Separation of CHRIST and State of CONVERSATION

Separation of CHRIST and State of CONVERSATION

It is a rare thing to hear any discussion concerning the Lord or His plans or Host, and particularly His ‘only begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ’ in any form of public conversation; especially by corporate, educational and political leaders.  We occasionally hear touches of religious words at the very end of political speeches, inaugurations, class graduations and of course natural disasters and state of emergencies.  And curious how it is that it is not until the high of calamity or after it has passed that the name of God arises.

In the heart of leader’s messages there is no mentioned of God or Christ; and this is most likely due to the fact that in the heart of the messenger there is not Spirit of Christ.  Conversations by corporate, educational and political leaders have been reduced to secular ‘philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, and the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ (Colossians 2:8).’

Early Christian leaders throughout the world, and not just their bishops and pastors, would often speak of the Lord and the Holy Scriptures.  And through America’s history until past World War II, our leaders spoke ‘in the name of God… for the Glory of God and advancement of the Christian Faith… (Mayflower Compact 1620).’   This was not just to give lip service to the blessed name of the Lord God (Baruch Hashem Adonai), but it was because, though our countrymen had ‘slight shades of difference, (they had) the same Religious Manners, Habits and political Principles’ and at the heart of our country’s belief was ‘of all the disposition and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports (Constitution of Virginia 1776).’  So from the Reformation and all of Europe came Protestants, and soon afterwards Catholics, yet after three centuries – 300 years – from Jamestown’s Anglican services in 1607, or San Miguel Mission Catholic services in 1610, or Plymouth’s Puritan services in 1620, or First Baptist Church of Providence services in 1638; America was still invoking the name of God and Christ in public events, speeches and conversions.

Perhaps two of the reasons are in those days Christian leaders and educators were pious and faithful towards God and Christ.  The State Constitution of Massachusetts (1780) speaks of this in Article I: “Whereas our wise and pious ancestors, so early as the year 1636, laid the foundation of Harvard College, in which university many persons of great prominence have, by the blessing of God, been initiated in those arts and sciences which qualified them for the public employments, both in church and State; and whereas the encouragement of art and sciences, and all good literature, tends to the honor of God, the advantage of the Christian religion, and the great benefit of (our state and) the United States of America.”

States and their leaders at that time ‘cherished the interests of literature and the sciences… especially (in the) university… public schools and grammar-schools.’  But understand it was the promoting of good literature by leaders and representatives of the state who even took the oath of office saying, ‘I… declare that I believe the Christian religion, and have a firm persuasion of its truth… (ibid Const. MA).’   And the foundation of this Christian truth was the motto of Harvard and at the heart of most of the first colleges.

Perhaps another clue can be found.  In 1796 Thomas Paine wrote President Washington in part, “…There was a time when the fame of America, moral and political, stood fair and high in the world.  The lustre of her revolution extended itself to every individual, and to be a citizen of America gave a title to respect in Europe… It was with pleasure that every sincere friend to America beheld as the natural effect of union, her rising prosperity, and it was with grief they saw that prosperity mixed, even in blossom, with the germ of corruption.  Monopolies of every kind… injustice was acted under the pretense of faith…”   Yet, now there is not even the ‘pretense of Christian faith,’ only the love of money, secular agendas, oligarchy governments and monopolies in the form of giant unsinkable corporations and their overpaid puppet CEOs.

That leaders then imparted God and Christ into conversion was not due to the fact that they were not sinners as common men; or that they all loved the Holy Scriptures; no, it was that they have a conscience that still lead them to some fear of God, more that fear of man (Matt. 10:28).   And how has the ‘germ of corruption’ spread in America?

