Jim McCotter LIVE

The apostle Paul certainly understood “church” to be politically active, per the church’s original ekklesia design:

* The Lord told Paul he was to specifically go and speak “to kings” (Acts 9:15).

* Paul told Timothy the church’s “first” priority is to affect “kings and all who are in authority” (1 Tim. 2:1-4).

* Paul told Christians to set up their “own judges” (1 Cor. 6:1-5).

* Paul and those with him were committing treason in “turning the world upside down” declaring “Jesus as King” in place of Caesar (Acts 17:6-7).

So Christ’s ekklesia “church” was never a building but rather Christians who were political activists:

* “Seek first the Kingdom of God” (God’s nation with King Jesus), as Jesus commanded (Matt. 6:33).

* “Discipling the nation” (law & government), as Jesus commanded (Matt. 18:19).

* “Ambassadors for Christ” (representing His Kingdom), as Paul commanded (2 Cor. 5:20).

* “Royal priests” (servants of the King), as Peter declared (1 Peter 2:9).

* “A holy nation” (a civic body), as Peter declared (1Peter 2:9).

This vision will explode “building up the body of Christ,” but can only happen when pastors see this as Christ’s vision and their mission to stop preaching nice sermons but understand their responsibility (Eph. 4:12):

“Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the body of Christ.”

The opposite of this is what Paul warns against (2 Tim. 4:3-4 TLB):

“For there is going to come a time when people won’t listen to the truth but will go around looking for teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear. They won’t listen to what the Bible says but will blithely follow their own misguided ideas.”

Paul said (Acts 20:27 NASB):

“For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God!”

The church is to be God’s battle station for equipping God’s people to Christianize their cities and nation. It is not to just be a sweet Christian social club but rather to mobilize Christians to transform your city and nation to literally be “One Nation Under God!” That can ONLY be one nation under King Jesus and God’s Law.

Every church is commissioned to obey Jesus’s Great Commission regardless of how much liberty any nation gives Christians. All unrighteous rulers should be an abomination to all righteous people (Prov. 29:27):

“The righteous are an abomination to the unrighteous and the unrighteous are an abomination to the righteous.”

God declares what the righteous must do to have political success (Prov. 21:12 NLB):

“The righteous wisely considers the place of the wicked and overthrows the wicked for their wickedness.”

Churches rejecting the use of God’s Law in being politically active today are unwittingly praising the wicked (Prov. 28:4):

“To reject God’s Law is to praise the wicked; to obey God’s Law is to fight them.”

If you obey God’s Law, you will fight the wicked with God’s Law and that certainly includes unrighteous civil leaders. If you fight for or with any other law than God’s Law, that would be blasphemy. Only “the Law of the Lord is perfect” (Ps. 19:7).

Jesus said - God’s Law is to be obeyed and taught today (Matt. 5:17-19):

“Don’t misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to abolish the Law of Moses … I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God’s Law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. So if you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God’s laws and teaches them will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven.”

In all nations, Jesus’s church can do some if not all 10 points below to transform their city and nation for the Kingdom of God. This is “seeking first the Kingdom of God”:

* Have regular meetings for prayer and strategizing for political action to affect or replace your national and city leaders to follow God’s Law.

* Many churches have weekend Marriage or Family Retreats to train and develop godly families. The church has NO MORE responsibility to help God’s family institution then God’s state institution! Have an annual Christian Political Action Retreat - educating, training, and mobilizing believers to take back their city and nation for the Kingdom of God.

* Mobilize Christians to engage during political campaign season to get wise capable Christians in every civil office.

* Have a Sunday series going through the book of Deuteronomy, God’s Law - the civil law for your city and nation. This was the book Jesus quoted from more than any others!

* Have the righteous political candidates speak in your church, especially prior to elections.

* Have a Registration Sunday to fulfill Jesus’s civil mandate for voting. Don’t just have a Registration Table in the vestibule. Rather, just like you’re faithful to pass a collection plate, be faithful to pass out the registration cards and pencils down the aisles. Take the time right then for everyone to fill out their registration. Then pass a collection bucket to pick up all the registrations and see that they get turned in.

* Have a Voting Sunday or Political Sunday. Be fearless, deliberate, and devote at least one Sunday for God’s righteous political cause. At some time you should have a whole Sunday series on this subject. God devoted 80% of His Book (Exodus to Acts) in the exclusive context of how He deals with nations, and it was not just Israel. Realize, most of the Old and New Testament saints made political impact, to name a few: Joseph, Moses, Esther, Daniel, and most of the heroes of the faith in Hebrews 11.

* Mobilize to have public political rallies (with other churches if they will join you) - prayer, music, speaking, registering everyone to vote. Right after Paul said to pray for authorities in 1 Timothy 2, he then said to have what would amount to public prayer rallies: “Therefore I want men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger and dispute” (1Tim. 2:8).

* Make sure everyone is reminded to vote on election day or early as they can. Take anyone that needs transportation to vote. If it’s legal, collect ballots and turn them in. Get out the Christian vote every way you can. Then God will hear your prayers.

* Pursue Christians to fill all strategic civil offices: mayor, city council, school board, chief of police, sheriff, and any other local offices. Many local elections are won by only a few votes, and some positions have no one even contesting them! Only one truly New Testament ekklesia (church) could turn a city upside down today for King Jesus.

There is no such thing as political versus spiritual or spiritual versus secular. With God it’s ALL spiritual (Ps. 24:1):

“The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.”

All God’s institutions are under God’s Kingdom – family, state, and church. The Lord and godly men are to rule over all three of God’s ordained institutions.

Charles Finney, the great 19th century American revivalist, declared:

“The church must take right ground in regard to politics… the time has come that Christians must vote… and take consistent ground in politics, or the Lord will curse them… And if he will give his vote only for honest men, the country will be obliged to have upright rulers… the church must act right, or the country will be ruined. God cannot sustain this free and blessed country, which we love and pray for, unless the church will take right ground. Politics are a part of religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as a part of their duty to God. It seems sometimes as if the foundations of the nation were becoming rotten, and Christians seem to act as if they thought God did not see what they do in politics. But I tell you, He does see it, and He will bless or curse this nation, according to the course they take.”

Jesus said (Matt. 16:18):

“I will build My ekklesia and the powers of hell will not conquer it!”

This last Monday I posted the last article on the 18-part series: Christian Manifesto ~ God’s Civil Mandate. Most Christian leaders do not know or think about this subject, much less address it. Yet, there are far more verses in both the Old and New Testament addressing this subject than the subjects of baptism and the Lord’s Supper put together. In all the Bible God has ordained only three institutions: Family, Church, and State (Government). And think about this - did God institute any one of His Institutions to be unholy or led by non-Christians?

* Family: The book of Genesis is written only in the context of God’s Family Institution and family dynasties.

* Church: From the book of Acts to the end of the Bible it is written instructing God’s Church Institution.

* State: All the rest of the Bible - Exdous to Acts, 80% of the Bible - is written in giving instructions for God’s State Institution / civil government.

The primary State addressed is Israel, however, ALL the prophets admonish Gentile nations to also honor and obey God and His Law. The book of Psalms alone has over 100 verses addressing the world and all nations to also honor and obey God and His Law.

God did NOT write 80% of His Word addressing how the Nation-State and civil government should be run according to His will, to only have it all ignored today for nations! God’s civil Law for Israel and all nations was the Ten Commandments, Statutes and Judgments.

A person can have no basis to embrace any of the Ten Commandments for civil law and not embrace all of them. And a person can have no basis to embrace the Ten Commandments and not embrace the Statutes which provide the applications for the civil law. And a peron can have no basis to to embrace the Ten Commandments and Statutes and not embrace the Judgments for violating the civil law; otherwise, they are only Ten Suggestons and fantasy Statute applications.

Read about the Paul to know about the church and how godly spiritual leaders should function today. But read about godly civil leaders like David to know about State/Government and how godly civil leaders should function today.

No one should talk about the family if they don’t take the time to read the Bible about what a family should be like … and then go and disciple a family.

No one should talk about the church if they don’t take the time to read the Bible about what a church should be like … and then go and disciple a church.

No one should talk about the nation if they don’t take the time to read the Bible about what a nation should be like … and then go and disciple a nation.

May God motivate you to obey Jesus’s Great Commission and then go and help disciple the nation.

United for His cause & glory,

Jim

No nation can become a Christian nation unless a critical mass of people come to know Jesus Christ personally as their Savior and Lord. Therefore, the second of God’s seven strategies – WITNESS!

Christians must become witnesses - everywhere witnessing for Christ. We must be engaged with Jesus’s mission to save souls in our cities. Only with a critical mass of genuine Christians can we transform a city or nation for the glory of God and fulfill Jesus’s Great Commission.

No spiritual leader can fulfill His charge He has been given to do from the Lord if he does not “do the work of an evangelist.” This is the Lord’s charge to every spiritual leader “in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 4:1-5):

“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”

Spiritual leaders that only teach and don’t do the work of an evangelist are not fulfilling their ministry or charge from God and Christ Jesus. Here are the reasons why a spiritual leader does not do the work of an evangelist:

* Paul said, “do the work…” Work is hard. Who wants to do hard work? But that’s why Paul prefaced the command – “endure hardship, do the work…”

* Here’s the big excuse – “I don’t have the gift of an evangelist.” But Paul didn’t say be an evangelist but to do the work of an evangelist – the work of going out and WITNESSING for Christ! Go out to the lost and tell them the Good News. Every Christian can do that, and every spiritual leader is charged in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus to do that work to FULFILL their ministry!

