A Sola the Reformers Missed - "Sola Ecclesia"

And he put all things under his feet and appointed him head over all things through the agency of the ἐκκλησίᾳ (church), which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 1:22-23

I'll begin with a bold assertion:

"Sola Ecclesia" - The assembly of Jesus' people (i.e., the church) is the only legitimate form of human government in existence since the day Jesus ascended to his throne... and it is vastly different from the kingdoms of this world. If that shocks you—or even if you just "don't get it"—you may want to read the article below.

Hoping to persuade you that the reformers missed an important Sola, I'll start with a parable:

Have you ever watched a 3D movie?

As you walk into the theater, an usher hands you a pair of glasses with lenses polarized at different angles. Your left eye sees one image and your right eye another, bringing the movie to life in glorious full color, blowing you away with dramatic real-world depth and dimension.

Imagine now, if you will, that you're a famous movie critic. A rival studio knows you're coming to the theater. To ensure a bad review, they've bribed an usher to watch for your arrival. As you walk in, he hands you a different kind of glasses. They look like the ones everyone else has, but the left lens is blue and the right lens is red.

When the movie starts, instead of a blockbuster in glorious color and realistic depth, you see a flat and rather blurry distortion. Scenes that should leap out at you confuse you instead. Rather than merging, images are split, and you see two different things. At times, the rose-colored optimism of the red lens colors the story, while the mood at other times is falsely darkened by the blue.

We've been reading the bible through the wrong lenses.

In the parable above, the theater is our life. The blockbuster is the bible. Satan operates the rival studio, and the usher is a university-funded bible translation committee. Our understanding of scripture has been distorted by the lenses of several wrong turns in history and theological tradition.

Though they corrected a great deal, the Reformers missed this Sola. They were still seeing scripture through distorting lenses fitted when Constantine "legalized" Christianity. As a result of that sea change, the church got into bed with the kingdoms of Satan, resulting in an adulterous alignment of the church's interests with those of the human state.

My goal today is to give you a better fitting and functioning pair of lenses through which to read the bible. But first, a disclaimer.

What "Sola Ecclesia" is not...

Previous versions of "Sola Ecclesia" are not what I'm championing. Mine is not the "Sola Ecclesia" of the Catholic church. Nor that of Reformation Magazine. Nor that of the OPC. Nor any other "Sola Ecclesia" I'm aware of, or have so far located by searching, though I welcome any references you may offer for my ongoing study.

And I'm not asking you to embrace "Sola Ecclesia"—yet...

...but if you claim an "open mind," or aspire to life-long learning, then you needs must investigate new perspectives, right?

What I am asking is that you make a sincere effort to understand "Sola Ecclesia" and keep this alternate pair of lenses—a different prescription—on hand. As you read the scriptures daily, pick up these "Sola Ecclesia" spectacles from time to time and ask yourself, "How would I understand this passage differently IF this prescription turns out to be better than my old one?"

At this point, you're probably thinking...

"So, give me the lenses, already..."

I already have. The proper lens to view scripture through is the assertion in the preface to this article:

"Sola Ecclesia" - The assembly of Jesus' people (i.e., the church) is the only legitimate form of human government in existence since the day Jesus ascended to his throne.

However, for clarity, I'll restate and expand on that statement in several different ways, beginning with this article, and (God willing) I'll dive deeper in some articles to come.

The assembly (Greek: ἐκκλησίᾳ)—known to you all your life as "the church"—is the only governance structure authorized by Jesus/God at the present time. What most of us have previously thought of as "civil government" is in all truth Satan's kingdom in action. God intends that his assemblies supplant and displace satanic rule, not participate in or attempt to reform it (Luke 22:24-30).

What does this mean for our bible reading?

When in the New Testament you read of rulers, officials, governors, etc., you've been conditioned to assume certain passages are about 'civil government.' However, you may actually be reading about the Assembly of Jesus and his followers, i.e. about the church and its members and officials (e.g. Titus 2:11-3:7).