Our early leaders came from Europe where there documents still spoke of ‘the Most Holy and Indivisible Trinity… (and) to protect Religion, Peace and Justice (Paris 1815; The Holy Alliance).’  And it was a Holy Alliance, a ‘Concert into a Christian union’ that nations would join in order to protect their nation and freedoms.  They believe that if they did not declare in written form our rights, by ‘ignorance, neglect and corruption’ they would be taking away; as the right to religious freedom of public speech is being taken away.   The germs of greed and corruption in governments and corporations have yielded religious freedom for speech and actions, such as prayer and bible reading; to lessons of economic free enterprise and global citizenship.

And when the subject of our founding fathers comes up many say that was a Deist or Agnostic; often speaking what they know not of.  John Adams said, ‘If must be felt that there is no national security but in the nation’s humble acknowledged dependence upon God and His overruling providence.’  Providence – a word used often in the past, but it and its spirit is loss today.

Ben Franklin concerning the Continental Congress stated, ‘…henceforth prayers, imploring the assistance of Heaven and its blessing on our deliberations…’  George Washington said, “It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.”  Thomas Jefferson said ‘the Bible is the cornerstone of liberty.’  John Adams also said, “We recognize no sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus!”   James Monroe stated, “Before any man can be considered as a member of civil society, he must be considered as a subject of the Governor of the Universe.”  And who is this Governor? “The Lord; He is the Governor among the nations (Psa. 22:28 KJV).”

And in this manner continued Presidents and leader pass the founding fathers, as Andrew Jackson in public offered “most fervent prayer to that Almighty Being before whom’ he stood, ‘Who has kept us in His hands from the infancy of our Republic.”  The Almighty Being Jackson speaks of is no other god, but the Lord God Almighty; to Whom Lincoln invited Americans to pray.  Abraham Lincoln, who did ‘invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States… to set apart and observe… last Thursday of November… a day of Thanksgiving’ seeing a sorrowful time in America, said, “We have forgotten God.  We have forgotten the gracious hand, which preserved us…”   But though modern Presidents may use ‘God’ in a conclusion; early Presidents welcomed Him and His word throughout the Nation.

James Madison stated, “We have staked the whole future of American civilization not on the power of government, far from it.  We have staked the whole of our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves according to the commandments of God.  The future and success of America is not in this Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded.”

But in time due to ‘ignorance, neglect and corruption’ even though the founder wrote a Declaration of Rights and a Constitution of Rights and enacted Amendments to clarify and extend rights to all people, male and female, and to make all free for slavery and oppression; with the freedom of public religious conversion, the Supreme Court and the Nation’s leaders ‘forgot God’ and separated Him and His Spirit from the conversations of public citizens.  And thus as was with Israel, “the leaders caused the people to err (Isa. 9:16).’  In 1879, the courts in Reynolds v. U.S. supported ‘the free exercise of religion;’ but by 1948, in McCollum v. Board of Education, they began the suppression of ‘freedom of religion’ in public; first with ‘religious instruction’ being unconstitutional; but other speech in ‘motion pictures’ could not be censored (1952), as the Supreme Court further censored Christian ‘prayer (Engel v. Vitale 1962)’ and ‘Bible reading (Abington School District v. Schempp 1963).’  No longer was swearing to God and ‘believe in the existence of God’ required for public office (Torcaso v. Watkins 1961).’  However, States have no rights to ban evolution (Epperson v. Arkansas 1968); only ‘creation science (Edwards v. Aquillard 1987) and ‘the Ten Commandments (Stone v. Graham 1980),’ and anything close to a religious experience, even ‘a pure moment of silence (Wallace v. Jaffree 1985).’

And so, how is it any wonder that a generation later; America is becoming increasingly non-religious and we rarely hear leaders even say ‘God’ in a sentence.  And of course nearly every one of them are too afraid or too agnostic to confess Christ before the public.  However, I must warn all of us with the very words of Jesus Christ, “Whoever acknowledges Me before others, I will confess before my Father in heaven.  But whoever shall deny Me before others, I will deny before my Father in heaven (Matt. 10:32-33).”  For as the wise man said, “…Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.  For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil (Eccl. 12:13-14).”