MY NEW BOOK: JESUS UNTANGLED

This is the book Trump and Hillary don't want you to read.

My new book, Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics to Pledge Allegiance to the Lamb is coming to Amazon on Inauguration Day - January 20, 2017 in both print and ebook formats.

I'm very honored to have Greg Boyd [author of The Myth of a Christian Nation] contribute the Foreword to my book.

This is also my first book that I'm publishing through an actual publisher rather than going the self-publishing route. Already I'm kicking myself for not doing so much sooner. It's been a wonderful experience so far.

If you'd like to know more about the book, we have a little landing page set up here: www.JesusUntangled.com

I'm currently setting up radio and podcast interviews for the book, and I'm sending out advance pre-release copies on PDF to several authors and bloggers to solicit advance reviews leading up to January 20th, 2017.

If you live in the SoCal area, you might want to join us for the Jesus Untangled Book Signing Party at Fuller Seminary, Irvine on Saturday evening, Jan. 21st. at 6pm. This will be a great opportunity to grab a signed copy of the book and meet me in person. I'll read a chapter from the book and take a few questions.

Going forward, you might see a few new 5 Minute Video clips here and on YouTube focused on the book, plus a few other surprises that I can't wait to share.

Thanks to everyone who has read my blog over the last 10 years, and who have supported me and my writing ministry. I'm so blessed to share this book with all of you!

Thanks for the support, it is greatly appreciated.

Peace,
Keith

NOTE: If you plan to buy the book on Amazon, please DO NOT PRE-ORDER the book. We're asking everyone to be patient and purchase the book on Friday, January 20th so our sales numbers are maximized and all sorts of beautiful things start to happen for us at Amazon.

Thanks!

WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULDN’T VOTE

For most Christians the idea of not voting sounds sacrilegious. But following Jesus means turning away from the “patterns of this world” in favor of a better way – the Kingdom of God.

Here are some reasons why you shouldn’t vote if you follow Christ:

1. Because in over 6,000 years of human history, politics hasn’t solved any of our basic problems

2. Because politics divides the Body of Christ and creates false “us vs them” mentality

3. Because we will one day give an account to God for how we spent our time/money and investing in such an ineffective system is unjustified.

4. Because politics is about writing, passing and enforcing laws. Even God’s law wasn’t capable of creating the change we need. Why do we think we can do better?

5. Because when you have the power to change every human heart from within and make people brand new inside you don’t waste time on politics

6. Because we realize that to have a Christian nation you need to start with a nation of Christians. By making disciples we’re collaborating with Jesus to remake the world from within.

7. Because the Gospel is not spread through political actions or laws.

8. Because we admit that seeking political solutions to mankind’s problems is the same as giving up on the power of the Gospel to change people from within.

9. Because passing laws that force people to act Christian isn’t the same as making people like Christ.

10. Because our core problems, as a human race, are spiritual in nature. That means the only solution is spiritual.

11. Because politics is ultimately about compromise, power and corruption and no follower of Jesus needs to get entangled in those things.

12. Because human governments are essentially focused on gaining power and national wealth through violence and war.

13. Because politics is part of the world system we are called out of and saved from. It is one of the entanglements the scriptures call us to avoid.

14. Because the currency of politics are fame, money, power, manipulation and lies.

15. Because politics involves raising and spending billions of dollars which could better be used to build the Kingdom, feed the poor, care for the sick and comfort the outcast.

16. Because the NT portrays the enemies of Jesus as “the nations” and “the Kings of the earth”, we must stand with Jesus and work to advance His Kingdom, not promote earthly governments or leaders.

17. Because choosing between the lesser of two evils is still a choice for evil.

One of the most dangerous entanglements faced by Christians is in politics. Why? Simply because those who become entangled in politics do so out of a sincere desire to make a positive difference in the world. But rather than employ the methods that Jesus gave to us, they are attempting to change the world using the world’s systems.

Jesus did not come to give us more of the same, but with a cross on top. No, He came to show us a new and different way than anything we had ever even imagined before. This is why He started His Sermon on the Mount by urging all of us to “think differently” about everything. He had different ideas like overcoming evil with good, loving our enemies, and laying down our lives for one another.

Of course, every Christian hopes to make an impact on the world. But Jesus has the very best possible plan for changing the world from the inside out – without bloodshed or oppression or violence.

No, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to make the world a better place. The problem is in seeking to do so without Jesus. Or, worse, to mix Christianity with Politics.

You know what you get when you mix religion and politics? You get politics.

Jesus shows us a better way.

Let's follow Him.

-kg

What Would Wilberforce Do?

[Part 14 in the Jesus Untangled Series]

On July 26, 1833, the Abolition of Slavery bill passed in the House of Commons. A messenger rushed to Wilberforce's house and told him that his three decade-long battle to abolish slavery in the British colonies had succeeded. Three days later, William Wilberforce died, his life’s work complete.

