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pastorfrin
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Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re: Christian Patriotism

Christian Patriotism
by Alonzo Trevier Jones

PART II: SEPARATION THROUGHOUT BIBLE

Chapter XI

The First of all the Commandments

The first of all the commandments is:

Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40


These two commandments exist in the very nature of any two intelligent creatures in the universe. They existed in the first two intelligent creatures that ever had a place in the universe.

When the first intelligence was created and there was no creature but himself; he owed to God his existence and all that he was or could be - heart, soul, might, mind, and strength. It devolved upon him to render to God the tribute of all this, and to love God with all his heart, and all his soul, and all his mind, and all his strength. And this is the first of all the commandments.

But the second commandment would have no place if there were but one intelligent creature in the universe; for then he would have no neighbor. But when the second intelligent creature was created, the first of all the commandments was first and now the second great commandment existed in the very nature and existence of these two intelligent creatures.

Each of the two created intelligences owed to the Lord all that he was and had, and all that he could ever rightly have. Neither of them had anything that was self-derived. Each owed all to God. There was between them no ground of preference. And this was because of the honor that each owed to God; because to each, God was all in all.

As soon as the first man was created, the first of all the commandments was there, even though there was no other creature in the universe. And as soon as the woman was created, these two great commandments were there. And there was none other commandment greater than these.

Now, if these two great commandments had been observed by man on the earth, that is, had man never sinned, there always would have been perfect and supreme religion; and there never would have been a State. God would always have been by everyone recognized as the only Ruler, His law as the only law, His authority as the only authority. There would have been government, but only the government of God. There would have been society, but only the society of saints. But there would have been, and could have been, no State.

The observance of these first two of all the commandments, is simply Christian loyalty, which means the absolute separation of religion and the State. And thus the principle of separation of religion and the State inheres in the very existence of intelligent creatures.

But man did sin. And, having sinned, having departed from God, mankind did not love God with all the heart nor their neighbor as themselves. Christianity was introduced to bring man back to his original relationship, which he had lost.

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10


And Christ hath suffered for us, "the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God." 1 Peter 3:18 The one great purpose of Christianity then, is to restore man to his original relationship to God. Its purpose is to restore him to the condition in which he can love God with all the heart, with all the soul, with all the mind, and with all the strength, and his neighbor as himself. It is to restore him to obedience to these first two of all the commandments. It is to restore him to perfect and supreme religion.

We have seen that such a condition maintained from the beginning would have been the absolute separation of religion and the State; because, then, there never could have been any State. And now, as the one great purpose of Christianity is to restore man completely to that condition, it follows with perfect conclusiveness that Christianity in its very essence, demands the absolute separation of religion and the State in all who profess it.

And it must not be forgotten that the complete separation of religion and the State in those who profess religion, can be maintained only by these persons themselves being separated from the State. For it is so plain as to be indisputable that if the professor of religion is himself a part of the State, then in him there is at once a union of religion and the State.




 2008/3/5 17:29Profile
pastorfrin
Member



Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re: Christian Patriotism

Christian Patriotism
by Alonzo Trevier Jones

PART II: SEPARATION THROUGHOUT BIBLE



Chapter XII

Origin of the State

It is certain that if the two greatest of all the commandments had always been observed by all men, there never could have been a State on the earth.

There would have been society, but no State. The government would have been altogether the government of God. God being the only King, the only Governor, on earth, even as in heaven.

There would have been society, but no State. The will of God would have been done on earth even as in heaven by men loving God with all the heart, and all the soul, and all the mind, and all the strength, and their neighbors as themselves. All would have been one united, harmonious, happy, holy family.

There is an essential distinction between society and the State.

Society is the union which exists between men, without distinction of frontiers - without exterior restraint - and for the sole reason that they are men.

The civil society or State is an assemblage of men subject to a common authority, to common laws, - that is to say, a society whose members may be constrained by public force to respect their reciprocal rights. Two necessary elements enter into the idea of the State: laws and force. - Janet, Elements of Morals, p. 143.


This distinction, however, though clear and easily evident, is seldom recognized. Indeed, it is not recognized at all by those who are anxious to secure the union of religion and the State.

Men did not observe these two "first of all the commandments." They would not love God with all their heart; they would not love their neighbors as themselves. They rejected God as their only ruler, their only sovereign, and became ambitious to rule over one another; thus originated politics and the State.

The Scripture outlines the story:

When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind. Romans 1:21-23,28


At first, men did know God. But they chose not to glorify Him, not to honor Him, not to give Him the first place in all their thoughts and actions. Knowing God, they did not like to retain Him in their knowledge.

The next step was that they became vain in their own imaginations. They professed themselves to be wise, of themselves. The consequence was that they became fools; and their foolish hearts were darkened.

In their vain imaginations they made gods of their own. And then to assist themselves in their worship, they made images of the gods which they had imagined.

