My friends, prideful nationalism and the idolatry of Trump has been doing it’s ugly work and dangerously drawing whole segments of our evangelical family into indecorous cult-like behavior…

From the (12/10/20) article below: “As the president prepares for his second term two forces are hindering his efforts. One hindrance is the RINO, ‘Republicans In Name Only.’ The other hindrance are BINOs, or “Believers In Name Only.” They are weak, compromised and lack principles. These comfortable, ‘church-on-Sunday and prophecy-on-Tuesday’ people, are silent when our president most needs them. President Trump won by a landslide and needs them to be there for him, to have his back as he’s had their backs. To the consternation of the president, just like the RINO, the BINO are unable to speak.” (“MAGA Rally Saturday: It’s Time for Christians and Republicans to Get Vocal” by Amir George, Charisma News, [December 10, 2020])

What makes this Charisma article so troubling is that it reflects the predictable trajectory the culture attached to it has been taking (swiftly for months); moving from idolatry to false narrative to cult-behavior…

The fact is, idolatry (if it’s to survive) must create & feed on false narrative/world-views (conspiracies). If these are left unchallenged, the idol & the false narrative WILL produce self-protective-cult-like-behavior. This is the way idolatry progresses – every time.

In its drive to survive it seeks to delegitimize & destroy that which is opposed to its viability.

This is the way of crossless self-exaltation. It was the false way of the enemy. And its the ubiquitous way he entices all to travel. (See Luke 4 and Jesus in the wilderness & Matthew 16 and Peter’s rebuke of Jesus at Caesarea Philippi) The deceiver’s temptation is this: “Seize what you want. Skip the cross.”

The plain lesson of Old & New Testament history is no one is more responsible for opposing those who bear God’s cross on the earth: God’s prophets, friends of the Bridegroom, apostles and Messiah Himself more than those bound up w the idolatrous cult of religious nationalism.

One group speaks from self-denying truth & love and seeks to warn and save the lost. The other speaks from self-saving calculations & fear and seeks to eliminate those who threaten the “good of all”.

BELOVED, UNDERSTANDING THESE DYNAMICS IS SO IMPORTANT NOW, IN THIS HOUR, SO THAT MANY IN THE BODY OF CHRIST KNOW HOW TO FIND THEIR WAY BACK TO THE STRENGTH OF GOD.

“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20)

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JSB • December, 2020