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Danville Enlightener VOL. VI, No. 43
Caesar or Christ?A small congregation on the outskirts of Rome, circa 300 AD, concludes its Sunday services with a message from one of the elders: “The elders have an announcement of importance for the congregation.” People gather near the front of the building to listen as the elder tells the congregation what many already knew. “Emperor Diocletian has issued a new order, requiring all people to attend a religious/political ceremony designed to unify all Romans and revive lagging patriotism within the empire. What this means my brothers and sisters is that annually we must burn a bit of incense and simply say, ‘Caesar is Lord.’ Those who do will receive a seal of approval from the government and those who do not risk being put to death.” Now, the discussion begins. The elders encourage the membership to refuse because to participate means one has a Lord either in addition to or above Christ. “I disagree,” said a brother who owns a shop in the marketplace. “This is just a political ploy, we are being asked to do no more than pledge that we are loyal Romans.” “I agree with this brother,” said another man. “I have four children, if I am imprisoned or worse, who will take care of them? I am going to comply, I can’t see any possible harm.” The debate continues and intensifies. Many, because of the boldness, faith and persuasion of the elders, declare they will not meet the terms of the official government decree. Others, however, seem to be more pragmatic. “I can’t see how complying with such an order would be wrong. I’ll just tell them what they want to hear but I won’t mean it. My tongue might momentarily belong to Caesar but my heart always belongs to Christ.” “That’s right,” shouts another. “The government is not asking us to worship Christ or Caesar. Instead all we are being asked is honor both Christ and Caesar. If I’m not mistaken, didn’t Jesus say somewhere to render to Caesar what belongs to Caesar? Well, that’s what I’ll do.” One brother, a physician and member of the town council, says, “I think the elders are making too big a deal out of this. Rome tolerates many different faiths including ours and I have found that we share a lot in common with those faiths. The Emperor isn’t asking us to stop what we are doing – we are only being asked to come into the fourth century and stop appearing to be so exclusive. I encourage the elders to rethink their opposition to this decree; my family and I will act in accordance with the Emperor’s decree.” Strangely, this brother correctly assessed the situation. Official Rome abhorred exclusivism, the idea that Christ was the only way to God. Rome believed that Christians were unpatriotic (think “politically incorrect”) to oppose all other gods who were obviously tolerant. Intolerance was something official Rome could not stomach. Therefore, Rome did issue just such an official edict. Christians who complied with this decree were given permission to buy and sell and prosper (a mark, Rev 13:16-18). Those who refused suffered economic ruin (Rev 6:6) or death (Rev 6:7-8). What would you have done? This fictional story personalizes the struggle played out in the book of Revelation. A struggle we face although we are not facing total ruin or death, yet. We have not been asked literally to burn incense to Caesar in order to demonstrate our tolerance, but we are being bombarded to divide our loyalties. You doubt me – consider the following! Jesus continues to be THE bread, light, door, true shepherd, resurrection, waytruth- life, true vine and king (Jn 6:35, 9:5, 10:7, 11, 11:25, 14:6, 15:1 & 18:37). As such, believers cannot create a pluralistic Pantheon within their hearts to accommodate any rivals: including such popular rivals as Hinduism, Islam, denominationalism, New Age, secular psychology or anything that seeks to minimize the exclusiveness of Christ. Our society, however, has erected the idol of “Political Correctness” and Christians are being asked to bow and burn incense to demonstrate loyalty. The official decree today is no one (especially an atheist) is to be “offended.” Christians are told comply and demonstrate your loyalty to America. Rules are in place to give the decree its necessary teeth to force compliance. And these rules limiting a believer’s speech have silenced many today just as Diocletian’s decree did centuries ago. We are told that America stands not for freedom of religion, but freedom FROM religion. As a result, Christians are not praying before a meal at school or in the cafeteria at work, for fear of reprisals. Bibles are not taken and read during free time at the office because believers are afraid that they will “get into some kind of trouble.” Also, Christians refuse to invite a friend and coworker to attend services or a gospel meeting for fear of being reprimanded. Pulpits are silent in regards to abortion, homosexuality, women’s roles and marriage / divorce / remarriage. Why? “We might be viewed as a Political Action Committee and lose (gasp) our tax exempt status if we speak out on social issues,” some believers fret. Why are believers cowering in modern catacombs (limiting religion to the church building)? Because Diocletian (American secularism) has spoken! Thus many are bowing down at the altar of the State. If I were asked to appear on a television talk show and I said: “I am a Christian, I believe in Christ.” I would be applauded, because more than 80% of Americans claim to believe in Christ. However, if I were to state that I believe Jesus is the ONLY way to God and that he built only ONE church and that he has but ONE plan of salvation. Not only would I be booed, I would be labeled an intolerant bigot. Christians know this and to keep from being labeled (might we say marked) we bow before Caesar and burn our annual bit of incense. Thousands of Christians lost their livelihood and many thousands lost their lives because they refused to bow under the pressure of Rome (Rev 7:9-17). What does this say to those who cringe in fear today? I believe the words of the Master are applicable here. “The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here.” (Lk 11:32). Our brothers and sisters who remained faithful to Christ despite death will condemn our modern cowardice. -- jrb "As I See It" “For the laborer is worthy of his wages, (Lk 10:7). The Lord was discussing the support paid to those who preached, in this case the apostles. Paul broadens this to include all gospel preachers, “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel,” (1 Cor 9:14). A young gospel preacher with three children was working with a small band of believers south of Louisville. He was forced to give up “fulltime preaching” to return to the United States Army, where he had already spent six years before his conversion. There is a real possibility that not only will he not be able to continue preaching, but he may be deployed abroad, possibly Iraq. He returned to the service so he could support his family; he was unable to secure sufficient wages from brethren to continue his work as an evangelist. I know! Some smug believers will retort, “Let him get a real job and support himself.” Preaching is a real job and receiving wages is support, and anyone who disputes this is “more righteous than God” (Job 4:17); that is, demands more than God demands. One better tread lightly here. Paul said God commands that “those who preach the gospel live from the gospel.” This means if a man has sown spiritual things (the gospel) he is to reap material benefits (financial support) according to 1 Cor 9:11. What about this word COMMAND do we not get? There are many churches looking for capable men to work with them, some can support those men well to do the work of evangelists, however these churches are unwilling to ask a young man with no name recognition to work with them. They hold out for “someone better.” “We want an older man, one who has written for the papers, and have the right connections.” Large churches with the financial wherewithal to help by sending to the needs of men (Phil 4:16) will not do so because they are hoarding up in order to give the building a face lift. They may have several thousand dollars in the bank, just in case a hurricane blows the roof off the building. Individuals who can help don’t, because they are too absorbed in building bigger and better houses in which to store their plasma TVs, home theaters, and swimming pools. Provide A-Frames on the beach and vacations in Cancun or cruises to Alaska. As I See It, churches and/or individuals who have “This world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him,” do not have the love of God abiding in him/them. Oh, by the way – that’s how God sees it too (1 Jn 3:17).
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