ONLY—if the context makes it unequivocally clear—should you conclude that an earthly government is being spoken of. And, in some of those cases, you'll find it's quite clear that the rulers are demonic powers (e.g. Ephesians 6:10-13, 1 Corinthians 2:8).

Earthly governments are, of course, in view in historical narratives that explicitly mention, for example, Roman military personnel, named tyrants, or synagogue rulers (e.g. Matthew 27:1-2). Otherwise, please (especially when reading the letters written to the saints by Paul, Peter, James, and Jude, and when reading Hebrews) try to start with the assumption that the governance being discussed or described is that of the assembly (church) itself. See how that change of perspective would change your understanding of the passage.

"But isn't this blatant eisegesis?"

No more than what you're already doing. Be honest with yourself; you're already bringing a systematic theology to your reading of scripture. Besides, your entire life history as a believer, all your social and political experience, has preconditioned you to interpret the bible in a certain way. If nothing else, trying to see scripture through a different lens may help you toward the general goal of better understanding other viewpoints. And, why worry? You're only doing this on a trial basis, right?

So, remove your "standard-issue" spectacles,

at least for a while. Admit they may be causing you to see things that aren't there. Switch glasses momentarily and open your mind just enough to understand this possible alternative.

Stop (for a change) viewing the world as dichotomized into "church" and "state," "heavenly kingdom" and "earthly kingdom," "sacred" and "secular." For just a little while, especially stop thinking in reformed/Calvinist terms of "church government" versus "civil government." Consider the possibility that these constructs may (at least since Calvin’s 16th Century writings) be mere assumptions and traditions.

Equally mind-sapping false dichotomies are those of left versus right, donkey versus elephant, commie versus (your choice) democracy or republic, etc. This kind of thinking serves only to distract you from the real dichotomy, the one magnificently and clearly expressed in Psalm 2. These petty quarrels are the result of Satan whispering in your ear, "Look, over here!... Pay no attention to that truth behind the curtain."

Try on a pair of "Sola Ecclesia" glasses.

With the right pair of glasses, you can relegate all human governance as we've known it to its proper place. You can begin to see all territorial states as endless variations on the satanically controlled kingdoms of this world age. While some "forms of government" (e.g. democracies, monarchies, republics) may be better or worse than others, they are all corrupt and irremediable enemies of truth and righteousness.

Instead, as you read the New Testament, think in terms of God's Kingdom versus Satan's kingdom. Consider the unbridgeable gap between these two kingdoms. Consider leaving Satan and all his minions—human or otherwise—to their own devices. Stop participating in politics and instead focus on creating and building up Godly governance systems as Jesus' beloved people, guided by the Word of God. We can show the world "how it's done," and in the process attract lost humanity to a new and better way of life.

For me, this perspective change has made all the difference.

My global, holographic view of scripture and life has become more sensibly consistent than ever. I'm ready to help create and participate new and Godly governance groups (i.e. the assemblies formerly known as 'churches') that dynamically advance the Kingdom of God in this world. How about you?

Can you begin to see it?

We'll explore more of the meaning of "Sola Ecclesia" in upcoming articles, God willing. How this viewpoint better harmonizes all of scripture, and what it might mean—practically speaking—in our churches and in our day-to-day lives.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Duncan has been haunting libraries since the age of two, and is a habitual science
fiction reader. His innate drive to know what makes things tick has driven him to
dismantle and decipher both technological artifacts and systematic theologies.

A Jack of all trades, Duncan has been a carpenter, technical writer, engineer, and political pundit, though he has since abandoned politics for pure crypto-thearchy. His current passion is reading through the New Testament in Greek and attempting to persuade fellow Christians of the incredibly Good News that the Kingdom of God can be a here and now reality if only we would begin to realize and live for it.

To discuss the Kingdom of Heaven with Duncan, you can reach him on his blog or by email at creator@sidefire.com.

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The Not So Triumphal Entry

It was the week leading up to Passover and preparations were already well underway. The city of Jerusalem was swarming with people. This was one of three annual feasts where Jews from across the world would come to Jerusalem to remember God’s faithfulness to his people. These feasts were a time of joy, but they were also a time of trepidation.