As I’ve been writing a series of articles on why Christians in America need to untangle themselves from politics and return to their first love – Jesus – as a means of impacting and transforming the culture, several people have asked me what I think about William Wilberforce and his political struggle (as a Christian) to end slavery in the UK without bloodshed.

Honestly, I’ve pondered this for a while now. At first blush it appears that the work of Christian men like Wilberforce and MLK provide a strong rebuttal to my call for Christians to abandon political aspirations completely.

But after some thought I think I’ve identified a few reasons why the work these men did cannot be compared to our modern situation.

The big difference is this: Wilberforce was focused on advocating for the weak and the oppressed (slaves) who could not speak up or defend themselves against a system of exploitation, greed and corruption, of which he was an unwilling member.

Furthermore, as a Christian, he was greatly troubled by how his faith and scripture was being mangled to justify the treatment of other human beings who were held against their will and used like animals.

In contrast, Christians today are using political power and influence to protect themselves – not an oppressed group of people who have no defense against tyranny and abuse.

What's more, American Christians are seeking to impact their culture through the legislative power of the State rather than by actually loving and living and serving others the way Jesus commanded.

Wilberforce wanted to leverage political power to set others free. American Christians want to use politics to empower themselves. Big difference.

So, to compare the selfless, sacrificial work of William Wilberforce to abolish slavery on behalf of an oppressed people with the selfish, fear-based paranoia of today’s politicized American Christianity is foolish, and practically obscene.

Wilberforce and MLK did more than vote or push for legislation. They, and others like them, marched. They stood up to corporate greed. They endured serious persecution, and sometimes even physical violence, so that others might be set free. They risked their reputations, even their lives and livelihood, to make life better for other people.

They took their eyes off themselves and saw the suffering of others around them. They invested their very lives into improving the lives of others.

If American Christians would be willing to lay their lives on the line and risk personal injury in defense of the most weak, marginalized and exploited people around them, then we might find cause to equate their political wrangling with the valiant efforts of people like MLK or Wilberforce. Until that day, their lust for political power is the farthest thing possible from the historic abolition of slavery and systemic racism on behalf of others.

The sort of political entanglement the Church finds Herself in today is more about advancing the agenda of a specific party, not about helping the weak, the poor, the immigrant, the outcast, the orphan or the widow. Instead, the Church has become more interested in helping to elect a certain breed of politician who cares more about corporate interests and protecting the interests of the rich and powerful.

Finally, if we look closely we will find that the very same enemy that fought the hardest against Wilberforce and his efforts to end slavery is today the greatest ally of the politically-entangled American Christian Church: Money-hungry Corporations.

A modern day Wilberforce would fight with his last breath against the entangled Christian Church.

We should do the same.

-kg

READ THE ENTIRE "JESUS UNTANGLED" SERIES:

Part 1: "Jesus Untangled"
Part 2: "Who Are We?"
Part 3: "Why Do People Think I'm A Liberal?"
Part 4: "Still Embracing Constantine?"
Part 5: How American Evangelicalism Has Been Exploited, by Ross Rohde

Part 6: The Entanglement Agenda

Part 7: "What Would Jesus Say About The American Revolution?" by Chuck McKnight

Part 8: "Ambassadors of Contrast"

Part 9: “AWOL Christian Soldiers”
Part 10: "The Elephant In The Church"

Part 11: "Christian American Horror Story"
Part 12: "Our True Source of Liberty" by Ross Rohde
Part 13: "Welcome To Post Christian America"
Part 14: "What Would Wilberforce Do?"
Part 15: "Crucify Your Politics"

Our True Source of Liberty by Ross Rohde

[Part 12 in the “Jesus Untangled” Series]

Many Christians feel the need to fight for their liberty. But this liberty they talk about; don't they already have that in Christ? Is some political party or political leader going to give you more of that? Is there anything that Jesus and the New Testament warns us will be taken from us if the socialists or the fascists or the communists or the Democrats are in control? Will anything be taken from your relationship with Jesus if the economy goes belly up and we enter a new depression? We may not want any of that to happen, but my freedom isn't impaired by any of that. The "freedom" these Christians are talking about isn't worth a bucket of warm spit from a biblical perspective. [Excuse the graphic example.]

Too many of us are thinking through worldly paradigms. We are listening to the manipulators that are playing our fears that the boogie man is coming. Currently for Republicans his name is Obama, or Obummer, or...soon it will be Hillary. We fear that they are going to take away our constitutionally-given freedoms.

Keep in mind, the Christians we read about in the New Testament were living in a much more repressive society than any Democrat or Republican might be thinking about or planning for. Those Christians were free, even if they were slaves. Get your head out of the worldly paradigms of Republican thinking. Others may need to get out of the European Socialism paradigm or the Libertarian paradigm or the Democratic one.

As long as we are thinking through the paradigms they give us we are easy to manipulate.  

I'm free.  If I were in prison, I'd still be free.  I'm only a slave when I allow others to give me a worldly paradigm and get me thinking the way they want me to think.

