Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition
I can’t think of a better scripture to rebuke what the American Christians in their blind support of Donald Trump for the last four years has done in damage to the Church, Jesus’ Body than Mark 7:9
Jesus told then the Pharisees, the ruling religious class of his day the following:
Mark 7:9
And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
What “tradition” am I speaking of?
The tradition which has become the standard usual practice of American churches supporting any politician invoking select scriptures of Christ’s apostles and using them to justify supporting the regime and its policies of American Republican politicians like Donald Trump and others.
The scriptures I’m referring to is the most misunderstood and misinterpreted scripture of Romans 13.
Romans 13:1-7
¶ Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. 2 Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: 4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. 5 Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. 6 For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. 7 ¶ Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. 8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Romans 13 starts off stating there is no higher power than that of God.
“Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God”
The second line speaks of:
“the powers that be are ordained of God.”
Just because God ordains a leader into power whether he or she be an American or other world leader does not mean you hand over to him to or her your full blind obedience.
Romans 13 has been used repeatedly to explain why Christians should support politicians of all stripes, but recently particularly the Republican politicians whom many American Christians support for their alleged “godly stance” of opposition to the tragic plague of abortion which sadly kills more unwanted babies than the covid-19 virus does Americans in a year in America (more than 600,000 yearly).
This reason alone, “abortion” is the main reason millions of Christians waste their energy and throw their continued support to a flawed political groups and flawed political parties and flawed politicians like Donald Trump.
As ugly and tragic as is the fact of abortion in America, it does not and should not surpass all other facts when we look at supporting such political parties or personalities especially when the character of those pastors, leaders, or politicians is clearly corrupt, racist, sinful, immoral and ungodly.
Romans 13 speaks of “rulers” who “are not a terror to good works, but to the evil.”
“For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.”
These are godly rulers, not worldly evil rulers.
The minute you ignore such traits of corruption, sinful behavior, ungodly and immoral deeds you have gone against YHWH’s laws and ideas and those of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
1st Samuel 16:7
But YHWH said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for YHWH seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but YHWH looketh on the heart.
Jesus said:
Luke 6:43
For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Matthew 15:16-20
And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? 17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: 20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
American churches and Christians have forgotten these and many other scriptures by YHWH and the words of JESUS in favor of their own traditions: based upon theological misinterpretations and the things of the world: such as as political parties, political lobby groups, issues like abortion, marriage, sodomites, support of the Israeli state (Zionism), religious liberty and other so called Christian issues and causes.
Jesus said he was not of this world, nor was his kingdom of this world.
John 8:23
And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world
John 18:36
Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
American Christians are guilty of wrapping themselves in the world and guilty of Idolatry by worshiping leaders, pastors, nations, ideals, causes, theologies and many other things. They are repeatedly focused upon such things instead of doing the will of the God and teaching the Gospel of Christ to a lost world of sinners.
Jesus said:
Matthew 7:21-23
¶ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Did you know out of 90 or so interviewed persons at the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capital on Wednesday January 6, 2021 who came out of the ransacked U.S. Capital building, all proclaimed or identified themselves as “Christian.”
Just as they identify themselves as “patriots” and “Americans” as they used American flags, pro-police flags to violently beat down upon the U.S. Capital police valiantly trying to defend the legislative branch of American Democracy from being attacked and even killed.
There are many thousands more “Christians” who believe in the conspiracy theories formed online in social media and those lies which came out the mouth of the 45th President and his social media and other politicians of Republican Party, and their Republican pro-trump media news sources.
The worst sites going for Christians today are the “Christian News websites” which distract and waste the believer’s time with petty so called Christian issues and for the last four years have enabled and supported a sinful man as Donald J. Trump.
These people somehow think they are doing God’s will!
Doing God’s will is preaching Jesus Christ and the Gospel Christ taught.
Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Engaging in political and social ideology and causes is not doing the will of Jesus Christ, or God.
Nor is telling people to pray this prayer, “accept Jesus into your heart” and you’ll be “saved.”
John 3:5-7
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.
The American Christians are also guilty of forgetting the hierarchy of God and his kingdom.
Matthew 10:24
The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord.
The words of Paul or any disciple, as inspired as they are, do not go above Jesus!
Of course none of Christ’s apostles’ teachings, when read properly, are in contrast to those of teachings or words of Jesus, (Nor are Jesus' words at all contrary to those of his Father YHWH) but the American churches often seem to teach that this is the case by using select scriptures pitted against other scriptures to prove a theological point for their particular cause. (Such as using Paul’s gospel of God’s grace against Jesus' statements on Baptism.)
Again there is a hierarchy that even the disciples clearly understood in God’s Holy orderly domain.
1st Corinthians 15:22-27
For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. 24 Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. 25 For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. 27 For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. 28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.
The kingdom will ultimately be delivered up to YHWH after Christ Jesus has subdued all his enemies under his feet.
American Christians who voted Republican and caught up in the cult of Donald Trump should seriously take this time to reflect and REPENT to YHWH and REPENT to JESUS their Lord!
They need desperately to do some soul searching, and then ask themselves: are they indeed truthfully walking in the faith?
Then, if they are in the faith, if they have the Spirit of Christ, they should drop all other causes and focus on teaching and spreading the Gospel of Jesus the Christ.
Imagine if all the churches only focused on preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ what great feats of faith could be accomplished.
They should drop “abortion”, drop Zionism and all other like so named “Christian causes” they are so focused on wasting all their time and energy on and focus on JESUS, focus on God, and focus on their Bible they clearly don’t fully understand, and begin to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Matthew 9:37-38
Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38 Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.