27 August 2022
One thing, and one thing only, matters in this life: the Father's glory.
I have a vision of that glory. It drives me night and day. I have no other reason to live. As I watch things unfold in the world around me, I might notice a lot of what's going on, but the only thing that will ever matter to me is how I can take advantage of the situation to shine the light of divine truth.
The vision comes packaged with a lot of implications about how we are to shine that light, implications of what it means on the ground. His glory shines in how we embrace His Covenant, and it really is important that we harvest His blessings for all to see. The Covenant promises are critical to why the Lord keeps us on this earth. The world needs to see what happens when we embrace the revelation of Christ.
For the most part, believers have not done that. Most church people can recognize those words as I write them, but they invest those words with a meaning that is simply not consistent with what's in the Bible. They promote an American nationalist vision, as if that were somehow the Covenant of Christ. It is simply blasphemous to drape the American flag on the Cross.
This American way of life is dying. Yes, I know that it will be uncomfortable, but it really is of no consequence. If you get wrapped up in trying to salvage any part of the mythical "American dream", then you simply do not understand the gospel message.
Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing; so that also at the revelation of His glory, you may rejoice with exultation. (1 Peter 4:12-13 NASB 1977)
Peter wrote that to some Christians living in what is today northern Turkey. In that Roman province, it was literally illegal to be a Christian. We face nothing like that today. Yes, we are going through political and economic collapse, but this was something that started a long time ago, and it's now bearing fruit. We do not face persecution for our faith. Unlike the people to whom Peter wrote that letter, you and I will not go to jail or face execution for proclaiming a Covenant faith. We will probably be censored online, but that's about it.
There is no political party or agenda that supports the Covenant. Covenant people have no dog in this fight. If you get wrapped up in trying to defend whatever you imagine to be your American heritage, you are betraying Christ.
I've written in previous posts what I expect to face in the coming months and years as the system collapses. I do not despair; it's not that important. It's not despair when you have a divine calling that makes worldly events of no significance. The only reason I bother sharing my expectations is so that you can see the glory of Christ in your pursuit of Covenant living. On the way to the Cross, Jesus took a moment to warn His followers that they might want to keep in mind that Jerusalem would be under siege some years down the road (Matthew 24). Not like it was a big deal, but He warned that they would need to consider how to keep their testimony alive in the face of inevitable changes in the human situation.
He knew what was coming. He didn't ignore the troubles of the world, but those things were not His concern. Rather, He worried that His followers would get too wrapped up in those events and forget what He had tried to teach them about walking in faith.
Peter was there for that lesson. He wasn't fully conscious of its meaning at the time, but after Pentecost, he fully understood what Jesus had been saying about it. So when some folks under his pastoral care were facing their own threats to life and property, he wrote to them that this kind of loss should not provoke angst. He said, "Do not be surprised", this is not something out of line with the expectations Jesus taught us to have. Yes, we shall endure all manner of sorrows; such is the human condition. But that doesn't matter. What does matter is the glory of our Lord's faithfulness in His promises.
Indeed, a major theme of this blog is Hebrews 12:4 -- you have not yet resisted sin to the point of shedding blood. Let's put that into context:
Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3 NASB 1977)
And then he lowers the boom about not yet having resisted to the point of bloodshed in verse 4. That's us folks; we have not faced the kind of persecution that we have to worry much about shedding blood because we want to walk in the Covenant of Christ.
Losing America? Does that matter to you? Then stop reading this blog and go off chasing the hundreds of patriot blogs and all those stirring videos on Rumble. They will surely offer stern warnings that evil people are trying to take away your flag-draped cross. Dig right in, folks, and don't look back. But on this blog, it's just another noisy racket like Rome laying siege to Jerusalem. By that time, Jerusalem was just another city, and the Spirit of the Lord had long departed the Temple. America never had even that much going for her. But the wild patriot propaganda tries to equate the current political distress like it is an attack on God's holy Temple while He's still inside.
If you still identify the American way of life as the Covenant of Christ, I cannot help you. My writing will simply upset you. Here's what matters to me: How can I promote His Covenant in the current chaos? How can exploit the situation? What can I do to put the focus on what really matters? Because what really matters is not here in this world anywhere. As it says in the rest of that chapter of Hebrews 12, having to put up with all the political and economic chaos is just the discipline of the Lord, trying to drive us closer to Him. Those who embrace the patriot struggle are like Esau, who cared only for his next meal (verses 15-16).
How can I make you understand, folks? I'm not saying you shouldn't analyze what's happening around us on the human level. I'm saying your ultimate value system should be on a higher plane, concerned about Eternity, not this world. If you cannot distinguish between the glory of the Father versus the American dream, then you are no better than Esau. You have already sold your divine birthright for the concerns of the flesh.
So, yes, your children will face great losses on this human plane. Have you made no effort to help them think about the higher things of God? Do you not grasp how your response to the human turmoil is the greatest treasure you can give them? What are they going to see; what is your testimony to them? If you get hung up on the worldly situation, then you have doomed them to life trapped by the human sorrows.
"We must obey God rather than men." (Acts 5:29).
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