By Ron Marsh
Eve believed the original deception – and the rest is history. Americans, and especially America's Christians, are believing the current “deceptions of convenience” – and are living, and making, history.
Current church-crippling deception of convenience: The church will be raptured before all hell breaks loose in this country. For the record, I am Pre-Mill and Pre-Trib. That said, I also believe that the doctrine of the pre-Tribulation rapture of the church has done more to stupefy and emasculate the church in America than any other single factor.
God's Word warns, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations (except the United States of America) that forget God.” (Psalms 9:17) Glad you caught that. God did NOT exempt the U.S. from judgment for forgetting Him. And our nation has not merely “forgotten” Him. Our nation has officially “kicked Him OUT” of our education, our laws, our entertainment, our military – our entire society! Not only must divine judgment fall, it is becoming more undeniable every day that divine judgment is already falling!
From the very birth of the church, Christians have suffered – and are ever-INCREASINGLY suffering – persecution in nations around the globe. Where was/is “deliverance by rapture” for them? Why should we get off any easier or be any more favored by God? In fact, if more really is required from those to whom more has been given, might we not be in even greater jeopardy? Yes, Jesus MAY come before I finish typing this sentence. Or He may not. The church MAY NOT still be here when America falls. I wouldn't bet the farm.
Current citizen-crippling deception of convenience: Our responsibility as U.S. citizens is to “render” unto the government whatever government demands, as long as what it demands is not in direct conflict with specific commands of God. Obey the laws. Pay your taxes. You're home free, both in the eyes of “Caesar” and the eyes of God.
That's a lie! If you will (or even if you won't), a lie from Hell. No more true than the suggestion that getting saved and baptized (OK, and paying your tithes) exhausts the totality of our responsibilities as Christians.
To prove the lie, this Intro will be followed by three posts in which we will consider various principles from both the Bible and the U.S. Constitution, and the applications of those principles to our responsibilities, both as citizens of Heaven and citizens of these United States.
“Render unto Caesar”? . . .
1. “Servant” . . . or “Son”?
2. “Subject” . . . or “Citizen”?
3. “Citizen” . . . or “Citizen”?
I will post these items to this page as soon as I can get them prepared. Please check back soon and often. I believe you will find them to be thought-provoking at the least and mind-changing at best.
(BTW: Yes, the titles of #2 and #3 are as intended.)