The United States of America was the only nation ever in history that was dedicated for Jesus Christ. Eleven of the thirteen original colonies mandated that if a politician wanted to hold office, they had to proclaim that Jesus Christ was their Lord and Savior. The Bible was used in the courtrooms as the guiding source of morality, ethics, and justice.

In the Bible, Jesus Christ commands Christians to follow and obey Him. He tells believers to make disciples of all the nations. Jesus warns that His followers are the salt and light of the culture, and if they fail to be salt and light, they are good for nothing but to be ruled by the pagans. Let us examine a few of the Scriptures admonishing Christians to preserve their culture for righteousness by representing America’s traditional values...or they will suffer for their slothfulness:

Matthew 28:18-20: "And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen."

Matthew 5:13-16: "Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Mark 4:21-25: "And he said unto them, Is a candle brought to be put under a bushel, or under a bed? and not to be set on a candlestick? For there is nothing hid, which shall not be manifested; neither was any thing kept secret, but that it should come abroad. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. And he said unto them, Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given. For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath."

The problems in America today can be traced back to the Church's failure to be salt and light in the nation in which they live. American Christians have bought into the American dream of hedonism instead of being ambassadors for their Lord and Savior. Many have been betrayed by their shepherds, especially the majority of televangelists who preach so much heresy in order to control and manipulate their audiences into giving them money. Prior to 1962 the Supreme Court of the United States consistently ruled that America was a Christian nation, and one could not separate Church and State since the nation was built on Christianity. In 1962 the Supreme Court made a ruling which removed prayer from the public schools the first year and the Bible the next. Evolution has now replaced Creation being taught in the public schools. As a result, we have a pagan nation with the value system of the animal kingdom. Judeo-Christian traditional values, which were the foundation of America’s peace, prosperity and security, are now demonically and vehemently under assault by humanists. They are replacing the traditional Christian values as incorporated in the American Constitution and Bill of Rights by our Founding Fathers with the United Nation's New World Order agenda of abortion rights, homosexual and lesbian rights, dissolving the sovereignty of nations and forcing us into the laws of a One World Government, as warned by the Apostle John in the Book of Revelation.

The Bible warns us in the Book of Romans that all authority on earth is delegated under God. If civil government uses their authority to back immorality and make laws to terrorize the righteous instead of the evil doer, then Christians must oppose that delegated authority.

Romans 13:1-7: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour."

The Scriptures are abundantly clear as to a Christian's responsibility in the country in which they live. Parents, the delegated authority under God, must raise up their children in the ways of God. They are not to ignore or abuse their God-given responsibility. If they do, then the child grows up anti-social and has problems with the law, as well as relationships with people, employers, spouses and children. These are the consequences, and part of the Science of Judgment, that fall upon parents who do not fulfill their God-given responsibilities in properly nurturing, chastening and disciplining their children. A child is to obey their parents unless the parents disobey God, who is the higher authority. For example, if a parent tells a child to lie for them or have sex with them, then the child should disobey the parent. A wife has responsibilities to her husband, but if the husband commands the wife to disobey God by telling the wife to cheat for him or to commit adultery for him, then the wife should disobey the husband.

The Church has a responsibility under God, the higher authority, to be the spiritual conscience of a nation and hold the civil government accountable to obey the traditional values and laws of God. Christian leaders are to call civil government to obey the commands of Romans and be a terror to evil, not to become evil. The Church is to enlighten their culture in the values and character of Jesus Christ. The Church has no authority to misinterpret the Bible and abuse people and other Christians, as the Catholic Church did during the Dark Ages and the great inquisitions. When the Church fails, then Christians are not to follow those church leaders who violate Jesus' true teachings. That is what Martin Luther did in coming against the Pope by nailing his 95 thesis to the door of the Roman Catholic Church in Wittenberg, which actually started the Protestant Reformation.

Christians are not to obey any delegated authority on earth on specific instructions or laws that violate the higher authority, Jesus Christ. When civil authority makes laws that contradict the traditional values of America which originated from the Bible, then church leaders and believers alike are to oppose that law or policy. Most Christian leaders in America have miserably failed their responsibilities under God in this grave area of holding civil government accountable for violating the moral, ethical and spiritual laws of God. Some mega-church leaders applaud, support and defend the President who, at the time of the writing of this article, is Barack Hussein Obama, a man who is actually destroying the Christian foundation of America and eradicating our sovereignty as a nation, transferring more and more power to the United Nations. Obama is the most radical politician with ties to radical liberals and revolutionists in America, as well as ties to Islamic leaders who mount a clear and present danger to the sovereignty of the United States of America. Obama has in actuality declared war against evangelical values and beliefs in regard to his policies concerning abortion, homosexuality, embryonic stem cell research, the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Christianity as the nation’s religion, Israel’s land sovereignty, and the intent of the law to qualify as an American President. I believe he lied to the American population when he said he did not know what Rev. Jeremiah Wright actually believed and taught when he attended that church for twenty years. No, this man is a liar who knew exactly what Wright’s ideology was and chose to attend his church because he supported that ideology.

