In the military, fighter pilots are not known for their
intelligence, but for their swagger. Dressed in their flight suit and with
helmet under their arm they pretty much say what they mean, and mean what they
say. They might be somewhat predicable, but if you are on the receiving end of
their sorties, it really doesn't matter all that much. After a time of
operating an airborne fighting machine with thousands of pounds of thrust, they
have developed a saying similar to those elite grounded military units based on
the 23rd Psalm. ÒYe though I fly through the valley of the shadow of death, I
will fear no evil as long as I have air speed, rockets, bombs, and bullets. God
bless Texas! (Oops, America).Ó
The terrorist forces that picked a fight with the ÒSpirit
of AmericaÓ with ÒDubyaÓ at the stick of our fighting machine may find out that
he wonÕt handle this bomber with the precision of a jet fighter, but what he
may lack in maneuverability he will make up in fire power, and as long as he
has air speed, rockets, bombs, and bullets he will seek and destroy. In this
respect the Islamic terrorist forces face an enemy which matches their resolve
in vision, and exceeds them greatly in materials.
Augustine wrote his classic work ÒThe City of GodÓ as the
barbarians were achieving control over the Holy Roman Empire and the actual
city of Rome. These barbarians were Arian Christians whose understanding of
Christ was, and remains, heretical to historic orthodox Christianity. You could
view the current attack on the World Trade Center as an attack on the City of
God in the chosen land of America. This would be a serious error. In
AugustineÕs distinction Christians hold dual citizenship in both cities. Their
prime allegiance is to the City of God ruled by Jesus Christ, but they also owe
allegiance to the state in the City of man. Hopefully those two kingdoms do not
come into serious conflict.
Since its inception, this Augustinian model has served
western culture and western society for almost 1600 years. But when the
barbarian Christians were replaced with militant followers of Mohammed in the
8th century, the dynamic changed for much of the rest of Christendom. If these
invaders had not been stopped essentially at Vienna and Spain all of western
culture would have been destroyed. In much of the land conquered by Islam, the
choice was either to convert, or
to be excluded from society, or much of the time to face martyrdom. In such an
atmosphere the concept of dual citizenship takes on a different meaning than
understood in the west, or more likely the whole Augustinian model falls apart.
Models and similar theories serve well when they work,
and as long as they work within that culture there is little reason to change
them. However, while the western church operated ÒsecurelyÓ within their
Augustinian model, much of the rest of the world fell under the civil and
religious control of Islam. Christian workers now generally call this area the
10-40 Window. This area from 10-40 degrees North Latitude is where much of
Christian evangelistic work now takes place, many times hidden from (or attempts
to be hidden from) local Islamic authorities. In these localities the dual
citizenship fostered by western and American Evangelicalism is impossible. To
convert to Christianity means expulsion from all family and cultural roots.
This is not an Òask Jesus into your heart and all will be peachy keenÓ type of
decision.
So is the problem with Jesus Christ, Messiah of the
world, or is the problem with our western model of His kingdom? The Bible
clearly states that Jesus Christ came to save the whole world from their sins.
In that regard, if much of the world cannot understand and live in Christ
within our religious model, our model must change. On September 11, 2001 in New
York, New York, Washington, D. C., and a field in Pennsylvania, USA, that Augustinian model was
destroyed along with the lives of over 6000 unsuspecting human beings. Some
were escorted to forever be with the Lord, most I suspect entered the eternal
state, unaware that this Tuesday morning would be their last before the concept
of hell became more real than they could have ever suspected.
The question is how long is it going to take the church
to understand this change, or will it ever, until Jesus comes? Perhaps we
should begin by either constructing a new religious model for Òall of ChristendomÓ
or at least modify AugustineÕs model into a more appropriate Òbiblical model.Ó
Contrary to AugustineÕs teaching as generally promoted, there is a city or
kingdom of evil in this world. It is ruled by the devil (a real Satan) and his
angels, and lest we forget, his real human disciples. It is clearly represented
in the supernatural, but more natural evil manifestations have always been
apparent, to those with any discernment..
There is also a city or kingdom of God, ruled by Jesus
Christ, His angels and His real human disciples. At this time it too is
primarily a supernatural kingdom, though one day it will rule all of creation.
There is also a city or kingdom of man, ruled by many gods, but for much of the
world that god is material wealth, or the almighty dollar. In the city of man
the supernatural does not exist, for the unknown is explained away by the
formation of myths and fables where there are none, many times promoting these
lies in the name of objective science. Angels of both the kingdom of God and
the kingdom of evil, as well as the human disciples of both kingdoms, function
in this kingdom of man.