Jesus said, “everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be LIKE his teacher” (Luke 6:40). He will NOT say everyone will be like the teaching but like the teacher. Congregations are not witnessing to the lost because their spiritual leaders are not out witnessing to the lost. It all starts with leaders – LEADING!

Then spiritual leaders can and will equip all their flock to witness.

Church Leaders Are To Equip

What did the apostle Paul command church leaders to do (Eph. 4:12):

“Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”

If someone is going to build up a family, it starts with having children born into the family. To work to build up the church, it starts with having spiritual children, as Jesus said, being “born again” … into the family of Christ. And that starts with witnessing!

Now this is what is necessary to know (Rom. 10:13-17):

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on Him to save them unless they believe in Him? And how can they believe in Him if they have never heard about Him? And how can they hear about Him unless someone tells them? …

“So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.”

No witnessing = no hearing = no one getting saved! As Paul said, “sow sparingly and reap sparingly or sow bountifully and reap bountifully.”

All Christians MUST witness! And all church leaders are “responsible” to equip all Christians in their church to be effective witnesses! The New Testament strategy for bringing people to Christ was NOT to invite the unsaved to church … but to equip the saints to GO OUT of church and witness to everyone everywhere! “To equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church.”

The New Testament leaders equipped all their believers to go out and witness everywhere (Acts 8:4):

“But all the believers were scattered everywhere telling the Good News about Jesus wherever they went!”

“All the believers” were equipped to witness!

True Followers of Jesus Will Witness

Jesus said to all His disciples (Acts 1:8):

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be My witnesses, telling people about Me everywhere.”

God has made sure that every Christian will have “power,” and for what purpose - to witness! The Holy Spirit is in every Christian to give them “power.” Do you know what the Greek word for “power” is? It is where we get the English word “dynamite!” As a Christian you have dynamite power … for what purpose - to witness!

Did God given you dynamite power so you would be able to go to church? For making money? To have a family? Any non-Christian can do any of these things, and they do! You don’t need “dynamite power” to even do many good works for Christ. Many non-Christians do many good works.

So why don’t most Christians witness? They have some fear. But the moment a Christian opens their mouth to witness for Jesus, you will find it like lighting a fuse of dynamite. Power will explode inside you. You already have the dynamite of the Holy Spirit in you. Opening your mouth is the match that lights the fuse. But never before you open your mouth.

Do you remember what the Apostle Paul said about himself when he first came to Corinth to witness about Jesus (1 Cor. 2:3-5):

“I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.”

Do you not witness because you feel weak, or afraid, or lack knowledge? Congratulations! You qualify to be an apostle! That’s just how Apostle Paul felt!

Paul was so nervous to witness that he couldn’t keep his hands or knees from “trembling.” Now what other excuse do you or I have? Personally, I have felt that way many times, maybe all the time, right before I open my mouth to preach or witness for Christ. But soon as I open my mouth for Jesus the Holy Spirit power takes over. I’m always amazed seeing and experiencing what the Holy Spirit does at the time.

Being weak or fearful in any way doesn’t make you less effective but rather more effective because it is then that the listeners can see there is another power moving you. I can’t tell you how many times after preaching or witnessing that I’ve been amazed at how the Holy Spirit worked speaking through me, like I was an outside observer, which I was.

Regardless, what you feel or experience or if you feel nothing, what Jesus said He would do every time we witness should be enough to excite us (Matt. 10:32):

“Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven.”

I don’t know about you, but I think that’s pretty cool to think how I can get Jesus in heaven right now to turn to the Heavenly Father and tell Him - “Father, there Jim goes again, acknowledging Me before others!” I’d like to keep Jesus busy doing that. What about you? Jesus tells us to witness for Him here on earth and He tells the Father in heaven every time we do!

Did you know every time in the Book of Acts, all 6 times, when it says that any Christians were filled with the Holy Spirit - it was ALWAYS when they were witnessing to non-Christians? So today if you want to be filled with the Spirit and see the Holy Spirit explode in your life - WITNESS! If you want to obey Jesus - WITNESS! If love Jesus - WITNESS! If you love anyone – WITNESS!

It’s easy to witness. It’s just taking about Jesus:

* Tell what you thought of Jesus before you were saved.

* Tell when, why, and how you started to seriously think about Jesus.

* Tell all about what happened when you received Jesus.

* Tell how you were saved.

* Tell why you received Jesus.

* Tell what happened in your life right after you received Jesus.

* Tell how your life has been changing since you received Jesus.

* Tell why and how Jesus is so wonderful or meaningful to you today.

You can be a witness for Jesus with just one sentence or give more details as above. Most important, memorize gospel verses that you can share. You can share many for more understanding for the listener or even one will penetrate the heart - “the Word is living and powerful!” Here are a few verses I would memorize which the Lord will be able to speak through you:

* John 1:12

* John 3:16

* John 10:10

* John 14:6

* Romans 3:23

* Romans 6:23

* Romans 10:9-11

* Ephesians 8:9-10

* Revelation 3:20

If you truly follow Jesus what is sure to happen to you (Matt. 4:19; Acts 1:8):

“Jesus said, follow Me and I will make you fishers of men!”

“You will be My witnesses!”

From the time of Christ to the invention of the printing press in the 15th century A.D., there were ONLY TWO kinds of media - speaking or hand-written. For most of this time Christians completely dominated media. That is why Christendom ruled most of the western world for 1500 years.

After the invention of the printing press, the Protestant Christian Reformers dominated mass media. Historian and lecturer Art Crawford declared:

“For 200 years after the invention of the printing press 99% of everything that was printed was about Jesus Christ or the Bible!”

From the invention of the printing press until the beginning of the 20th century, the Christian worldview continued dominating media: books, pamphlets, and newspapers. This is why from the time of the invention of the printing press to the beginning of the 20th century, Christendom continued to rule the nations of the western world!

Starting in the 20th century, electric forms of media were invented: radio, film, and television. However, after almost 2,000 years of Christendom dominating public communication and Christians ruling, within 50 years after electronic media was invented, Christians unwittingly relinquished media dominatance to non-Christians!

This has happened slowly over my life. But historically it happened overnight! With the non-Christians dominating media they were able to promote and give cover for non-Christian civil governance in changing our godly moral laws to satanic immoral laws. Schools threw out prayer, the bible, and the Christian worldview to now teaching an all-out anti-Christian worldview.

Christians will never be able to seize back the civil rule for King Jesus and God’s Law of any city unless Kingdom-minded Christians begin to seize back media dominance in their city. Why do you think that in the 20th century, when communists were taking over country after country, the very first thing they did was seize control of the major media? Once they had the major media, they always had the country. It was impossible then, as today, for any civil leader to remain in power very long if there is not adequate media to sustain them.

The Bible also confirms this when referring to media in its day, which was then only speaking or writing righteous or unrighteous media (Prob. 11:11, 29:8):

“By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth [media] of the wicked.”

“Scoffers [media] set a city aflame.”

God’s Word is written media, and it too always produces results but with God’s Word it always produces good results (Isa. 55:10-12):

“The rain and snow come down from the heavens and stay on the ground to water the earth. They cause the grain to grow, producing seed for the farmer and bread for the hungry. It is the same with My Word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it. You will live in joy and peace.”

What the apostle Paul addressed can also apply to media - good or bad (Gal. 6:7-8; 2 Cor. 9:6):

“Whatever a man sows [via media], that will he also reap. Sow to the flesh and reap corruption. Sow to the Spirit and reap eternal life.”

“Sow sparingly and reap sparingly, and sow bountifully and reap bountifully.”

This is why sowing a little sermon once a week will NEVER compete for seizing a city for Christ against an unrighteous 24/7 mass media propagandizing the whole city day and night. This is why the early American culture was so completely Christianized compared to today.

In early America for example, Benjamin Franklin printed in all his daily newspapers all the sermons of early American evangelist George Whitefield. And all media was strongly pro-Christian. Now you know why Christianity was the formal state religion in 9 of the 13 states and informally in all the other states and stayed that way after the Revolution and into the 19th century.

As the mass media goes, so goes every nation, sooner or later. That is why Edmund Burke, the renowned English statesman in the 18th century, when parliament was in session pointed up to the reporter’s gallery and declared:

“There is the Fourth Estate!”

And the Fourth Estate news media is always the strongest part of any national government because it is always in power and always talking to all the people all the time.

In 1938, Adolf Hitler said:

“Without the loudspeaker, we would never have conquered Germany.”

Formerly avowed communist and Special Advisory “Czar” for President Obama, Anthony “Van” Jones, said:

“You cannot have an opposition movement without an opposition media.”

And these unrighteous leaders remind me of what Jesus said (Luke 16:8):

“For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.”

Mass Media

Every Christian should witness, tell people about the gospel and the kingdom of God. But in both the Old and New Testament God also directs His people to also be in some form of mass media.

Old Testament:

“Wisdom shouts in the streets. She cries out in the public square. She calls to the crowds along the main street, to those gathered in front of the city gate” (Prov. 1:20-21).

This verse in its time shows their form of mass media. Who would do it - those with “wisdom.” And the “city gate” was where the civil leaders met. “Wisdom” also directed their media to the civil leaders and government.

“Listen as Wisdom calls out! Hear as understanding raises her voice! On the hilltop along the road, she takes her stand at the crossroads. By the gates at the entrance to the town, on the road leading in, she cries aloud, ‘I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people’” (Prov. 8:1-4).

“The wise conquer the city of the strong and level the fortress in which they trust” (Prov. 21:22).

Note again, God is talking about His people who are “wise.” Not only do they mass communicate to “all the people” but their mission is to conquer a city… and “The wise conquer the city of the strong.”

