Church of God News

Cal Thomas (Photo by Gage Skidmore)

COGwriter

A reader tipped me off about the following:

Cal Thomas: Evangelicals should return to core beliefs

July 10, 2015

In the matter of the “culture wars,” evangelical Christians are asking, “what do we do now?” The question is being raised in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision striking down state laws reserving marriage for heterosexual couples.

The “culture wars,” while well-intentioned, were a mistake from the beginning. Evangelical Christians, whose Leader said, “My Kingdom is not of this world,” thought they could organize people of like mind and like faith and create a voting bloc to elect people who would impose something resembling that other kingdom on people who do not see themselves as members of that kingdom. Given the number of politicians who seem to have difficulty imposing a moral code of any sort on themselves, such a strategy was doomed from the start. Why didn’t they learn from previous “moral improvement” movements that if one wants to change culture, one must first change individuals? For evangelical Christians that can only be done by the transformation of the heart, soul and mind, something that is beyond the power of secular – or even religious – politicians.

Conservative Christians wanted to be liked and respected by the world. Republican politicians saw them as a reliable voting bloc and were happy to have them in the party, but party leaders and elected officials did little to advance their agenda. Leaders gave them lip service, saying what Christians wanted to hear and in some cases even quoted a Bible verse, but in reality most party leaders were embarrassed, even offended, by people many regarded as throwbacks, if not to the Dark Ages, then to the rural South.

Fundraisers and TV evangelists were happy to promote this “kingdom of the world” mentality because it brought them the illusion of influence, money and a place at the table. Few minds were changed, and culture became more deformed than reformed. The country grows increasingly secular in part because conservative evangelicals gave the impression that being born again means instant adoption into the Republican Party.

As a longtime fan of Broadway musicals and plays, I believe that the original cast is always better than the touring company. Evangelicals should return to the “original cast,” whose members include Jesus of Nazareth, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James and Timothy. Consider their lives and tactics as they faced a hostile political and religious environment that brought persecution, even death. These men – and their followers – had little interest in an earthly kingdom. Instead, they focused on that other kingdom, and billions of lives have been transformed in the centuries that followed.  http://www.saratogian.com/opinion/20150710/cal-thomas-evangelicals-should-return-to-core-beliefs

While term ‘culture wars’ does not directly come from the Bible, the following does:

1 “Cry aloud, spare not;
Lift up your voice like a trumpet;
Tell My people their transgression,
And the house of Jacob their sins. (Isaiah 58:1)

True Christian leaders should be doing that.  If ‘culture wars’ are defined by voting, that would not be something that the Bible endorses (for details, see Should a Christian Vote?).

As far as homosexuality goes, true Christian leaders should teach what the Bible really says about it (see The Bible Condemns Homosexuality), not what some Protestants who endorse it claim the Bible teaches (watch also What Does the Bible Really Teach about Homosexuality?).

As far as the kingdom of God goes, this is something that Jesus and His faithful early followers taught.  Here are a few scriptures related to that:

14 Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15)

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world…” (John 18:36)

33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.  (Matthew 24:14)

More on the gospel of the kingdom can be found in the article The Gospel of the Kingdom of God was the Emphasis of Jesus and the Early Church.  Preaching the gospel of the kingdom to the world as a witness is something we in the Continuing Church of God are doing (see also The Final Phase of the Work and Should the Church Still Try to Place its Top Priority on Proclaiming the Gospel or Did Herbert W. Armstrong Change that Priority for the Work?).

Now, another point to touch upon is that Cal Thomas stated that Christian leaders should teach what “Jesus of Nazareth, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James and Timothy” and presumably other early faithful Christian leaders taught.

While I agree with Cal Thomas on that point, I would add that evangelicals do not do that.  Nor will they?

Why?

Because they have absorbed so many non-biblical traditions and practices that they tend to call true Christianity a cult–a cult that they denounce.

Here is a list of some of the views that early Christians held that differ from those held by most evangelical leaders:

A Binitarian or Semi-Arian view, that acknowledged the Holy Spirit, was held by the apostolic and post-apostolic true Christian leaders.

Birthdays were not celebrated by early Christians.

Born-Again meant being born at the resurrection, not at the time of conversion, which is when a spiritual begettal occurs.

Church Governance was properly hierarchical.

Christmas was not observed by any professing Christ prior to the third century, or ever by those holding to early teachings; December 25th did not come from the Bible.

Circumcision, though not required, was long practiced by original Nazarene Christians.

Deification of Christians (which begins after the first resurrection) was taught by the early leaders of the Church.

Easter per se was not observed by the apostolic church.

The Fall (and Spring) Holy Days were observed by true early Christians.

The Father was considered to be God by all early professing Christians.

The True Gospel included the kingdom of God and obedience to the law of God and was so understood by the faithful.

Heaven was not taught to be the reward of Christians.

Holy Spirit was not referred to as God or as a person by any early true Christians.

Hymns were mainly psalms, not praises to Christ.

Idols were taught against, including adoration of the cross.

Immortality of the soul or humans was not taught.

The Kingdom of God was preached.

Leavened Bread was removed from the homes of early Christians when the Jews did the same.

Military Servicewas not allowed for true early Christians.Monasticism was unheard of in the early Christian church.

Passover was kept annually on the 14th of Nisan by apostolic and second century Christians in Asia Minor.

The Resurrectionof the dead was taught by all early ChristiansThe Sabbath was observed on Saturday by the apostolic and post-apostolic Church.

Salvation was believed to be offered to the chosen now by the early Church, with others being called later, though not all that taught that (or other doctrines) practiced “the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3).

God’s Six Thousand Year Plan for humankind to rule itself was believed by early professors of Christ.

Sunday was not observed by the apostolic and original post-apostolic Christians.

The Ten Commandments were observed by the apostolic and true post-apostolic Christians–and in the order that the Church of God claims they are in.

Tithes and Offerings were given to support the ministry, the churches, the needy, and evangelical travels and proclamation.

Tradition had some impact on the second century Christians, but was never supposed to supersede the Bible.

The Trinity was not a word used to describe the Godhead by the apostolic or second century Christians, though a certain threeness was acknowledged.

Unclean Meats were eaten by the early allegorists, but not by true Christians.

There are other beliefs, but relatively few evangelicals have the same beliefs as shown above–even many of those who claim to keep the Ten Commandments.

Anyway, those interested in learning more about the beliefs of the early Christian leaders may wish to check out the free online pdf booklet Continuing History of the Church of God.  Those who would like to learn more about true Christianity may also wish to read the free online pdf booklet Where is the True Christian Church Today?

Cal Thomas is correct that the evangelicals are not winning their ‘culture war’ and the focus for Christians should be the coming kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33).

Tweet

This entry was posted on Friday, July 10th, 2015 at 3:00 pm and is filed under Church History, Doctrine, Religious News.

• Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize
• Kenya Celebrates Obama
• Obama, Abortion, and the Health Bill
• Abstinence Programs Work
• Obama’s Support High Among Unchurched
• USA Debt Means It Cannot Stay the Leading Power
• Barack Obama Picks Joe Biden
• Obama Apparently Wants Abortionist for Supreme Court
• Many Americans Believe that Barack Obama is Muslim
• Obama Declares USA Will Sell Nuclear Technology to India