The image was always the outward, tangible form of the god which they had already conceived in the imagination. Imagining is simply mental imaging. The outward form of the god, whether it be the shining sun in the heavens or a hideously-shaped block of wood or stone, is only the outward form of the imaging that has already been performed in the imagination.

Thus, from the knowledge of the true God, they went to the worship of false gods. From the light, they went into darkness. From righteousness, they went into wickedness.

This is the truth. And the records of the earliest nations witness to it. The earliest records - those of the plain of Shinar - witness that the people at first had a knowledge of the true God. The records of the next two of the earliest nations, Egypt and Assyria, bear witness to this same thing.

In all these places the earliest records testify that the gods were their first rulers and the real kings; while men, in the places of authority, were but the servants, the viceroys of the gods who were held to be the real kings.

For instance, one of the earliest records from Shinar runs thus: "To [the god] Ninridu, his King, for the preservation of Idadu, viceroy of Ridu, the servant, the delight of Ninridu." Another: "To [the god] Ninip the King, his King, Gudea, viceroy of [the god] Zirgulla, his house built." Another: "To Nana, the lady, lady splendid, his lady, Gudea, viceroy of Zirgulla . . . raised." - Empires of the Bible, chap. 6, par. 3, 4.

These are not only the earliest of the records that have been found in that land, but they themselves show that they are of the earliest records that were made in that land. And they clearly testify of a time when there were no kings amongst men. The gods were the kings; and the men in authority claimed only to be the viceroys of the gods who were held to be the real kings.

And all this testifies of a time further back, when the people knew and recognized God as the only king and rightful ruler of men. They show also that this knowledge of God was so recent, and still so strong upon the minds of the people, that men who stood in places of authority had not the boldness to assume the title of king, even though they held the power.

The records of Egypt and Assyria testify precisely to these same things. And at that time, also, there was no State. There was only society.

There came a time, however, when even this lingering knowledge of God as king and the only rightful ruler, was cut off; and the man himself assumed the full title and prerogatives of king.

Continued:

 2008/3/13 4:57Profile
pastorfrin
Member



Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re: Christian Patriotism

Christian Patriotism
by Alonzo Trevier Jones

PART II: SEPARATION THROUGHOUT BIBLE




Chapter XIII

Nimrod Becomes First King

Nimrod was the first man in the world who had the boldness to take to himself the title and prerogative of king, in the face of the yet lingering idea of God as king. And the name which he bears itself testifies to the fact that his action in this was considered by men, and also by the Lord, as precisely the bold thing which is here indicated. The word 'Nimrod' "signifies rebellion, supercilious contempt, and is equivalent to 'the extremely impious rebel.'"

The Bible record of Nimrod is that, "He began to be a mighty one in the earth." Another translation reads:

Cush begat Nimrod, who was the first to be a despot on the earth. He was an overbearing tyrant in Jehovah's sight; wherefore the saying, Even as Nimrod, the overbearing tyrant in Jehovah's sight. Genesis 10:8, 9


That is, Nimrod was the first one to establish the might, the power, the authority, of human government, in the form of an organized State. He was the first man to assert the power and prerogatives, and assume the title of king over men. "And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar." Genesis 10:10

Consequently:

With the setting up of Nimrod's kingdom, the entire ancient world entered a new historical phase. The oriental tradition which makes that warrior the first man who wore a kingly crown, points to a fact more significant than the assumption of a new ornament of dress, or even the conquest of a province. His reign introduced to the world a new system of relations between the governor and the governed.

The authority of former rulers rested upon the feeling of kindred; and the ascendancy of the chief was an image of parental control. Nimrod, on the contrary, was a sovereign of territory, and of men just so far as they were its inhabitants, and irrespective of personal ties.
Hitherto there had been tribes - enlarged families - society: now there was a nation, a political community - THE STATE. The political and social history of the world henceforth are distinct, if not divergent. - Empires of the Bible, chap. 6, par. 7.


Such was the true origin of the State. The State was, and is, the result of the apostasy of men from God. It is the state's only possible origin; for if all men had always observed the two great commandments, it would have been impossible for there ever to have been any State. There could have been no human authority exercised. All would have been equally subject to God; He would have been the only sovereign.

Before Nimrod, there was society. Respect of the rights of persons and of their property was maintained. It was only when the apostasy grew, and men got farther and farther from God, that the monarchical idea was established and personified in Nimrod.

Let no one misunderstand. This is not to say, nor even to imply, that there should now be no human government, that there should be no State, nor even that there should be no monarchy. It is simply to say the truth - that if there never had been any apostasy from God, there never could have been on earth a State, nor any human government.

It is true that these things are the consequences of the apostasy from God. When men have apostatized from God, monarchies such as that of Nimrod or of Nero, became necessary, just in proportion to the degree of apostasy.

