It’s Not About Us

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Been away for some family camping, but we are now back…

Like you, I look at this world and I see evil growing exponentially over the past few years as it increases in momentum. We see the corruption, the graft and the audacious and deliberate setting aside of the US Constitution. We see the resultant growing problem of mass illegal immigration into this country and the tragic effect it is having on US society. This has all been seen in other nations as well wherever immigrants are illegally allowed into a country and financially supported by the government.

We shake our heads in abject unbelief and dismay and our mind turns to God. We wonder if or when He will do anything to stem the tide of this growing epidemic of unfettered evil. At the same time, we understand that the end times are upon us and because of this, the world’s stage is being set for the appearance of Satan’s man – Antichrist – who will value himself more highly than any other being including God during the last three and a half years of the coming Tribulation.

We understand Jesus’ physical return to this planet will end the Tribulation period and evil throughout this world. Until then, things will continue to ramp up as that time approaches. As our Lord explains in Matthew 24-25, those coming seven years will be the most evil and terrible time this world will have ever seen and we see shades of that now. However, we want to see some measure of respite and justice in the world instead of what we are currently seeing and what many are experiencing.

The Bible speaks of the type of travesty of justice seen today repeatedly. We know what happened to Naboth under King Ahaz as we read in 1 Kings 21:1-16. Ahaz wanted to buy Naboth’s vineyard, but Naboth refused since it had been in his family for years. Ahaz sulked and pouted. His wife Jezebel came to his aid and using the Mosaic Law, got worthless men to lie about Naboth publicly. Naboth was then taken out and executed and Ahaz got his vineyard. This is merely one example but the Bible is replete with them, both specific instances and a generalized attitude among various societies.

We know during Jesus’ time, the religious leaders were more into bribery, riches and power than they were in actually being good shepherds over the people of Israel/Judah. Jesus called their hypocrisy out on numerous occasions. Instead of repenting, their response was to eliminate Jesus since He was in danger of wrecking their little empire.

The USA is fast approaching another presidential election. Technocrats who run things from foreign countries through their puppet minions in nearly every western country have a great deal to lose if Trump is elected. They’re banking on Kamala (pronounced, Ka-MALL-ah according to the Jamaican origin of her name), because that’s who they selected. This is a person who polled at below 2% and was never voted on in any primary to become the Democrat candidate for president. She speaks in word salads, she is obnoxious, avoids giving direct answers and she lies constantly, but the Left pretends they love her. Technocrats only love her because they want her to finish destroying America from within using the principles of Marxism to do so and gain the world for themselves. The created rift in society is all too apparent and untenable.

Under the Biden/Harris regime, millions of people from many foreign nations have literally waltzed into this country illegally and are given EBT cards loaded with thousands of dollars. Their homes/apartments are paid for by the American taxpayers. They gain driver’s licenses even though they do not read or write English. There have been many recorded instances of at least some of these illegal immigrants slaughtering dogs, cats and wild birds for food (voodoo or both). These people are also being signed up to vote in the November election even though they have no right to vote since they are not citizens. Our DOJ is busy suing states that try to clean rolls and keep illegals from voting.

Because of this massive influx of illegal immigrants, crime has gone way up (with the FBI having quietly just released amended crime stats proving that crime has risen, though the opposite was stated truth just a few months ago), and people fear for their lives, their homes, and their belongings. Not only is nothing being done about it but our government continues to bring in more illegals and attack law-abiding citizens. This is all part of their plan to overthrow America.

Violent gangs are taking over apartment complexes in a number of US states and the Left denies that it’s happening. Those gangs are involved in murder, human and drug trafficking and other crimes. They all have guns, which is odd since criminals are not allowed to legally own guns, but I digress.

Beyond all of this, the Christian Church seems completely impotent and incompetent, no longer standing for truth, but trying way too hard to get the world’s approval. Too many are working too hard to re-envision Jesus to our liking. One of the worst campaigns of late is, “He Gets Us!”[1], which is another attempt to change the Gospel and reduce Jesus to being just a swell guy who wants to be your friend. The group’s “About Us” page makes it all too clear. It’s another attempt to rebrand Marxism with Christian overtones. In spite of Jesus calling people out of their errant lifestyles, “He Gets Us” seems to glorify sinful lifestyles.

The main focus of “He Gets Us” is projecting Jesus coming along side of people and saying, “Look, you’re fine just the way you are! There’s no need to change at all and I won’t make you! I love you, so share my love (emotion) with as many others as you can!” I’m tired of this blasphemy, but it will only worsen.

The message of the He Gets Us ads is a lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God. It’s a campaign using tens of millions of dollars to promote a different Jesus and a different gospel. It’s a clever campaign advertising a progressive gospel, a gospel that makes Jesus not the saviour of sinners—but a sponsor of leftist politics.[2]

Should this surprise us? The truth of the matter is that the Left will do whatever it takes to distort, demean and reimagine Jesus and the salvation He and He alone offers. This all stems from severe, continuing as well as growing iniquity that is ushering in a strong delusion (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12), where people will deliberately choose lies over truth solely because they hate truth. We seem to be seeing that phenomena now.

So as Christians, what should our approach be when we see this growing specter of evil, tyranny and violence throughout society, all of it built on lies? The only way to survive this is to first, understand that it is happening and that it must continue in order to usher in the final global empire headed by the Antichrist. We need to look it straight in the eyes and understand why God is allowing it to happen and grow exponentially. It’s not an accident. It’s being directed by Satan and God allows it.