Proverbs concludes in chapter 31 addressing the godly wife. And what kind of a husband does she have - a husband who is well known as a “civil leader!”

“Her husband is well known at the city gates, where he sits with the other civic leaders” (Prov. 31:28).

But if the wise don’t mass communicate to all the people in the city and conquer their city for the Kingdom of God… the wicked will!

“The talk of the wicked tears a city apart” (Prov. 11:11).

“Scoffers set a city aflame” (Prov. 29:8).

“When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice. But when the wicked are in power, they groan” (Prov. 29:2).

God’s fight is always for people, and when God’s people control the city “the people rejoice.” Also, the greatest number of people then come to know “the King of kings and the Lord of lords!”

In the Old Testament, the “wise” used mass media – “I call to you, to all of you! I raise my voice to all people.” And God continued to mandate mass media (Hab. 2:2):

“Then the Lord replied: ‘Write down the vision and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.’”

We’ll next see how the New Testament also mandates God’s people to use mass media in this age.

Media - to be continued.

With God’s Great Commission in both the Old and New Testament to advance His Kingdom, we see both instruction and example along with remarkable success when God’s people followed God’s - “city strategy.”

New Testament Targeting Cities

In the New Testament the Apostle Paul said he was “not overextending” in his mission to reach as far as the city of Corinth (2 Cor. 10:14):

“For we are not overextending ourselves … to come even as far as you.”

There is a principle of “not overextending” in targeting cities to conquer for the Kingdom of God. To overextend is counterproductive in accomplishing any mission, whatever that mission may be.

In the New Testament Christians were to use a “sword” to conquer cities (Eph. 6:17):

“Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one … and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.”

Of all God’s warfare equipment referenced in Ephesians 6, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” was and is God’s ONLY weapon of offense for capturing cities for His Kingdom (2 Cor. 10:3-6):

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ, and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.”

The New Testament Apostolic strategy was NOT to focus on rural areas, but we see they ONLY focused on towns and cities. Building God’s spiritual army in a town or city, the Word would then inevitably spread to all rural areas.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus made it clear that His Apostles were to first focus on one city, the capital city Jerusalem. They focused on Jerusalem - “they filled all Jerusalem with their teaching” (Acts 5:28). They did this before they launched out to any other towns in their nation. But after this in Acts 8, it says the Christians “scattered throughout Judea and Samaria,” to all the other towns in their nation. Even then they did not overextend to other nations without first “preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12) in their nation for some time before extending out to any other nation.

The Apostle Paul clearly had a strategic city strategy as all his letters were written back to major cities: Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossi, and Thessalonica. We see biblically and historically that all the Apostles and New Testament Christians focused on cities, one city at a time, eventually “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).

Throughout history, there have been many cities that have been Christianized for the Kingdom of God: having a critical mass of Christians sufficient to rise up and take over as civil rulers under King Jesus and God’s Law. This is fulfilling Jesus’s Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20): go disciple a city to discipling a nation, teaching the city/nation to obey all that Jesus commands. As Christian civil rulers, they are mandated to use the physical “sword” to then maintain God’s Law (Rom. 13:4):

“For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servant, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”

Old Testament Targeting Cities

God’s Great Commission for His people in the Old Testament was for them to physically conquer the nation of Canaan. They had to work, they had to attack, and God would help them when they did. The following is the only verse where God explains His strategy in taking over a whole nation - not to overextend but capture the nation “little by little” - one city at a time (Ex. 23:29-30):

“I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.”

Joshua had an enormous army for that time - a 600,000-man army. Joshua could have thought, I’ll spread my army out along the whole western front and attack many towns at the same time, especially since the average population of Canaanite towns was under 10,000 including women and children.

Joshua followed God’s strategy - “little by little” - one town at a time. The first town Joshua attacked was Jericho, with a population of only 3,000 people. Next, they went to the adjacent town of Ai, a town under 10,000 population. After that they continued slowly - attacking only one town at a time - Makkedah, then Libnah, then Lachish, then Eglon, then Hebron, then Debir, then the city of Hazor.

Joshua was careful to follow God’s one city at a time strategy - “little by little” - until each town was fully conquered and controlled under God’s civil leaders and His civil Law. Joshua used the physical sword to conquer, and Paul used the “sword of the Spirit” to conquer. But they both focused on a city until they established God’s kingdom in that city - one city at a time.

All Christian Cities Now All Secular Cities

Originally in America, Christians established Christian towns with only Christians allowed to be the civil rulers pledging allegiance to the Bible - King Jesus and God’s Law. In 1788 the Federal Constitution was ratified eliminating the Christian religious test requirement for federal civil rulers. Previously non-Christians could live and be blessed living in the Christian towns, but they were not allowed to be civil rulers.

Then gradually throughout the 19th century States began to ignore and then finally remove the Christian religious test out of their own State Constitutions and let non-Christians vote and be civil leaders. However, for years this did not make too much difference because there was such an overwhelmingly dominate Christian culture.

But over the generations the unrighteous began to take advantage of the secular Federal and State Constitutions. And more amazing, over the 20th century secularists have brainwashed Christians in thinking it is only “right” to give equal representation for non-Christians, rejecters of Christ, to vote and be civil rulers! This is inevitable doom.

From the time of Christ to the 19th century, Christians knew that was not biblical. They knew that was in direct violation to God and His civil Law. They viewed the New Testament epistles to be instructions for the church and God’s Law to be instructions for the nation. They knew 80% of the bible (Exodus up to Acts) was written in the context of God’s Law and instructing Israel and all other nations how to live under God and His Law. And this was NOT just for Israel, as over 100 verses in Psalms alone reference all “nations” and the “world” to honor God and His Law.

If Christians don’t understand this today and understand it quickly, they will totally lose the nation that their Christian forefathers established. And for the foolish Christian who says all God’s moral Law is not to be all our city or national law for today, then the Ten Commandents (the preamble of God’s whole moral Law) are not for today. That leaves only man’s opinion for what is moral law for today. Therefore, Hitler could have just as much right to his legal opinion as that foolish Christian’s opinion, unless God’s Law is supreme.

David said God’s Law is “forever” (Ps. 119:44, 89, 111, 152, 160). Jesus said God’s Law is “until heaven and earth pass away” (Matt. 5:17-19).

Today, instead of every American city being a Christian city, every American city today is now a secular city and most even in open defilement of our King Jesus and His Law!

What do we do?

First, there must be a critical mass of Christians again that understand the bible emphatically declares for TODAY:

* That Jesus has “all authority in heaven and on earth!”

* That Jesus is “King of kings” and rules through His people.

* That “God’s Law” is to be the only civil law.

Second, since all our cities today are secular and most even in open defilement of our King Jesus, a critical mass of Christians in some city or hopefully even some small town would get God’s heart and vision to Christianize their town. Jesus said to disciple the nation (Matt. 28:19). But to disciple a nation it must be done with God’s “little by little” city-by-city strategy. Christians - unite, strategize, and mobilize to work at taking over one city of leadership for the Kingdom of God. Have wise Christians run for:

* Mayor

* City council (getting majority)

* Chief of Police

* City Attorney

* School board (getting majority)

Controlling even the first two positions a city could begin to be transformed for the Kingdom of God with wise, bold, and courageous Christians. Most cities or towns have more than enough Christians to accomplish this mission. In most towns if only 20% of the Christians worked wisely - and with God’s help - they could most definitely take over a city! And only one model Christian city or town today could unite a spark mobilizing Christians to take over one town after another across the land.

The best religious zealot models we have today are the Leftist-controlling cities. They have zealously pursued taking over cities and defying federal laws for their new Leftist laws. They openly have over 200 “Sanctuary Cities” in America today transforming their cities to Leftist cities. Where is ONE openly Christian city today in America … defying immoral laws and putting in place God’s Laws? Sooner or later Christians may need to have their own city/enclave even for their own safety.

God has said (Ezekiel 22:30):

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land.”

God says (Prov. 21:22):

“The wise conquer the city of the strong.”

This concludes my Christian Manifesto Series. I’m praying this moves a critical mass of Christians to take action in at least one city or town today. If you’ve personally been moved by this Series I’d love to hear from you. Jot me a note. Thanks.

Praying, “His will be done on earth as it is in heaven … seeking first the Kingdom of God,” Jim

What Kingdom are we talking about? Not some Kingdom just in heaven. Not some Kingdom just in the future. No, God’s Kingdom is with us here and now! We know this to be true because Jesus commanded this for us here and now (Matt. 6:33):

“But seek first the Kingdom of God!”

Jesus is not talking about serving the church. Jesus is not talking about serving other Christians. Jesus is not talking about preaching the gospel. Jesus is not talking about serving Him in general. Jesus is very specific here. Jesus is talking about one thing - the establishment of a nation, a nation with a king - God’s Nation – a nation with God’s Law and God’s Son Jesus as King!

How do we know that Jesus is commanding us to “seek first the Kingdom of God” for here on earth now? And if that’s true - that is revolutionary! Here are five reasons why we know Jesus is commanding this for here on earth now:

* The verse itself is present tense.

* What proceeds the verse - the first word in Matthew 6:33 is the word “But.” The word “but” is there in context to demand the opposite of what non-believers are seeking right now here on earth – “money … food … and clothes” (Matt. 6:24-32):

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money… So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. But seek first the Kingdom of God.”

* The second half of the verse - Matthew 6:33:

“But seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.”

In context “all these things” were the material things mentioned right above this verse that all the unsaved are seeking here and now.

* What follows the verse - the first word that follows Matthew 6:33 is the word “Therefore,” verses 34:

“Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

We are to “seek first the Kingdom of God” literally TODAY and not to even “be anxious about tomorrow!”

* The chapter beginning – earlier in the chapter Jesus tells us what to pray for “on earth,” here and now (Matt. 6:9-10):

“Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

This too is in the present tense - “on earth” - now. Furthermore, the next sentence tells us to pray for what is here and now:

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

One Bible translation of Matthew 6:33 reads: “Seek first the nation of God.” The word “Kingdom” is more correct. However, using the word “nation” might enlighten some who miss the point that Jesus is making. Jesus is commanding us to seek first for having a specific nation here on earth - God’s nation - which is to be God’s Kingdom with King Jesus and His Law.

What Jesus is commanding us to do today is exactly what Jesus is going to do when He returns. That is NOT a reason for us to not seek first His Kingdom today, but only further confirms God’s will for us today. There is no time that we should not work to do what Jesus would do. But today is our time and our opportunity - to disciple nations - according to God’s Kingdom.

In the Gospels, Jesus referred to His church 2 times. Jesus referred to His Kingdom over 120 times! This is not to minimize the church, but it’s Jesus confirming His mission for the church – His Kingdom. Yes, it is to get the gospel to the nations, but it is far more than that – it’s to establish Jesus’s “all authority … on earth … in all nations!” (Matt. 28:18-20).

The Apostles confirmed Jesus’s mandate by continuing to teach the Kingdom of God over 40 separate times after the church started. Here are only five examples in Acts alone:

* “But now the people believed Philip’s message of Good News concerning the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12).

* Then Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8).

* “And now I know that none of you to whom I have preached the Kingdom will ever see me again” (Acts 20:25).

* “Paul witnessed to them from morning till evening, explaining about the Kingdom of God” (Acts 28:23).

* “For the next two years, Paul lived in Rome at his own expense. He welcomed all who visited him, boldly proclaiming the Kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28:30-31).

Moreover, Jesus’s Great Commission was and is a civil mandate (Matt. 28:18-20). Most evangelicals misuse this verse to declare the gospel to all nations, but this verse says nothing about the gospel! Plenty of other verses do, however.

The Great Commission is not understood and thus not obeyed by most evangelicals today, unlike most of Christendom (albeit it some good and some bad) understood and pursued it for the first 1800 years from the time of Christ. The Great Commission in essence declares 5 teachings (for theological confirmation on all 5 points read (Jesus’s Civil Mandate):

* Jesus has been given all authority on earth (includes civil government authority).

* Jesus mandates Christians to teach nations (not church, not disciples but the nation/states, civil governments).

* Jesus mandates Christians to immerse nations in the authority of the whole Godhead (Greek confirms immersing nations not disciples).

* Jesus mandates Christians to teach all nation/states to obey all Jesus commanded (all God’s moreal/civil Law).

* Jesus promises to be with Christians today so they can still fulfill His nation/state civil mandate.

The Apostle Peter declared what the Christian race is and what the Christian mission is to be (1 Peter 2:9):

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”

What did the Apostle Peter say who Christians are and what they are to do:

* A chosen race.

* A royal priesthood.

* A holy nation.

* For God’s possession.

* To proclaim His excellencies.

What is “a royal priesthood” – those representing a king on earth today – King Jesus.

What is “a holy nation” - a nation today under God’s holy civil Law - God’s Ten Commandments, Statutes, and Judgments.

What is it “to proclaim His excellencies” – to proclaim to our nation today about the greatness of our King – King Jesus.

What did the Apostle John say to all the churches for today (Rev. 1:4-6):

“This letter is from John to the seven churches … Grace and peace to you from Jesus Christ who is … the ruler of all the kings of the world… He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God His Father. All glory and dominion to Him forever and ever! Amen.”

Why did the Apostle Paul say Christians are to be civil judges for today? Because Christians are going to eventually be judges for all the world and even angels (1 Cor. 6:1-3). The Apostle John also confirmed what God wants for His people - to be rulers on the earth (Rev. 5:10):

“And You have caused God’s people to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign (rule) on the earth.”

The Apostle Peter was martyred for what he was proclaiming. What He wrote was seditious to the Roman Empire even as Paul’s letters were and still are seditious for every nation today that does not honor Jesus as King and God’s Law as their civil law. But we are God’s “chosen race” to reign today as a “holy nation.” Until we establish the nation we are living in to be a “holy nation” under God’s Law - Christians are to function as a shadow government - a “holy nation” within a nation.

* Jesus mandated what Law for Christians to follow today (Matt. 5:17-19).

* Paul mandated what judges for Christians to follow today (1 Cor. 6:1-5).

* Jesus mandated Christians to teach our nation today to obey all His commands/laws (Matt. 28:18-20).

* Jesus promised He would be with us today to fulfill His national mandate (Matt. 28:18-20).

In the past, with the authority and power of Jesus, Christians established many cities and nations for the Kingdom of God with God’s Law and Jesus as King. It is now our responsibility to our King Jesus and in His Name to do the same in our generation (Heb. 11:33):

“Through faith to conquer nations!”

To obey what Jesus mandated:

“Seek first the Kingdom of God!”

I want to conclude with an article of Ted Weiland, a biblical scholar, who wrote on the Lord’s Eternal Kingdom. Weiland references “Lord” with the Hebrew word, “Yahweh”:

Yahweh’s Eternal Kingdom

Yahweh’s kingdom is eternal: it exists yesterday, today, and forever. It is definitive in that it has always been and always will be in existence (Psalm 145:13). It is progressive in that He intends it to fill the entire earth (Isaiah 9:6-7, Daniel 2:35, Zechariah 9:9-10, Matthew 13:31-33) …

Because Yahweh is the creator of the universe, He is sovereign over the universe, time without end:

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation. (Daniel 4:3)

Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

Yahweh never abdicated His throne. He is as much King now as He was at the beginning of creation. As perpetual King, the kingdom He rules over is perpetual.

Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endures throughout all generations. (Psalm 145:13)

To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. (Jude 1:25)

Many Christians reject these inescapable facts of Yahweh’s sovereignty, believing He has no kingdom at present or that His kingdom is limited to heaven. They lift their favorite proof text from John 18:

Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (John 18:36)

The exact same Greek phrase ek toú kósmou, translated “not of this world,” is used several times and is explained in the preceding chapter:

I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world .... As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. (John 17:14-18)

Clearly ek toú kósmou does not mean Yahweh’s kingdom exists only in heaven. Although it is certainly true that His kingdom is not of this world, this does not mean that He does not intend for it to be in this world. His statement in John 18 is better understood to mean that His kingdom is nothing like the other kingdoms in this world. As someone once said, “The only kingdom that will prevail in this world is the kingdom that is not of this world.”

Martin Luther correctly taught John 18:36:

Christ came in order to begin the kingdom of God and to establish it in the world. This is why he said before Pilate: “My kingdom is not of this world, but whoever belongs to the truth hears my voice,” and why throughout the Gospel he announces the kingdom of God, saying: “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand;” and again: “Seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness.” And indeed he calls the Gospel a gospel of the kingdom of God, in that it teaches, governs and preserves the kingdom of God.

The teaching that Yahweh’s kingdom does not exist on earth or that Yahweh has abandoned the earth to His enemies is not new to this age:

Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? For they say, YHWH sees us not; YHWH hath forsaken the earth. (Ezekiel 8:12)

Christians who reject Yahweh’s extant kingdom here on earth are looking for a future king and a future kingdom. This erroneous theology has all but destroyed Yahweh’s kingdom, at least in practice, here on earth. It is certainly one of the principal reasons why the antichrists and non-Christians rule today. This anti-kingdom theology has also been one of the prime contributors to today’s fulfillment of Jesus’ warning in Matthew 5:

You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost its flavor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. (Matthew 5:13)

This is a fulfillment of Yahweh’s curse in Deuteronomy 28:

But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of YHWH thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee ... The stranger that is within thee shall get up above you very high; and thou shalt come down very low ... Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which YHWH shall send against thee. (Deuteronomy 28:15, 43-48)

One cannot get any lower than beneath the feet of those who rule over you. Rejecting Yahweh, His kingdom, and His laws has always been prime cause of His people’s calamities. By rejecting Yahweh’s laws, Christians abdicate dominion and relinquish Yahweh’s earthly kingdom to His enemies:

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (Matthew 11:12)

Then spoke Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.... But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither allow them that are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:1-13)

Neither of these passages can be referring to the kingdom in heaven. Instead, they refer to the kingdom of heaven here on earth. The only difference between what was occurring in Jesus’ day and what has occurred in modern times is that Yahweh’s enemies have not needed to take the kingdom by force. Because Christianity is glutted with doctrines proclaiming that Yahweh’s laws are irrelevant under the New Covenant, that Christians are obligated to keep all of man’s laws, and that the kingdom is yet to come or that it is found exclusively in heaven, the kingdom has been handed over to Yahweh’s enemies without a struggle… When Yahweh’s subjects are diligent to observe His law, Yahweh promises His people dominion rather than servitude:

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of YHWH thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that YHWH thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth. (Deuteronomy 28:1)

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Jesus’s Kingdom “is not of this world,” from this world or like this world, but it is most definitely to be IN this world and Jesus as its KING! But when Jesus was heading to the cross that was not the time for Jesus’s servants to fight and resist Jesus going to the cross. Jesus came into the world to die for the sins of the world. But after Jesus rose from the dead He said, “all authority has been given unto Me … on earth” and then He mandated His disciples to now go and “teach all nations … His commands” (Matt. 28:18-20).