It is better that there should be a government, bad as it may be, than that there should be no government at all. Even such a government as Nimrod's or Nero's is better than none at all. But without apostasy there could never have been any human government; and without the apostasy having gone to a fearful length, there never could have been any such government as Nimrod's or Nero's.

Nimrod's example was eagerly followed by all the tribes around, until they were all absorbed in it. Society had passed away, and only States remained; and all of these States were idolatrous. In all that region, only Abraham believed God, even his own parents being idolaters. "They served other gods." Joshua 24:2

Continued:

 2008/3/17 20:24Profile
pastorfrin
Member



Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re: Christian Patriotism

Christian Patriotism
by Alonzo Trevier Jones

PART II: SEPARATION THROUGHOUT BIBLE



Chapter XIV
Separation of Church and State

God chose Abraham then to be the father of all them that believed God; the father of all who will have God alone to be their God. Abraham represented the religion of God, the beginning of the Church of God.

And God separated Abraham from the State. He said to Abraham:

Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, into a land that I will show thee. Genesis 12:1


In separating Abraham from the State, from his country, God taught the people then, and through all time, the separation of Church and State.

It must not be forgotten that in the case of Abraham, this universal example, the separation of religion and the State, was the separation of the individual believer from the State. And as Abraham was at that time the Church, and he was separated from the State, it is plainly taught that the true separation of Church and State is in the separation of the individual Church-member from the State. Besides, when the same individual is a member of both the church and the State, there is at once in him a union of church and State.

When God said to Abraham, "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee." Genesis 12:1

Abraham "went out, not knowing whither he went." Hebrews 11:8

God had not yet shown him the land or country into which he was to go, and which was to be his. So far, the Lord had only promised to show it to him.

There were three things, however, which Abraham must do before he could fairly expect God to show him the country which He had promised, and which was to be his. First, he was to get out of his country; secondly, from his kindred; thirdly, from his father's house.

He left his country; but when he did so, his father and his kindred went with him to Haran, and dwelt there. There his father died; and now, separated from his father's house, he went on to the land of Canaan.

Abraham was now separated from his country and his father's house. But there accompanied him yet one of his kindred, Lot, his brother's son. While Lot was with him, he was not yet separated from his kindred. The time could not come for God to show to him the land, nor the country which He would give him.

But there came a day when Lot should be separated from him. Lot chose all the plain of the Jordan, and journeyed east, and "they separated thus, one from the other." Genesis 13:11

And it was then that God showed to Abraham the land which He had promised to show him, the country which should be his. The Lord said unto Abraham, after Lot was separated from him:

Lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward; for all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed forever. Genesis 13:14-15


And the promised country which the Lord then showed to Abraham, that was to be an everlasting possession - that country embraced the world.

The promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. Romans 4:13


Therefore, when at the word of the Lord Abraham lifted up his eyes to see what the Lord would show him, he saw "the world to come," which is to be the everlasting possession of all them which be of faith. For "if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:29

And from that day forward Abraham "sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country," looking for "a better country, that is, an heavenly," and looking "for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Hebrews 11:9,16,10

For, though God promised that He would give to Abraham that land, and to his seed after him, yet as long as he was in this world God really "gave him none inheritance in it, no not so much as to set his foot on." Acts 7:5

God had called Abraham out of his original country, and thus had separated him from it. Then He gave him not even so much as to "set his foot on" in any other country in this world.

Abraham at that time represented the religion of God. The Lord in His dealing thus with Abraham and in recording it, has shown that it is His will that there should be an absolute separation of His religion from any State. And in thus showing the complete separation of His religion from any State, He shows that this separation consists in the separation of the individual believer, from any State.
Are you walking "in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham," the friend of God? Romans 4

Abraham, representing at that time the Church of Christ, being totally separated by the Lord from every State and country on the earth, has shown to all people, that there should be total separation of Church and State, and that the Church of Christ can never have any country in the world. And in thus showing that the Church of Christ can never have any country in this world, He shows that the individual members of the Church of Christ can never have any country in this world; for that which composes the Church of Christ is the individual membership.

So also dwelt Isaac and Jacob, heirs with Abraham of the same promise. Accepting with Abraham separation from every earthly State and country and confessing "that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth," they were looking for the country which God had prepared for them, and the city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

They accepted this freely of their own choice, by faith in God. This is recorded in Hebrews:

Truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He hath prepared for them a city. Hebrews 11:15,16


This dealing of God with Abraham, and the record of it, was for the instruction of all the people who would believe God, from that time to the world's end. For Abraham was the called, the chosen, the friend, of God, the father of all them that believe. And all "they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." Galatians 3:9

In this instruction of God's dealings with Abraham is the great lesson that the religion of God means separation of religion and the State. Are you walking in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham? Have you gotten out of your country? Or have you still a country in this world? Is there in you a union of religion and the State?

