Complacent Christians: "Onward Christian Soldiers" Isn't Their Theme

Toogood Reports ^ | September 10, 2001 | Dorothy Anne Seese

[Starmaker]

In contrast to one of the most dramatic paintings of the Revolutionary War, a portrait of George Washington at Valley Forge on his knees in prayer for victory in what he perceived to be a righteous cause, today's Christians are largely overwhelmed by the idea of the evil loose in the world and hiding from any action against it.

So they have marched to the pews to hear about the hereafter while the here-and-now rots.

Many of my netfriends are Christians, as am I. A few, very few indeed, are willing to enter the battle in whatever way they can to stave off the tides of evil. They know the Bible's prophecies and are very content to let the nation be overtaken by evil while they spend their time praying for the Lord's speedy return to do all the work. This attitude created the old adage "so heavenly minded they're no earthly good."

Like many internet "junkies" I have acquired friends through my articles and through visits to Christian chat channels. I pass information around that is, to me, worthwhile. If the information calls for any type of action, either no reply is made, or someone replies that there is so much evil in this world that we must simply wait for the Lord's return.

If our founding fathers had possessed that attitude, we'd be saying "Your Majesty" to Queen Elizabeth II.

Maybe my Bible is a different version? However, in Luke 19:13, I read these words:

"And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come."

Reading further, each of the servants to whom the money was given, was also called to give an account of his stewardship. The one who did nothing was severely punished.

No wonder we have socialism in America. The church was busy looking for better ways to increase its membership through marketing techniques and musical presentations to entertain the congregation, rather than instructing the flocks in the duties of those who profess the faith. Politics? Oh that's dirty business, we can't get into that kind of secular thinking.

No?

Well I guess when we speak about our Christian heritage we're speaking about a bunch of heathen? No, we're speaking about believers with power and a faith that took action. Along with the rest of our comfort-zone ideologies, today's church has generally abdicated its responsibility, creating pew-warmers who prize their church attendance more highly than their service in action. "Onward Christian Soldiers" is a nice song but not to be taken seriously seems to be the majority attitude.

Perhaps that has been the attitude in Europe, once the bastion of the Christian faith, where church after church is now closed? The remnant of faithful European Christians is so small now that Christianity can be said to be almost non-existent in Europe. Wouldn't that make David Livingstone turn over in his grave!

My work is to speak out against the evils besetting America, and if it happens to include the wimpy, weak, ineffective, frightened, pew-warming church, then it gets included. This is not in any way intended to discredit the faith once delivered, the Bible, or the Lord. It is an admonition against those who find a comfort zone in the pews as long as it costs them nothing and they don't have to DO anything with the talents they've been given.

It's call admonishing in righteousness, in biblical language.

"Use it or lose it" applies to a lot of things in this world ... it applies to muscular strength, talent, athletic ability, and ... FAITH.

People who won't take a stand against the evils of this world in the name of their faith will never be able to stand in the times of testing, because "we ain't seen nuthin yet" when it comes to the real attacks on the church.

Church ... are you listening?

[Wings-n-Wind]

Well said.....

May the Spirit of God restore unto us a courageous faith, unsoiled by our failures... and unspoiled by compromise.

Blessings,
Wings

[anniegetyourgun]

Dear Dorothy:

Preach it!

As for me, I want to be found working in His fields when He calls. Standing for righteousness in a dark world appears to be something most in the Church are unwilling to do. It is so much easier to sit for complacency inside the safety of the pew.

[poopsie]

We each have our own battlefield, and sometimes we don't fight where others would have us fight. Some fights are hidden from the public view, and are not real attention getters, if you know what I mean. When others don't see, God does.

Personally, I don't allow others to enlist me in their wars if I can avoid it. No, my wars aren't fancy, not attention getters, and the Christian Soldiers of today would not see my little skirmishes as part of the war at all.

This author believes others to be weak, but thinks she is not. I don't believe she is to be the judge of another man's service, He is. I get awfully sick of this "stuff", frankly.

[T'wit]

I must be in a different world from this writer. The "social gospel" has been the dominant force in Christendom (or what's left of it) for more than a century. You can get here-and-now sermons by the bucket -- almost all of them supporting liberal causes -- but you don't hear a word about the hereafter. I heard one sermon this summer on global warming, with a blast NAFTA in the bargain, and an Easter service that calmly denied the Christian message altogether!. But a sensible, old-fashioned service and sermons about individual salvation are not to be found.

[farmer18th]

Big pulpit-pounding bump. Many Evangelical Christian churches are so busy "praising" God they don't have time to follow His commandments.