Second, let me direct readers’ attention to a pastor from the 1800s. Not too many Christians today are familiar with the writings of Jonathan Edwards, but let me take a moment or two to introduce readers to him and the way he thought and taught. Edwards was a prolific writer and speaker, as well as a pastor. In the year 1736 he wrote and delivered a sermon called, “Men Naturally Are God’s Enemies.” I’d like to quote from it to see if there is any correlation between what he says and what is happening today.

In his message, he speaks of what he calls, Restraining grace a great privilege (section VI). In that section, Edwards speaks of the fact that God and God alone is the restraining force on earth to keep evil from being as evil as it could be. In other words, without God’s restraint, society would have descended into a society not unlike the times of Noah where every thought and action was constant evil.

If we have seen others do things that we never did; and if they have done worse than we, this is owing to restraining grace. If we have not done as bad as Pharaoh, it is owing to divine restraints. If we have not done as bad as Judas, or as the scribes and Pharisees, or as bad as Herod, or Simon Magus, it is because God has restrained our corruption. If we have ever heard or read of any that have done worse than we; if we have not gone the length in sinning, that the most wicked pirates or carnal persecutors have gone, this is owing to restraining grace. For we are all naturally the enemies of God as much as they. If we have not committed the unpardonable sin, it is owing to restraining grace. There is no worse principle in exercise in that sin, than enmity against God. There is the entire fountain, and all the foundation of the sin against the Holy Ghost, in that enmity against God that naturally reigns in us.

It is not we that restrain ourselves from the commission of the greatest imaginable wickedness; for enmity against God reigns in us and over us; we are under its power and dominion, and are sold under it. We do not restrain that which reigns over us. A slave, as long as he continues a mere slave, cannot control his master…What does a poor, impotent subject do to restrain the absolute Lord, that has him wholly under his power? How much will it appear that the world is indebted to the restraining grace of God, if we consider that the world is full of enemies to God. The world is full of inhabitants; and almost all are God’s enemies, his implacable and mortal enemies. What therefore would they not do, what work would they not make, if God did not restrain them?[3]

Edwards’ main point is that many to most in this world are absolute enemies of God and deliberately so. Prior to receiving salvation, we also were enemies of God, headed to eternal damnation (Romans 5:10). Yet, even after receiving salvation, we continue our earthly lives with a sin nature we were born with and because of that, our desires naturally oppose God and His purposes. We must rely on His strength to retrain ourselves in our thinking to live lives as He wants us to live and that, my friends, is not easy at all. We are at war against our sin nature and only through God’s strength can we live correctly. Unsaved people do not even try and have no ability even if they wanted to.

Consider how many in this world remain enemies of God, living lives that seek to oppose Him at every turn! They do not have salvation and they do not seek it.

God’s work in the restraint that he exercises over a wicked world, is a glorious work. God’s holding the reins upon the corruptions of a wicked world, and setting bounds to their wickedness, is a more glorious work, than his ruling the raging of the sea, and setting bounds to its proud waves…In hell, God lets the wickedness of wicked spirits have the reins, to rage without restraint; and it would be in a great measure upon earth as it is in hell, did not God restrain the wickedness of the world.[4; emphasis added]

Edwards notes that in spite of how wicked things may look to us, God exercises restraint on this world so that it does not become as evil as it could become (and will be in hell). One of the things that makes hell so insufferable is the fact that there will be absolutely zero restraint on those who abide there along with zero deception. Think about that!

If not for God restraining evil as He does, life would essentially be hell literally, with people doing, thinking and saying whatever comes to their minds without letup. Unlike hell where there is no respite from evil and no moments of goodness, this world enjoys respites because of God’s restraining hand. In hell, people will not only continue sinning but they will sin to the Nth degree all the time, worsening throughout eternity. That is not currently what exists in this world as ugly as things may become. However, during the coming Tribulation period, the world will get a taste of unprecedented, unparalleled and unrestrained evil, far worse than what existed during Noah’s day.

Folks, it is not about us. It is about God and His will. He created and owns the entire Creation. He has never abdicated. He continues controlling this world for His purposes and glory. We need to get over ourselves and understand our higher calling because time is short.

We need to learn to focus on the fact that there is still beauty in this world along with at least some measure of righteousness (from those who know Him and God exercising His restraint). This is solely due to God. This does not mean we will never be on the direct receiving end of evil. It simply means that because of God’s restraining hand, the evil that is allowed to touch us is for our growth and His glory and it will never be fully unadulterated evil that will only exist in hell.

As evil continues to increase and the world becomes a far more dangerously evil place, we can know that God is still fully in charge, not merely directing our steps, but restraining evil so that it does not have full sway over this world. It is tempting to think God is not aware, that He is not doing anything, that wrongs will not be righted. But the exact opposite holds true. He is aware. He is doing something and all wrongs will be righted in His time and in His way.

That may not sound encouraging but it really is when we consider the fact that God is restraining evil so that it does not become as evil as it could become.

[1] https://hegetsus.com/en

[2] https://slowtowrite.com/he-gets-us-doesnt-get-jesus/

[3] https://www.biblebb.com/files/edwards/enemies.htm

[4] Ibid

Theology and Politics from a Conservative, Biblical Perspective

Source: https://studygrowknowblog.com/2024/10/17/its-not-about-us/