Today, Christians are mandated to go out and fight to capture their nation for the Kingdom of God using the “sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17) – to establish Christian nations. Once Christians are civil rulers then they can and must use the physical sword to maintain God’s Law (Rom. 13:4).

Never forget what Jesus prioritized for Christians to pursue today here on earth “first” - God’s Kingdom:

“Seek first the kingdom of God.”

God gave Moses and His people a Great Commission in the Old Testament – to physically conquer all the nations of Canaan (Joshua 1:1-9). God (Jesus) gave His people a Great Commission in the New Testament – to spiritually conquer all nations (Matt. 28:18-20).

Both Great Commissions were humanly impossible unless God had not said with both Commissions: “I will be with you!” The ultimate goal for both Great Commissions was virtually the same:

* The ultimate goal of the Great Commission in the Old Testament was for God to be King (1 Sam. 8:7).

* The ultimate goal for the Great Commission in the New Testament was for God to be King – King Jesus (1 Tim. 1:17).

In the Old Testament God’s people made progress in their Great Commission but they did not fulfill conquering all Canaan. There were parts of Canaan that they never conquered. With Jesus’s Great Commission, since the time of Christ, there have been some city-states and nations that have been true Christian nations. This was especially true in the first couple centuries of America’s history and some nations in Europe about that time, and some other nations in even earlier centuries.

Even though most cities or nations today may not be Christian, that does not mean that cannot happen today. What if Martin Luther had thought that in Germany? Or John Calvin in Geneva? Or Huldrych Zwingli in Zurich? Or John Knox in Scotland? Or John Carver in Plymouth Colony? Or John Winthrop in Boston? Or countless others before or after these Christian leaders – they all established Christian city-states or nation-states.

All these Christian leaders had one thing in common - they followed all of God’s 7 biblical strategies for their successful civil conquests, including this last strategy - God’s “city strategy.” We see this city strategy in both the Old and New Testament. We’ll look at it first in the New Testament.

New Testament – City Strategy

The New Testament Apostolic strategy was NOT to focus on rural areas but reading through Acts and the Epistles you see they only focused on cities. Building God’s spiritual army in a city, the Word inevitably spread to all the rural areas.

In Jesus’s Great Commission of Acts 1:8, Jesus made it clear that His disciples were to initially focus on a single city, Jerusalem, before they targeted other cities in their nation or world (Acts 5:28):

“They filled all Jerusalem with their teaching!”

The Apostle Paul clearly had a strategic city strategy. On his first missionary journey he never spent any time in rural areas but targeted four cities: Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra, and Derbe. In these towns he established committed congregations and appointed their leaders. In time they impacted their nation Galatia, which Paul later wrote to all of them in the Book of Galatians.

All of Paul’s letters were written to major strategic cities: Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossi, and Thessalonica. We see biblically and historically that all the Apostles and New Testament Christians focused on cities, one city at a time, eventually “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6).

In centuries past, as we saw in early America and with the European Christian Reformers, many cities were formed or reformed to be Christian cities ruled by Christian rulers under King Jesus and God’s Law. They changed nations by focusing on and changing one city at a time. This is the only way to fulfill Jesus’s Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20).

They conquered cities with “the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God” (Eph. 6:17). The Apostle Paul said (2 Cor. 10:2-6):

“We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.”

When Christians gain civil authority - they then are mandated to use the physical “sword” to maintain God’s righteous civil Law (Rom. 13:4):

“For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servant, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.”

In most every century since the time of Christ we can find Christians that took over one city at a time becoming city-states or nation-states ruled by Christians under King Jesus and God’s Law. This was especially prevalent in the western world in Europe and America from the beginning of the 16th century up through the 18th century. This can and would be done in any city today … whenever a critical mass of Christians in any city would mobilize to take over their city for King Jesus and His Law-Word.

Old Testament – City Strategy

God’s Great Commission for His people in the Old Testament was for them to physically conquer the nation of Canaan. When they stepped out in faith to obey God, He always gave them victory. But there is only verse in the Old Testament where God explained His strategy for His people to be able to take over the whole nation - capture the nation “little by little” - one city at a time (Ex. 23:29-30):

“I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land.”

Joshua had an enormous army for that time in history - a 600,000-man army. The average population of Canaanite towns at that time was under 10,000, including women and children. Joshua could have thought, I’ll spread my army out along the western front and easily conquer many towns all at the same time. But that was not God’s strategy.

Joshua followed God’s strategy - “little by little” – attacking only one town until he had fully conquered it. The first town Joshua attacked was Jericho. It only had a population of about 3,000 people! After Joshua had conquered Jericho, he then went to the next adjacent town of Ai, a town under 10,000 population.

After conquering Ai, Joshua continued following God’s “little by little,” one city at a time strategy. Joshua conquered each town, one at a time: Makkedah, then Libnah, then Lachish, then Eglon, then Hebron, then Debir, then the city of Hazor. Joshua never advanced until he had fully completed the mission for each town - God’s one city strategy.

Joshua used the physical sword to conquer, and Paul used the “sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God” to conquer. But they both focused on completing their mission in one city at a time to conquer a nation.

Christian Towns Taken Over By Non-Christians

Originally in America, it was primarily individual church congregations that established Christian towns with only Christians being allowed to be their civil rulers. Their civil pledges varied in wording, but all were based on Christianity – “I believe the Old and New Testament … the gospel … to advance Christianity and the Kingdom of God,” etc.

But in 1788 the Federal Constitution was ratified eliminating the Christian religious test requirement for the federal civil rulers. Previously non-Christians could live and be blessed living under God’s Law in the Christian towns and colonies, but they were not allowed to vote or be civil rulers, as God’s Law required (Deut. 17:15):

“Be sure to select as king the man the Lord your God chooses. You must appoint a fellow Israelite; he may not be a foreigner.”

“Israelites” were the people of God, “foreigners” were not unless they converted to believe in the Lord God of the Israelites as Ruth did in the Book of Ruth (Ruth 1:16). The New Testament reaffirms this law (2 Cor. 6:14-15):

“Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?”

But throughout the 19th, century States began to ignore and then finally remove the Christian religious test from their State Constitutions, thereby allowing non-Christians to vote and be civil their leaders. However, for years this did not make much difference in our cities or nation - because the vast majority of the population already embraced Christianity and our society had been overwhelmingly Christian in culture.

But in the 19th century with the secularization of the Federal Constitution and then the secularizing of the State Constitutions, non-Christians and unrighteous men and women began to slowly fill the ranks of our civil leadership. In addition, by the end of the 19th century and for the first time in history - Christians began abdicating their Christian civil mandate and mass media mandate, thus losing media dominance. In the 20th century non-Christians increased their unrighteous influence through their mass media dominance.

Originally Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and 99 of the first 100 universities were all dedicated in and for Christianity. For example, the original motto for Harvard University was Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae, which translated from Latin to “Truth for Christ and the Church”. But by the 20th century, virtually all universities had long been in moral freefall. And before the end of the 20th century, universities were and are the bastion of open anti-Christian indoctrination and centers for anti-Christian movements.

With the universities and mass media’s 24/7 influence, they are indoctrinating Christians and non-Christians alike on every area of life, far more than churches can in a 30-minute puff sermon once a week. Secularists have finally even brainwashed pastors and Christians to think - it is only “right” to give non-Christians, those who reject or even hate Christ, the right to vote and rule over Christian! What an amazing indoctrination of even Christians. The Apostle Paul said:

“Don’t you know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?”

Paul wrote this verse to the church in Corinth and again to all the churches in Galatia (1Cor. 5:6; Gal. 5:9). Did you know Paul was quoting from the Old Testament in Hosea 7:4? And the context was referring to unrighteous civil rulers! It is the same for church or government – if you let a little unrighteousness, even one unrighteous person to be in the church or government – in time it will “leaven the whole lump” of church or government!

Jesus warned not only about the unrighteous “leaven” of the religious leaders but also against the unrighteous “leaven” of civil rulers (Mark 8:15):

“Jesus warned them, ‘Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of King Herod.’”

God’s Law, Jesus, and Paul – all warned against non-believers being in government!

From the time of Christ until the19th century, most Christians knew it was unbiblical to have non-Christians as their civil rulers. They knew that was in direct violation to God and His Law. They viewed the New Testament epistles primarily to be instructions for the church and individuals and God’s Law primarily to be the instructions for the government and individuals.

They knew 80% of the bible (Exodus up to Acts) was written in the context of God’s Law - instructing how Israel and all other nations should live under God and His Law. Israel was to be the model for other nations. But contrary to what many Christians think today, God’s Law was NOT just for Israel!

There are over 100 verses in the book of Psalms alone that reference all “nations” and the “world” to honor God and His Law! All the prophets have major portions of their books addressing other nations and the books of Jonah, Nahum, and Obadiah were written exclusively for other Gentile nations!

If Christians don’t understand that God’s Law is to be our civil law today and understand it quickly, they will totally lose the nation that their Christian forefathers established. And for the foolish Christian who says all God’s moral Law is not to be our city or national law for today, then the Ten Commandments (the preamble for all God’s Law) are not for today. That would leave only man’s opinion for what is moral law for today. Therefore, a Hitler could have just as much right to his legal opinion as that foolish Christian’s opinion, unless God’s Law is supreme.

* David said God’s Law is “forever” (Ps. 119:44, 89, 111, 152, 160).

* Jesus said God’s Law is “until heaven and earth pass away” (Matt. 5:17-19).

Every early American town was a Christian town. Today every American town has been taken over by non-Christians or carnal Christians ruling it as secular non-Christians. God’s Law, the Bible is out. King Jesus is out.

What can we do?