Right now the American Church is enslaved to the Republicans and those who pull the strings in that party, for the most part. There are a few who are under the ether of the Democrats and some the Libertarians. Some are trapped in the Christian Dominionism nonsense of how America and its Constitution are ordained of God, and how America is founded on biblical principles so the “new saints”, our Founding Fathers, have made the United States a shining city on a hill, yada yada.

None of this points to Christ. It points to boogie men or political heroes. It points to the "right party" or the "wrong party." It points to the Constitution or Founding Fathers. None of these things point to Christ. Such people are slaves to someone else's thinking instead of being true bond slaves of Christ. But they think such things are actually going to help them.

If we don't evaluate those paradigms with the example of Jesus’ life, his word, his values and most importantly his Spirit speaking to our hearts and minds, we are slaves, thinking we have freedom.

Have we become trapped by the foundational principles of the world Paul warned us about in Col. 2:8? Set yourself free! Repent of this nonsense of worldly Republicanism and the demonic forces behind it. Yes, the demonic is lurking behind all the other political paradigms too. You can only be set free by repentance and seeking the true and ONLY Lordship of Jesus. You can't serve two masters. Not money and Jesus, not Republicanism and Jesus, not Marx and Jesus, not the Constitution and Jesus or your Lexus and Jesus. Jesus. His Spirit. His life example. His words. His values. JESUS, JESUS, JESUS. “Chose you this day whom you will serve.”

Here's a quick test to see if we are being driven by demonic paradigms or the Spirit of Christ:

Do our emotions get stirred up more when we think about something (politics for example) that looks like “the acts of the flesh”, (see Gal. 5:19-21) or that looks like “the Fruit of the Spirit”, (Gal. 5:22-23)?

If we are stirred up by anger, bitterness, fear, hatred etc. we are being driven by the demonic. If it points to anything – however seemingly good – and not Jesus, it is demonic.

Remember, the Evil one likes to present himself as an angel of light. So if holding up some fake political freedom, or some political party or some political hero or document helps him distract God's children from Jesus, he'll gladly do it and make it seem like it is the best thing since buttered bread.

But, if our hearts are stirred by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc., then that's the Holy Spirit.

Very few political conversations look like Gal. 5:22-23. Very few point even other Christians back to Jesus. They talk about some political boogie man, or their freedoms which are being taken away, or unfair taxes or the Koch Brothers (another set of boogie men). They all are intentionally stirring up fear, anger, hatred, etc. All of these are deeds of the flesh, and things that keep us from being centered on Jesus.

Are you still thinking through the paradigms that have been given you? Politics and the Republicans aren't going to fix these things. Haven't you noticed that they are moving rather quickly toward homosexual rights? And if they fix these things – these fears they've planted in your brain – then they can't manipulate you any longer; they've lost their power over you.

Roe vs. Wade was in 1973. I was in high school back then. Have they fixed it yet? They've been promising for 42 years, and if they can continue to manipulate us with it they'll promise another 42 more, or find the next thing to stir up our fears, like homosexuality, which they won't fix either.

Homosexuality was more common in Paul's context than ours is. Yet he didn't try to fix Greek culture through government. He was a Roman citizen. He had the same power in government you have right now. Instead he talked to Christians about their behavior. He didn't write a letter to the city magistrate, or the provincial governor or Caesar. He stood before those folks. He had his chances, and he talked about Christ.

This Nation has always been going to hell in a hand basket. So has every other human society. Haven't you noticed that we're still fighting the same human problems 2,000 years later that humans were dealing with at the time of the New Testament? Homosexuality, check. Taxes, check. Abortion, check. [They had it then too, but exposure of babies was more common then.]

Did the Church go complain to the magistrates about all the babies laying out among the corpses of slaves along the side of the road? Did they think government was going to fix that? No, they picked up the babies and took them home. Then they buried the bodies and didn't even say anything about it.

Government doesn't fix real, significant problems for any length of time. But they sure know how to use problems to capture your thinking. In my opinion, we are still captured. Our attitude just shows that we are running scared by stories about boogiemen under the bed that the Republicans have been reading to us at night. Are they there? Yep. But the Republicans can't help you. They really don't even want to. They just want your vote and your money.

Jesus is our answer. We keep running to the Republicans for something Jesus has told us not to even get entangled in. (See Col 2:8)

-Ross Rohde

**

READ THE ENTIRE "JESUS UNTANGLED" SERIES:

Part 1: "Jesus Untangled"
Part 2: "Who Are We?"
Part 3: "Why Do People Think I'm A Liberal?"
Part 4: "Still Embracing Constantine?"

