One of the greatest manifestations of the foolishness of humanity is the belief that human beings can themselves bring peace within this world. Most Christians believe that they are commissioned to bring peace between human beings, and even human governments, on God's behalf.
That isn't God's will and purpose in Jesus Christ. God's will is that we submit to His Kingdom, and thus be at peace with HIM, whether there is ever peace among the ungodly or not. And, there will not be peace among the ungodly .. never.
There is a worldwide conflict in progress at this moment. And, we've only seen the tip of the iceburg. It is a conflict between the Moslem world and the Western world. And, this conflict will not end in peace. It will actually never end, especially as long as there is any power available to the Moslem faithful.
The Moslem world is the antithesis of the Western world. And, the antipathy of the Moslem world is deadly. The Moslem mindset has no desire to cohabit with the Western World. The Western world is willing to cohabit, in separate geographic areas, with the Moslem world, but peace is not possible, because of the religious mindset of the Moslems.
(Before some of you jump in and say that the Western world cohabits with Moslems within their own nations, let me point out that it won't be too long before the liberals in the Western world will proceed to invade the personal lives of Moslems and demand rights for women and children, and thus undermine the Moslem worldview. And, the Moslems are not going to tolerate that invasion into their faith-based worldview.)
Anyway, the first error that American Christians frequently make is to attempt to label the Moslem worldview and religion as wrong, and the American concepts of freedom and democracy as being right. For those who follow Jesus, it is an irrelevant distinction. Both worldviews are wrong. All civil governments are under God's Judgement. Democracy is rebellion against God. It is self-direction. Loyalty to any civil government is a division of loyalties; and, Jesus made it absolutely clear that we must be loyal to God alone.
It seems that most of Christianity in the USA today has fallen pray to the materialistic mindset of the American culture, which behaves as if reality is based in only those things we can see, touch, smell, hear and taste .. the feelings interpretation of reality. Thus, God as a factor and cause of reality is very much theoretical in American Christianity. It is one of the reasons that the Kingdom of God is not taken seriously by American Christians. It is much easier to submit to the human government we can see than to take seriously God's government, which is not based in our senses and feelings! Therefore, it is easy to defend loyalty to human government as not being disloyal to God.
Jesus demands a choice between serving God or Money .. one or the other. And, in Matthew 4.10 Jesus says that we are to serve God only. It is a forced dichotomy. Most Christians do not realize that following Jesus requires us to choose between investing reality in our sensory interpreters, or in the realm of God's Reality: Spirit. One of the greatest choices we can make AGAINST God is to pledge allegiance to a human government, and to seek any portion of our security from it. It is a denial of the reality of God's Government within the eternal reality of Spirit.
So, what does all of this have to do with the growing war between the Moslem world and the Western world? It is this:
The war and violence are going to increase radically in the days ahead. Many Christians will continue to speak out in favor of military action against the Moslem world. Why? Self-preservation and trust in the civil government instead of trusting in God. Sadly, these Christians will not recognize that their voiced support of violence against the Moslems make them no different than the militant Moslems.
God has not chosen to protect the Gospel through force. God does not need the USA to protect and promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The "gospel" that "prospers" as a result of the materialism and protection of the USA is no more true than is the Moslem faith.
As wars and violence increases, persecution of true followers of Jesus Christ will radically increase also. And, so what? Didn't Jesus promise us that following Him would bring about persecution? God's reality is not concerned with delivering us from these temporary abuses, but with delivering us from the practice and power of sin, and from living for self. It isn't that He is unconcerned with our experiences of pain and loss, but rather that He understands its real significance within the Reality of Eternity.
What is the point of writing this commentary on the growing conflict between the Moslem world and the Western world? It is to help followers of Jesus to get perspective. First, there will be no peace. Second, the violence will increase, worldwide, and those who follow Jesus will suffer under this violence. Third, our hope is in Jesus alone, and in submitting totally to the Father. This will not keep us from the effects of war and criminal violence in the world we live in, but it will keep us in God's Peace. Is it more important to be pain free and comfortable? Or is it more important to know God and abide in His Peace?
What difference if the governments, political ideologies, and religious worldviews of this world affirm women as persons, protect the unborn, permit prayer in school, permit homosexual marriage, etc.? What does that have to do with our being the people of God and witnessing to the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Jesus did not seek to change the social or political orders, He sought (and still seeks) to change the hearts of those who seek God. We are to be witnesses to this truth. Repentance begins in turning from the solutions offered by society and government, which flow from the self-directed, self-serving human nature.
Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness.
"A tent or a cottage, why should I care? .. I'm a child of the King!"