Many Zealots were among the crowds, violent freedom fighters who sought to overthrow the Romans. They used the feasts to stage political protests, and these would often lead to deadly riots. They reasoned that Passover in particular was supposed to celebrate the liberation of Israel from Egypt, and it was a fitting time to fight for liberation from Rome. In light of this, it is not surprising that tensions were high during Passover. Large contingents of soldiers would be sent in for these days, an ever-present reminder of the terrifying power of the Romans.

The Sunday before Passover was particularly special because this was the day Moses appointed for choosing the lamb that would be slain for the family (Exodus 12.3).

The lamb had to be completely spotless, and so it was that thousands of Jews spent the day searching for the perfect lamb. They knew God would only bless them if they were obedient to his commands.

Just outside Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus and his disciples are preparing to enter the city to choose their lamb. We pick up the story in Luke 19.

When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.

Luke 19.29-36

In order to fully understand this story it’s important to have an understanding of the cultural context in which it takes place. To begin, Jesus was a Jewish Rabbi, and he spent much of his time teaching devout Jews from their Scriptures, which they called Tanakh (we call it the Old Testament). The Jewish people at this time were very religious and they knew their text very well. Many of them had large sections of it memorized and they would often recite the text to make a theological point or teaching.

One of the teaching techniques that was used in this time was called “Remez”, which in Hebrew means “hint” or “clue”. If a teacher wanted to make a point using a passage of Scripture they would allude (hint) to the passage either by performing an action it describes or by quoting a line from it.

The disciples, being dutiful students, would pick up on the clue and they would call to mind the rest of the passage. Often the teacher’s point would be contained in the verse just before or just after his hint. Thus, in order to fully understand the teacher’s message, you need to know the context of the passage they are referencing. Jesus uses this technique much more than we realize. Many times we simply don’t know the Bible well enough to pick up on all the subtle references. Fortunately, the disciples did.

This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying,

‘Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’

Matthew 21.4-5

Matthew points out that Jesus is giving us a clue about what he was doing. By riding into Jerusalem on a colt, Jesus was acting out the text of Zechariah 9. This is significant for a number of reasons. First, Jesus is saying that he is the king of Israel. He is the long-awaited messiah that will bring salvation to the Jewish people.

But there’s something more. Normally one would expect a king to ride into a city on a dazzling warhorse (Jeremiah 17.25). Instead, Jesus chose to enter on a donkey. At first glance, one may be tempted to think that the donkey represented his humility, but this is unlikely because only wealthy people had donkeys in the time of Jesus. However, the donkey is still significant for another reason.

In the ancient near east, there was a custom that kings would ride into town on a horse if they intended to wage war but they would ride on a donkey if they came in peace.

Throughout the Bible, horses are almost exclusively used for military purposes (Exodus 15.19, Psalm 33.17, Psalm 76.6, Psalm 147.10, Proverbs 21.31, Jeremiah 8.6, Jeremiah 51.21, Zechariah 10.3, Revelation 6.4) while donkeys are often used for peaceful travel (Judges 10.4, Judges 12.14, 2 Samuel 17.23, 2 Samuel 19.26).

This practice gave rise to the idea that the donkey was an animal of peace while the horse was an animal of war. Thus, if Jesus had intended to arrive as a conquering king he most certainly would have ridden a horse.

It is also notable that Jesus chose not to wear any royal robes or armor. Surely if he wanted to “look the part” this would have been a good time to show off his magnificence. Instead, Jesus wore his normal clothes and rode on a very normal donkey. Rather than coming to wage war, Jesus alludes to Zechariah to emphasize that his kingdom will be a kingdom of peace. The next verse underscores this idea.

I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.