Part 5: How American Evangelicalism Has Been Exploited, by Ross Rohde

Part 6: The Entanglement Agenda

Part 7: "What Would Jesus Say About The American Revolution?" by Chuck McKnight

Part 8: "Ambassadors of Contrast"

Part 9: “AWOL Christian Soldiers”
Part 10: "The Elephant In The Church"

Part 11: "Christian American Horror Story"
Part 12: "Our True Source of Liberty" by Ross Rohde

Part 13: "Welcome To Post Christian America"

Part 14: "What Would Wilberforce Do?"
Part 15: "Crucify Your Politics"

Christian American Horror Story

[Part 11 in the "Jesus Untangled" series]

“Can you imagine what a difference it would make if Christians ran for every office at all levels across our country – city council, school board, Mayor? We need to get involved and take a stand for biblical values and morals before it's too late. If you agree share this.” – Franklin Graham

This quote reflects the attitude of many Christians in America today. It reveals a deep desire to seize control the American Government – to take power over our enemies and to exert the necessary political pressure required to turn our nation back to God.

Of course, this is always couched in language that suggests that our nation was founded under Christian principles and that if Christians would just vote the “right way” and “take a stand for Biblical values” then our nation would be restored its original piety.

I always wonder how exactly this miracle would take place. As far as I know, no one has ever actually explained the logic of this fantasy. Once every political office in America was filled by a Christian would there be some magical shift in the collective consciousness of the American people? Would everyone suddenly stop in their tracks and all agree that it was time to become moral and righteous?

Honestly, I don’t think even Franklin Graham himself actually believes that scenario. I think that what they actually believe would transpire is purposely unspoken because of how completely horrific and insane it sounds when you say it out loud.

See, for Christians to actually gain power – and keep it – they would have to start using that same power to start passing as many “Christian Laws” as possible.  Eventually, once enough of those laws were on the books, then non-Christian people would have no choice but to begin acting more like Christians want them to act.

Sound good to you? Probably not.

What’s even more ludicrous about Franklin Graham’s political fantasy is the idea that a government comprised entirely of Christian politicians would automatically lead to national unity.

Seriously? Have you never been to a Church business meeting? Since when do large groups of Christians actually agree on anything?

Maybe Franklin Graham should join a few Christian groups on Facebook for a week. That might help him to realize how foolish his idea really is.

Christians in the same church can’t agree on what color to paint the baptistery, just imagine a Christian Congress made up of Lutherans, Baptists, Methodists, Charismatics and Pentecostals trying to agree on a rail system or a public school curriculum. Chaos.

As entertaining as Franklin Graham’s version of American politics might be to imagine, let’s at least agree on this one thing: It’s not what Jesus has in mind for His people.

Not once does Jesus ever suggest that His followers should attempt to control people using political means. In fact, it was Satan who offered Jesus that same opportunity during those 40 days in the desert, and Jesus refused to advance His Kingdom by political means. Why in the world would we decide to start giving in to Satan’s temptation now?

Jesus did have a plan. It’s a good one. It involves drawing near to Him on a daily basis and being transformed into people who are like Him. It involves helping people around us to come under His rule and reign to experience the same transformational love that we have known ourselves. It involves changing people – one at a time – into the kinds of people who will love God and love others no matter what laws are on the books, or what the penalties for breaking them happen to be.

What Franklin Graham and others like him want is a Christian Theocracy, plain and simple. Even our Founding Fathers didn’t want an America like that. Why would anyone want to re-write the Constitution so radically, especially if they claim it was inspired by God himself?

Like it or not, our nation was created very intentionally to be one where people from every religion – Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, or none of the above – would be free to worship, or not worship, as they desired.

Any attempt to merge the Church and the State can only end badly. Just look at the history books.

Let the State wield the sword. Let the Church carry the cross. Let the two of them never attempt to change seats.

Or, as one great Christian evangelist once wisely observed: 

“It would disturb me if there was a wedding between the religious fundamentalists and the political right. The hard right has no interest in religion except to manipulate it.” – Billy Graham (Parade Magazine, 1981)

The only hope for our nation is Jesus. Let's untangle ourselves from the political nonsense and return to Him while there's still time.

-kg

READ THE BOOK: "Jesus Untangled: Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" by Keith Giles [Foreword by Greg Boyd]

PAPERBACK

KINDLE

LEARN MORE: WWW.JESUSUNTANGLED.COM

READ THE "JESUS UNTANGLED" BLOG SERIES:

Part 1: "Jesus Untangled"
Part 2: "Who Are We?"
Part 3: "Why Do People Think I'm A Liberal?"
Part 4: "Still Embracing Constantine?"

Part 5: How American Evangelicalism Has Been Exploited, by Ross Rohde

Part 6: The Entanglement Agenda

Part 7: "What Would Jesus Say About The American Revolution?" by Chuck McKnight

Part 8: "Ambassadors of Contrast"

Part 9: “AWOL Christian Soldiers”
Part 10: "The Elephant In The Church"

Part 11: "Christian American Horror Story"
Part 12: "Our True Source of Liberty" by Ross Rohde

Part 13: "Welcome To Post Christian America"

Part 14: "What Would Wilberforce Do?"
Part 15: "Crucify Your Politics"

The Elephant In The Church

[Part 10 in the “Jesus Untangled” Series]

For many Christians, the idea of separating their faith and their politics is absurd. They see nothing wrong with having an American flag in the sanctuary. They have no problem pledging allegiance to the flag before the service starts. They sincerely believe that being patriotic and Christian is perfectly fine – even normal.