Further:

Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ. Galatians 3:16


Therefore the promises recorded and referred to in the scripture, "To Abraham and his Seed," are always to Abraham and Christ, and to Abraham in Christ. Therefore, "if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Galatians 3:29

And when Christ, that promised Seed, came into the world a man amongst men, then in Him, as formerly in Abraham, there was represented the religion of God and the Church of Christ. And as such He ever maintained the same principle of separation of religion and State which He Himself had set before the world in the life and record of Abraham.

He refused to recognize, even by a sign, the wish of the people to make Him king. John 6:15
He refused, when requested, to act the part of a judge or a divider over men as to the rights of property. Luke 12:13-15

He refused to recognize the national lines of distinction, the wall of partition, which Israel in their exclusiveness had built up between themselves and other nations.

He refused to judge, or to allow any others to judge, any one for not believing on Him.
John 12:47-48

He distinctly declared that, though He is a King, His kingdom is not of this world, and that it is not in any way connected with this world. John 18:36

He distinctly declared the separation of His religion from the State. "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." Mark 12:17

When He sent forth His disciples with His heavenly commission to preach the Gospel of His kingdom, He sent them not to one particular nation, but to "teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost. Matthew 28:19

He sent them to preach the Gospel; not to one particular, favored, exclusive people, but "to every creature." Mark 16:15

Thus it is seen again that in every phase of the fundamental principle of the religion of God and the Church of Christ, from the beginning to the end of the world, there is required the absolute separation of religion and the State - the total disconnection of His Church from every State and country in the world, and from the world itself.

And this total disconnection of His Church from every State and country in this world, and from the world itself, can be accomplished only by the total disconnection of the individual members of His Church from every State and country in the world, and from the world itself.

"Ye are not of the world; for I have chosen you out of the world." "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." John 15:19; 17:16

Are you of the world?

Continued:

 2008/3/22 9:35Profile
ginnyrose
Member



Joined: 2004/7/7
Posts: 7534
Mississippi

 Re:

Quote:
Yet to the Roman mind, the law itself was the test of right or wrong.



This phrase caught my eye...some things never change: we have heard this reasoning used to justify working on Sundays. "It is not against the law to work on Sundays so therefore it is foolish to not do so!" Or, "it is not against the law to abort a baby!" Such shallow thinking!

Yes, to many people civil law dictates their ethics, morals, hence the drive to change it so they can in 'good conscience' violate that moral law of God.

**sigh**

ginnyrose


_________________
Sandra Miller

 2008/3/22 10:39Profile
pastorfrin
Member



Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re: "Such shallow thinking!"



Quote:

ginnyrose wrote:
Quote:
Yet to the Roman mind, the law itself was the test of right or wrong.



This phrase caught my eye...some things never change: we have heard this reasoning used to justify working on Sundays. "It is not against the law to work on Sundays so therefore it is foolish to not do so!" Or, "it is not against the law to abort a baby!" Such shallow thinking!

Yes, to many people civil law dictates their ethics, morals, hence the drive to change it so they can in 'good conscience' violate that moral law of God.

**sigh**

ginnyrose




Hi ginnyrose,


"Such shallow thinking!"

Yes, and shallow thinking comes from self and we know where self leads one.
No wonder laws are made to appease the majority and the majority are concerned with their own
'freedom to sin'.


Quote:
Yes, to many people civil law dictates their ethics, morals, hence the drive to change it so they can in 'good conscience' violate that moral law of God.



This is what happens when Romans 13 is misused by an apostate church and the world that it empowers.

Yes **SIGH**

In His Love
pastorfrin

 2008/3/22 12:54Profile
pastorfrin
Member



Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re: Christian Patriotism

Christian Patriotism
by Alonzo Trevier Jones

PART II: SEPARATION THROUGHOUT BIBLE


Chapter XV

Renunciation of Egypt

In the beginnings of Egypt the same course was followed as in the beginnings of Babylon and Assyria. At first they knew the one true God; and He was their only King, their only Ruler. But they did not like to retain God in their knowledge; and therefore they went into idolatry, and from idolatry into monarchy.

The Egyptian records state that the first rulers of Egypt were the gods; after them the demigods; and after these the kings. In Egypt, however, the king was not content, as in Assyria, to call himself the viceroy of his god; he claimed to be the very embodiment of the god itself - the god was personated in the king. From him, it was declared, the people "received the breath of their nostrils"; he was "the giver of life." - Empires of the Bible, chap. 7, par. 38,44.

Thus, though Nimrod was the first man to establish monarchical authority and assume the kingly title and crown, yet in Egypt his example was followed to the greatest lengths. Egypt was undoubtedly the most idolatrous nation that ever was on the earth. There apostasy of every kind culminated, so that throughout the Bible the one word, "Egypt" symbolizes everything that is contrary to God.

When the power of monarchy had filled the Mesopotamian plain, God called Abraham out of that country into the land of Canaan. There he could be free, and thus made a separation of Church and State, and preached the same to all people.

