"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.  19) If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.  As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.  That is why the world hates you." .. John 15:18-19 Last week I commented on the overall spiritual & political condition of our nation - how everything we once stood for no longer seems to be the case - how things once thought evil now appear to be the accepted way of life. .. Of course, this certainly has created a raging controversy in today's 'Christian' community. .. In fact, it has caused major splits of entire denominations. .. So, as promised last week, I want to share with you what I believe is a well-documented scriptural position as to our Christian role in today's upside-down world, basically, our civic responsibility. .. Sadly, most will find this position to be difficult, especially since the vast majority of our Christian leaders do not support it. .. So let's begin ............ I want to start with a bit of history. .. My 'spiritual transformation' journey started back about the turn of the century (for you smart-alecks, I'm talking about the 20th century). .. My wife Robbin and I had moved to central Oregon and began attending Church over there. .. We'd been 'absent' for a bit & it was good to be back fellowshipping in God's family. .. And then it started ..... We all remember 9/11/2001 & the attack on the Twin Towers. .. On the evening of that same day, we went to our small-group meeting. .. Of course, everyone was upset & visibly angry at whatever & whomever was responsible for this atrocity. .. In fact, the general consensus was to 'hunt them all down & kill them. .. Simply revenge was the order of the day. ... Of, course, this normally would have been my typical reaction. .. At the time I was considered a conservative & somewhat militant. .. After all, I'd served in the military during the Viet Nam War .. in fact, I spent well over a year over there .. so naturally this would be my normal response as well .. right?.. Of course! ..  but it wasn't. .. Somehow, something just didn't seem right about all this ..... Over the next few weeks, I labored over my feelings about all of it. .. It was then that Robbin (my wife) said something to me that changed my entire life. .. She said that although I knew a ton about Bible prophecy, I didn't know much of anything concerning the teachings of Jesus & how it relates to every-day life. .. Once I got past my temporary male ego reaction (how could I possibly be wrong), I began to realize that she was exactly right. ... At that moment, I got on my knees and asked the Lord to teach me His ways .. why & how I should truly respond to all the changes that were beginning to accelerate seemingly most everywhere. .. I really didn't know where to start but I knew that I must 'unlearn' all of life's natural brainwashing. .. I needed to start like a little child when it came to His teachings .. to try & 'see them for the first time' in the context of what He really meant. .. Trust me when I say, it wasn't easy at the beginning, but as time went by, it began to 'fall together' in a way I would never have imagined was even possible. .. To sum up,  for the next three years, I blocked out all other studies & focused entirely on the 'Red Letters' .. the teachings of Jesus. ... Needless to say, I came out the other side a completely different person as it relates to my relationship with Jesus Christ and to his world. .. It was, and is, truly amazing!  ... During that time we moved back to the Willamette Valley. .. Also during that time, we were involved in the Church-searching process (how fun). .. Before moving on, I want to mention one Church that revealed much to me as to our civic responsibility. .. It was a large Church .. mega I think .. and after several visits, I met the pastor & we ended up having several conversations together. .. I'd noticed that the Church was very involved in the national process of politics, etc. .. In fact, it was a downright militant congregation with American flags all over the place. .. In what turned out to be my last conversation with the pastor, he asked if I would be interested in joining the Church & getting more involved. .. To my surprise, I said this to him ... "I'm afraid that one day I'm going to see a tank park on the Church's front lawn .. somehow I don't picture Jesus sitting in one of those holding a machine gun with ammo belts across his shoulders." .. Needless to say, I moved on. ...... The reason I bring this up is because I was getting close to the other side of my transformation and was beginning to see what Jesus was truly teaching us. .. I now knew in my heart that political activism & 'human' militancy was NOT what He had intended for His flock .. His true followers. .. Go back to the beginning and look at the opening scripture in John 15. .. Didn't He say that it would be different for His followers? .. 1 Peter 1:1 says,  "To God's elect, strangers in the world .." .. Also for a moment, look to John 17:14-16 which Jesus says,  "I have given them your Word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  15) My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.  