For the last few weeks I have been writing a series of articles aimed at helping Christians to untangle their faith from politics. Largely, my arguments have been centered on the words of Jesus, the writings of the Apostles, and early Church history. But now I’d like to take a slightly different approach. Let’s turn our attention away from Jesus and the New Testament for a moment and take a look at the other side of our coin – Politics.

In over 6,000 years of human history, how many of mankind’s basic problems have been solved by politicians? None of them.

How many of man’s sins have been dealt with by all the greatest politicians who have ever lived? None.

As stewards who must one day give an account of our money and time, why would we invest anything in a system with such a disappointing track record for success?

Politics is about writing and passing and enforcing laws. Even God’s Law wasn’t capable of transforming the hearts of men and women. Why do we still believe that we can do better?

Do we really need more laws? Do we need better people writing the laws? Is our problem the lack of law enforcement?

What does the Bible have to say about all of that? Do experts in the Law set us free? Is the Law capable of changing us into the image of God?

“For if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for no purpose.” (Gal. 2:21)Oops. I used the New Testament again. Sorry.

Let me ask you this: What if there was something that could reform the convict? What if there was a formula for changing people into better citizens? What if there was hope for every broken marriage? What if every addict could find hope for life beyond their daily habit? What if there was a way to create an entire society of people who loved one another, cared for one another, and went out of their way to bless everyone around them?

Now, I’m not saying that there is something like that. But, what if? Just imagine it! Wouldn’t something that revolutionary – something with the power to change every human heart from within and make them a brand new creature – wouldn’t that be better than any political solution you had ever heard of in your life?

And if – just if – that sort of society-changing paradigm actually existed, wouldn’t it be foolish to waste your time on a political solution? Especially if, so far, not one single politician or ideology had ever once come close to something nearly so effective and powerful?

Several years ago I was in a Christian band. I wanted more than anything in the world to get signed to record deal. Why? So I could share the Gospel with more people, I told myself. But eventually I had to admit the truth: I wanted to get signed to a record deal because I wanted to be famous. I had to admit that if I really wanted more people to hear the Gospel, our band could play bars and clubs and street corners.

Mixing Politics and Christianity is no different. We may tell ourselves that we’re doing it because we want our nation to be more Christian. But if that’s what we really wanted, we’d spend more time preaching the Gospel and living out the commands of Jesus in our daily life.

Legislation will never change anyone’s heart. The Gospel is not spread through Political Initiatives or Laws.

Let’s just admit that when we seek political solutions to our problems it’s because we’ve given up on changing the world by sharing the Gospel and now we just want to pass laws to force people who are not Christians to act like we do so we’ll feel more comfortable in this society.

No political agenda, party, system, or politician will ever bring our nation any closer to the image of God. Only Jesus can do that.

Our core problems, as a human race, are spiritual in nature. The only solution is spiritual.
Jesus is our answer. He is the only answer.

No other additives or preservatives are required.

-kg

READ THE ENTIRE "JESUS UNTANGLED" SERIES:

Part 1: "Jesus Untangled"
Part 2: "Who Are We?"
Part 3: "Why Do People Think I'm A Liberal?"
Part 4: "Still Embracing Constantine?"

Part 5: How American Evangelicalism Has Been Exploited, by Ross Rohde

Part 6: The Entanglement Agenda

Part 7: "What Would Jesus Say About The American Revolution?" by Chuck McKnight

Part 8: "Ambassadors of Contrast"

Part 9: “AWOL Christian Soldiers”
Part 10: "The Elephant In The Church"

Part 11: "Christian American Horror Story"

Part 12: "Our True Source of Liberty" by Ross Rohde

Part 13: "Welcome To Post Christian America"

Part 14: "What Would Wilberforce Do?"
Part 15: "Crucify Your Politics"

AWOL Christian Soldiers

[Part 9 in the "Jesus Untangled" Series] 

  “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4)

Every single person who is following Jesus has enlisted in the Army of God. This army exists to defend the Gospel of the Kingdom and to engage in spiritual warfare against principalities and powers of the Enemy. Our aim is to overthrow the powers of darkness and to transform people from within by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our victory is assured. Our general is unbeatable. Our weapons are powerful beyond measure. Nothing can stop us.

But, according to the Apostle Paul, there is something that can slow us down. He calls it “entanglement with the affairs of this life.”

Much like any soldier, we have to be on our guard against distractions. We cannot become too immersed in the nation we are here to liberate. We cannot allow ourselves to lay down our weapons in the pursuit of “civilian affairs”, or we risk losing ground and we endanger our fellow soldiers.

Politics is part of the world system. Therefore, it is certainly one of the entanglements we must resolve to avoid.

