Passivity is NOT Biblical Christianity!!!

I have recently had the privilege of ministering in Birmingham at the United Kingdom College Retreat called “The Sword Of The Spirit” Conference.  The way God has worked has been incredible to watch!  There is definitely a calling out of young people there that I’ve not seen in my previous years of ministry there.  It is beyond encouraging!!

In addition to viewing God’s good work, I’ve been able to witness first hand the growing onslaught of Islam in the United Kingdom.  The three largest cities in England – London, Birmingham and Manchester – have become hot beds of Muslim growth over the last several decades.  Today, I spent some time at Birmingham University (one of the largest and most prestigious universities in all of England).  The vast number of foreign students (most of whom are Muslim) is overwhelming.  My heart aches to see them as they live in commitment to a false and radical religious ideology!

There seems to be so much confusion regarding the appropriate “Christian” response to the rapidly increasing threat posed by Islam, and one of its most prolific entities – ISIS.  Attached below is an outstanding video presentation that sets the Biblical response in proper perspective.  The response of the individual Christian is found in Romans 12:21, where the Scriptures say, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”  To get the proper context, one must see the prior verses where God says to the INDIVIDUAL believer not to “take vengeance” when personally wronged!  No, God will “execute vengeance.”  That is His prerogative!  Unfortunately, many who advocate that the Christian response to evil is to be NO response, fail to understand that doing good to those who are evil is the INDIVIDUAL response of every believer.  However, in the very next chapter of Romans (chapter 13, verse 4), the Scripture says that the government “is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.”  In other words, the entity known as government is to respond quite differently with respect to evil.  Government is to punish evil and “execute wrath” on HIM who practices it!!

So, as President Obama sits on his hands and does nothing of substance to respond to the encroaching evil that is ISIS, every individual believer needs to understand that he does so in disobedience to God’s word!  He does so and places the American people (as well as the Middle East and the whole of the west) in dire jeopardy by his spineless passivity.

For the church of Jesus Christ, much of which has been inundated with unscriptural teaching that has encouraged this same passivity, the truth that needs to be boldly proclaimed is that the eradication of ISIS, as well as the evil that is Islam, is a Biblical mandate for the God-ordained entity called government!  Yes, you heard me correctly.  When it is within our hands to DO something about the evil that is Islam and ISIS (just as government should have done with respect to the Nazis), it is disobedience to God to refuse to respond!  Just as the pastors of Germany should have squared their shoulders, cleared their collective throats, and thundered forth against the evil of Adolph Hitler, so it is the Divine obligation of all God-called men to do the same relative to ISIS!  Tragically, we have the descendants of those passive German pastors figuratively with us today!  Far too many have been infected with the contemporary, carnal, weak-kneed idea that we (as pastors/preachers) are to say nothing about this evil.  Instead, we are to “evangelize and disciple” ONLY!  A thousand times NO!!!  Yes, we must evangelize and disciple!!!  But, what is to be the content of our discipleship instruction?  “Teaching to observe ALL things, whatsoever I have commanded you,” is the clear command of Matthew 28:20.  Certainly the “all things” includes clear instruction on the responsibility of government to evil.

What I am saying has never been more clearly stated than by Dr. Robert Jeffress in the clip attached below.  It’s only a few minutes.  I encourage you to listen to his clarion call to our president and government.  Then, observe the overwhelming response of the fine people of First Baptist Church, Dallas, Texas.  May such virile and Biblical Christianity once again be our lot!!!

http://ptv.org/call-to-action-robert-jeffress/

Dave Kistler
President, HOPE Ministries International
President, North Carolina Pastors Newwork (NCPN)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *