November 5, 2018
The Astuteness of American Founders
The founders who established the nation of America were people who possessed biblical and world knowledge as ministers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, soldiers, inventors, doctors, and teachers. They were scholarly, though not perfect. From their knowledge of the bible’s intent for governing mankind and the reality of man’s rule over people, they devised a government that was an amazing and unique cross-section between the two concepts. Equality of rights, access to provisions and a land of freedom for all men is a God-idea found within the pages of the bible. America would be a land where God would rule over mankind through the heart with governing laws guiding conduct toward each other. The practice of various religious faiths derived from the Word of God with biblical instruction was the basis for continued growth that would provide moral guidance for proper relationship between neighbors.
We often say the founders framed the constitution, which implies a picture being formed within the frame. If the founders were the framers, then their descendants are forming the picture within the frame. Have we done a good job in forming the picture they framed for us? They gave the ideas and principles that formed the frame of our nation. They exercised the first government and congress that illustrated what they intended; and they believed our religion, laws and brotherly love for each other and country would guide us in maintaining the plan for justice and equality for all.
American Arrogance
The crises we have in America today reveal our understanding of their ideas and principles as well as our motives in handling the nation that the founders entrusted to us. When we compare the original plan with the position we find ourselves in today, the difference reveals whether we are on or off course. They designed a system for equality in access and provision based on people working together for the common good but we have turned it into a bounty for aristocracy like the countries the settlers fled. An opportunity for fairness has turned into an organized conspiracy of greed for a ruling class. God was to reign as supreme in this land, but now we have capitalism as supreme and God’s rule has been evicted. The greedy desire for money and power has caused an evil underbelly to be revealed mirrored to those of past European homelands. The great fear though is that the American zeal to excel over other nations will now lead her to destroy herself and other nations. America’s greatness has the potential to corrupt the world because it embodies similar ego, knowledge and ability to Napoleon or Caesar in their day.
The advantage America held above other nations was its people ability to freely explore and imitate the character and deeds of Christ. America had the liberty to freely experience God without restraint of man’s rules and laws. The availability and benefit of all past scholarly knowledge has somehow led America to evict her God and choose man’s rule like other nations.
What happened to America? It had all the advantages of past nations and more. Where did America fail? America’s failure was in becoming so great that she no longer felt a need for her God. She replaced God with her own ingenuity. The God that led Christopher Columbus across the waters and George Washington in battle against past tyrants and the God who established and supported this nation through many disasters, wars and uprisings is no longer needed because man has “got this”.
The difference between America and other nations has been the liberty to worship God in truth through Christ. Why did that advantage fail us? Here is a biblical scenario to consider. In pursuit of the Promised Land, some of the tribes of Israel arrived at a plot of land they wanted to occupy (Num. 32). They wanted to sit down and enjoy their blessings before entering Canaan Land, but Moses had forbade it and Joshua refused to allow it. It was important to the mission that the Israelites continued fighting until victory was won for the whole nation of Israel before they settled down and enjoyed their spoils. In American land is available and wealth is obtainable but the God’s spiritual mission is still incomplete. Moses instructed the Israelites to continue the battle until victory was won for all and then the tribes could return to their land for rest. The American spiritual battle has not been completed. The goal of equality of rights, access to provisions and a land of freedom for all men in America has not been achieved as long as the strong restrain the weak. Moses, as a prophet of God, and his follower, Joshua, were spiritual leaders of the people who established the rule of equity for all the people. Our Spiritual Joshua, Jesus Christ, which America chose to follow, gave the same command for equity for the people of God as Christ’s Church. Jesus taught that the blessings were available for all God’s children and He came to defeat the idol worshipers and oppressors who downtrodden the faithful. Jesus declared in John 3:16… whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. They could expect to have life and that more abundantly. The message of the gospel that the founders promoted in this land was a message that God gave Jesus so all people should have equal access to the Father with blessings of inheritance now and in eternity.
Religious Error
American Christianity has promoted a gospel that is based on a leadership like past European nations where the poor support a leadership of wealth and power that is accessible only to the upper class and shuts out the lower class. The lie of American Christianity is not the true gospel of Jesus Christ that promotes well being for everyone. Some Christian leaders have obtained their portion of the blessings of God and have shut the door to other seekers (Mt 23:13). Some spiritual leaders set themselves up as the example of faithfulness through finances provided by the poor (Mt 12:40) and have joined in with governmental efforts that discriminate, oppress, overtax, and defy inheritance to poor citizens. This practice mirrors some past European governments who used spiritual and legal authority to oppress its citizens.