16) They are not of the world, even as I am not of it." .. So what, you say, does this have to do with today's political climate & all the other nonsense taking place?Let me sum it up with a statement from Dr. David Jeremiah's book, 'Escape the Coming Night,' that says it pretty much the way I see it.  .. Here it is ...... "Today there are many Christians who are bent on changing society through government programs, lobbying activities, civil disobedience, and pressure groups.  I do not find any place in the Bible that says this is the mission of the Church of Jesus Christ.  The mission of the Church is witnessing to lost souls about  the redemption provided by the Lord Jesus Christ.  This mission is being replaced by those who believe the kingdom of God can be established here and now by our human activities. .. "Jesus warned that in the last days before His return there would be a church which would brag about its growing strength and self-importance.  Today there are many undiscerning Christians who are looking for the kingdom of God on earth, a kingdom where justice will reign and nations will exist in peaceful co-existence.  This arrogant church covets political power, not the power of God. .. "Would the history of nearly 2000 years of the Church of Jesus Christ have been changed if the martyrs during the era of the Roman caesars had overturned the despotic rulers?  What would have happened in Babylon if Daniel had wrested the reigns of government from Nebuchadnezzar?  Would John have received and written the Revelation of Jesus Christ in a plush office in Laodicea, rather than the rocky desolation of Patmos?  Are today's Christians convinced that placard-carrying, slogan-bearing demonstrators can replace soul winners?  ... There is a better world coming, but not until those left on earth experience a time of evil fiercer than this planet has ever seen." I want to share one more comment before moving to close. .. This one is from Richard Halverson, the former esteemed chaplain of the U.S. Senate .... "The more I listen to evangelicals talk, the less I hear about the hope of Christ's coming again and the more I hear about making the U.S.A. a Christian nation, a prosperous nation .... sometimes I think if Christ would come back, it would constitute a terrible interruption of their plans." What I'm trying to establish here is that it is NOT the role of a true follower of Jesus Christ to try & change the world through human government. ... And if you take a quick glimpse at what our current 'choices' are concerning the upcoming presidential election, neither stand for the true teachings of scripture. ... It's not a question of whether abortion is wrong.  It is! .. It is not a question of homosexuality being a sinful life choice. .. It is! .. And are we to stand against these types of issues? .. Of course we are! .. The question is how. .. Scripture says it very plainly .. "For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.  4) The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.  On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.  5) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." .. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 ... Whether we like it or not .. whether it fits our 'nationalistic' thought process or not .. it IS the spoken Word of God-inspired scripture. ... Finally ..  yes, we do live in this world & we have to maintain a lifestyle that adheres to the  teachings of God's Word ... "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established.  The authorities that exist have been established by God.  2) Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgement on themselves." .. Romans 13:1-2 ... (Also see Matthew 22:21, 1 Peter 2:13-17, 1 Peter 2:21-23 as further examples) ... Also, Acts 4 tells of how Peter & John had to appear before the Sanhedrin & explain why they were teaching heresies. .. In their response, they said that while they will follow all the laws of the land , they could not and would not stop sharing the Gospel of jesus Christ. .. The point is obvious .. we are to follow the laws of the land .. we are to pay our taxes .. but NEVER are we to compromise our beliefs for any reason. .. As I've continually said over these past few years, the Christian leaders who tell us to vote/participate in a system that supports separation from God .. to choose someone or some thing, even if it is the lesser of two evils .. is wrong! .. Evil is evil, no matter how you try and mask it. .. Even with lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig! ... There is a government coming very soon that we can, & will participate in .. a coming theocracy that will be led by none other than Jesus Christ. .. In the meantime, the following scripture says it all as to what we need to do to survive this increasing onslaught of sin & deception from 'the prince of this world .. satan. .. "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  13) Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand." ... Hallelujah! .. What a promise! ... What appears to be weak in the eyes of those who are deceived, true faith in the end will be victorious over any  & all evil. .. Again, Hallelujah! ... Until next time, Red