comrade jesus



"He that is not with me is against me...."

(Jesus Christ; Matthew 12:30)

The very suggestion of Jesus Christ as a Nazi, ought to offend the sensibilities of . . . well, I started to say, everyone.  But that would be a great mistake.  In fact, there are perhaps millions of people ~ no, not just in bygone days of Nazi Germany; but, there are perhaps millions of people living in the world today, who are not the least bit offended by the idea, that is, of Jesus as a Nazi; or, a Communist; or, Fascist; or Democratic Socialist; or....   You get the idea.
 
By far most of those people are professing Christians.


What is the one sin that God seems to hate more than any other?  Sure, God hates all sin.  But throughout the Bible, there is one sin in particular that seems to provoke the wrath of God more than any other sin.  It is the sin of idolatry.  The First Commandment (which, Jesus said, is the "greatest of all"), declares and warns:  "I am the LORD thy God.... Thou shalt have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:2,3).  The very next verses of Scripture shine more light upon what the expression, "have no other gods before me", means; as those verses also warn: "Thou shalt not make unto thee any [image, or representation] of any thing.... Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor worship them..." (Exodus 20:4,5). In ancient times, practically the entire world was given to idolatrous practices.  Every culture on earth worshiped some or other supposed deities, which usually were represented in some physical form (figures, paintings, etc.).  In the Modern world, not much has changed in the realm of mankind's spiritual understanding.  Idolatry still prevails throughout the world ~ including most of the purportedly Christian world.
 
The word idolatry, likely for most people, brings to mind a carved stone or wooden figure (an idol) used as an object of worship by primitive people.  The are many people, today, who still rely upon such objects, for their religious rituals.  Yet idolatry is in fact practiced by the vast majority of the world's population.
 
Idols are not only physical representations of some deity.  Indeed, every kind of image or Idea which men may hold within their own minds, which image or Idea may be supposed to represent "God": every such image or Idea that does not agree with the "image" of God as revealed in the Person of Jesus Christ ~ is an idol!  It is not a true representation of the true God.  It is thus a false god.
 
People imagine all sorts of different things about what God is.  Whatsoever one may imagine and believe may be true about 'God', does not therefore mean it is actually true of God.  The Bible is crystal clear about the danger of embracing any idea or suggestion related to the identity and character of God.  Ideas or suggestions that are not in accord with the revelation of God in Scripture, distort and misrepresent who God really is.  Such images and Ideas promote a false god and, in effect, they deny the true God, of Scripture.
 
Do you worship the God who has identified Himself in Scripture?  Or are you an idolater?  Does the God you worship condone ~ or condemn ~ homosexuality?  What about abortion? or lust? or pride? or prayerlessness?
 
Here's something for you to consider:  Does the God you worship condone ~ or condemn ~ Nazism?  (It cannot be both; nor can it be that God is indifferent to that question.)  Which is it?  In the heyday of Nazi Germany, there were untold thousands ~ millions perhaps, who either tacitly or explicitly confessed that 'God' did condone (approved) Nazism.
 
There are yet TODAY not thousands ~ but millions, in fact, who believe that God approves not only Nazism, but Communism, Fascism, Democratic Socialism, and even Satanism.  Yes, Satanism.  God approves!  Most of those, seemingly good people, are professing Christians.  I would even go so far as to say that most of them live in America.
 
"Oh, you've gone too far now, HeadJanitor!"

But I haven't.  And I'll prove it.

With very few exceptions, America's pulpits are used to browbeat churchgoers into accepting the Idea that Christians have the duty before God to submit to, and obey, "the government".  The text of Scripture most often resorted to for that purpose, appears in Romans 13, as follows:

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.  For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation." (Romans 13:1,2).

Well, that seems clear enough.  Straightforward.  To the point.  A couple of verses later in that same passage, there is further, strong language, viz.:

"Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake." (v. 5)

Evidently, that's enough to settle the question, for the vast majority of folks.  Christians must obey the government.  After all, the Bible does say that "the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God".

"God's ways are mysterious," I've heard many preachers say; "though we may not understand, yet we know that God's ways are higher than ours...."  Meaning, of course, that even though WE may not approve of, say, an Obama, or a Clinton, or even a Hitler ~ yet, we must accept that God, for His own purposes, raised up such leaders; and, since we are commanded by God to "obey the government," therefore, we ought not to kick against the pricks, so to speak (at least, not too hard...).

It is no exaggeration to say that the majority of professing Christians (in America, at least) believe exactly those things as I just described them.  So, let's put it all together, shall we?