We have in leadership in America a hierarchical, unchristian society that exploits the people while claiming to be better than its neighboring countries. It has turned the gospel on its head! Even though this statement may appear to state corruption in every church, it does not preclude the minority of people who still choose to serve the Lord while a majority has cast a heavy shadow over the nation. John’s Book of Revelations prophesied the error that would be found in many Christian churches who would not follow Christ’s ways. There are variety of reasons leaders in the Christian church would defraud the people but here are some: greed, prejudice, ignorance. All of us understand the nature of greed because it shows up even in little children that want more than their fair portion. The bible wrote about the greed of the priesthood in Old Testament scriptures and it operates pretty much the same today.
Also before they burnt the fat, the priest’s servant came, and said to the man that sacrificed, Give flesh to roast for the priest; for he will not have sodden flesh of thee, but raw. And if any man said unto him, Let them not fail to burn the fat presently, and then take as much as thy soul desireth; then he would answer him, Nay; but thou shalt give it me now: and if not, I will take it by force. 1Sa 2:15-16
This Old Testament sin was followed up even in the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. We see in the New Testament Jesus rebuking the religious leaders for greed and hypocrisy and casting out the tables of greedy merchants in the temple. The nature of man to lust for unfair gain is prevalent in every generation.
We see in scripture God’s special people whom He would bless and shower with His inheritance and they were selected to the exclusion of other people and nations. It was the ministry of Jesus Christ that opened up the rights and privileges of God to all that would accept Christ as Savior. The prejudice that kept one outside of the blessings of God was unbelief in Christ. So as a Christian nation of believers, every person has a right to the blessings of God that He has so freely showered upon the nation of America. Who would dare deny God’s children the benefits of His kingdom goodness? America has dared to defy the very God of the nation His right to bless His children equally. It is a prejudice that God has not authorized and will not long tolerate through unjust men any more than Jesus tolerated the treachery of the temple. Apostle Paul taught the Galatia church about equal access to the blessings of God though spiritual inheritance and against fleshy prejudice. All nations had access into the family of God and blessings through Jesus Christ.
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Gal 3:26-29
Lastly, one of the reasons that our religious leaders may have led believers astray could be a lack of knowledge. Our society today believes that proof of one’s knowledge is a degree from one of their formidable learning institutes. The more acclaim the institute had, the more esteemed the graduates of the institute. However, Saul of Tarsus was a religious student of the highest degree taught by the teachings of Gamaliel, a Pharisee doctor of Jewish law held in great esteem by all Jews. Yet when he became an apostle who received revelation knowledge from Jesus, Paul denounced all his Pharisaical teachings for the knowledge of Jesus Christ.
But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith…Php 3:7-9
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. 1 Co 1:19
But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty…1 Co 1:27
The experience of Apostle Paul reveals to us the priority of knowledge given by God through revelations over that which is taught by man’s knowledge. Man’s knowledge and teachings come through the filter of other men’s choices and prejudice and cannot be compared to the value of pure revelation knowledge that comes from the mind of God. Therefore, those that do not seek the advantage of knowledge revealed by God do not have the type knowledge that led the first disciples, who led the first church and believers in Christ. That same knowledge is available today to all who seek it. That is where, like the children of Israel, religious leaders must push beyond the material blessings that are immediately available and strive for the goal and high calling in Christ Jesus that brings liberty to the body of believers before sitting down to enjoy one’s own pleasure. Many of our religious leaders in America have chosen the vanity of their own wealth above the necessary needs of the body of believers they were assigned to guide to Christ. Because of the greed and envy covetous of worldly men, some leaders have pursued wealth and forsook following Christ. They have changed the goal of church to the pursuit of wealth and promoted a destiny for the nation to one of capitalism and greed. There is still opportunity to pursue God in truth for those that seek Him, but the nation is quickly being turned over to a religious/monarchical abuse like past European nations, which hindered liberty and exercise of faith in God. This practice mirrors service of a god called Baal, where material wealth and sin is preferred over worship of the True God.
