Back
in the early seventies, I wanted to avoid fighting in Vietnam. I joined the
National Guard and was shipped to Fort Ord, California for six months of active
duty. Day after day we were taught the fine points of killing.
Amid all the
shouting, shooting and swearing, the one thing that puzzled me was the Army
chaplain. I kept scratching my head. "Why is a chaplain, who is supposed to
be a minister of Jesus Christ, sanctioning war? I don't understand. What's his
responsibility? Why is he hired by a war machine?"
There is a basic
principle of law: What one creates, one controls. If I am doing some evil
and I want the people to accept that evil, what is the first thing I am going to
do? I am going to hire a "man of the cloth" to preach Jesus. Everybody
thinks this man is preaching Jesus, but they forget who put him in
office. They forget where he receives his paycheck. They don't see that
the real agenda is to make evil look good. They don't realize that he is
truly a wolf in sheep's clothing.
Constantine's Deception
I believe that
there are almost no citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven. The reason? The world has
done a fantastic job of deceiving the people. And the greatest deception is
when the State hires someone to preach Jesus Christ.
Emperor
Constantine of Rome brilliantly executed this deception. Around 312 A.D. he
supposedly saw in the afternoon sky a bright cross with the words, "In this
sign conquer." That night Constantine dreamed that Christ bade him take the
cross for his standard. From then on, his armies conquered under the symbol of
the cross. Previously, Christians refused to fight in the Emperor's wars. But
now it appeared that Constantine was fighting Christ's battles and many
Christians were duped into joining Constantine's army.
Constantine was
a sly politician. Despite some Christian sentiments, he ruled the empire as a
despot, surrounding himself with oriental pomp. He put to death his oldest son,
Crispus, and his second wife, Fausta. Constantine gained renown by passing the Edict
of Milan, which granted all persons the freedom to follow whatever religion
they wished. This ended the persecution of Christians and deceived many.
Even today, most
people can't see through Constantine. They don't realize how clever he was at
winning over his opponents. Prior to the Edict, it was against the law to
be a Christian and many Christians were martyred. Constantine, like all shrewd
leaders, wanted to appear benevolent. He desired to end the killing of
Christians because it made the State look evil. He also wanted the Christians to
be under his control.
Constantine
realized that if you can't beat them, why not join them? Though he did not
convert to Christianity until he was on his deathbed, he showed sympathy toward
the Christians. This caught many Christians off guard. They thought Constantine
was their champion. When a controversy threatened to split up the Christians,
Constantine came to the rescue. He called together a worldwide council of
bishops and presided over the meeting. The Council settled the dispute by
drawing up the Nicene Creed.
Constantine was
amassing great power. He not only ruled in matters of State, but was also
leading the Church. Here was a man directing Church affairs, who was not even a
professed Christian. A joining of the church with the State began which
continues to this very day.
This union of
believers with unbelievers creates confusion. Today there are all kinds of
people going to "church," and calling themselves
"Christians," but they are not. Though they confess Jesus with their
tongue, their allegiance is to the world. They are being led by wolves who have
put on sheep's clothing and they cannot see through the sheepskin.
It is difficult
to sort these leaders out. We cannot perceive that inside are dead-men's bones,
not Jesus Christ. We are deceived into believing they are working for the Lord,
when in reality they are working for their father the devil.
Why is
wickedness so powerful? Because they are the deceivers and anyone who deceives
is forced to become very wise. But the children of God, why are we so stupid?
Because we have nothing to hide. We are innocent. And our innocence causes us to
stumble and fall and be deceived. It is the deceivers who must constantly prop
up their lies, lest the spell is broken, and the people learn the truth.
Missionaries Sent by State
How can the
State, which denies Jesus Christ, send a Christian missionary? It seems
impossible, yet State-incorporated "churches" send missionaries all
the time. But they go out under the covering of passports issued by the United
States. These missionaries are not representing the Kingdom of Heaven. They are
representing the government of the United States.
"What's
wrong with that? Isn't the United States a Christian nation? How about all those
Christian people who set up this wonderful free country?"
I'm sorry, but
you have been deceived. Their official documents say that the United States is
not a Christian nation. The Treaty of Tripoli, signed in 1796, which is
included as the Supreme Law of the United States, says, "The government
of the United States of America is not in any sense founded on the Christian
Religion."
Why do most of
the people think this is a Christian nation? Because the State has placed their
men as leaders in the churches. They tell them this is a Christian nation and
deceive the people.
Preaching Statism
What are the
State-incorporated churches preaching? These "pastors" have State
driver licenses and United States Passports. They tell their congregation that
Romans 13 means "Obey the law of the land." They are not preaching the
Kingdom of Heaven. They are not promoting God's government upon the earth as it
is in Heaven. They are preaching Statism. Their loyalty is to the State who
created them. They fear that if they are disobedient, the IRS will take away
their special 501(c)(3) tax status.
Jesus says,
"I am the Vine. You are the branches." That is corporate talk.
He is saying we are incorporated in Him. "Eat my flesh, drink my
blood." More corporate talk. "You have no life except you get it from
me." Where do these 501(c)(3) churches get their life? Not from Jesus, but
from the State.