Honestly, the political entanglement is one of the most dangerous we face in this battle. Why? Simply because those who become entangled in it do so out of a sincere desire to make a positive difference in the world.

Of course, every Christian hopes to make an impact on the world around them. This is part of why we are so eager to serve our Lord Jesus – because He has the very best possible plan for changing the world from within – and without bloodshed or oppression or violence.

No, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to make the world a better place. The problem is in seeking to do so without Jesus. Or, worse, to mix Christianity with Politics as if one had need of the other.

Politics is not about Jesus. Simply put, it’s about power and influence. Nowadays it is increasingly also about money, fame, manipulation, and compromise. The follower of Jesus has no business becoming entangled in such a worldly, corrupt system.

Even if the Christian sincerely believes that they can make a difference through politics, the fact remains that the amount of good that might be accomplished in this way is often at the expense of one or more of their own Christian values. Compromises must take place. Voters must often choose between the lesser of two evils, which still amounts to choosing some option – or some politician – who is evil.

What’s more, politics involves millions – sometimes billions – of dollars in campaign spending. Just imagine if that same amount of money had been invested in the sharing of the Gospel, or in actually solving some of the problems facing actual citizens in our nation. How much better off would our world be if we abandoned the political process and simply shared our funds and invested our time directly with the people around us who are in need?

“But no political party would ever spend their money on the Gospel, or in helping advance the Kingdom, or in caring for the poor,” you might say. To which I would reply, “Then why would any Christian entangle themselves with such a gigantic waste of money and empty use of time?”

Do you know what you get when you mix Christianity and Politics? You get Politics.

As with the issue of War, we can rest assured that nations will continue to fight them. But Christians need not participate in those wars. And, yes, nations will continue to seek political solutions to the problems of this world – as they have done for thousands of years – but Christians need not become entangled in that endless, fruitless process.

We have better things to do.

We are soldiers of the King. Our army is advancing daily. New recruits arrive ready for the battle even as we speak. Our Lord has spoken. We must engage the Enemy. Entanglements only serve the interests of our foes.

One day this battle will be over. Our Lord will descend with a shout. And on that day he will look over His troops. When he comes to you, will He see one who has lived as a stranger and an alien, untangled from civilian affairs, or will he see a soldier who tried to mix Christianity with Politics and ended up with Politics?

-kg
**

READ THE ENTIRE "JESUS UNTANGLED" SERIES:

Part 1: "Jesus Untangled"
Part 2: "Who Are We?"
Part 3: "Why Do People Think I'm A Liberal?"
Part 4: "Still Embracing Constantine?"

Part 5: How American Evangelicalism Has Been Exploited, by Ross Rohde

Part 6: The Entanglement Agenda

Part 7: "What Would Jesus Say About The American Revolution?" by Chuck McKnight

Part 8: "Ambassadors of Contrast"

Part 9: “AWOL Christian Soldiers”
Part 10: "The Elephant In The Church"

Part 11: "Christian American Horror Story"

Part 12: "Our True Source of Liberty" by Ross Rohde

Part 13: "Welcome To Post Christian America"

Part 14: "What Would Wilberforce Do?"
Part 15: "Crucify Your Politics"

The Entanglement Agenda

Part 6: Jesus Untangled Series

Christians in the first three hundred years of the faith were not tempted to become entangled with politics or to advance the Gospel by passing laws. Some say it’s because the Roman empire was so pagan and evil that no Christian would want to participate in it. But really it was no more evil than any other worldly empire. And historically there were many Roman soldiers and political officials who actually DID convert to the faith. In fact, this happened often enough that several early Christian teachers created a policy for how to respond to this trend.

As Hippolytus of Rome says: "A soldier of the civil authority must be taught not to kill men and to refuse to do so if he is commanded, and to refuse to take an oath. If he is unwilling to comply, he must be rejected for baptism. A military commander or civic magistrate must resign or be rejected. If a believer seeks to become a soldier, he must be rejected, for he has despised God." (from "Readings in World Christian History", pp. 17-22)

And as Origen explains: “It is not for the purpose of escaping public duties that Christians decline public offices, but so that they may reserve themselves for a more divine and more necessary service in the Church of God – the salvation of men. And this service is at once necessary and right." (from "Origen Against Celus")

So, the early church certainly had the opportunity to take full advantage of a growing number of political converts in positions of power throughout the Roman Empire. Why not capitalize on that? Why not infiltrate the military command and turn the sword away from the throats of their martyred brothers and sisters?

Why? Because they saw clearly that political entanglement was a snare and a distraction from their main mission. Furthermore, they were unwavering in their devotion to Jesus and to His Kingdom. They stayed the course. They kept the faith.

If the early church understood who they were and what their mission was so clearly, why do Christians today find it so impossible to imagine following Jesus apart from political affiliation?