Most professing Christians believe:

1. they are obliged to obey the government
2. God has "ordained" the "powers that be" (whomever is in office)
3. rebellion against the government and/or against God's appointed ruler, is condemned in Scripture
4. it is wrong (sinful) to cheat on, or refuse to pay, one's taxes (an important expression of submission to government)

Most professing Christians believe, essentially, those ideas just described.  I have spent my entire life amongst professing Christians ~ not in some denominational bubble, but across a broad spectrum of denominations and creeds.  Those teachings (as above) are basically the same most everywhere I go.  Of course, it is also most often the case that preachers prefer to avoid dealing too much, or too deeply, with such subjects.  Most preachers don't like controversy or confrontation; so, they usually prefer to stick with "safe" subjects ~ like, "faith", or "grace", or "love".  But I digress....

What does it then mean, that God wills that Christians must submit themselves to obey whatsoever "authorities" may at any given time constitute "the government"? 

 It can only mean that God approves of every government and of every government leader that has ever been, or ever yet shall be.  Their very existence is proof that God has ordained them to be.

That kind of reasoning is exactly how that multitudes of German "Christians" were led ~ by their respective religious leaders ~ to support the Nazi regime.

That is also how that multitudes of American "Christians" have similarly been led to support or, at least, not to rebel against (which, really, is the same thing) the recent Obama regime; and before that, the Bush and Clinton regimes; and before that, . . .

Did you know that some of those leaders are/were Satanists?  It is well known that Hitler's regime profoundly embraced Satanism both in doctrine and in practice.

Which brings me to reiterate my earlier claim, namely: Most professing Christians in America believe that God approves of Nazism, Communism (the current rage), Fascism, Democratic Socialism, and, yes, even Satanism ~ which is the Foundation of all those other 'isms.

I just know someone is thinking: "But America is a Democracy. Our government is not Satanic!"  Phshaw.  Count them: 100,000,000 abortions.  I don't need to say anything more.

Though I will.  Homosexual "marriage".  Sex-change surgeries ~ for grade-schoolers.  Worst of all?  Idolatry in practically every church in America.  Their god is not the God of the Bible.

I must bring this essay to a close.  But not without first destroying a legion of idols.

Christians are indeed under divine obligation to obey civil government ~ but only if that government operates in accordance with God's will.  The Bible clearly sets forth explicit qualifications for civil rulers, as follows:

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.  (2 Samuel 23:3)

Moreover, if you will CAREFULLY read the first six verses of Romans 13, you will discover that those verses are replete with explicit (and implicit) requirements, which reveal the manner of authority which God approves.  Let's look at those verses:

"Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers.  For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.  Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation.  For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: for he is the minister of God to thee for good.  But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.  Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.  For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing."

The "powers" which God has "ordained" - does not refer to any individual ruler.  Rather, it means that, because of the Fall (sin in the world), God has ordained that there must be 'civil government' to rule over humans in society; to keep the peace thru good order.  God has ordained that civil government be invested with authority from God ("powers") for to carry out the will of God in the earth.  God's stated will is that those who do good should be praised; whereas, those who do evil should be punished.  (Is that not what the text, above, indicates?)  Civil rulers are required, by God's Word, to "be just", and to exercise their authority "in the fear of God".  Such lawful exercise of authority, in accordance with God's express will, is approved of God as being legitimate: it is THAT form of government, and none other, which Christians are duty-bound to obey.

God does not require anyone ~ especially, not any Christian person, to submit to, much less to obey, any person or government that acts contrary to the Word of God.  All such, leaders and governments which act contrary to God's Word, are illegitimate in the sight of God: they are usurpers, transgressors, rebels, oppressors, instruments of Satan.

God does NOT approve any form or expression of government that is influenced and directed by Satan.  God didn't make Hitler to be Germany's Chancellor: the body of Germany's wicked-hearted people did that.  And they - as well as their many victims - suffered mightily as the result.

Read Romans 13, again, with that understanding.  If the Spirit of truth is in you, you will see the truth of God's Word.

The apostle Paul, by the Holy Ghost, warned us about those who "preach another Jesus, whom we have not preached" (2 Corinthians 11:4).  You have doubtless encountered "Comrade Jesus" ten-thousand times (if you are above 20 years old).  You just didn't know it.

Now, you do.

I want to give honor to a godly minister (one of my teachers) who lived and wrote, nearly three centuries ago.  His name was Jonathan Mayhew.  His magnificent sermon titled, "A Discourse, Concerning Unlimited Submission and Non-Resistance to the Higher Powers" ~ which you can read HERE, was an invaluable guide to my learning and growing in righteousness, on this subject.