The Antichrist, the False Prophet, and the Image 2
The Antichrist, The False Prophet, and the Image, 2
continued
For kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.
(I Timothy 2:2-NIV)
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over
you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will
be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews
13:17-NIV)
The America of today is not the nation the Pilgrim fathers envisioned.
What has produced the change from godliness to crime and moral filth?
The answer is, the philosophy of democracy.
Antichrist is the "man of lawlessness."
As people are brought further away from the concept of "the Divine right
of kings" they are focusing on themselves. When people focus on themselves
they are an easy prey for Satan. Since God is not on the throne of their
personality, and they are not being governed by a strong ruler, they
are open to invasion by Satan.
Satan always counsels people that if they will
disobey God they will be happy. This is how he counseled Eve. When there
is a strong government that punishes sin, people are restrained from
following the counsel of Satan.
They don't want to be punished! But when there is no strong government,
and people are led to believe they can govern themselves, and are able
to change the leaders and the laws when they are not pleased, they are
an easy mark for Satan. The first thing you know there is an abundance
of sin.
Homosexual behavior is sinful, according to both
the Old Testament and the New Testament. The government of America,
in line with the philosophy of democracy, will not act to limit homosexual
behavior. Instead it is spending a great deal of money to find a cure
for AIDS.
If the government were to spend as much time and money seeking
to promote abstinence outside of the family structure, it might make
a considerable difference in the spread of AIDS. But the cry of anguish
from large segments of our society prevents the government from pursuing
this realistic solution to the problem.
This would not be the case in a strong monarchy
that was concerned about an epidemic capable of destroying the kingdom.
We see, therefore, that the philosophy of democracy, the philosophy
of Antichrist, while it seems to be Christian in nature, is the archenemy
of true Christianity.
The Christian Gospel commands us to deny ourselves, take up our cross,
and follow the Lord Jesus along the path of suffering. Our hope is that
when He returns we will enter His joy and peace.
The philosophy of Antichrist is that the individual
must be in control, that his rights must be secured so nothing hinders
him from a long, successful, happy, fulfilled life.
Does it seem to you, as it does to me, that these two ways of life are
incompatible?
There is little evidence in the Scriptures that the Lord Jesus or His
Apostles favored the idea of people governing themselves, but there
is evidence that they wanted us to obey those who have the rule over
us.
Christianity came into being in an empire and there is not much said
in the New Testament about an empire being a bad form of government,
that the people ought to be governing themselves.
To be continued. The Antichrist, the False Prophet, and the Image 3
Copyright © 1997-99 by Trumpet Ministries Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED