If you have read the past two postings on this blog, what do you think? Are there other possibilities for governing our biblical constitutional republic besides theocracy and pluralism? I can’t see any. If you have any ideas, let us know in the Comment section. It seems to me we are stuck with one of these two options for how we lay the foundation for that republic. We have seen the historical record of both political theocracy and religious pluralism, and its not a…
Let’s wander into the theological weeds just a little deeper today and look at the second option for the nature of civil government, other than political theocracy. It has been called “political polytheism,” or religious pluralism. A religiously pluralistic government is officially religiously neutral; no religion is favored over any other religion. All religions are officially given equal standing with the government, including no religion at all. This has been the lawful position of the United States since the Constitution was ratified in 1788,…
It is important that we don’t get lost in the theological weeds in these latest blog postings, and I have a feeling that may be the case. So, I want to take a brief moment to restate the big-picture into which our constitutional republic fits and why it is so important to always remember and live in light of this fact. Our 3-fold eternal purpose (Genesis 1:26-28 – to bear God’s image, rule over the earth, and be fruitful and multiply), influences everything we…
The biblical model for civil government, as pictured by the Hebrew Republic, looks strikingly like our constitutional republic. I posed the question at the end of last week’s posting—”What do these principles tell us about the kind of people who will be citizens in this nation?” How do they relate politically to King Jesus? Historically, there have been two possibilities, the first being a THEOCRACY. Since God created us to worship, we will worship! Even though we initially rejected the Triune God, who created…
We have seen in past blog postings how the New Testament church is to function in order to be the kind of church that fulfills its mission to rule in the kingdom of God—by preaching the gospel to the world and speaking prophetically to the civil government. We have focused exclusively on the former. Much of the church has not seen the latter calling and has, instead, comfortably withdrawn from the current cultural battle with Satan’s acolytes, as they work feverishly to destroy the…
We looked at Roger Wheelock’s article on Propaganda Wars in last week’s posting, as he clearly laid out where we are in our nation today and how we got there. We will continue to look at his answer to the question, “What can we do about it?” this week. He has already answered that question with two points: 1.) Return to Scripture, and 2.) Boldly enter into the battle of ideas. Here again is Wheelock, finishing with his third point in his answer, “What…
“THIS is the article I would write … If I had the skill, knowledge and understanding!” That was how I introduced this article to a much smaller group on my “political” (mailing) list a couple of months ago. However, a friend recently reminded me how excellent it is, so I thought I would send it out to my much larger, “Two Edges of the Sword,” list. There is a brief bio of Roger Wheelock, the author, following at the end. The remainder of the…
“…and good Christians don’t get involved in it.” This was the attitude of the church I grew up in, and although it was not often openly discussed, it was understood by all. There was no doubt that we were superior to and above all that messy “politics stuff.” This attitude has been prevalent in the evangelical church since the early 20th century. It had its genesis after the twin ideas of Darwinism and Marxism were birthed in Europe in the mid 19th century. Until…
I had a very interesting conversation with a good friend based on this week’s blog posting, “Keep On Keepin’ On.” He is a very knowledgeable and outspoken member of the American Orthodox church, and likes the blog, commenting on it relatively regularly. We discussed the fact that God has us each on a different path to The City with Foundations, and we are all exactly where He wants us to be on that journey. Yesterday, he brought up the subject of icons, and how…
“As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him” (Colossians 2:6). Here Paul is saying to the Colossians, “Look, this Christian life is not difficult. You continue it just like you started it, by doing NOTHING but trusting your Heavenly Father for everything, just like a little child. Is that not how you began your Christian life? So, just keep on keepin’ on.” This means that everywhere we go, as we walk by faith in this manner, we are following…