As Ross Rohde’s excellent article revealed, the Religious Right aligned itself with the Republican party to help elect Ronald Reagan. That started a snowball effect that we are still suffering from today where millions of American Christians can now no longer imagine Christianity without Conservative Republicanism.

As Ross put it, the American Church was ensnared much as a pimp grooms a new prostitute – seeking the girl who is pretty but not the center of attention. By manipulating her need to be noticed, and valued, the pimp can exploit her and get her to believe that if she keeps doing what the pimp asks her to do, “one day” she will realize her dreams.

But it’s all a lie.

However, that’s not where the pimping of American Christianity really began. As Princeton historian Kevin Kruse details in his new book, “One Nation Under God: How Corporate America Invented Christian America,” our country’s religious prostitution began in the 1950’s.

Kruse explains how business leaders plotted to link Christianity, Republican politics, and libertarian economics tightly together. Why? To help drive a wave of public piety and create a feeling of solidarity between Christians and Corporations who might both see “Big Government” as a common enemy.

This is where our national motto, “In God We Trust” (1956), and a new line in the Pledge of Allegiance was added: “One nation under God” (1954) came from.  

And the goal was simple: to entangle Christianity with Republican politics in order to benefit big business.

As Kruse explains: “The reason they [corporations] start making this argument about freedom under God is that it’s a much more effective way to push back against the regulatory state and the labor unions. It’s no longer businessmen making the case for businesses. It’s ministers.”

And why Christian ministers? Because they were better at propaganda. “They’re very effective at making this argument that a state that restricts capitalism will inevitably restrict Christianity. They link economic restrictions with religious restrictions. It requires a bit of a leap of faith, but it’s one that they effectively sell,” says Kruse.

Other historians agree, including Kim Phillips-Fein whose book "Invisible Hands" also documents this unholy alliance between 1950's Corporations and the Christian Church. 

Both Phillips-Fein and Kruse credit a pastor by the name of Reverend Fifield - whose large Los Angeles congregation was made up mostly of millionaires - as one of the most effective ministers in the Capitalistic Christian movement. “Fifield disregards all of Christ’s warnings about the dangers of wealth,” says Kruse. “He completely disregards the injunction to look out for one another. To love your neighbor, to be your brother’s keeper. He discards all of those messages. It becomes a faith of individualism.”

In order to make it all work, the teachings of Jesus had to be downplayed. The Sermon on the Mount needed to be moth-balled in favor of more sermons about individual faith, civic duty, and paying taxes. Christianity began to slowly mirror the ideals of Capitalism, and soon enough Jesus was re-branded as the poster boy for the American Dream. 

Another minister, James Ingebretsen, President of a group known as Spiritual Mobilization (itself created by Revered Fifield to further this same cause) also admitted: “Fighting the forces that wanted to abolish the free enterprise system was my mission, not promoting Christ.”

This well-funded crusade to entangle the Christian faith with Republican Conservatism gained momentum in the 1970's and 1980's as evangelical leaders like Robertson and Falwell took the wheel. As Phillips-Fein notes in her book, one of the leading fund raisers for this movement, Richard Viguerie, affirmed that “the next real major area of growth for the conservative ideology and philosophy is among evangelical people.”

And what was the result? As Kruse explains: “[This movement] had been launched to roll back the New Deal and instead it helps inspire a new sort of religious nationalism.”

Which is where we are today.

And my question for you is, "Did it work?" 

Have you bought their propaganda? Is your faith now entangled with Conservative Republican values? Are you, even now, still unable to separate your faith in Jesus with your political ideology?

I must confess that I was a victim of this propaganda. I was raised in a Republican home. I voted in every election since I was legally able to vote and I always voted "straight ticket" Republican. 

I listened to Rush Limbaugh. I read his books. I watched the Republican National Convention every election year on television. 

I cheered for my Republican President, and I griped and complained about those Liberal Democrats who were ruining our nation and threatening to bring down the wrath of God upon us.

But it was - and it is - all a lie. 

It's manipulation. Pure and simple.

We are all the victims of a well-funded, decades-long campaign to twist our faith into an easy to control voting block.

This is why it is so imperative for us to open our eyes, throw off the chains and return to Jesus – and Jesus alone – as our Lord and King.

I encourage you to read these verses with new eyes:

"Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us..” (Hebrews 12:1)

“No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs, but rather tries to please his commanding officer.” (2 Tim. 2:4)

“But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ…I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him..” (Philippians 3:7-9)

Maybe it's time for us to take out our garbage? Maybe it's time for us to finally and completely untangle ourselves from anything and everything that hinders us from following Jesus - and Jesus alone.

Here's an idea: Sit down tonight with your bible. Open up to the Gospel of Matthew. Find the Sermon on the Mount. Read it slowly. Listen to Jesus with a new heart. 

If I could, I would like to challenge you to crucify your Nationalism; crucify your Political affiliation; put to death anything that exalts itself against the Lordship of Jesus.

I challenge you to follow Jesus totally untangled from this world.