First: There must be one church or a critical mass of Christians in one town today with committed biblical conviction:

* That Jesus truly has “all authority in heaven and on earth!”

* That Jesus truly is “King of kings” to rule through His people.

* That “God’s Law” is truly to be the only civil law for their town.

Second: Since all our towns today are secular and many in open defilement of God’s Law and King Jesus, a critical mass of Christians in some town must get God’s heart and vision to Christianize their town. Jesus’s Great Commission did not say to disciple or teach believers or the church, but for the church and disciples to - disciple and teach the nation (Matt. 28:19). But to disciple a nation it starts with God’s “little by little” city-by-city strategy. A critical mass of Christians must unite, strategize, and mobilize in their one town to work in taking over the civil leadership for the Kingdom of God. Work to have Jesus’s Kingdom take over you town. Have wise Christians run and be supported in getting into these civil leadership positions:

* Mayor

* City council (need majority)

* Chief of Police

* City Attorney

* School board (need majority)

Controlling even the first two positions a town could begin to be transformed for the Kingdom of God if courageous God-fearing Christian are in these civil leadership positions. Most towns have far more than enough Christians to accomplish this mission! Often times in local elections a mobilized church of less than one 100 could determine the outcome. “Don’t be a hearing only but also a doer.” If only one town became a truly Christian town being ruled according to God’s Law, that town would spark a Christian fire for other Christians to rise up and do the same across the state and nation.

Sadly, the best “religious zealot” models we have today for taking over cities in defying federal laws and replacing them with their own immoral policies and laws are the Marxists/Leftists. They call their cities “Sanctuary Cities.” What an enduring name though in practice destructive and really demonic. Did you know this emerged from a religious movement in 1982 when Leftist churches defied cooperating with our federal government and these churches started sheltering illegal refugees. Thereafter their mayors and cities councils continued to establish more anti-Christian laws. Today these autonomous “Sanctuary Cities” have multiplied into being over 200 cities in the United State! They are ruled by Satan and his agents.

Where is even ONE openly Christian city in America today! Is there not even ONE Christian town today defiling federal immoral laws and establishing God’s moral Law! Sooner or later Christians may need to have their own town or enclave even for their own freedom and safety, much less for God’s glory! And thousands of Christians would flock to any town in the United States today that became a Christian Sanctuary city!

God has said (Ezekiel 22:30):

“I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land.”

The Bible says (Prov. 21:22; Ps. 94:16):

“The wise conquer the city of the strong.”

“Who will rise up for me against the wicked? Who will take a stand for me against evildoers?”

Who will rise up today? As said - If not now, when? If not you, who? Of course all this will not be easy, in fact it will be impossible in our own strength. But this is why Jesus concluded His Great Commission declaring (Matt. 28:20):

“And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Thank you to everyone who tuned into our live video! Join us for our next live video and read the Christian Manifesto Series to get all the biblical foundation.

Christians must go public to impact any nation for the Kingdom of God. Remaining inside a church building will never turn any city upside down for Christ. It never has and it never will.

Throughout history there have been many public Christian uprisings. Without Christians causing righteous public uprising, there will be no Christian nation, and no fulfilling of Jesus’s Great Commission to teach and disciple any nation!

In the 16th century, Protestant Christians came to be known by their public protests and uprisings. The very word “protestant” came from the word “protest!” The Protestant Christian Reformers that turned European nations upside down for Christ, establishing freedom and Protestant Christian cities and nations, publicly protested so much that they were eventually just called “Protestants!”

Jesus Himself was a one-Man public protester! The first time that Jesus went to the capital city, Jerusalem, He went straight to the public civic center, the temple (John 2:15):

“Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables!”

Work at picturing this in your head if you can. I think most Christians would really question if this was the right way to win friends and influence people. But this is what Jesus did. Jesus went public His whole life. The last time Jesus went to Jerusalem, He went straight to the public center again (John 7:37):

“On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, ‘Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!’”

Picture this if you can and think about it - Jesus standing and shouting to the crowds! We need Christians today in every city going public wherever there are people, colleges, town centers, and with the zeal of Jesus crying out to the people (Rev. 22:17):

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who hears this say, ‘Come.’ Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life!”

Is Jesus really to be our example?

New Testament Christians Went Public

Public Preaching:

New Testament Christians publicly preached daily in the public centers of all the cities. Believers were nothing short of revolutionary in the Roman Empire. This was why the Christians were martyred by the thousands. But this is also why “they turned cities upside down” for Christ and eventually the whole Roman Empire.

The first hour Peter got the Holy Spirit at Pancoast he publicly preached (Acts 2:14):

“Then Peter stepped forward with the eleven other apostles and shouted to the crowd, ‘Listen carefully, all of you …’”

Peter and John went to the public Colonnade to share the gospel. This time they saw a lame man healed (Acts 3:11-12):

“All the people rushed out in amazement to Solomon’s Colonnade, where the man was holding tightly to Peter and John. Peter saw his opportunity and addressed the crowd ...”

When Peter and John were at the public center the next day (Acts 4:1-2):

“While Peter and John were speaking to the people, they were confronted by the priests, the captain of the Temple guard, and some of the Sadducees …”

Christian persecution was never from speaking in buildings but only because of speaking in public. All the apostles were arrested for disobeying the civil authorities for public speaking. But the Lord’s authority supersedes man’s authority. And the Lord told them to defy their civil authority when it comes to public preaching and to do it in the most populated area, the “temple courts” (Acts 5:18-20):

“They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. ‘Go, stand in the temple courts,’ He said, ‘and tell the people all about this new life.’”

All the apostles were arrested again for defying their civil authorities for again speaking publicly in the temple courts. They were whipped and finally released with the same civil order to stop doing what they were doing, but they never stopped (Acts 5:41-42):

“The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple courts and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”

When Paul was in Athens (Acts 17:17):

“Paul went to the synagogue to reason with the Jews and the God-fearing Gentiles, and he spoke daily in the public square to all that happened to be there.”

All other spiritual leaders followed the examples of all the apostles and Paul. When Apollos whet to Achaia (Acts 18:28):

“He powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ.”

Paul reminded all the Ephesian leaders of his example for them Acts 20:20:

“I never shrank from telling you the truth, either publicly or in your homes.”

New Testament Christians were preaching publicly wherever they went and because of that they were impacting cities everywhere they went (Acts 17:6):

“The city authorities were shouting, ‘These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also!’”

Public Baptizing:

New Testament Christians publicly baptized all new followers of Jesus (Acts 2:41):

“And those who believed Peter were baptized—about three thousand in all!”

On the first day there was public preaching - there was public baptizing. And since people were being saved and added to their number daily, there were public baptisms happening every day (Acts 2:27):

“The Lord added to their number daily.”

Picture this happening in your city center. Imagine if all new Christians were getting baptized publicly in your city center fountain every day! Public baptisms alone would impact your city.

The question is - do Christians want to follow the example of the New Testament or their traditions? Do you want the unrighteous to take over your city or do you want Christians to take over your city and rule your city under King Jesus and His Law? Historically, whoever goes public most influences society most and eventually rules the city.

Even if public baptisms are outlawed by man’s tyrannical law, this is God’s order. Did you realize being baptized in the Roman Empire under the name of any authority or lord other than Caesar was a declaration of public treason and war? Under Roman law only Caesar was lord and god. Yet New Testament believers were publicly baptized in every city, and thousands lost their lives because of their public baptisms.

In the book of Acts, there are four examples of baptisms describing exactly what was said to those being baptized. It’s interesting to note they did not baptize them - “In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” In every example they baptized them – “In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ” or “In the Name of Jesus Christ the Lord.” During biblical times, baptism was by way of immersion and was used by many various groups – Jewish rabbi groups, pagan groups, even some Roman generals had their whole army baptized in their general’s name to follow him into battle and death if necessary. Public baptisms at that time in history were not too uncommon. In whose name they were publicly baptized was their public declaration for whom they were going to follow for the rest of their life.

The Father and the Holy Spirit are no less important to the Trinity, but each member of the Trinity had differing purposes. Only Jesus was physical, walked on this earth, showed us how to live, and always said – “Follow Me!” So during Bible times all believers were baptized in the Name of following the Lord Jesus Christ for the rest of their life. Jesus said to all His followers (Acts 1:8):

“You will be My witnesses.”

The Greek word for “witnesses” is “martys,” where we get the English word “martyrs.” And believers being publicly baptized to follow Jesus was their first testimony witness for Christ. And if it did not mean a physical martyr for Christ, it certainly meant the death of their old life as it was. This was the significance being baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ the Lord:

* JESUS means Savior

* CHRIST means Chosen of God

* LORD means Ruler

In the Roman Empire being baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ was a public declaration of insurrection against Ceasar and all non-Christian rulers. The Apostle Paul described himself and all his fellow spiritual leaders as the historically conquered warriors who walked in a procession down the Roman streets being condemned to die in the arena (1 Cor. 4:9-10):

“For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to mankind. We are fools for Christ!”

All the spiritual leaders were public - as were multitudes of Christians who were martyred after they were baptized! In some cities that were by the sea, Christians who were baptized would be tied up with a heavy rock and cast into the sea being mocked as the “baptism of drowning.”

Paul wrote Timothy fearlessly declaring for all churches to know that Jesus alone is King (1Tim. 1:17, 6:15):

“King eternal … King of kings!”

Paul’s letter to Timothy during the Roman Empire was a public declaration of high treason! Really it is still high treason today in any country that does not honor Jesus as having “all authority … Supreme … King of kings and Lord of lords!”

Do we fear going public today in honor of Jesus like New Testament Christians – having public baptisms in His Name and Authority? That would make Christians stronger and bolder - those being baptized and those witnessing it - not to speak of impacting cities!