The failure of religious leaders to pursue God has caused the nation of America to go backward into darkness, rather than forward into the liberty that all men desire. We know what the darkness looks like because it surrounds us in nearby countries where monarchs rule, oppress, extort, imprison and kill those who oppose their rule. That is the direction in which the nation of America is headed…back into darkness, if she does not come to her senses before it is too late. We see the hierarchical power in our churches and government as they have begun to lord over the people like past European governments and church leaders. Jesus taught against the practice of lording over people in Matthew 20:25-27. We also see today the combining of church and government rule through the evangelical leadership which advises, endorses, and directs the American presidency. We see the empowerment of the rich over the lower class as laws are made to protect a hierarchy of wealth over the needs of lower class people. These are the types of traditions and ways of past European rulers that the first settlers of America fled and fought to prevent the reign of European authority. Americans who have not studied its past history and the overthrow of past oppression or studied the scriptures to understand the liberty that it is available, may not realize the danger America is approaching. Where Christ has had reign, any opposition to His reign becomes Antichrist in nature and draws us closer to a destructive end no one wants.
Blind Submission
The peasants of past European rule knew they were being robbed and oppressed and they knew who their oppressors were unlike Americans today who still naively believe America will always be fair, godly and lawful toward its citizens. The eyes of Americans have been brought into blindness by lack of knowledge, greed and spiritual ignorance. This lack has shown up in American leaders at all levels as the pursuit of personal wealth has led its people astray. Personal wealth was supposed to be the goal or reward for a life of obedience and service but some leaders have put the cart before the horse and ensnared themselves and others. The crises we face every day in America are God’s way of giving us alarm of great danger ahead if we continue on our present course. All the history that America has seen and read stands as a foreboding of where America as a nation is headed. How can we not know of biblical Israel’s fall, the pride of Rome, the lascivious nature of Greece, or the tyranny theocratic government that sometimes led England? How can we not remember past presidents, congressmen and company CEO’s that were corrupt toward the American people? How is it that we cannot see the discrepancy between our church and the bible? Because hearts have departed from the God, Who demanded to be first in our lives; a spiritual darkness and deceiving spirit has been released in America to bring the people into a sleep that slowly leads to inevitable death that comes to all who reject God. As the cry goes out to “Awake” will any hear and heed the warnings that danger is ahead? God never gave sole authority to leaders in our churches or in our civil government. Leaders were always supposed to be godly people chosen from among the best of us and answerable to God and the people. Christ gives each believer the power of God operating inside his own soul for kingdom rule and authority. The people of God are held accountable to pray for leaders and bring correction with the word of God in love. Prophet Nathan corrected King David (2 Sa 12:1). America’s submission and obedience to leadership could be her fatal flaw whereas Peter taught and illustrated that it was better of obey God than man. A submitted an ignorant follower makes easy prey for gullible false leaders and the prophesied Antichrist and true leaders should warn God’s sheep. The last days’ warning given by Christ and the apostles were of wayward hearts and false leaders.
False teachers will always use fear of their power to paralyze the believer. Where leaders have questionable behavior and cause for examination (See Jos 22), Jesus taught it was an opportunity for testimony. Christ both answers for and defends His servants. Paul chose to give a cheerful answer when questioned (Acts 24:10). Apostle Peter’s behavior was checked by Apostle Paul because Peter showed prejudice and spiritual error. We must always reserve the right to be corrected. The Book of Proverbs teaches that wise men receive a rebuke and are made wiser but fools hate it. God has given to the believer and His church “power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt” them (Lk 10:19). They are admonished to put away fear because Jesus delivered the believer from fear. False leadership does not prevent the God of the bible from rising up to defend His people of faith but the people of faith must reject fear and rise up with the sword of their God to defeat the Goliath that comes against their soul. God does not need an army to fight against the enemy. Daniel prayed a heathen king and nation into recognizing his God. Esther interceded for her people. Gideon rose up and fought idol worship to lead his people back to truth. Elijah put the nation to the test between their false gods and, Jehovah, the True God. Job held on to faith despite his persecution and Moses was willing to take the charge of God over his own perceived frailties. What are you willing to do for your own soul and your nation?
And such as do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. Dan 11:32
Truth and Life Ministries of Christ with Apostle Joyce Reba Payne 