But in time, and by Egypt, the power of monarchy was spread over all countries, from Ethiopia to Ararat and central Asia. Then, as His people were obliged to live under the power of monarchy anyway, the Lord put them where they could do the most possible good - He placed them at the very seat of the world's empire, in Egypt itself.

There, through all the time of the supremacy of the Egyptian Empire, with Joseph and Moses beside the throne, and Israel amongst the people of Egypt, God held before all nations the knowledge of Himself. And as soon as the time came when the Egyptian Empire must fall, God would place His people once more in Canaan, the pivot of the highways of the nations.

To this end there must be again taught to the world the separation of religion and the State, the separation of Church and State. God's people must be called out of Egypt, in order that they and all the nations might be instructed in the great principles of the Gospel; namely, supreme allegiance to God, and of the separation of religion and the State.

Moses understood this, and therefore he "refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter." Hebrews 11:24
Moses was the adopted son of Pharoah's daughter. Pharoah's daughter was Pharoah's chief wife, and queen. Moses, therefore, by the most complete claim, was heir apparent to the throne of Egypt. And as the king was then more than eighty years old, it could be but a little while till Moses would possess the throne of Egypt. The throne of Egypt was at that time the throne of the world; for the power of Egypt then ruled the world. It was the supreme State, the governing empire over all. See "Empires of the Bible," chap. 7.

For Moses to refuse to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter was therefore to renounce the throne of Egypt. To renounce the throne of Egypt was to renounce the power of empire. It was definitely to disconnect from the State.

At that time Moses was called to have charge over "the house of God, which is the church of the living God." 1 Timothy 3:15 It was in obedience to this call that he renounced the throne of Egypt and the power of empire. It was because of this that he definitely disconnected himself from the State. And in recording it, God designed to teach all people that conformity to His will means the separation of Church and State. It means the renunciation of the throne and the power of an earthly empire - the total separation of religion and the State. In recording it, God designs to teach that union with His Church means separation from the State.

And it was through the faith of Christ that Moses did all this. It was "through faith" that:

Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharoah's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. Hebrews 11:24-26


Therefore, from that day to this, it has been made plain to all people that faith in God, the faith of Jesus Christ, the original principle of the Gospel and the Church, means the absolute separation of Church and State; the renunciation of the throne and power of earthly dominion; the total separation of religion and the State. And uniting with the Church of Christ means separation from the State and countries of this world. This is what faith in God, the faith of Jesus Christ, the fundamental principle of the Gospel and of the Church, means to all people in the world to-day.

Continued:

 2008/3/25 17:04Profile
pastorfrin
Member



Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re: Christian Patriotism

Christian Patriotism
by Alonzo Trevier Jones

PART II: SEPARATION THROUGHOUT BIBLE

Chapter XVI

Choosing a King

Forty years the Lord led and fed His people in the wilderness. All this time He was teaching them the way of allegiance to Himself - the way of faith. This He did in order that His purpose might be fulfilled through them in the land whither they were going to possess it.

At the end of forty years they were encamped in the plain of Moab, opposite Jericho, preparatory to entering the land of their possession. While there encamped, the will of God concerning them was declared by an irresistible inspiration upon the prophet Balaam, and in words of instruction to His people for all time. And the words are these:

Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Numbers 23:9


At that time the Lord's people composed "the church in the wilderness." Acts 7:38 In declaring that they should dwell alone and not be reckoned among the nations, He plainly declared that His Church should be forever separated from every State and nation on the earth. God never intended that His people should be formed into a kingdom, or State, or government, like the people of this world; nor that they should in any way be connected with any kingdom, or State, or government, of this world.

They were not to be like the nations or the people around them. They were to be separated unto God "from all the people that are upon the face of the earth." Exodus 33:16 The people were to dwell alone, and were not to be reckoned among the nations.

Their government was to be a theocracy - pure and simple: God their only King, their only Ruler, their only Lawgiver. Isaiah 33:22 It was indeed to be a Church organization, beginning with the organization of "the church in the wilderness," and was to be separated from every idea of a State. The system formed in the wilderness through Moses, was to continue in Canaan; and was intended to be perpetual.

The government of Israel was administered in the name and by the authority of Jehovah. The work of Moses, of the seventy elders, of the rulers and judges, was simply to enforce the laws that God had given. They had no authority to legislate for the nation. For God had declared plainly:

Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it. Deuteronomy 4:2


Thus the principles of their government were solely those of a pure theocracy. And such was and continued to be the condition of Israel's existence as a nation. In any government it is only loyalty to the principles of the government, on the part of its citizens, that can make it a success.

But loyalty to these principles demanded that each one of the people should constantly recognize, and court, the abiding presence of God with him as the sole King, Ruler, and Lawgiver, in all the conduct of his daily life. Yet it is "by faith" that God dwells in the heart and rules in the life. And "without faith it is impossible to please Him." Hebrews ll:6 Therefore the existence of the original government of Israel, and the existence of Israel as a nation, depended upon a living, abiding faith in God, on the part of each individual of the people of Israel.