Zechariah 9.10

Interestingly, Zechariah 9 is itself an allusion to 1 Kings 1. In that chapter, we read of Solomon, the son of David, ridding into Gihon on a donkey to be anointed as king (1 Kings 1.38). Solomon (whose name means peace) would go on to establish the most peaceful and prosperous reign Israel had ever experienced, a reign that came to characterize people’s expectations of the messiah.

From these texts, we can get an understanding of Jesus’ message. He enters Jerusalem as the “son of David” who has come to bring peace, not with a warhorse, but with a simple donkey. While he does not shy away from proclaiming himself as their king, he is showing them that his kingdom will not establish peace through violence. It will not be built with horses and bloodshed.

Let’s follow the story a little further.

As he was drawing near – already on the way down the Mount of Olives – the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,

Luke 19.37

The crowd followed because of the works they had seen, as John tells us.

The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.

John 12.17-18

The crowd heard that Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead. They figured that this must mean he was the promised messiah. Thus they exclaimed:

Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!

Luke 19.38

The spreading of cloaks was also an acknowledgment of royalty (2 Kings 9.13). This leads us to an important point. The crowd recognized that Jesus was their king, but only because of his miracles. They completely missed the allusion to Zechariah and the significance of the donkey (John 12.16).

The story continues:

And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David”

Matthew 21.9)

The people are shouting the words of Psalm 118.

Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!

Psalm 118.25

“Save us, please” is the English rendering of the Hebrew phrase “Hosanna”. In Christian circles, it is often assumed that they wanted to be saved from their sin, but that is simply an unfortunate example of us reading our theology into the story. In the context of that day, “Hosanna” very clearly meant “save us from the Romans”.

This gives us an important insight into understanding this story. These people were not simply praising Jesus. They were asking him to save them. Specifically, they were quoting a messianic Psalm that promised God would deliver them from their enemies (Psalm 118.5).

We have to keep in mind that the Jews, and especially the Zealots, had a completely different idea about what the coming messiah would be like. To them, the messiah was to be a conquering king who would use military might to overthrow the Romans.

They imagined a person who would not only endorse the rebellion but would become its leader. “Salvation” for them is to be saved from Rome. “Messiah” for them is a king who would use violence to defeat their oppressors and thus bring liberty and peace.

There’s an important detail in this story that helps to reinforce this understanding.

So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him.

John 12.13

In the days of Jesus, palm branches had a certain religious symbolism because they were connected to some of the Jewish feasts (Leviticus 23.40). More importantly, however, the Zealots used palm branches as their symbol of Jewish nationalism. Waving the palm branch was the equivalent to waving their country’s national flag.

The palm branch was regularly used on Jewish coins, like a maple leaf on Canadian coins or an eagle on American coins. Palms had also been used during the Maccabean revolt to celebrate their victory over the Syrians (1 Maccabees 13.51, 2 Maccabees 10.7), and that story undoubtedly encouraged their nationalistic fervor.

Thus, palm branches came to represent the patriotism that fueled the fight against the Romans, and it was this patriotism that was on full display that Sunday. The crowds were not interested in welcoming a suffering servant. They went out to welcome a patriot.

With this in mind, we can see why they were so thrilled at Jesus’ miracles. If their king could raise the dead, he could surely deliver them from the Romans.

Further, when we understand the mindset of the Jews we should no longer be surprised that those who hailed him as their king on Sunday would ask for his crucifixion on Friday. The motives of the Jews did not change, only their impression of Jesus. Once they discovered he was not aligned with their cause they had little reason to choose him over Barabbas.

So the stage is set. The city is packed with people and Jesus is riding in on a donkey. Everyone is in an uproar because they think he is the long-awaited messianic king. After all, he had just raised Lazarus from the dead. A revolt is brewing. The Zealots are stirring up the crowd. Finally, the day of deliverance has come. Now is the time to make some noise. The revolution is beginning!

But this is really dangerous. Roman soldiers are everywhere. If this thing turns into a riot it will be a very bloody night. The Pharisees in particular were worried about how the Romans would react (John 11.48).

And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”

Luke 19.39

In other words, get them to be quiet. Settle them down. This is getting out of hand.

And then we read this.