-kg

“They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for ‘people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.’ If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning.” (2 Peter 2:19-20)

My new book "Jesus Untangled:Crucifying Our Politics To Pledge Allegiance To The Lamb" is available now on Amazon.

Paperback

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READ THE ENTIRE "JESUS UNTANGLED" SERIES:

Part 1: "Jesus Untangled"
Part 2: "Who Are We?"
Part 3: "Why Do People Think I'm A Liberal?"
Part 4: "Still Embracing Constantine?"

Part 5: How American Evangelicalism Has Been Exploited, by Ross Rohde

Part 6: The Entanglement Agenda

Part 7: "What Would Jesus Say About The American Revolution?" by Chuck McKnight

Part 8: "Ambassadors of Contrast"

Part 9: “AWOL Christian Soldiers”
Part 10: "The Elephant In The Church"

Part 11: "Christian American Horror Story"

Part 12: "Our True Source of Liberty" by Ross Rohde
Part 13: "Welcome To Post Christian America"

Part 14: "What Would Wilberforce Do?"

Part 15: "Crucify Your Politics"

Read the Salon article about Kruse’s book here:

Still Embracing Constantine?

I have a little more grace for Christians who are still part of the Traditional Church when it comes to mixing politics and faith. I mean, they already accept the Constantinian model of Church with its hierarchy and professional clergy, so it’s not a mystery to me why they also embrace the idea of a Church that is aligned with the State.

But when Christians in the Organic (or House) Church movement affirm an entangled Christianity, I have to wonder what’s really going on?

Historically, the Christian church viewed the State as an adversary – at best as a necessary evil – and something that was to be “called out” from, not something to be embraced or to become entangled with.

Paul affirmed that the State served a purpose – to wield the sword and maintain civil authority – but that the Church served a higher purpose – to carry the cross and proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom. (See Romans 13)

The early Christian church took all of that to heart. From the earliest writings of the Apostles, through the Second and Third centuries, the Church resisted military involvement and refused engagement at the political level – even requiring new disciples to the faith who already served in public office to resign or be turned away at the Lord’s Table and disqualified from Baptism.

Of course, all of that changed when the Emperor Constantine allegedly converted to Christianity. But the form of Christianity that Constantine offered the Church was one that was fused with the State.

In exchange for a place of honor and acceptability within the public square, the Christian Church sold Her birthright and bowed her knees to the State.

Ironically enough, the Church compromised Her values so that the sword would no longer come against Her –and yet once Constantine and the Empire become entangled with the Church there were even more Christians put to death than ever before. Only now, sadly, it would be the Church Herself who would imprison and torture and put to death any Christian that opposed Her – or the State.

When the Anabaptists stood up and defied the State Church – even the Reformed State Church of Calvin and Luther – they were arrested, beaten, tortured, and put to death for seeking to turn back the clock to a time when the Church wasn’t aligned with the State.

Because of all this, Christians who today embrace the Organic or House Church model should automatically understand the importance of untangling their faith from their politics. If they truly understand that the Church went off the rails by aligning Herself with Constantine, then it shouldn’t be too hard to see that any Christian who maintains political entanglements is still enslaved to that Constantinian form of Church.

Yet this is not the case. Perhaps part of the problem is that Christians who have left the Traditional Church are still carrying some of the baggage they brought with them from the Constantinian form of Church? Maybe they have yet to fully grasp all that the Constantinian model stands for?

I do know that many within the House Church movement do not automatically reject Constantine’s Sword, for example. They still hold fast to a form of Christianity that embraces violence rather than returning to the words of Jesus for instruction on how to respond to those who want to harm us. They haven’t yet understood the power of Christ that is at work in our weakness or fully trusted in the transformational power of the love of Christ to disarm our enemies.

So, many House Church practitioners only disavow the Hierarchy model that Constantine introduced into the Church, but do not yet feel comfortable letting go of the Church/State political entanglements that he infused at the same time.

Until we completely turn away from every perversion of the Christian faith that Constantine introduced into the Church, we will never be completely free to experience the Koinonia of the Ekklesia, and we’ll never be empowered to really “Be the Church” that Jesus designed in the first place.

-kg
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READ THE ENTIRE "JESUS UNTANGLED" SERIES:

Part 1: "Jesus Untangled"
Part 2: "Who Are We?"
Part 3: "Why Do People Think I'm A Liberal?"
Part 4: "Still Embracing Constantine?"

Part 5: How American Evangelicalism Has Been Exploited, by Ross Rohde

Part 6: The Entanglement Agenda

Part 7: "What Would Jesus Say About The American Revolution?" by Chuck McKnight

Part 8: "Ambassadors of Contrast"

Part 9: “AWOL Christian Soldiers”
Part 10: "The Elephant In The Church"

Part 11: "Christian American Horror Story"

Part 12: "Our True Source of Liberty" by Ross Rohde

Part 13: "Welcome To Post Christian America"

Part 14: "What Would Wilberforce Do?"
Part 15: "Crucify Your Politics"