Public Praying:

The Apostle Paul commanded men to pray in public outside of church (1 Tim. 2:8):

“Therefore I want the men in every place to pray, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.”

To pray “in every place” would have to include in public places as well. Public prayer could be dangerous in some instances. That may be one reason why it did not demand the same for women, though it did not forbid women. Whereas in church gatherings the Apostle Paul does instruct both men and women to pray (1 Cor. 11:1-16). Moreover, that would further confirm that here in 1 Tim. 2:8 “every place” is not in reference to church but “in every place” outside of church.

Just like the New Testament Christians preached in public and baptized in public, Paul was commanding Christians to also PRAY in public - “in every place!” The whole context leading up to this verse 8 was for Gentiles (non-believers) outside the church (1Tim. 2:7-8):

“7I was appointed a preacher and an apostle … as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 Therefore I want the men in every place to pray.”

As it says here, Paul preached in public, to the Gentiles, and therefore, he wanted men to pray in every place, in public where the Gentiles are.

In the Bible people prayed in a lot of different postures but this is the only verse in the Bible that tells us how to pray, when we pray in public – lifting up hands. In public prayer God wants a public symbol of Christians pointing up to God of heaven.

Paul also said to “… pray lifting up holy hands, without wrath and dissension.” When the general public would see Christians lifting up their hands in prayer, of all times God does not want the Christians to be accused of being unholy - angry or divisive hypocrites. Angry or divisive Christians are not holy - “pray lifting up holy hands.”

It disgusts me that Muslims are more obedient to their demonic god Allah, always being seen praying in public, whereas Christians don’t even know that Satan is counterfeiting what God has told Christians to be doing! Muslims are often seen praying in public, sometime taking up whole city streets for their public prayers. What a shameful disgrace to Christians - we see Muslim “men in every place praying!”

Do Muslims love their moon god Allah more than Christians love their Lord God, their King of kings and Lord of lords? It begs the question - who publicly shows the most honor to their god, Muslims or Christians?

Satan not only has Muslims symbolically honoring their Allah god, but Satan also did the same thing with godless Nazis. They would publicly lift their hands in an honor of salute to their god Adolf Hitler. This was an actual abbreviated public prayer - “Heil Hitler!” It literally meant “victory, savior, and blessing” to their god Hitler.

Satan has also directed many other godless groups in America to counterfeit God’s public strategy to raise up hands or fists in defiance of God and glory to their god and cause – the Black Panthers Party, Black Lives Matter, Students for Palestine, etc. The point is - Satan has hijacked what God has commanded His people to do in public! God wants His people to dominate with public prayer events and rallies of all kinds - lifting up holy hands to the King of kings and Lord of lord!

Are Christians ashamed to have public prayer and raise hands? Jesus said (Luke 9:26; Matt. 10:32):

“If anyone is ashamed of Me and My message, the Son of Man will be ashamed of that person when He returns in His glory and in the glory of the Father and the holy angels … but everyone who acknowledges Me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before My Father in heaven.”

Jesus wants Christians “in every place” to publicly acknowledge Him, not least of which in prayer and praise to their Savior, Lord, and King. Paul said to pray in “in every place” – what about at schools, universities, city squares, on capital steps, etc. Students don’t need permission to publicly pray when God has already commanded it! Students don’t need to hide in private rooms to pray. Pray in the school gymnasium! Pray in the school auditorium! Pray in front of the school! Pray all around the school! “Pray in every place lifting up holy hands!”

God even tells us in this same chapter who and what to pray for, and it specially makes sense when praying in public:

* Who to pray for – “all who are in authority” (1Tim.2:2). That makes sense especially in public prayer – school authorities, civil authorities etc.

* What to pray for - that all authorities will protect Christians to have freedom and “peace,” and be viewed with “dignity” – to be able to get “the knowledge of the truth to everyone that they might be saved” (1Tim. 2:2-5).

In a recent high school graduation ceremony, a valedictorian was giving a speech to her student body. As soon as she started to express gratitude to Jesus for what she had accomplished, the administration turned off her loudspeaker. They started escorting her from the podium. Students stood and started shouting – “Let her speak!”

I thought of how the power of God would have put a holy fear in those teachers and turned the auditorium into opportunity for God’s glory if all the Christians would have stood at that moment with uplifted hands and started praying the Lord’s Prayer out loud in unison – “Our Father who art in heaven, holy be Your Name. Your kingdom come; Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven …!”

Satan and his godless administration would have been paralyzed by the power of public prayer. Satan would have fled. In that situation unsaved students would have joined in. Christians have not been using the power of public prayer to their King. Brothers and sisters, do you realize we are in a war? We do in war what we never do in peace. If we don’t become radicals for Christ, the radicals for Satan will rise up their fists in defiance to our King Jesus and that will be our end. This was New Testament Christians (1 Cor. 4:10):

“For we have become fools for Christ!”

We must be fools for Christ in our generation. Mobilize public prayer rallies - “In every place pray lifting up holy hands!”

Public Demonstrating:

Paul and his apostles had some of their greatest success in the city of Ephesus. And it was there that it was recorded that the Christins had one of the most amazing public demonstrations (Acts 19:18-20):

“Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices. A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars. So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect!”

Do we want to see the message about the Lord spread widely and have a powerful effect in our city today? When will Christians start dominating in the public square and have public demonstrations for OUR Lord! We must not fear what people think (Prov. 29:25):

“Fearing people is a dangerous trap.”

This is New Testament Christianity. Paul wrote all the Christians in Corinth (1 Cor. 11:1):

“Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.”

We must have the same attitude as all the Apostles had when they defied their civil leaders in continuing to preach in public when their civil authorities whipped them and told them not to. They simply said this to their civil authorities and continued to publicly preach every time they were released (Acts 5:29):

“We must obey God rather than man!”

In Acts 4 and 5, the apostles were arrested for speaking in the public center where most people gathered. Had they stayed in their church and just preached to the believers, the authorities would never have bothered them. However, they were arrested and then whipped. But the Holy Spirit told them to go right back out to the same place and start preaching again! They were then arrested again (Acts 2:28-33):

“‘We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,’ he said. ‘Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.’ Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than human beings!’ … they were furious and wanted to put them to death!”

The church leaders did not fill their church with teaching - they filled their city with their teaching!

Today, why do Leftists consider it a badge of honor to be arrested for their public protesting in what they believe? At first, they are ridiculed but because of their continual public protests, in time they have now changed our society. What are Christians afraid of? A Christian public uprising, Christian protesting, Christian public demonstrations – this was New Testament Christianity! Jesus went public, the 12 Apostles went public, the Apostle Paul went public - New Testament Christians went public in every way to turn their “world upside down for Christ”:

* Public Preaching

* Public Baptizing

* Public Praying

* Public Demonstrating

If we don’t have Christians today going public like 1st century Christians and like many of our Christian forefathers, we will be doomed and we will “reap the whirlwind.”

On April 16, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. was thrown into jail for marching for his cause on the streets of Birmingham, Alabama. Below is the letter that he wrote on scraps of paper to all the pastors in the city while in jail. King and his associates were a classic example of going public with public demonstrations for their cause … and as a result they changed America and America law!

Christians will rise up and march for King Jesus and God’s Law to be established in their city … if they’re as desperate for God’s cause as much as Martin Luther King Jr. was for his cause. Much of what Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, Christians should look at closely before it’s too late:

My Dear Fellow Clergymen:

While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities “unwise and untimely” …

Most basically, I am in Birmingham because injustice is here. Just as the prophets of the eighth century B.C. left their villages and carried their “thus saith the Lord” far beyond the boundaries of their home towns, and just as the Apostle Paul left his village of Tarsus and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to the far corners of the Greco Roman world, so am I compelled to carry the gospel of freedom beyond my own home town. Like Paul, I must constantly respond to the Macedonian call for aid … Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere …

You deplore the demonstrations taking place in Birmingham. But your statement, I am sorry to say, fails to express a similar concern for the conditions that brought about the demonstrations. I am sure that none of you would want to rest content with the superficial kind of social analysis that deals merely with effects and does not grapple with underlying causes …

In any nonviolent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of the facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action …

We had no alternative except to prepare for direct action, whereby we would present our very bodies as a means of laying our case before the conscience of the local and the national community. Mindful of the difficulties involved, we decided to undertake a process of self-purification. We began a series of workshops on nonviolence, and we repeatedly asked ourselves: “Are you able to accept blows without retaliating?” “Are you able to endure the ordeal of jail?” …

You may well ask: “Why direct action? Why sit-ins, marches and so forth? Isn’t negotiation a better path?” You are quite right in calling for negotiation. Indeed, this is the very purpose of direct action. Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored. My citing the creation of tension as part of the work of the nonviolent resister may sound rather shocking. But I must confess that I am not afraid of the word “tension.” I have earnestly opposed violent tension, but there is a type of constructive, nonviolent tension which is necessary for growth …

We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Frankly, I have yet to engage in a direct action campaign that was “well timed” in the view of those who have not suffered… For years now I have heard the word “Wait!” This “Wait” has almost always meant “Never.” We must come to see, with one of our distinguished jurists, that “justice too long delayed is justice denied.” …

You express a great deal of anxiety over our willingness to break laws. This is certainly a legitimate concern … One may well ask: “How can you advocate breaking some laws and obeying others?” The answer lies in the fact that there are two types of laws: just and unjust. I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws. One has not only a legal but a moral responsibility to obey just laws. Conversely, one has a moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws. I would agree with St. Augustine that “an unjust law is no law at all.”