He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Luke 19.40

The stones would cry out? What a peculiar little phrase. Does he really think the stones would praise him, or is there something we’ve missed? As it turns out, this phrase is taken directly from the Jewish Scriptures, and anyone who was well studied in the text would quickly pick up on the Remez.

“Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! You have devised shame for you house. By cutting off many peoples you have forfeited your life. For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond: “Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity!”

Habakkuk 2.9-12

The Pharisees had asked Jesus to rebuke his followers for being too loud. But instead of telling them to be quiet, Jesus rebukes them with the words of Habakkuk. Rather than condemn their vigor, Jesus alludes to the message of the stones to condemn their intentions.

Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity!

Woe to you, oh Jerusalem, people of God, if you seek to establish the kingdom with violence. Woe to you, oh Zealots, freedom fighters, if you seek to gain your freedom through bloodshed. Woe to you, oh Christian, if you think you can establish God’s kingdom with human strength (Jeremiah 17.5, Zechariah 4.6). Woe to you if you think you can use force and coercion to make people good. Woe to you if you seek to justify war and violence.

If there remains any doubt in your mind as to Jesus’ thoughts about their fervor, take a look at the very next lines of the story.

And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

Luke 19.41-42

The Greek word translated as “wept” is “klaio”, and it refers to a tearful mourning caused by deep sorrow and grief. This is not the climax of a triumphal entry. This is a painful recognition that his people simply didn’t get it. They did not know the way of peace (Isaiah 59.8).

Jesus continued to meditate on the words of Habakkuk, and they likely called to mind a parallel passage in Micah.

Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight, who build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with iniquity. Its heads give judgment for a bribe; its priests teach for a price; its prophets practice divination for money; yet they lean on the Lord and say, “Is not the Lord in the midst of us? No disaster shall come upon us.” Therefore because of you Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins, and the mount of the house a wooded height.

Micah 3.9-12

Like Habakkuk, Micah condemned the leaders of Israel who sought to establish Jerusalem with bloodshed and violence. Because of them, Micah prophesied that Jerusalem would become “a heap of ruins”, and that the temple would be reduced to a hill in a forest. Having just made the same indictment as Micah, Jesus now alludes to these verses by making the same prophecy.

For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.

Luke 19.43-44

As we know, this prophecy was fulfilled with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD.

The historical context of this story is what makes it so shocking. The Romans were crucifying Jews by the thousands. They imprisoned them and taxed them and enslaved them. The Jews had every reason, every right, to overthrow the Romans. The Zealots would today be praised for their willingness to “protect” their people. This was not a fringe group of radicals trying to cause mayhem. These were God-fearing, freedom-loving patriots living under foreign occupation who were fighting to defend themselves and their families.

The Zealot uprising was a just war if there ever was one.

Some would go so far as to say that Jews were morally obligated to fight the injustice of the Romans. But if that is the case then Jesus was a sinner because he refused to join the Zealots. In the eyes of his friends, he had not only betrayed the Jewish cause, but he had actually sinned by failing to fight the Romans. According to them, Jesus simply made the wrong choice. He should have ridden into Jerusalem on a warhorse. I dare say many Christians today would have preferred that.

But Jesus had a different way. Jesus came to Jerusalem on lamb selection day to be the lamb of God (John 1.29), though the Jews wanted to turn him into a ferocious lion. They sought to establish God’s kingdom with violence and bloodshed but this was an approach Jesus consistently rejected. Rather than lead a military conquest, Jesus subjected himself to the Romans (John 18.36).

He did not resist being crucified, even though he had every right to. He taught his followers to pay taxes and turn the other cheek (Matthew 22.21, Matthew 5.39). He instructed us to submit to unjust rulers and go the extra mile (Matthew 5.41). Let them imprison you, let them kill you, and rebuke those who would start a very justified rebellion against them (Matthew 26.52). If that isn’t a radical commitment to non-violence, I don’t know what is.

