RENDERING UNTO CAESAR WHAT BELONGS TO GOD
By Chuck Baldwin
Posted: November 12, 2002, 8:30 pm pacific
NewsWithViews.comSomething is very wrong with the church today. On the surface, everything appears fine. Large and ornate church buildings are omnipresent. More people verbalize Christian beliefs. Money for televangelists keeps pouring in. Sports celebrities, movie stars, and even politicians claim Christianity as a core conviction. So, why do I say something is very wrong with the church today?
I say something is very wrong because the definition and central purpose of the church have become something counter to that of the church's historicity.
In the first place, instead of proclaiming the traditional message of redemption through Christ alone, today's church basks in a new doctrine of inclusiveness. One can be identified as a Christian while believing and practicing virtually anything. Most professing Christians today seem to believe that tolerance is the Godliest virtue of all. One must wonder why God even bothered to create Hell, because it seems hardly anyone will ever go there.
In the second place, it seems today's church believes that God has had a second incarnation. He now resides in government. Today's Christians seem to define The Trinity as Father, Son, and Holy Republican Party. One gets the impression that modern Christians believe G.W. Bush has already ushered in the Kingdom of Heaven. Surely, somewhere lambs and lions are sleeping together.
The church's preoccupation with tolerance and its infatuation with government put it at odds with scripture and with U.S. history. In effect, it has rendered to Caesar what belongs to God.
It is disconcerting and downright scary to see how gullible today's Christians have become. It is also becoming clear how the nations of antiquity fell into tyranny and oppression. Their own churches led them into the devil's den.
That Christians have traded faith in Biblical and constitutional principles for faith in partisan politics is what's wrong, and until the church repents of this idolatry, it will never be made right.
©-2002 - Chuck Baldwin Live commentaries may not be reprinted or republished without permission. All Rights Reserved.
Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.
Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.
To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state E-mail: chuck@chuckbaldwinlive.com