And just here, the only point where Israel could fail, Israel failed. The people did not abide in faith. They did not remain loyal to God as their King:

Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the Lord, died, being an hundred and ten years old. . . . And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers; and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the Lord, nor yet the works which He had done for Israel. And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served Baalim; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the Lord to anger. And they forsook the Lord, and served Baal and Ashtaroth. Judges 2:8-13


Then all the evils that came upon them because of their apostasy and idolatry, they charged back upon the government of God. Their country was sacked by continued raids of the heathen. They were oppressed. Yet through it all they could only see evidence that for all practical purposes the government of God had failed.

They therefore reached the conclusion that in order to maintain their standing among the nations, the tribes must be united under a strong central government. As they departed from obedience to God's law, they desired to be freed from the rule of their divine Sovereign; and thus the demand for a monarchy became widespread throughout Israel. Accordingly, they said to Samuel, "Make us a king to judge us like all the nations." 1 Samuel 8:5

As their hearts were fully set on having a king like all the nations, and as they were practically like all the nations anyhow, the best thing the Lord could do for them was to let them have their king. Nevertheless, He said to Samuel, "Protest solemnly unto them." 1 Samuel 8:9

Samuel did so, but still they insisted:

Nay; but we will have a king over us; that we also may be like all the nations; and that our king may judge us, and go out before us, and fight our battles. 1 Samuel 8:19-20


And of it all the Lord said to Samuel, "They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them." And Samuel said unto them, "Ye have this day rejected your God," and "have said unto him, Nay; but set a king over us." 1 Samuel 8:7; 10:19

It was the same story of Babylon, Assyria, and Egypt, over again. When they knew God, they glorified Him not as God. And as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, the arch-deceiver seduced them into idolatry, and from idolatry into monarchy, in order that he might gain supremacy over them, and by worldly influence entice them, or by force prohibit them, from the service of God.

It was to save them from all this that the Lord had said of them, "The people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations." If they had remained faithful to this principle, there never would have been amongst Israel a State or a kingdom.

Therefore, in announcing this principle, God intended forever that they should be completely separated from any such thing as a State or kingdom on the earth.

When that word was spoken they were "the Church." It is absolutely certain that in announcing that principle, God intended to teach them and all people forever that His plainly-declared will is that there shall be a complete separation between His Church and every State or kingdom on the earth; there shall never be any connection between His religion and any State or kingdom in the world.

As that people were then the Church, and as the Lord said they rejected Him when they formed that State and kingdom, it is perfectly plain by the Word of the Lord that whenever the Church forms any connection with any State or kingdom on the earth, in the very doing of it, she rejects God.

But it is impossible for the Church ever to form any connection with any State except by the individual members of the Church forming a connection with the State. Therefore, as the Church in forming such connection rejects God, and as it is impossible to do this except by the individual members of the Church, it is perfectly plain that the teaching of the Word of God is that for members of the Church to form any connection with the State is to reject God.

And from ancient time all this was written for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come. Will the people to-day be admonished by it?

Continued:

 2008/3/30 17:44Profile
pastorfrin
Member



Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re: Christian Patriotism

Christian Patriotism
by Alonzo Trevier Jones

PART II: SEPARATION THROUGHOUT BIBLE


Chapter XVII

"Like all the Nations"

God had said of Israel, "Lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations." Numbers 23:9

But, contrary to His expressed will, and against his solemn protest, Israel set up a kingdom and established a State. They did this, they plainly said, that they might be "like all the nations." 1 Samuel 8:5 Contrary to all the Lord's wishes, the people would "be reckoned among the nations."

But Israel was the Church, while all the nations were States. Israel, therefore, could not be like the nations without forming themselves into a State.

But Israel, being the Church, could not possibly form themselves into a State without at the same time, and in the very doing of it, forming a union of Church and State.

They did form themselves into a State, and did thus unite Church and State. But as this was contrary to the Lord's plain Word, and against His solemn protest, it certainly stands as the truth that any union of Church and State is against the plain Word and the solemn protest of God.

Israel as "the Church," which is "the pillar and ground of the truth," 1 Timothy 3:15 was the depository and the representative of the true religion in the world. Then when Israel formed themselves into a State, this was nothing else than a union of religion and the State. And as their forming of a State was contrary to the expressed will and the solemn protest of the Lord, it is clearly the truth that any connection between religion and the State is positively against the expressed will and the solemn protest of God.

And as Israel, the depository and representative of the true religion, in order to form a union of religion and the State, had to reject God, it is certainly true that every other people, in forming a union of religion and the State, reject God.

Nothing can be plainer, therefore, than that the God of heaven and earth, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, is eternally opposed to a union of religion and the State. He will never be a party to any such transaction.

