The Christian Nation

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Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruit.—Matthew 21:43 HCSB

Consider this verse and ask yourself, to what nations was Jesus referring?

The stone the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone...

The stone the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone…

Who was He taking the kingdom of God away from? More importantly, for our topic, who is the nation to whom He is giving the kingdom of God? Where do we find the Christian nation?

In the last post I introduced the idea that the New Testament teaches that when people come to Jesus they are expected to leave their former national identities and allegiances behind. I realize that this not only sounds strange to most of you, but that it may sound down-right heretical. After all, aren’t we told that becoming Christians should make us better citizens, and didn’t Paul claim his Roman citizenship? We will deal with objections in future posts, but please write them down as they occur to you. We want to be sure to deal with them later. For now I would like to offer further support for my basic thesis.

One reason that this idea is not usually even considered is found in the fact that many translations render the Greek word enthos here, as people, which almost completely obscures what Jesus is saying in this passage. I submit that you are not familiar with it, and it sounds strange to you, because you have not been allowed to see it. I am not proposing a human conspiracy here, but am so bold as to suggest that someone does not want this truth exposed. Remember—We fight not against flesh and blood… Continue reading →

Are You a Pagan Christian?

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You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.—1 Cor. 12:2

I submit that most Christians today, by their own admission, are still pagan in the biblical sense of the word.

Please read on to see if you are in fact a “pagan Christian.” Once again, we are plowing through unfamiliar waters, so please take your time and read carefully. Please, jot down any questions and post them below.

In my last several posts I have presented a view which has been lost in great measure for almost 1,700 years—that our citizenship is in heaven. Those who are familiar with this idea almost inevitably take it as a metaphorical or “spiritual” truth, with limited application. It is so foreign that I suspect most of you still do not realize its full significance, or realize the pun intended in the use of foreign.

Pause for a moment and think—What does the word pagan mean? Seriously—stop reading and say out loud what you think pagan means in the verse above. Continue reading →

Ultimate Allegiance of Christians—A Most Unique Error

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The most dangerous lies are the ones that are most believable, and to be believable they should be mostly true. Casual fact checking will give them a pass, and once past the gates of our mental defenses they are free to unpack their deadly payload. Then they will affect our thinking, and ultimately compromise our behavior. Consider today’s title: Ultimate Allegiance of Christians—A Most Unique Error.

It contains two significant errors. If you paid attention in middle school English class you should have caught at least one. Unique means one of a kind—you cannot legitimately attach a comparative to it. If something is truly unique, one of a kind, it cannot be more, less, or most unique. It is either one of a kind or it is not.

The second error is far more insidious, and scarcely a day goes by that I do not see this subtle but potent error wreaking its havoc on the church. Continue reading →

Christian Priorities on July 4th

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The U.S. Flag flying over the Christian Flag

What’s wrong with this picture?
©2013 Joshua Gorton

I was prepared to kill for my God.

That was almost 40 years ago. I was raising through the ranks of the ROTC, and the Christian Karate Association preparing to fight. As I understood it, Roe Vs Wade had declared open season on the killing of the unborn. If you believed in your right to kill someone trying to rape your daughter, but were not willing to kill an abortionist to save the life of an unborn baby–you were either a hypocrite, or a coward.

That was then. Christian priorities on July 4th meant honoring a country God had blessed for honoring Him. Continue reading →

An Early Christian Blogs on Christians in Politics

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In my last post I introduced an idea that, no doubt, seemed alarming, and possibly heretical to a number of readers. (If you have not read it, I strongly suggest that you do so now, by clicking this link: The Enemy Within; Why Christian allegiance Matters.) In it I made the claim that being a committed follower of King Jesus in some way makes one unfit to serve in the national governments of this world. Conversely, I claim that participation in this world’s systems, almost always, requires a betrayal of our king, and subsequent loss of spiritual authority.
If you were raised thinking Christians in politics are the norm, and have never heard such things before, I know it is going to take more than a few blog posts to convince you otherwise. If for no other reason than curiosity, I hope you will continue reading cautiously, with your mind (and Bible) open, and your heart sensitive to your Lord’s leading.
I closed the last post by telling you that I would present evidence to support the fact that for the first three centuries of her existence, the view I am presenting was the norm. Even more astounding I will show you that the view commonly held by Christians in the United States today (maybe even your view), is almost identical to that of the enemies of the early church. In order to do so, I am honored to present today’s guest blogger, Origen of Alexandria (c.185 AD-.254 AD). Continue reading →

The Enemy Within; Why Christian allegiance Matters

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Note: Things are not always what they seem – this is a long post, but please read it to the end.  This is a critical subject….

As the time of our Lord’s appearing draws closer, it is more important than ever that Christians in America exercise their God-given obligation to stand in the gap for the country that they live in.  Threatened by enemies from without who are calling for the destruction of the United States, and so-called “friends” from within, who seek to distort or even destroy the basic values upon which this country was founded; the church can no longer afford to be complacent.

For too long, those who claim to follow Jesus have allowed the weak and feeble powers of this age to direct their thinking and actions, and as a result, America’s enemies have grown strong and the church has become a pawn to be manipulated by the powers that be. It is time for the church to wake up and claim her rightful and legitimate place in the political arena. If not, she risks wearing the banner of Ichabod and allowing organized religion to grow into the tool of tyrants and her own worst enemy.

These are strong words, but they are not unfounded. The handwriting is on the wall, yet no one seems to notice. Even so, one person can still make a difference – you can make a difference. That is if you are willing to rouse yourself from your slumber. If you are willing to take action and be counted a fool for Jesus. If you are willing to suffer at the hands of His enemies, or even of His friends. If you are willing to be guided by the Spirit of Jesus as He reveals the scriptures to you.

Are you willing? Are you willing to follow even if it costs you everything? These are tough questions, but they are not meant to be rhetorical. Consider your response seriously. If you cannot answer these questions in the affirmative it might be better for you to stop reading now and hope that God will grant you mercy in your ignorance, rather than hold you accountable for the light you might be about to receive.

Continue reading →

Victory in Spiritual Warfare is Determined by Jurisdiction

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And so it begins….

SEATTLE — The Washington attorney general has filed a consumer protection action against an eastern Washington florist who refused to provide flowers for a same-sex wedding, telling a longtime customer that it was “because of my relationship with Jesus Christ.”

As a student of the game of Chess, I find it hard not to envision the enemy of our souls engaged in a cosmic chess match with the Church. Unfortunately, it seems that sometimes the followers of our king have forgotten the lessons He taught us. Continue reading →

Are You a Radical Fish? Part 2… Why did Rome persecute the primitive Church?

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In Are You a Radical Fish? Part 1, I asked the question: why did Rome find it necessary to persecute the primitive Church? I pointed out that the Roman Empire was very diverse and accepting when it came to matters of religion, and made a habit of incorporating the faiths of conquered peoples into their own.

 We should remember that even the Jews, as long as they were not engaged in active rebellion, were granted religious freedom under the Caesars. What made the primitive Church different – what do you think? Why did Rome repeatedly, at different times and places, decide to persecute Christians – or crucify Jesus, for that matter?

 The time has come for me to share my answer…. Continue reading →

Which Book Cover Do You Like Best?

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Crown of Thorns Book Cover

Crown of Thorns Cover

Chess Theme Cover

Chess Theme Cover

This is the first post in quite some time and I have been busy working on the book “The Problem With Christ,”  which is in final editing and formatting.  Joe Ebersole has done a fantastic job of designing two cover options, and I simply cannot decide which one I like best.  They each have their advantages.

Please help us out and vote on the cover you prefer. Continue reading →