The Enemy is at the Door; Are We Are Holding It Open?

In 1966, Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian-born Christian Pastor and founder of the Voice of the Martyrs, stood before congress and gave testimony to his 14-year treatment in Communist Romania for defying Joseph Stalin and the Communist party (he showed the scars on his back from the torture he endured during those years). He publicly denounced the ideals of socialism and communism, stating they were incompatible with the Church, and embarrassed Joseph Stalin and ranking communist party members. Some people may see this as a political commentary. You’re free to have an opinion, but understand this: history is on my side. Socialism and Communism (the latter always is the end result of the former) are the enemies of Christ and the Church. They seek to replace the big G “God” with the smaller “g” of government, and it requires government to control the lives of every citizen of the country it infects to make it work.

Socialism, even “democratic socialism” requires submission from the people to let the government control the means of production and distribution of wealth, and there is an organization that stands in the way of that: the Church. I have friends in countries where government control is the norm. Whether it is socialistic or theocratic, they label Christians who believe in the Bible as “free thinkers” and often imprison, torture or murder them to keep their influence from spreading. I say all of that because this (socialism and communism) is an idea that many who profess to be Christians are embracing, even as they publicly label Biblical ideals as “problematic.”

I say all of that because we have to understand: the individual SHOULD be generous, charitable and sharing what they have to benefit others; that is a BIBLICAL stance! But they should only have one mediator in that: the Holy Spirit. History shows us that time and time again, the Marxist, socialist and communist revolutionaries run out of other people’s money, and turn and ravage those they claim to be for, and usually, they ravage the Church for standing on Biblical principles! And while Christians ARE called to be at peace with all, submitting to the government (note that this was written by Peter and Paul WHILE they were actively being persecuted), we are called to submit to God before man. We shall not, as the Romans required, bow down and worship Caesar. Jesus is our King. We are sojourners and exiles in this broken and rebellious world, and it is our duty to stand up and declare that our only King is Jesus.

The enemy is at the door, and it’s not the people who allow their enemies to freely mock and speak out against them, it’s the ones who claim peace and to be for you, but hate everything you believe in. Boldly stand for Christ as your King. Examine His word, and stand on His principles. Leave the worldly nonsense behind. We will all stand before God and have to give an account someday, and I would rather do so having lived and died for Jesus than with an emotional appeal that sent people to their deaths. Speak the words, instead, that give Life.

1 Peter 1:13 -2:12

Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for

“All flesh is like grass

and all its glory like the flower of grass.

The grass withers,

and the flower falls,

but the word of the Lord remains forever.”

And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

2 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,

a cornerstone chosen and precious,

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected

has become the cornerstone,”

and

“A stone of stumbling,

and a rock of offense.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.