GodÕs kingdom is entered by the grace of God alone.
Satan'sÕs kingdom is entered only by works. The higher your rank in SatanÕs
kingdom, the more evil your works. The vast majority of the kingdom of man is
unaware of the true nature of the battle and wars taking place around them.
This is fine with the kingdom of evil, and for most of the time has also been
true for much of the kingdom of God. While in the kingdom of evil your position
is obtained and maintained by works of evil, in the kingdom of God, entry is
secured by GodÕs grace alone, you are then exhorted through imperative preaching either through the
pulpit, the word of God, or other witness, to move beyond that unmerited grace
into the responsibility of being a child of God. To use your newly created free
will,to move beyond your own limited potential into true freedom from
oppression and to help others achieve this same freedom from bondage.
In laziness, fatness, and self indulgent gluttony, the
message of true biblical exhortation, of excellence, has been lost. Substituted
in its place is a gospel of opulence, especially in American Evangelicalism
(and its exported commerce), based not on GodÕs indicative and imperative, law
and gospel, rule and exhortation, but the desire for a free trade model of
global commerce from the city of man. Put bluntly, the Divine has become
carnal, and we have grown too stupid to understand the reality of true evil.
Outside the book of Revelation, and the gospels pointing
to a similar time frame, the best teaching on the nature of war in the New
Testament is found in Romans, in the last part of chapter 12, and the first
part of chapter 13. In that context, you see the word of God speaking of the
superiority of His kingdom, but also of civil responsibility in the kingdom of
man. In times such as these it is important for us, as Christians to make the
distinction, between our allegiances, sometimes torn between our two homes. We
need to keep our focus on our eternal home and not our temporal desire.
However, Dubya has a responsibility under the constructs of the first part of
chapter 13 to administer justice upon evil. But as a fighter pilot he must
understand that a great deal of that repayment will come directly from God and
not get too carried away with the revenge that many citizens of the city of man
alone seek . To change war metaphors this is not a time for, ÒFull speed ahead
and damn the torpedoes!Ó
God will never share His power and glory with man, even for the best and most noble
justification. While much of the time in the Old Testament He used man as an
instrument, the total power of natural Israel was never used in victory, only
in defeat. In fact in many battles IsraelÕs strength was diminished so that the
power of God alone could be manifest. The Bible nowhere gives us a direct
witness to the presence of the American state. While some hope that the rapture
of the church is the force that brings about that occurrence, if Dubya and his
advisors are not careful, we could bring upon ourselves our own destruction, so
that the Glory of God can be displayed.
Now Isaiah (primarily Chapter 13) and Jeremiah
(essentially Chapters 50, 51) speak of a total destruction of natural Babylon.
In those passages destruction comes from the hand of natural man alone only
mustered by God. ÒThey come from a far country, From the end of heaven-- The
LORD and His weapons of indignation, To destroy the whole land (Babylon)Ó
Isaiah 13:5. Those forces, in Jeremiah 51:27,28, come out of present day
Turkey, but those forces must also be consistent with IsaiahÕs declaration of
this destruction. Could the coalition now being formed led by the USA, with the
former fighter pilot Dubya Bush at the controls be that destructive force? By
now Dubya and Colin Powell and those at the highest level of control of the
ÒSpirit of AmericaÓ have a pretty good idea.
As the time for words come to a close and the time for
action begins, it is imperative that the church pray for the proper wisdom for
our God trained pilot. Let him be guided by GodÕs hand to punish this evil
deed, but not to seek revenge or vanquish evil. Those powers rest still with
Almighty God, and there execution shall be swift and sure in GodÕs proper
timing, lest the ÒSpirit of AmericaÓ
and her power get in GodÕs way.
The first steps taken by the ÒSpirit of AmericaÓ indicate
that while the fighter pilot Dubya is definitively in control, he is listening
to his advisors and seeking the wisdom of God. At this time it is incumbent
upon the church to do there exhortative part and pray, not for our desires as
we understand them, but for GodÕs will and purpose to be accomplished. This is
a complex time in the City of God, as well as the City of man. The battle with
the City of evil is at hand and by all accounts it will be long and costly.
True wisdom says our hope rests with God and His promise to repay, and not on
AmericaÕs obligation to rid the world of terrorism or other such impossible
human conceived nonsense.
As for our local ministry situation, many things are
happening which I have not seen in many years. That is a blessing, but I do not
have an idea what that may mean at this time. Please intercede for patience,
understanding, and stamina, for more than once in the last week or so, I have
been shocked with the greatness of our God and Savior, but as of yet none seems
targeted to our role in this time.