So how does the story continue? Well, 2000 years go by, and it becomes a tradition in the church to wave palm branches and sing “Hosanna” in remembrance of Palm Sunday. Every year, we sing songs about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, we wave the sign of the Zealot and we sing the words of the Zealot.

Fortunately, the ideas these symbols once represented are no longer in the minds of Christians celebrating this occasion. And yet, one has to wonder how it is that many of us are still eager to use violence and state power to conquer our enemies. I sometimes wonder if we have learned anything from Jesus’ radical message of peace. I wonder if Jesus is still weeping over his people.

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About the Author

Patrick Carroll has a degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo and is an Editorial Fellow at the Foundation for Economic Education.

You can follow him on Twitter @PatrickC1995 or on his Facebook page The Prudent Navigator.

It’s Time to #Refocus

Folks, it is time to #refocus. We are living through a period of time filled with events that the majority of us have never experienced. It is a time when friends have become foes. It is a time when families have become disconnected. It is a time when employees have been pitted against the employer. It is a time when children have been separated from their friends. It is a time that division has become the norm, and I think it is absolutely intentional by the “powers that be.” 

Now, don't get me wrong, I understand that people have been divided on different issues throughout history, but this is different. It feels different. Maybe social media makes it seem more than what it is? But, I don't think so. 

I remember talking with my mom leading up to the Trump/Biden showdown and she made a comment that was interesting to me. She said, as a child, her parents (my sweet Nana and Granddaddy) never discussed politics and if they did it certainly wasn't around the kids. Mom lived through the Civil Rights Movement and, even then, it wasn't as in your face as we see today. I don't say this to discourage parents from talking with their children about politics, rather I want to encourage it, especially from those of us who value freedom for our children. It is certainly a better option than public schools teaching our kids about politics. Folks, it is time to #refocus.

We see so many people scattered right now and who could blame them? It is a confusing time for everyone and folks want guidance. We want someone to make this insanity make sense, and the go-to, it seems, is the State. Since the inception of man-made governments, people have looked to them for guidance no matter despite the countless atrocities they have committed throughout history. But why? It reminds me of a quote attributed to Albert Einstein: 

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results”

It is time to #refocus. 

But where does this confusion come from? Confusion is from a lack of understanding and uncertainty. What drives uncertainty? Simply, fear, the unknown. Fear has a way of putting us in handcuffs with no way out. I suffer from extreme claustrophobia and just the thought of covering my face with anything freaks me out to no end, so you can only imagine the battles I have fought through these past few months. Creeping through a parking lot to make sure someone else isn't covering their face so I don't have to explain this very strange phobia that many don't understand. Did God create me with this phobia? I don't know, but I do know it is real. 

I also know that it was never a fear that affect anyone else until all of this started; it was just a thing that I never had to explain. When I think of fear in my life, I think of my baby brother TJ who died last year, something I will never stop talking about. TJ was terrified of this virus and took every precaution the State insisted on. He didn't die from Covid but the fear instilled by corporate media and the State forced him into self-isolation and he drank himself to death. I bring this up because fear needs to be recognized, where it comes from and its power over us. Fear, certainly, isn't from Jesus.

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” 

Psalm 34:4-5

It is time to #refocus

Before I continue, I want to make it clear, I am not only speaking to the reader of this article but to myself as well. I am just as guilty of this. To this day I listen to a lot of politically charged podcasts, and our own podcast could be lumped into that as well, which honestly is what got me to thinking over the last few days before writing this. I will not discourage folks from listening or paying attention to what is happening politically because it absolutely has an effect on each and every one of our lives. It is important to be informed. I say all of the time that “willful ignorance is the worst kind of ignorance”.

Ignorance in itself isn't bad, it just means you don't know. Willful ignorance is intentional. One recurring theme I have noticed while listening to these shows is “we need to work through the system to make this insanity make sense”. 

I’m not down with that, especially as a Christian. People are straining to hear the whisper amongst the screaming. People are seeking some hope while navigating the insanity. We know where that hope is, and it certainly won't be found in the halls of Congress or any Governor's mansion. That hope has and will continue to be found with Jesus. 