Obama has ridiculed Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and he has declared that all religions lead to God. This is paramount to heresy and blasphemy. Where were the Christian leaders, the watchmen to protect the nation and church, who should have corrected Obama publicly since Obama made his criticisms and attacks on Jesus publicly? Where were the televangelists who should have defended our Lord and Savior and rebuked President Obama instead of acting like a lap dog slobbering to get his approval, such as Joel Osteen or Rick Warren did on television on Larry King Live? Obama has declared that he will appoint activist judges to interpret the Constitution, not according to the intent of the Christian Founding Fathers, but according to the culture today in which we live. The Church and its leaders should be screaming and defending this nation’s heritage. Instead, they continue to betray their congregations, their nation, and Jesus Himself.

The higher authority that civil leaders are to defend and enforce is the God of the Bible, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Four sins bring judgment on a nation; idolatry, immorality, killing the innocent, and dividing the land of Israel. According to Romans 13, civil government should be a terror to evil and to the evil doer. They are not to be a terror to the righteous! They are to be a terror to abortionists, to homosexuals, adulterers, drunkards, liars, thieves, robbers, burglers, and people guilty of treason. The government should not support and represent these people. When they do, the Church must publicly rebuke and do all it can to change those policies and laws that bring judgment on a nation. If the Church fails to do its part in opposing civil authority, the Church itself comes under the judgment of God and, consequently, is ruled by the beast that they have failed to correct. There is no excuse for America to have ever reached this deplorable state where evolution has replaced creation as a theory being taught in public schools and universities, and where there is a debate concerning same-sex marriage. This was a solidly Christian nation until the leaders of the Church failed to be salt and light and instead sold there birthright for a pot of money instead of porridge. Most televangelists and pastors have failed to be watchmen, challenging and correcting politicians who are radical humanists. These radical liberal politicians, including Obama, oppose many moral and ethical issues which the Bible classifies as sin and an abomination.

Ephesians 5:3-7: "But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Be not ye therefore partakers with them."

Romans 1:26-32: "For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."

All through the Bible God’s standard for His people is to represent Him faithfully; to be separate, holy, a peculiar people who are His ambassadors on earth, being salt and light, coming against sin and evil. God’s people were never called to just pray about a situation or unequivocally support, serve and defend a politician or government which violates the traditional values of God. This is where Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, TD Jakes, TBN and so many other pastors and television networks and ministries have miserably failed. These pastors and networks are not fulfilling the role of true watchmen, but instead are behaving as entrepreneurs.

Remember all human authority according to Romans 13 is delegated authority under a higher authority, Jesus Christ. Jonah obeyed God and demanded that the Nineveh inhabitants and civil government, including the king, repent or face the judgment of God. Joseph refused to bow to Pharoah. Moses certainly did not violate his responsibility to be submissive to civil authority when he confronted, rebuked and corrected Pharaoh, demanding that Pharaoh obey the instructions of Jehovah. Queen Esther risked her life by correcting the king of his misguided decree which would have allowed the enemies of Jehovah to kill God's people. Elijah challenged the false prophets, exposed them for serving a false God, and killed them. Elijah openly did this to humiliate civil government, which was serving false religions. Then Elijah publicly confronted and rebuked civil government, King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. Was Elijah guilty of not submitting to delegated civil authority, or was he obeying the instructions of the entire Bible to confront delegated authority when they are disobeying the laws of God? What about Isaiah when he confronted both wicked watchmen and civil leaders? What about Jeremiah when he rebuked King Zedekiah, pointing out his governmental sins and warning of God's impending judgment upon him and the nation? What about Ezekiel who prophecied against the pastors, prophets, prophetesses and different nations like Israel, Judah, Ammon, Moab, Edom, Philistia, Tyre, Zidon, and Egypt, including their governmental leaders such as Pharoah and King Zedekiah? Were these people faithful servants of God acting as salt and light?