Now, what is the difference between the two? How does one determine whether a law is just or unjust? A just law is a man-made code that squares with the moral law or the law of God. An unjust law is a code that is out of harmony with the moral law. To put it in the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas: An unjust law is a human law that is not rooted in eternal law…

Sometimes a law is just on its face and unjust in its application. For instance, I have been arrested on a charge of parading without a permit … such an ordinance becomes unjust when it is used to deny citizens the First-Amendment privilege of peaceful assembly and protest …

One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty. I submit that an individual who breaks a law that conscience tells him is unjust, and who willingly accepts the penalty of imprisonment in order to arouse the conscience of the community over its injustice, is in reality expressing the highest respect for law.

Of course, there is nothing new about this kind of civil disobedience. It was evidenced sublimely in the refusal of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to obey the laws of Nebuchadnezzar, on the ground that a higher moral law was at stake. It was practiced superbly by the early Christians, who were willing to face hungry lions and the excruciating pain of chopping blocks rather than submit to certain unjust laws of the Roman Empire … In our own nation, the Boston Tea Party represented a massive act of civil disobedience.

We should never forget that everything Adolf Hitler did in Germany was “legal” and everything the Hungarian freedom fighters did in Hungary was “illegal.” It was “illegal” to aid and comfort a Jew in Hitler’s Germany. Even so, I am sure that, had I lived in Germany at the time, I would have aided and comforted my Jewish brothers. If today I lived in a Communist country where certain principles dear to the Christian faith are suppressed, I would openly advocate disobeying that country’s antireligious laws.

I must make two honest confessions to you, my Christian and Jewish brothers. First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Councilor or the Ku Klux Klan, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.” Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.

I had hoped that the white moderate would understand that law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice … Actually, we who engage in nonviolent direct action are not the creators of tension. We merely bring to the surface the hidden tension that is already alive. We bring it out in the open, where it can be seen and dealt with. Like a boil that can never be cured so long as it is covered up but must be opened with all its ugliness to the natural medicines of air and light, injustice must be exposed, with all the tension its exposure creates, to the light of human conscience and the air of national opinion before it can be cured.

In your statement you assert that our actions, even though peaceful, must be condemned because they precipitate violence. But is this a logical assertion? ... Isn’t this like condemning Jesus because his unique God consciousness and never ceasing devotion to God’s will precipitated the evil act of crucifixion? …

I have just received a letter from a white brother in Texas. He writes: “All Christians know that the colored people will receive equal rights eventually, but it is possible that you are in too great a religious hurry. It has taken Christianity almost two thousand years to accomplish what it has. The teachings of Christ take time to come to earth.” Such an attitude stems from a tragic misconception of time, from the strangely irrational notion that there is something in the very flow of time that will inevitably cure all ills. Actually, time itself is neutral; it can be used either destructively or constructively. More and more I feel that the people of ill will have used time much more effectively than have the people of good will. We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people. Human progress never rolls in on wheels of inevitability; it comes through the tireless efforts of men willing to be coworkers with God … We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right …

So let him march; let him make prayer pilgrimages to the city hall; let him go on freedom rides … now this approach is being termed extremist. But though I was initially disappointed at being categorized as an extremist, as I continued to think about the matter I gradually gained a measure of satisfaction from the label. Was not Jesus an extremist for love: “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Was not Amos an extremist for justice: “Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Was not Paul an extremist for the Christian gospel: “I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” Was not Martin Luther an extremist: “Here I stand; I cannot do otherwise, so help me God.” And John Bunyan: “I will stay in jail to the end of my days before I make a butchery of my conscience.” …

So the question is not whether we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. Will we be extremists for hate or for love? Will we be extremists for the preservation of injustice or for the extension of justice? In that dramatic scene on Calvary’s hill three men were crucified. We must never forget that all three were crucified for the same crime – the crime of extremism. Two were extremists for immorality, and thus fell below their environment. The other, Jesus Christ, was an extremist for love, truth and goodness, and thereby rose above his environment. Perhaps the nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.

I had hoped that the white moderate would see this need. Perhaps I was too optimistic; perhaps I expected too much. I suppose I should have realized that few … have the vision to see that injustice must be rooted out by strong, persistent and determined action. I am thankful, however, that some of our white brothers in the South have grasped the meaning of this social revolution and committed themselves to it. They are still all too few in quantity, but they are big in quality…

Let me take note of my other major disappointment. I have been so greatly disappointed with the white church and its leadership. Of course, there are some notable exceptions … But despite these notable exceptions, I must honestly reiterate that I have been disappointed with the church. I do not say this as one of those negative critics who can always find something wrong with the church. I say this as a minister of the gospel, who loves the church; who was nurtured in its bosom; who has been sustained by its spiritual blessings and who will remain true to it as long as the cord of life shall lengthen.

When I was suddenly catapulted into the leadership of the bus protest in Montgomery, Alabama, a few years ago, I felt we would be supported by the white church. I felt that the white ministers, priests and rabbis of the South would be among our strongest allies. Instead, some have been outright opponents, refusing to understand the freedom movement and misrepresenting its leaders; all too many others have been more cautious than courageous and have remained silent behind the anesthetizing security of stained-glass windows …

I have watched white churchmen stand on the sideline and mouth pious irrelevancies and sanctimonious trivialities. In the midst of a mighty struggle to rid our nation of racial and economic injustice, I have heard many ministers say: “Those are social issues, with which the gospel has no real concern.” And I have watched many churches commit themselves to a completely other worldly religion which makes a strange, unbiblical distinction between body and soul, between the sacred and the secular …

I have looked at the South’s beautiful churches with their lofty spires pointing heavenward. I have beheld the impressive outlines of her massive religious education buildings. Over and over I have found myself asking: “What kind of people worship here? Who is their God? ... Where were their voices of support when bruised and weary Negro men and women decided to rise from the dark dungeons of complacency to the bright hills of creative protest?”

Yes, these questions are still in my mind. In deep disappointment I have wept over the laxity of the church … Yes, I see the church as the body of Christ. But, oh! How we have blemished and scared that body through social neglect and through fear of being nonconformists.

There was a time when the church was very powerful – in the time when the early Christians rejoiced at being deemed worthy to suffer for what they believed. In those days the church was not merely a thermometer that recorded the ideas and principles of popular opinion; it was a thermostat that transformed the mores of society. Whenever the early Christians entered a town, the people in power became disturbed and immediately sought to convict the Christians for being “disturbers of the peace” and “outside agitators.”’ But the Christians pressed on, in the conviction that they were “a colony of heaven,” called to obey God rather than man. Small in number, they were big in commitment. They were too God-intoxicated to be “astronomically intimidated.” By their effort and example they brought an end to such ancient evils as infanticide and gladiatorial contests. Things are different now. So often the contemporary church is a weak, ineffectual voice with an uncertain sound. So often it is an arch-defender of the status quo. Far from being disturbed by the presence of the church, the power structure of the average community is consoled by the church’s silent – and often even vocal – sanction of things as they are.

But the judgment of God is upon the church as never before. If today’s church does not recapture the sacrificial spirit of the early church, it will lose its authenticity, forfeit the loyalty of millions, and be dismissed as an irrelevant social club with no meaning for the twentieth century. Every day I meet young people whose disappointment with the church has turned into outright disgust.

Perhaps I have once again been too optimistic. Is organized religion too inextricably bound to the status quo to save our nation and the world? Perhaps I must turn my faith to the inner spiritual church, the church within the church, as the true ekklesia and the hope of the world. But again I am thankful to God that some noble souls from the ranks of organized religion have broken loose from the paralyzing chains of conformity and joined us as active partners in the struggle for freedom. They have left their secure congregations and walked the streets of Albany, Georgia, with us. They have gone down the highways of the South on tortuous rides for freedom. Yes, they have gone to jail with us. Some have been dismissed from their churches, have lost the support of their bishops and fellow ministers. But they have acted in the faith that right defeated is stronger than evil triumphant. Their witness has been the spiritual salt that has preserved the true meaning of the gospel in these troubled times. They have carved a tunnel of hope through the dark mountain of disappointment. I hope the church as a whole will meet the challenge of this decisive hour. But even if the church does not come to the aid of justice, I have no despair about the future. I have no fear about the outcome of our struggle in Birmingham, even if our motives are at present misunderstood. We will reach the goal of freedom in Birmingham and all over the nation …

One day the South will recognize its real heroes … with the noble sense of purpose that enables them to face jeering and hostile mobs, and with the agonizing loneliness that characterizes the life of the pioneer … They will be the young high school and college students, the young ministers of the gospel and a host of their elders, courageously and nonviolently sitting in at lunch counters and willingly going to jail for conscience’ sake. One day the South will know that when these disinherited children of God sat down at lunch counters, they were in reality standing up for what is best in the American dream and for the most sacred values in our Judeo-Christian heritage …

Never before have I written so long a letter. I’m afraid it is much too long to take your precious time. I can assure you that it would have been much shorter if I had been writing from a comfortable desk, but what else can one do when he is alone in a narrow jail cell, other than write long letters, think long thoughts and pray long prayers?

If I have said anything in this letter that overstates the truth and indicates an unreasonable impatience, I beg you to forgive me. If I have said anything that understates the truth and indicates my having a patience that allows me to settle for anything less, I beg God to forgive me.

Martin Luther King Jr.

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Martin Luther King Jr. was martyred for continually publicly demonstrating for his cause. And he changed America. Christians hide behind their four walls and never change any nation. Or they can follow the New Testament and transform nations:

* Publicly Preach!

* Publicly Baptize!

* Publicly Pray!

* Publicly Demonstrate!