[farmer18th]

Yeah, that's the liberal side of the church--no heaven, no sin, just roll up your sleeves and redistribute the wealth. The author is right though that the conservative side of the church has forfeited a "better world" to these Christian Marxists. The average conservative Evangelical church is so obsessed with end times prophecy, and setting dates, that they don't hear the clackety-clack of the cattle cars coming for them. The Lord may not return for another 1,000 years. Get to Work, People!

[farmer18th]

I think there is a pretty clear message in the New Testament that worldly possessions don't really help things at all, and that they can easily drive people away from God.

So the parable of the talents was a mistake, heah? The virgins who wouldn't give up their lamp oil to the unprepared weren't getting it, heah? Your response is typically heretical--taking some of the Lord's truth and discarding what doesn't fit. Yes, the love of money is the root of all evil, but that "love of money" can just as easily be seen in the crusading progressive who justifies stealing from the rich so as to help the poor.

Christianity isn't about preserving your property and possessions;

So you're saying God got it wrong when he said, "Thou Shalt Not Steal?" The Lord had it wrong when he commanded theft to be punished with the loss of four times the amount taken? It seems to me God cares a great deal about the preservation of private property. Again, you are being a heretic, (the definition of heresy is lifting one truth out of the whole), when you pick and choose what you want from the message of Jesus.

We are even commanded to obey governmental authority, because all government rests on God's will.

A measure of that respect for authority is seen in the way Jesus responded to the money-changers. Your formulation is wrong though: Romans 13 gives the clear definition of what a Ruler should be--a minister of God unto thee for Good. If the person masquerading as authority is no longer a minister of God unto Thee for good, he is, by God's definition, no longer a ruler.

What we call redistribution of wealth in this post-Marxist age is simply following Christ's command to us to distribute our belongings to the poor and follow him.

Wrong. Jesus never commanded us to give our money to Caesar so that Caesar could care for the poor. He wanted us to do it. He knew that the Pharisees of our age-the self-satisfied welfare state civil servant--would speak once for the poor and nine times for themselves.

it's the will of God.

You don't know the will of God. Your interpretation was curiously devoid of God's clear command to rebuke sinnners, for example. You take what you want and you leave the rest.

[OWK]

We are even commanded to obey governmental authority, because all government rests on God's will.

All of you Jews... into the ovens. It is God's will.

You can't possibly be serious.

[tal hajus]

The churches that preach the gospel and salvation are out there. I attend one each Sunday, and have for the past 11 years. Perhaps you need to look harder where you live than I do, but they are there.

[tal hajus]

Precisely!! I have no doubt that the world is filled with those who are unknown but to God who are daily "travailing in prayer" for the many who regularly fill the pulpits.

[CubicleGuy]

So you're saying God got it wrong when he said, "Thou Shalt Not Steal?"

Well, I guess it all comes down to determining which is the higher law.

From the book of Matthew, chapter 19:

16. And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
17. And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.
18. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
19. Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
20. The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?
21. Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me.
22. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.
23. ¶ Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.
24. And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
25. When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?
26. But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.

Jesus took the young man at his word: he had kept the commandment "Thou shalt not steal". But if he wanted to "be perfect", there was more that was required. And it involved giving up some of his precious possessions.

There is a higher commandment than "thou shalt not steal".

[farmer18th]

The commandments aren't in conflict. Jesus doesn't tell the good progressives sitting around the campfire to forcibly take the young rich man's possessions, or vote him out of his belongings. He asks the young rich man to volunteerily give up his belongings. The great difference between a Christian and, say, a social gospel Catholic, or a Marxist, is in the liberty of the choice. A "christian" advocating the expansion of the welfare state has completely missed God's message here. Perfection isn't coerced. It is chosen.

[anniegetyourgun]

There may be some here who do not understand that the biblical mandate to obey authorities does not apply when those in authority would cause one to violate God's law. Example: Forcing a woman to have an abortion because of a one-child national policy.

[anniegetyourgun]

I would not question someone's calling, but more often I see people in the Church simply unwilling to obey the call in the first place.

[OWK]

There may be some here who do not understand that the biblical mandate to obey authorities does not apply when those in authority would cause one to violate God's law.

So individuals should obey all civil authorities, if they are consistent with God's law?

[anniegetyourgun]

As I've requested before....leave me alone.

[RnMomof7]

Bump

[OWK]

As I've requested before....leave me alone.

I had assumed from your attempts to bait me into conversations on this and other threads, that this isn't what you wanted. But if that is truly your request, I will honor it.

If you really want to be left alone however, it is best not to make comments about "some people" when clearly the one you refer to, is me.