Critical Questions We Must Ask Ourselves
Outline
1. What are my responsibilities as a Citizen?
a. Heavenly citizenship. “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).
(1) Allegiance to Christ.
(2) Jesus’ teaching.
b. Earthly citizenship. “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Mark 12:17).
(1) Relieve suffering of fellow human beings.
(2) Involved in elective process.
c. Stand up for values. “Earnestly contend for the faith” (Jude 3).
(1) Don’t be intimidated.
(2) Don’t be ignorant of our rights.
(3) Don’t fail to register to vote.
2. What are Christians to expect?
a. Persecution.
(1) Surprise from Sweden.
(2) “Oh, it won’t happen here!”
b. Christ, the focal point.
(1) “All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).
(2) “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20).
(3) Spiritual warfare.
(a) Righteousness vs. evil.
(b) Truth vs. error.
3. What are my responsibilities as a Christian?
a. Render to God. “Render to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17).
(1) Image of Caesar.
(2) Image of God (Genesis 1:27).
(3) Creation and re-creation (1 Peter 1:18,19).
b. Make Christ known. “They went forth and preached everywhere” (Mark 16:20).
(1) A message that changed a nation.
(2) A nation that changed its God.
c. Aware of the times.
(1) Persecution and martyrdom.
(2) A Church intoxicated by the Laodicean spirit (Revelation 3:16,17).
(3) Need of Church with discernment. “Sons of Issachar had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32).
Message — Critical Questions We Must Ask Ourselves
What are my responsibilities as a Citizen?
By James K. Bridges
Render to Caesar
As Christians, we know that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20, NKJV) and that we have an allegiance to Christ as Savior and Lord, yet this does not contradict, nor does it require that we totally disengage from any responsibility to our earthly citizenship. Jesus taught us to pay taxes, show respect to authority, and to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s” (Mark 12:17). Among those things we should render to our government is a willingness to volunteer to help at anytime we have the chance to relieve the suffering of fellow human beings. Another vital way to fulfill our responsibility as citizens is to register and vote in all elections. This is a valuable duty and a freedom which many Christians are ignoring, and the result has been the election of local, state, and national representatives who do not hold to Christian values or respect Judeo-Christian ethics. The fallout of this has been the appointment of judges who no longer respect the Constitution, the Congress, or the wishes of the majority of the people. An example of this is the three federal judges who have recently ruled to strike down the ban on partial birth abortion.
Stand up for Values
Christians must not allow their right to vote and to voice their beliefs to be lost. In the news media today, there is a growing effort to intimidate Christians from expressing their views. An attempt to intimidate pastors and churches from standing up for their faith is mounting. Threats of removing the tax-exempt status of a Baptist church in Arkansas, because of their July 4 Freedom Rally, have surfaced in the news. This church did not endorse political candidates, but simply declared their stand on the moral and ethical issues which are facing our nation. It is interesting that some liberal political candidates are openly attending churches and are being endorsed by the pastors and nothing is being said by the news media. However, the enemies of the gospel will do everything possible to frighten the church into silence. This must not happen! Pastors must know what the law allows and properly educate their people as to their rights. Dr. James Kennedy has gone so far as to say that in light of the command of our Lord to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s,” for a Christian to fail to exercise their right to vote is tantamount to committing sin. To avoid committing such a sin, let every believer register and vote, and let every pastor take the responsibility to assist his parishioners in getting registered to vote. In some states the opportunity to register has almost, if not already passed. This is a citizen’s responsibility, so act now!
What are Christians to Expect?
Persecution
I knew it was coming, I just didn’t expect it so soon. I thought it would happen first in Canada, but to my surprise, it was Sweden. “A Swedish court sentenced a Pentecostal pastor to one month in prison after finding him guilty of offending homosexuals in a sermon” (Christianity Today, September 2004). We have warned ministers and congregations throughout our Fellowship that, if the deterioration of morals continues in our country, the time will come when we will be imprisoned for preaching against homosexuality. Oh, but it won’t happen here we are told. Famous last words! We didn’t think prayer could be removed from our schools; we didn’t think that the Ten Commandments would be removed from our public institutions; we didn’t think that the Supreme Court would block the Child Online Protection Act to protect our children against pornography; or that the definition of marriage being one man and one woman would come under such attack in our country — but all these have happened.
Christ, the focal Point
We are reminded of the words of Paul to Timothy: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12). Jesus said, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20). Followers of Jesus must face the reality that persecution is inevitable if we live godly in Christ Jesus. We will be viewed as intolerant, bigoted, ignorant, extreme, without compassion, and unfit to be in leadership or have a voice in government. But Jesus has pronounced a blessing on all who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake and for His name’s sake, assuring them of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10,11). Persecution in this country has been limited to verbal attacks, for the most part, due to the protection of the laws governing our society. However, we are seeing a hatred such as has not been known in this country over moral and ethical issues. It is imperative that Christ’s church understands that we are engaged in a spiritual warfare between the forces of righteousness and evil, truth and error. The enemies of Christ are bold, but so must be His followers.
What are my responsibilities as a Christian?
Render to God
Jesus not only commanded us to render to Caesar that which belongs to Caesar, He also commanded us to render “to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12:17). Jesus was holding a coin with the image of Caesar on it when He made this statement. He was teaching, by comparison, that those who are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:27) should render to God that which belongs to Him. We belong to God by creation and by recreation having been purchased by the “precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18,19). Believers who will use their time, talent, and treasure to serve Christ, His Church, and His purpose to reach the nations, will truly be rendering to God that which belongs to Him.
Making Christ Known
To make Christ known is the primary mission of the born again, Spirit-baptized believer. We must express Christ to our society, bringing the resurrection life and lifestyle of Christ to bear on our neighbor, our nation and the world. We owe our country the best the church can offer. John Adams stated that our constitution was designed for a religious people, and it will not work for atheists and unbelievers. The separation of church and state, as it is being promoted today, was not what the founders of our nation believed, nor was it the way they intended the constitution to be interpreted. Opponents of Christianity have twisted the meaning of our national documents in order to establish a secular state. Christians owe it to their country to stand for the Judeo-Christian morals and ethics upon which this country was founded. We have only to visit countries with secular and atheistic governments, and to talk to those who have migrated to the U.S. from these countries, to realize how great the loss will be if the U.S. is allowed to become a secular or pagan country. The cost to prevent such a deformation, which is now in progress, may be great. It certainly will require that the church become militant in prayer, aggressive in witness, and involved in the voting process of our country.
Aware of the Times
Freedom to serve Christ as conscience dictates and as the Word of God declares, has been costly down through the centuries. The World Christian Encyclopedia has indicated that from A.D. 33 to 2000 there have been an estimated 70 million martyrs. Twenty-five million martyrs were estimated from A.D. 33 to 1900, while 45 million martyrs were estimated from 1900 to 2000. There were more Christians martyred in the 20th century than in all the preceding centuries. Persecution and martyrdom surface in different parts of the world at different times. The church in the U.S. must arouse out of its intoxication with the Laodicean spirit (Revelation 3:16,17). The church must not be like King Belshazzar who celebrated in his banquet hall while the enemy was conquering his capital and his kingdom (Daniel 5:30,31). These are times when the church must be like “the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do” (1 Chronicles 12:32).
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