— Critical issues concerning the Church —

Fellow Servant,

Percolating beneath media saturation of political talk and economic issues, is a rising chorus of churchdom voices exhorting us to enter the fray.  We are being urged to march into action as the nation is ripped from its moral roots, its Constitution and rule of law.  The sentiment, "Take America back for God!” resounds in church media and pulpits.  Unsurprisingly, some politicians echo the theme.  But recalling Bill Cosby’s Ark-related question of old, we ask: “Is that you God?”

Admittedly, it strikes a responsive chord within this Bible-toting military veteran.  Even so, the Berean voice persists: “Chapter and verse, please?” Dear saint, as right and just as this train appears, before leaping aboard, we need to inspect its wheels with a biblical eye.  Frankly, we see on it, the fingerprints of our enemy.

Marching Nimrodians

Taking America back for God

"For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High" (Isa 14:13,14). emphasis added

The call by many well-intending for the Church to take America back for God, invites questions. For instance: where in His Word do we find the mandate?  Phrased a bit differently: what authority justifies that undertaking?  Simpler: WHO SAYS?! and what is the end-purpose of this noble-sounding endeavor?  Cutting to the quick, we believe its roots snake down into the self-willed realm of Nimrod, history's second recorded imperialist.

HOLD IT!  Before labeling us ungodly un-American or terrorists, please holster the God-and-country flag for a few minutes and consider the issue in light of Scripture ... starting with the above.  Putting it in context gives us a better understanding, so here it is with its preceeding and following verses:  12How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit (Isa 14:12-15).  God does not take kindly to the self-willed and imperialistic czars.  In this precedent-setting example, He cast Lucifer down to earth from heaven and re-named him Satan.  A sharp reminder to us all.

God is sovereign

From Genesis to Revelation the Bible demonstrates that God (not man) orchestrates the destinies of nations.  They rise and fall according to His purposes, plans and time-table.  The slightest doubt of which should be dispelled by national Israel; its very existence being a testimony of divine providence.  For example: from early on God promised to provide them land.  Here’s one of many such scriptures: “And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD” (Exod 6:8).  Please note that God is entirely in charge.  His idea.  Later on, He did direct them to lay hold of that real estate: “Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them” (Deu 1:8).  Again; His timing, His directive.

For sure, the Church is called to pray for all those in authority (1Tim 1:1-6).  However, that’s quite different than:  “Appoint Christians to School Boards!”  “Get God’s own on City Councils!” “Elect believers to Congress and the Oval office” ... “Take America back for God!” (as though He had been helplessly evicted).  These days, it's not uncommon to see a voter registration table set up in church foyers and to be told from the pulpit that it is our Christian duty to be involved in the nation's political process.  The Berean voice again begs: "Chapter and verse?!"  Dare we suggest it's far easier to find scriptures that order God's own to "come out" of and "separate" from such worldly activity?  (see Christians & Politics¹)

In view of the   wholesale   sense we are being urged to seize the nation, we again ask: is God in it?  In the Bible, end-time scripts for Israel, Syria, Egypt, Libya, Jordan, Iran, Ethiopia, Germany, Russia, China and others are readily found. But, where is the one directing U.S. Christians to become social and political activists; to take over America?  Oh, we do appreciate this movement’s two proof texts (Gen 1:28, Mt 28:18-20).  But, no biblically sound saint could stomach the exegetical violence done them to justify such Christian imperialism; “Dominionism,” for short.  "Chapter and verse?!"  Yet, though lacking scriptural support, this heresy is spreading faster than flu and elements of it are now commonplace in most pulpits.

Religious Dominionism

Let's be clear about this.  This is not an evangelistic method or merely another tactic to hinder the Church.  Dominionism’s religious arm is part of a much larger move; a vehicle for ecumenism, transporting the Church into Rome’s bondage and eventual ride on the Beast of Revelation 17.  At its core is that satanic “I will, I will, I will” mind-set displayed in our text ... the same which led to Lucifer’s banishment from God’s presence.  It is complicit with the national Christian Roots movement which erroneously claims that America's founding fathers were Christian (careful now; religious and moral,  for sure).  Dominion-duped church-goers are being taught (and obligated) to Christianize society.  Theirs is an amillennial outlook because their plan is to establish the Kingdom prior to Christ’s arrival.  Indeed, even to allow His return.

Religious Dominionism is a devious means by which to hijack a believer's righteous indignation at evil and their natural desire to do something good for God.  At times called Restoration Theology, it espouses the centerpiece of Replacement Theology's finger-in-God’s-eye heresy (Israel is no longer a part of His economy).  Make no mistake, regardless of how popular this becomes and elevated the reputation of its proponents, this Nimrodian effort is not of God.  We believe it is an end-time ploy to conscript an undiscerning Church into helping politically subjugate America; the result being anything but godly (more likely, totalitarian).  All this being better viewed through the lens of Bible prophecy.

Background

Although the Dominionist virus has been in the Church from early on, it bursts forth only on occasion; today’s outbreak being the worst in generations.  This one’s roots go back a century to California’s 1906-13 Azuza Street revival which spurred on today’s Pentecostalism.  But it also prepared the way for the Latter Rain and Manifest Sons of God heresies of the 40s and 50s (they later went underground when exposed).  By then the Church had been softened for the 1960 assault of the Charismatic move.  That spiritual broadside rocked denominationalism and gave cover for many movers and shakers; especially of the Latter Rain/Manifest Sons of God variety.  Move it did!  Word-Faith, Confession, Healing and Deliverance activities all surged.  Radio and TV stations were launched with ungodly programming and ether-polluting Fleece-A-Thons which now bombard the globe 24/7.

