Perhaps it strikes you as strange that I introduce a treatise on Christianity, God and doctrine with an illustration from the coinage of a 20th century A.D. world power like US, The United States of America.
Yet in this not-so-brave new world of the 21st century Common Era WE spend countless lite-weight pennies. And more inflated American dollars than WE save say, “IN GOD WE TRUST.” All the while WE recklessly espouse political ideologies FOR or AGAINST GOD (blessing America).
October, A.D. 2013 conclusion of 5-part TalkofJESUS.com post series from the Prophets
Election year rhetoric -- nothing new. (See post from 10 years ago above.)
WE didn't trust in God then and certainly WE as a Nation do NOT trust in God now, ten years later in this Common Era of an upcoming 2024 election.
The phrase had been placed on U.S. coins since the Civil War when, according to the historical association of the United States Treasury, religious sentiment reached a peak. Eisenhower’s treasury secretary, George Humphrey, had suggested adding the phrase to paper currency as well.
July 30, A.D. 1956 – President Dwight D. Eisenhower signs a law officially declaring “In God We Trust” to be the nation’s official motto. Public LAW passed by the 84th Congress of the United States of America also ‘mandated that the phrase be printed on all American paper currency.’ – source: History.com
“In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.”
Dwight David Eisenhower – June 14, A.D. 1954 – Flag Day in the U.S.
christianity lite – church & STATE – god help US
Time will not allow me to get to the christian church of the Common Era today; so you'll have to wait for my NEXT post where, God-willing, I will move on from doctrines of GOD to teaching JESUS CHRIST. - RH)
NO Doctrine of the COMMON ERA or any other millennia will stand the test of time without defining GOD truthfully.
GOD IS and God reveals Himself through His creation, Scriptures and IN THE PERSON of JESUS CHRIST.
Deuteronomy 4-5 — the line of the LAW and the GOD we crossed
“For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is Yahweh our God whenever we call on Him? Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?
“Only keep yourself and keep your soul very carefully, lest you forget the things which your eyes have seen and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. But make them known to your sons and to your grandsons.
WE must not limit God exclusively to Israel, America or any nation, but worship the only Creator of ALL things, breathing life into human flesh and blood, choosing some as saved souls for His glory of eternal life.
I CHALLENGE ANY PASTOR who claims to be NOT GUILTY of preaching "christianity lite" to OPEN A SERMON as Paul does his letter to the Church in Rome:
Paul, a slave of Christ Jesus
Pastor, are you shepherding YOUR church proclaiming yourself "A SLAVE" of the risen Christ JESUS and PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL of SCRIPTURE as God has written it?
Paul does.
.. 3 concerning His Son, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh,
4 who was designated as the Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, ..
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous will live by faith.”
christianity lite neglects GOD’s Righteous Wrath
Your 'christianity lite' 'pastor' will not confess this positive place of appropriate SLAVERY.
And a Common Era shepherd wearing the casual robes of cultural correctness
DARE NOT draw a distinct line written IN GOD'S WORD of Scripture.
Paul does.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men [and women anthrōpos] who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
Although things have been going along well for the past few decades, change is inevitable. As we think back to the differences between past leaders of our nation, we must tremble for the day fast-approaching of a choice between the lesser of two evils.
A nation cannot long endure divided by strife and torn apart by godless men and godless women.
We will reap what we sow, as did Rome… as did the Kingdom of David… and as it is with powerful nation after nation throughout mortal history. For it was King Solomon who said: “Nothing is new under the sun.”
What has been is what will be,
and what has been done is what will be done,
and there is nothing new under the sun.
The Kingdom of Israel, God’s own nation, fell into division after Solomon’s death circa 920 B.C. A divided kingdom left Jerusalem in Judah to the south. Examination of the years following the initial division of God’s own Nation reveals a predictably repetitive theme not unlike an evaluation of these last days of this post-modern kingdom.
Kings (or Presidents, Premiers, Prime Ministers, Princes, Emperors & other earthly titles)
Josiah, king of Judah (640–609 B.C.), had nearly rebuilt Judah, with Jerusalem as its central place to worship God, into a kingdom of strategic importance to The background of our story begins during times of increased Judean influence within a declining Assyrian Empire. But life turns quickly for a powerful nation.
Judah under King Josiah & Assyria c. 650 BC
The Bible documents the problem of a nation (or king or president, etc.) who does not follow God. This includes the next king, son of Josiah.
And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.
Think how many now would fit this description of godlessness in their leadership style and substance. Nothing is new under the sun and evil in the sight of the LORD is a common theme preceding God’s wrath allowing the fall and defeat of God’s own nation.
{See just a few references of evil leaders in the history behind the link above.}
Therefore I ask US: When did we no longer acknowledge that we are ‘one nation, under God, indivisible?
The words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, 2 to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.
God speaks to His nation, under no one (except evil leaders). God speaks of their evil through the words and actions of the prophet, Jeremiah.
14 Then the Lord said to me, “Out of the north disaster shall be let loose upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For behold, I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, declares the Lord, and they shall come, and every one shall set his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its walls all around and against all the cities of Judah.
16 And I will declare my judgments against them, for all their evil in forsaking me.
They have made offerings to other gods and worshiped the works of their own hands. 17 But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you…
11 Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
for that which does not profit.
12 Be appalled, O heavens, at this;
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
declares the Lord,
… Or what do you gain by going to Assyria
to drink the waters of the Euphrates?
19 Your evil will chastise you,
and your apostasy will reprove you.
Know and see that it is evil and bitter
for you to forsake the Lord your God;
the fear of me is not in you,
declares the Lord God of hosts.
… But in the time of their trouble they say,
‘Arise and save us!’
28 But where are your gods
that you made for yourself?
Let them arise, if they can save you,
in your time of trouble;
for as many as your cities
are your gods, O Judah.
12 They have spoken falsely of the Lord
and have said, ‘He will do nothing;
no disaster will come upon us,
nor shall we see sword or famine.
13 The prophets will become wind;
the word is not in them.
Thus shall it be done to them!’”
…
21 “Hear this, O foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes, but see not,
who have ears, but hear not.
22 Do you not fear me? declares the Lord.
Do you not tremble before me?
I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea,
a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass;
though the waves toss, they cannot prevail;
though they roar, they cannot pass over it.
23 But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;
they have turned aside and gone away.