This is why He desired that "the people should dwell alone." This is why He would have it that they should "not be reckoned among the nations." He desired that they should abide with Him, and have Him their only God, their only King, their only Ruler, their only Lawgiver Isaiah 33:22 - their "all in all." 1 Corinthians 15:28

God wanted not only that Israel, but that all people on the earth, should know that He is better than all other gods, that He is a better King than all other kings, that He is a better Ruler than all other rulers, that He is a better Lawgiver than all other lawgivers, that His law is better than all other laws, and that His government is better than all other governments.

For this reason He would station Israel in Palestine, at the pivot of the highways of the nations; with the God of heaven as their only King, Ruler, and Lawgiver; with His law their only law, and His government their only government; the people dwelling alone and not reckoned among the nations - a holy, happy people; a glorious Church.

Dwelling thus in the sight of all the nations that had forgotten God, those nations would be constantly taught the goodness of God and would be once more drawn to Him. Accordingly He told them:

Behold I have taught you statutes and judgments, . . . that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. Deuteronomy 4:5,6


But Israel would not have it so. Israel would "be reckoned among the nations." Israel would be "like all the nations." And so it has been, from that day to this. God has never been allowed by His professed people to reveal Himself to the world as He really is. His Church has always been too willing to "be reckoned among the nations," to willing to be "like all the nations." She has always been too willing to be joined to the State, to be a part of the State, to have religion a matter of State and government, "like all the nations." And so it is with the church in all the world to-day.

"Like all the nations." The Israelites did not realize that to be in this respect unlike other nations was a special privilege and blessing. God had separated the Israelites from every other people, to make them His own peculiar treasure. But they, disregarding this high honor, eagerly desired to imitate the example of the heathen.

And still the longing to conform to worldly customs and practices exists among the professed people of God. As they depart from the Lord they become ambitious for the gains and honors of the world. Christians are constantly seeking to imitate the practices of those who worship the god of this world. Many urge that by uniting with worldlings and conforming to their customs, they might exert a stronger influence over the ungodly.

But all who pursue this course thereby separate from the Source of their strength. Becoming the friends of the world, they are the enemies of God. James 4:4 For the sake of earthly distinction they sacrifice the unspeakable honor to which God has called them, of showing forth the praises of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.

The days of Israel's greatest prosperity were those in which they acknowledged Jehovah as their King - when the laws and government which He established were regarded as superior to those of all other nations. - Patriarchs and Prophets, chap. 59, par. 8-13.

Such will be the days of any people's greatest prosperity. God's laws, just as they stand, without any reenactment, without any adding to or diminishing from, are superior to all other laws. His government, administered by Himself through the operation of His eternal Spirit in each individual heart, is superior to every other government.

But how shall the people know this, who know not God, so long as His own people will not have it so? How shall the nations know this, when His professed church will not recognize it or have it so?

Instead of holding fast God's laws and government as superior to those of all States and nations, the professed people of God consider that they must enter the politics and shape the policies, tinker the laws and manipulate the governments of the States and nations of the world.

Instead of magnifying God's laws and government before all the world, as superior to the laws and governments of all the nations, and showing unswerving allegiance to them as such, the people of the professed churches of God seek to mingle heavenly citizenship Philippians 3:20 with earthly citizenship. They bring down from their superior place the laws and government of God, and mix them up with the laws and government of all the nations in an unseemly and ungodly union of religion and the State.

And thus the people of the professed churches of God, of the young people's societies and leagues professing Christianity - of all the combined church elements of the land - are following directly in the track of the church of ancient Israel. They will not dwell alone; they will be reckoned among the nations; they will be like all the nations; they will join themselves to the State; they will form a union of religion and the State; they will reject God, that He should not reign over them.

Continued:

 2008/4/3 21:09Profile
pastorfrin
Member



Joined: 2006/1/19
Posts: 1406


 Re: Christian Patriotism

Christian Patriotism
by Alonzo Trevier Jones

PART II: SEPARATION THROUGHOUT BIBLE



Chapter XVIII

Result of being "Like the Nations"

Israel would form a State, and have a king, that they might be "like all the nations." All the nations were heathen. To be "like all the nations," then, was only to be like the heathen.

All the nations became heathen by rejecting God. Then when Israel would be "like all the nations" - like all the heathen, they could do so only by rejecting God. "They have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them." 1 Samuel 8:7

When Israel formed a State, they thereby created a union of religion and the State. But they had to reject God in order to form a State. Therefore they had to reject God in order to form a union of religion and the State.

It follows, therefore, plainly, that no people can ever form a union of religion and the State without rejecting God.

Even though Israel had rejected God, He did not reject them. He still cared for them; and, through His prophets, still sought to teach and guide them, ever doing His best to save them from the evil consequences which were inevitable in the course which they had taken.

