it gives one a sense of uneasiness if we don’t
have something tangible to hang onto, or to fight for. It’s us vs. them,
good vs. evil, “you’re either with us or with the terrorists”. But as the
Apostle Paul says,
Ephesians 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of
the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
One of Satan's greatest ruse’s is like a vile card trick. Instead of
pick a card, any card: it’s pick a country, any country!! We, in the flesh,
obviously try to pick the right country, usually the one we live in, and
support it no matter what. The fact is: that it’s a trick question. The trap
has been sprung. No country is correct, hence the scripture:
1 John 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and
the whole world lieth in wickedness.
As long as the devil has us killing each other completely contrary to
the teachings of Christ, he wins.
Matthew 5:43-44 Ye have heard that it hath been
said, Thou shall love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto
you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.
I know this is hard to fathom and many people say to me, “what are we
suppose to do, just let them kill us?” to which I would answer,
Mark 8:35 For whosoever will save his life
shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the
gospel’s, the same shall save it.
When one’s life and the attachment to this present evil world becomes so
important that they would rather preemptively kill in order to protect their
interests, we can no longer call ourselves strangers, sojourners and
heavenly citizens. We have instead exposed our real allegiance with this
world. We know, based on the above scriptures, that Jesus’ kingdom is not of
this world and that Satan's kingdom is.
The real question facing every “True Christian” is: Who’s kingdom are you
going to serve.?
In Christ, W.C.Kisiel
|