This is not to say nothing good has come from all this.  Though only God knows the full extent of its fruit, it did birth the Jesus Movement, Calvary Chapel, some solid churches, rattled many denominational churches awake and propelled numerous saints into the harvest field.

However, overall, the Charismatic move became more perverse as it roared through the 80s, 90s and into this new century.  Within it arose the Shepherding disaster (aka: Lauderdale Five), Promise Keepers, Vineyard, Kansas City Prophets, Holy Laughter, Toronto Blessing, Brownsville Outpouring, Lakeland Revival, Joel’s Army, Elijah List, Spiritual Warfare, Third Wave and other discredits to the Church.  Perhaps the most nefarious are this century’s computer-equipped and hell-bent outgrowths: the Purpose Driven (PD), Emergent Church (EC) and the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR).  All Dominionist at their core.

Making these three particularly dangerous is their bent on delivering the Church into the eager arms of Rome (... that same Vatican which has never repented for the millions of Christians whose Inquisitional blood is still on her hands; thanks in large part to its Mafia-like, Jesuit arm).  Although the larger scenario appears prophetically destined, it is not God’s will for Christians to tag along.  He also reminds: "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge ..." (Hos 4:6a).   It therefore behooves us to be vigilant Acts 17:11 Bereans. We need to challenge any and all teaching that conflicts with scripture.  “Take back America,” well qualifies.

One discerning writer puts it this way: “Anyone within the Dominionism system should think very carefully about the dangers to their spiritual walk.  Dominionism is heresy and the Bible is clear that we are to reject heresy and heretics (Titus 3:10), mark and avoid false teachers (Rom. 16:17), and prove that we love God by obeying His commands (John 5:10).  Our mandate is the same as when Christ ascended until He returns: preach the gospel (Mark 16:15) and disciple believers from all the nations (Matt. 28:19).  We are NOT to overthrow the governments of the world, take over businesses, or throw our collective Christian weight around in a bid to take over everything.  We are to be light and salt (Matt. 5:13-15) to a dying world (1 Cor. 7:31) and abide till He comes (1 John 2:28).  Christians need to get busy witnessing for Christ and drop this Dominionist, Kingdom building rhetoric and planning because if they do not they will be playing right into the hands of the coming antichrist.”¹

Dominionist thinking

It teaches that final salvation is achieved by the Church establishing Christ’s Kingdom here and now (at times called “Kingdom Now” theology).  Some Dominionists liken the New Testament Kingdom to Old testament Israel in ways which warrant them taking up the sword (or other means of punitive judgment) to justify warring against enemies of their man-made kingdom.  They teach that men can be coerced to enter it, and assigns to the Church, duties and rights reserved for Christ alone.  Their thinking embraces the idea that believers can “incarnate” Jesus and function as His body on earth in order to establish His kingdom rule themselves.  Obviously, such emphasis on man’s efforts is unbiblical and undercuts the doctrine of God’s sovereignty.²

Christian activism

We're all called to be activists.  Life in Christ is to be anything but passive and one’s desire to do something for God has been provided for.  We are called to come out of the world’s systems and ways (2Cor 6:17).  Then, as a separated body of believers, we assemble for fellowship, teaching, worship and prayer (Acts 2:42).  Jesus tells us to go into all the world to share the gospel, baptise and train converts (Mt 28:18-20) ... share God’s love with the desperately lost whom He also loves.  Living by faith in His Word is a given; as is prayer, study, dying to self and an obedient life. 

God's Word says

The Gospel of Salvation is by grace alone through faith in Jesus Christ; His shed blood and finished, atoning work on the cross.  Its emphasis is placed upon repentance and conversion of individual souls.  The biblical Kingdom of God in this age is spiritual and grows through personal sanctification and evangelism and is “not of this world” (Jn 18:36).  It is a spiritual rule in the hearts of born-again persons (Lk 17:20-21).  Further, the Kingdom of God will only be finally realized when Christ returns to establish His literal and physical, 1000-year (“millennial”) reign.  In His time, by His means and  Jesus promises: "Surely I come quickly." (Rev 22:20)

To the extent we obey God’s Word and yield to the leading and directing of the Holy Spirit, we are conformed to Christ.  In that sense, he “lives” through the surrendered and humble Christian.  We become "salt and light" in the world, thereby helping preserve the lost and illuminate their way unto salvation.  Remember also, it is He Who told us to "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s" (Mk 12:17).  Clearly, political agendas belong to Caesar's realm and we are not to follow the empire-building example of Nimrod.  Rather, prayerfully ... the cross-bearing and summitted unto God, road of our Lord and Savior.

1. Christians & Politics by By Henry, Hallalujah Living — http://www.hliving.org/index.php/timesofthesigns/13-christians-a-politics
2. Dominion Exposed by Sandy Simpson — 2/2/06 Apologetics Coordination Team, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ?

3. Dominionism by Sarah Leslie — discernment-ministries.org/Newsletters/

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