“I am the way and the truth and the life”  

John 14:6

Jesus is the most consistent King this world has ever seen, so why do so many Christians revert their faith back to the State? Don't get me wrong, I understand the allure. It is very tempting to work through the State to preserve Liberty but that's all it is, a temptation.

“And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, to you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours. And Jesus answered him, it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only shall you serve”

Luke 4:5-8

Some of you may be saying, “well that just isn't practical today, lives are at stake!” Yes, I agree, lives are at stake! Liberty is fleeting! But where does life come from? Where does Liberty come from? One of my Bad Roman Project cohorts who has been with us from the jump is Abby Cleckner, and her favorite verse on Liberty is extracted from Galatians:

“Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage." 

Galatians 5:1

One retort I get when mentioning this verse is, “well Paul is clearly talking about sin”, and I reply, “Of course he is. Check out 1 Samuel 8. When Israel demanded a king did God not see that as a rejection of Him? Is it not a sin to reject God? Paul talks about “yoke of bondage” go read 1 Samuel 8 again and God lists everything that will happen when we demand a king”.

 It is time to #refocus.

People are hurting. People are confused and scattered. People are seeking some consistency, and people are seriously seeking some hope. As Christians, we know where that hope is. Live a life that makes people ask you questions about why you aren't worried about government edicts. 

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” 

Matthew 6:25-27

Our guy Jesus dropped some truth bombs. It is time to #refocus

Love y’all,

Craig Harguess

The Dream of the City to Come: Do you not trust God?

Image from Great Bible Stories for Children (Regency Publishing House 1974)

When I was a toddler, my parents read me bedtime stories from a vividly illustrated Bible storybook called Great Bible Stories for Children (Regency Publishing House 1974). For some reason, my favorite, most requested Bible story was the one I referred to as "Bad Dream"— a nightmare of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon recorded in the book of Daniel, chapter 2.

Daniel delivers the interpretation of the dream to the king: 

In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock-cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold to pieces.

The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future. The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.

Even though Daniel is a captive slave and his life is in jeopardy every time he talks to the ruler of the known world, he speaks from the perspective of a man who is in constant contact with Yahweh, the God of his youth and home culture. Daniel was able to spread the message of his God to the most powerful man on earth, and the message was this: human empires will come and go built on force and violence, coercion and oppression, but the Kingdom of Peace that God creates will destroy all the empires that came before it, and once it is established, it will last forever.

There are a few passages that are repeatedly used in defense of tyranny and oppression, and blaming God for it, but if one looks at the overarching narrative of scripture we see a distinct anti-empire message throughout.

The prophets of Israel spoke of a future liberator that God would send to free humanity from all forms of oppression, both spiritual and material. The Messiah, or Christ, was a promise the Hebrews took literally and awaited with fervent expectation the initiator of a new world order of peace. Isaiah writes of Christ:

"There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse,

and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.

And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him,

the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,

or decide disputes by what his ears hear,

but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,

and faithfulness the belt of his loins.

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb,

and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat,

and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together;

and a little child shall lead them.

The cow and the bear shall graze;

their young shall lie down together;

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the cobra,

and the weaned child shall put his hand on the adder's den.

They shall not hurt or destroy

in all my holy mountain;

for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord

as the waters cover the sea."

Isaiah 11:1-9

When Mary is told that she has been chosen to give birth to the Messiah, she is so excited she praises God for the liberation that she is being allowed to participate in. She prays:

My soul magnifies the Lord

And my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;

Because He has regarded the lowliness of His handmaid;

For behold, henceforth all generations shall call me blessed;

Because He who is mighty has done great things for me,

and holy is His name;

And His mercy is from generation to generation

on those who fear Him.

He has shown might with His arm,

He has scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart.

He has put down the mighty from their thrones,

and has exalted the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,

and the rich He has sent away empty.

He has given help to Israel, his servant, mindful of His mercy

Even as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his posterity forever.