Long before the days of Samuel and Saul, Israel had been taught what would be the outcome of forming themselves into a State and choosing a king; for the formation of a kingdom in the days of Saul was but the culmination of a long-cherished desire in that direction.

After the great victories of Gideon, a hundred years before the days of Saul:

The men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son's son also; for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian. Judges 8:22


This was nothing else than a proposition to establish at that time a kingdom, with Gideon as the first king, and the kingship to be hereditary in his family. But Gideon refused the offer, and said unto them:

I will not rule over you; neither shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you. Judges 8:23


Gideon knew that such a proposition meant the rejection of God; and he would have no part in any such thing. But the desire still lurked among the people; and forty years afterward, upon the death of Gideon, it was manifested openly in the men of Shechem making Abimelech, a son of Gideon, king in Shechem.

But in a parable, Jotham, the only son of Gideon who had survived the slaughter wrought by Abimelech, mapped out plainly to the people what would be the sure result of their venture.

Jotham stood on the top of Gerizim and called to the people of Shechem, and said:

The trees went forth on a time to anoint a king over them; and they said unto the olive tree, Reign thou over us. But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honor God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? And the trees said to the fig tree. Come thou, and reign over us. But the fig tree said unto them, Should I forsake my sweetness, and my good fruit, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said the trees unto the vine, Come thou, and reign over us. And the vine said unto them, Should I leave my wine, which cheereth God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? Then said all the trees unto the bramble, Come thou, and reign over us. And the bramble said unto the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow; and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon. Now therefore, if ye have done truly and sincerely, in that ye have made Abimelech king, . . . then rejoice ye in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the men of Shechem, and the house of Millo; and let fire come out from the men of Shechem, and from the house of Millo, and devour Abimelech. Judges 9:8-20


And so it came to pass; for in three years the distrust and dissension had so grown between the parties to the transaction respecting the kingship, that open war broke out, which ended only with the death of Abimelech; and, with that, the end of their experiment at setting up a kingdom.

Now all this was held up before all Israel who should come after, as a solemn warning and a forcible admonition of what would inevitably be the result of any attempt at setting up a kingdom. And when, in disregard of all this, and against the Lord's open protest, they did at last again set up a kingdom, this very result, though longer delayed, did inevitably come.

Almost all the reign of Saul, their first king, was spent by him in envy and jealousy of David and a steady seeking to kill him. The reign of David was marred by his own great sin, which he never could have carried out if he had not been king; and was also disturbed by the treason of his chief counselor, and the insurrection of his son Absalom. The latter half of the reign of Solomon was marked by his great apostasy, and was cursed by the abominable idolatries that came in with his heathen wives, all "princesses," the daughters of kings, and which in turn brought heavy burdens and oppression upon the people.

At the end of the reign of these three kings, the nation had been brought to a condition in which it was not well that they should continue as one. They were therefore divided into two, the Ten Tribes forming the kingdom of Israel, and the two other tribes forming the kingdom of Judah.

From that day, with the Ten Tribes, there was a continuous course of apostasy, of contention, and of regicide. At last, from the terrors of anarchy, they were compelled to cry out, "We have no king." Hosea 10:3
Then the Lord offered Himself to them again, saying, "Thou hast fled from Me." "O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself." "Return unto me." "I will be thy King." Hosea 7:13; 13:9-10

But they would not return, and consequently were carried captive to Assyria, and were scattered and lost forever.

When this happened to the kingdom of Israel, it could yet be said of Judah, "Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints." Hosea 11:12
But this was only for a little while. Judah, too, went steadily step by step downward in the course of apostasy, until of her too the word had to be given:

Remove the diadem, take off the crown; . . . exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it: and it shall be no more, until He come whose right it is, and I will give it Him. Ezekiel 21:26-27


Thus Judah, too, was obliged to say, We have no king. And Judah had to go captive to Babylon, with her city and temple destroyed, and the land left desolate. Thereafter the Lord was obliged to govern His people by the heathen powers, until He Himself should come.
And even when He came, because He would not at once set Himself up as a worldly king and sanction their political aspirations, they refused to recognize Him at all. And when at last even Pilate appealed to them, "Shall I crucify your King?" They still, as in the days of Samuel, insisted on rejecting God, and cried out, "We have no king but Caesar." John 19:15

And this was but the direct outcome, and the inevitable logic, of the step that they took in the days of Samuel. When they rejected God and chose Saul, in that act was the rejection of the Lord and their choosing of Caesar. In rejecting God that they might be like all the nations, they became like all the nations that rejected God.

And such was the clear result of the union of Church and State among the people of Israel. And it is all written precisely for the instruction and warning of all people who should come after, and for the admonition of those upon whom the ends of the world are come.

Will the professed people of God to-day in the churches, societies, leagues, unions, and associations of all sorts, learn the lesson taught in the Word of God of the experience of the people of God of old who would have a State, and so rejected God?

Continued:

 2008/4/6 21:21Profile





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