 |
Gospel Ministries PO Box 9411 Boise, ID 83707
Featuring the Radio Transcripts of |
|
A Militant Faith by Pastor Bob Hallstrom It's time to honestly deal with a subject which, to anyone who is serious about their faith in Christ and about their country, has surely crossed their mind. And what subject is that? Well here it is in the form of a question: Why does it seem like Christians are not making any progress toward reclaiming our nation for Christ? But having asked the question, I do believe that there are actually many signs that Christian nationhood is reawakening in our county. Among the positive signs is the existence of ministries such as this one and "The Herald of Truth" broadcasts, and your support of us. But, for the sake of argument and in dealing forthrightly with the subject, there are also signs just as plain that the evil ones among us continue to prosper, and their influence grows. To some extent, this process is inevitable, for we know, according to the parable in Matthew 25, that Christ will divide His sheep from the goats of this world. This dividing process of Christ's is His means of separating His own people from the rest of the world, whether the metaphor used is sheep and goats, wheat and tares, or obedient and lazy servants. The evil ones, in resisting the kingdom, use every means at their disposal to include, faking triumph and vainly celebrating that which is ugly, deceitful, and destructive. This life, then, is their "last hoopla," so to speak. So when we Christians encounter evil we should remember what we are told about the times of Noah, where the people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, and Noah and his family were separated from the evil ones of that day. But, for those of us who have eyes to see and ears to hear, we know that the party is about to end for the evil ones, as their coming end is clearly evident. And so, my brethren, it is this division of Christ's sheep from the goats or the evil ones of the world, that has inevitably brought about the kind of strong divisions and conflict that we see in society today. This conflict is persistent, all-encompassing and all-consuming, that according to Christ at Matthew 24:24, "if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." But I believe there is more to this subject of evil prospering and Christianity's seeming stalemate, than the dividing of the sheep from the goats. I also believe that there is more to the success of evil in our time and the apparent decline of the true Church, than a repeat of the kind of signs of sinful human behavior we read about in scripture concerning those who rejected God, such as in the days of Noah. One of our biggest problems is that the modern day Church has forgotten its history, and more importantly, the church has forgotten the scriptural admonition to be salt and light and to occupy the world until He comes. To occupy the world is one of the most militant images ever painted by Christ, for what do invading soldiers do but occupy the territory which they have conquered? This was well understood by the early Church, and even in the days of our founding fathers. For we find in Webster's 1st edition of his dictionary written in 1828, under the word militant, the following: "The church militant, is the Christian church on earth, which is supposed to be engaged in a constant warfare against its enemies; thus distinguished from the church triumphant..." But since Webster used the phrase "supposed to be" perhaps the "church militant" was in disarray, even in 1828. The sad truth is that today some churches, like the United Methodists, have even gone so far as to remove from their hymnals, religious songs such as "Onward Christian Soldiers" which has in it the lines: "Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war..." Some Churches are even eager to join various councils and organizations comprised of Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, New Agers, and what have you, where they end up making covenants of compromise with pagans and heretics. I am sure you are aware of some of these groups but let's name just a few: They include the World Council of Churches, the National Council of Churches, the National Conference of Christians and Jews, and so on. My brethren, I want you to know and understand that compromise is a sin, and compromise is also the first step of becoming a lukewarm Christian. It seems like the churches and individuals who join these evil organizations are signing up like new recruits in the anti-Christ army. Their lukewarm doctrine quickly turns to heretical behavior, as evident in their support of homosexuality, socialist government, tyranny, and fellowship with darkness. However these churches and individuals are really among those of whom Christ says in Revelation that, in rejection and judgment, He will spew them from His mouth. Now brethren, you should understand that the members of this evil multitude are not quenched and quieted by the Truth of God's word. Rather, when they are confronted with their evil, and with their compromising positions, they react with anger and bitterness that is rarely seen among Christians. And this is my point: the evil multitude knows in its heart that it is really at war against Christ. But while we fail to stand up for Christ and be part of the "church militant," those of the sinful heresy are being militant in nature and they often put our Christian soldiers on the defensive, and sadly, in many cases, our Christian soldiers even retreat. Think about some of the images of evil militancy locked into our brains. We have all seen the contorted faces of angry homosexuals and lesbians marching down the middle of the street or tramping upon the Church steps and even invading Her sanctuaries. We have all see the corrupt leaders of the New World Order proudly announcing this or that treaty or diplomatic strategy designed to destroy the national sovereignty and independence of this great nation. Defiant criminals rap their tunes on TV and radio about killing policemen and overturning civilized order. Strippers, harlots, so-called "cowboys," and deviants sing top hit songs dedicated to adultery and fornication. Baby killers and their supporters strut along the avenues and airwaves promoting irresponsible, extramarital sex, and even death. In almost every case, this militant activism has won the financial and legal support of government -- that is, some of these organization have been able to obtain the benefit of your tax dollars. Now we need to understand that it is no accident that these images are seared into our minds, because, as we know, the evil multitude also has the support of the media, be it written or oral. And images such as I have described serve to intimidate Christian soldiers into silence and retreat. Folks, it is time for we Christians to develop a militant faith. We should evade and reject all compromise and be proud of not compromising. In fact, we should be vocal and active, to the same degree as we are faithful in our prayers and scripture reading. You should also recognize that many people have been critical of active Christian patriots. But these critics fail to see that these brave protestors are front-line soldiers for Christ; they are the vanguard of an obedient, militant Christianity that will be here long after the temporal socialist states of this earth have expired. These faithful patriots are setting an example that others should follow, not necessarily in precise method, but think about it for a minute. Now face the truth, these brave patriots are at least doing something while most Christians do nothing, and yet they criticize those who are soldiering for Christ. Many of our critics are also the same people who, out of their own cowardice, instantly condemn opponents of government tyranny as mere, so-called "tax protestors" "discontents," "rebels," or Anti- Semitic racists. The truth is, we need many more militant Christian soldiers advancing Christ's cause and Kingdom. Yes, we need more Christian soldiers who will display a determined resistance to compromise. We need Christian soldiers in entertainment and the media; we need them in every work place; we need them in every office, in every truck, construction site, store, and business in the nation. We need Christian soldiers in the streets, in front of government buildings, and before the cameras and the world testifying to Christ's Kingdom reign and His obedient Church. My brethren, if we do not resist the militant faith of the evil multitude with the militant faith of Christ; and even more, if we do not conquer and occupy in Christ's name, we may be found wanting when He judges us. For how can Christ depend on us as His heavenly, eternal servants if we have avoided the easy battle right here on earth?
|
Go Back to Gospel Ministries Index Page, or
Return to G.O.A.L. Home Page?