Luke 1:46-55

The hope that she placed in the God of her forefathers called for the end of oppression and tyranny on planet earth—a freedom that includes liberation from sin, death, hell, satan, and the empires of humankind. She read the prophets as a little girl and made their visions one with her mind and heart. Maybe this love for the promise of liberation and the Messiah is the reason God chose her to be Christ's mother?

Morgan Weistling - Kissing the Face of God

When Jesus was 30 years old, he spent 40 days in the wilderness fasting on water. At the end of it, the Devil appears to him in an attempt to recruit Jesus to Satan's side in rebellion against Jehovah. Satan takes Jesus to a high place where he can see all the kingdoms of the world and makes this offer: "All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." (Mark 4:9-10)

Satan's ability to offer all the riches and power in the world could only mean one thing: that they belonged to him. In other places in scripture, Satan is referred to as "the God of this world" (2 Corinthians 4:4), and that "the whole world lies in the power of the evil one" (1 John 5:19). The knowledge of who Satan is makes the promise of a savior all the more appealing; if we are all born as serfs to an evil lord who wants to see us suffer and lies to us constantly, filling his domain with pain and violence, destruction, and rot, chaos, and confusion, who wouldn't want to be liberated? Jesus knew that he had come to bring the Good News of the Eternal Kingdom to the suffering, slavery, and misery of earthly kingdoms. He knew the Kingdom of God would one day have dominion over the whole Earth and all her people not by the idolatry of political power or devil-worship, but through the spirit of the Gospel.

When he was on trial to be crucified, Jesus told the Roman Governor of Jerusalem: "You say rightly that I am a King. For this reason I came into the world.... My Kingdom is not of this World. If it were, my servants would fight". To a Roman soldier/politician, getting crucified was the furthest thing from victory. Jesus saw the bigger picture- a spiritual reality that could not be defeated by death, nor could it be brought to reality through violent political and military force.

The Apostles state throughout their writings that God has exalted Jesus Christ above everyone and everything, giving him the title of "King of Kings and Lord of Lords" so that every living thing will recognize it and declare it. In Ephesians 1, Hebrews 2, and 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says that God has subjected everything under Christ's feet. in the Corinthians passage he points to the time prophesied by Daniel and Isaiah and others;

"Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.”

For those of you who still think of God as "Sovereign," by which you mean everything is his fault, and for those of you who are angry at God for the pain and injustice in the world, I'm not sure you're paying attention to the power of the Gospel. All of our wars and illnesses, slavery and addiction, and even death itself are due to the rebellion of Satan against God's plan. His deception campaign to bring humanity down with him will continue until destruction of all life on earth is a real possibility, then God will intervene and put a stop to it. In 2 Thessalonians 2, Paul describes that point of intervention: 

"And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming". 

Human beings and their political leaders will choose deception, destruction, and death instead of peace and life, but God works patiently to save them, redeem them, free them, so that he might reconcile them to Himself and restore humanity, and all creation, to what He intended us to be.

People of every tribe and nation, speaking every language, will worship the One True God together. The current situation where other races and nations and languages are to be hated, feared, fought, and subjugated will not exist. This is a result of man's rebellion against God's plan-- a rejection of Christ's Kingdom.

From "A Bad Case of Stripes" by David Shannon. Sholastic Inc.

If we identify ourselves by nation-state or race or political party, pledging our allegiance to a nation and its flag, holding its military in worshipful regard, etc., we are telling Jesus that His Kingdom of Peace is not what we want. We do not want to be his family, the sheep of his pasture, his loyal servants. Instead, the message He receives is that we want war and oppression and for our little tribe to be top of the heap.

Nowhere does Jesus say: "I will establish a nation that will exceed all the other nations, they will be my people and I will make them powerful. They will crush all their enemies and get all the riches and I will bless them because they are the superior form of government". What He does say is he will destroy ALL human government and establish his own. If that is not exciting to you, do you know my Lord? If your god is the god of political empires, who is your god? Which side are you on?

"Here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come" Hebrews 13:14