David refused to surrender to King Saul’s army because the King was out of control, being inspired by demons. Daniel served as a slave to civil government, yet refused to obey the king’s decree that no one could pray to the true God, only to the king. Daniel did an act of civil disobedience, opened his windows, and publicly prayed to God, testifying to the entire nation that he was not going to obey the king’s decree because the king was violating his delegated authority on earth. Did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego disobey God’s submission to delegated civil government authority when they refused to obey the civil laws of bowing to the graven image? How about John the Baptist who Jesus said was His forerunner?

I can just hear the traitors of Jesus Christ...some of these mega-church and televangelist superstars say, “Oh, John should have used more wisdom and not been so rude to insult the King. We are supposed to show honor and pray for our leaders in authority.” These worthless pastors and televangelists would criticize a faithful servant of the Lord because of their own lack of spiritual strength and faith, which causes them to be afraid to confront, oppose, and rebuke the sins of political leadership. Jesus called John the Baptist the greatest prophet, which is the highest compliment given to any person before or since. Jesus did not criticize John the Baptist for his strong, open rebuke of civil authority, but instead complimented John for his enduring fearless faithfulness to represent Him and rebuke delegated authority which was promoting sin and evil themselves.

Matthew 11:7-11: "And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind? But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and more than a prophet. For this is he, of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.' Verily I say unto you, among them that are born of women there hath not risen one greater than John the Baptist."

Let us read some of the words of John the Baptist to people, including religious and civil leaders who came to hear him:

Matthew 3:7-12: "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Now let us read some of the words of Jesus Christ Himself concerning the same religious and civil leadership:

Matthew 23:13: "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 suffer ye them that are entering to go in."

Matthew 23:29-33: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous, and say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?"

Luke 11:29-54: "And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. The men of Nineveh shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light. And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also? But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you. But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them. Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also. And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things: Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him." (Emphasis mine)

Jesus Himself was very direct and to the point with delegated civil authority! All throughout the Bible and history itself, Christians were persecuted and killed because they came against delegated civil authority when that authority was in sin, instead of obeying it. That is what persecution is all about! If you have never been persecuted, then you are not being the type of salt and light that can preserve a culture and a nation. Do you remember what the Apostles said to civil authority after they were arrested, beaten and commanded never to preach again in Jesus' name? They said that they had no choice but to continue to preach in the name of Jesus, and they left their tormentors' presence, were released back into Jerusalem, and preached publicly again! These Apostles were in total civil disobedience because civil delegated authority was in violation of a higher authority...the Word of God. Yet, they were in perfect obedience to the Lord Jesus Christ! And Paul...was he a faithful servant of God even though he spent much of his time in jail or prison for coming against political leadership?

Jesus Christ expects and demands that His followers represent Him on earth. He expects them to oppose any delegated authority that violates His word. He expects Christians to be salt and light, or He Himself will allow them to be chastised and ruled by the beast.

Matthew 5:16: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven"

Matthew 10:32-33: "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."

Matthew 7:17-19: "Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."

Jesus expects believers to be willing to be criticized, rejected, and persecuted for Him!

Revelation 3:15-16: "I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth."

I repeat...Jesus expects believers to be willing to be criticized, rejected and persecuted for Him!

Matthew 10:24-25: "The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household!"

Matthew 5:10: "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

Jesus expects you and I to be like John the Baptist who Jesus described as the perfect example of how a faithful servant who is totally sold out to his Master and deals fearlessly with evil leaders of a nation. The most important thing to remember is Jesus expected His followers to represent Him fearlessly in a hostile environment where the nation was occupied already by a foreign civil government. Here in America we are unique, being a nation that was dedicated for Jesus at our inception. Until recently, we were considered by the population, the civil leaders, and the Supreme Court as a Christian nation, inseparable of church and state. Our DNA is Christian like no other nation on earth. If we come under the rule of the beast...a pagan government and pagan radical liberal politicians like Obama...it is totally the Christian leaders' fault because they failed to teach their people to be salt and light. They themselves are in love with the things of the world instead of being in love with Jesus. They are shepherds who eat the flock, as Jeremiah warned, instead of serving the flock. These cowards who lead the church today are good for nothing but the dunghill. They are being used by the radical politician to usher in sheer tyranny in the same way Hitler used Christian leaders in Germany before and after he took power. God help the American people and Church, for there are few real watchmen sounding the alarm!

Take note of the words of Jesus describing John the Baptist and the example we should all be to avoid the Christians' Science of Judgment: "He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light." John 5:35

© 2010 World Ministries International