Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 19.09.2005
Aliens and strangers
Jesus' own are strangers in the states where they live, because Jesus is their King. Therefore Christians have nothing to do with the patriotism of this world.
Aliens looking for their fatherland
It is said about the believers of the time of Abraham that "they admitted that they are aliens and strangers on earth." Heb.11:13 They were not patriots, because "who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own." Heb.11:14 They felt stateless, because they couldn't consider the state, where they lived, their fatherland. Due to the call of God they had abandoned their earthly fatherland and "they were longing for a better country - heavenly one." Heb.11:16
Abraham didn't try to own the present land of Israel or to build Jerusalem, but he was looking for a better city, the heavenly one. The country, where he lived as a stranger, was promised by God to his descendants but to Abraham himself was promised a heavenly heritage.
Only heavenly Zion is worthy of seeking, and it is not taken with guns from the Arabs. The blessing promised to Abraham comes to us through Jesus, the Messiah, who is "the seed through that all nations on earth will be blessed" as it was promised to Abraham.
Those who believe in the Jesus of the Bible have the same hope of the heavenly fatherland as Abraham had, because it is said to us: "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Ga.3:29
Those who belong to Jesus declare: "Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." Php.3:20 Nobody should think Christianity to be earthly Zionism, because about those who have come to Jesus is said: "You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God." Heb.12:22
However a remarkable part of the present time Christians are patriots, and they do not admit that they are aliens and strangers in the state where they now live. Thus they have a different mind and hope than the believers of the Bible. With their patriotism they show that they are not looking for a fatherland.
They think it would be shameful not to be patriots. Woe to them, for God is ashamed of them just for their patriotism, and He doesn't allow Himself to be called their God. Instead, God says to them who have abandoned their earthly fatherland in this way: "God is not ashamed to be called their God." Heb.11:16
A Jesus loving person is longing for His presence. God's children want to live in the Kingdom of God. Therefore they feel foreigners in the present time states.
It is said about the believers of the time of Abraham that "they admitted that they are aliens and strangers on earth." Heb.11:13 They were not patriots, because "who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own." Heb.11:14 They felt stateless, because they couldn't consider the state, where they lived, their fatherland. Due to the call of God they had abandoned their earthly fatherland and "they were longing for a better country - heavenly one." Heb.11:16
Abraham didn't try to own the present land of Israel or to build Jerusalem, but he was looking for a better city, the heavenly one. The country, where he lived as a stranger, was promised by God to his descendants but to Abraham himself was promised a heavenly heritage.
Only heavenly Zion is worthy of seeking, and it is not taken with guns from the Arabs. The blessing promised to Abraham comes to us through Jesus, the Messiah, who is "the seed through that all nations on earth will be blessed" as it was promised to Abraham.
Those who believe in the Jesus of the Bible have the same hope of the heavenly fatherland as Abraham had, because it is said to us: "If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." Ga.3:29
Those who belong to Jesus declare: "Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ." Php.3:20 Nobody should think Christianity to be earthly Zionism, because about those who have come to Jesus is said: "You have come to Mount Zion, to the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God." Heb.12:22
However a remarkable part of the present time Christians are patriots, and they do not admit that they are aliens and strangers in the state where they now live. Thus they have a different mind and hope than the believers of the Bible. With their patriotism they show that they are not looking for a fatherland.
They think it would be shameful not to be patriots. Woe to them, for God is ashamed of them just for their patriotism, and He doesn't allow Himself to be called their God. Instead, God says to them who have abandoned their earthly fatherland in this way: "God is not ashamed to be called their God." Heb.11:16
A Jesus loving person is longing for His presence. God's children want to live in the Kingdom of God. Therefore they feel foreigners in the present time states.
Submissive strangers
Often patriotic believers defend their attitude with the word of the Bible which says that you must submit yourself to the governing authorities. It is obvious that a citizen of a foreign state must submit himself to the authorities of the country where he now lives. When in Rome do as the Romans do, as long as it doesn't conflict with the laws of the Kingdom of God.
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." Ro.13:1 This declaration is not an order always to obey your government as you would obey God. Actually it stresses accepting the government that exists. Paul is speaking here to the believers who lived under the control of the government of the Caesar Nero. A bad government is better than anarchy. A bad family is better than free sexual relationships.
Both government and family belong to the order established by God. He has established parents to be the authority for their children. Father and mother must be honoured, although they would be evil. Even so, it is wrong to love your parents or your fatherland more than Jesus. In the same way we must honour our government, though it would be evil. You know that Jesus gives His own people a clear order of the attitude we must adopt towards evilness: "do not resist an evil person." Mt.5:39
From the view point of Jesus' own people all the governments of this world are under the control of evilness, more or less. "We know that we are children of God, and that whole world is under the control of the evil one." 1Jo.5:19
Fatherland under the control of evilness. It is a terrible thing for a patriot!
Fighting against evilness is the cause of all the wars. However it is not possible to win evilness by using human weapons. The world will not be set free from the control of evilness until Jesus comes on earth. Many Christians have not had patience to wait for Jesus, but they have tried to fight against evilness with human weapons. Oh, if only they had been content with being aliens and strangers in the world and fought against evilness only with prayers and good deeds in the Holy Spirit! Ah, how much shame their violent crusades have brought on the name of God!
A Christian submits himself to the governing authorities in similar things as Jesus did. For instance by paying taxes, "give to Caesar what is Caesar's". A Christian doesn't submit himself to the governing authorities when they require idolatry of the citizens, like sacrificing oneself in a war.
Often patriotic believers defend their attitude with the word of the Bible which says that you must submit yourself to the governing authorities. It is obvious that a citizen of a foreign state must submit himself to the authorities of the country where he now lives. When in Rome do as the Romans do, as long as it doesn't conflict with the laws of the Kingdom of God.
"Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God." Ro.13:1 This declaration is not an order always to obey your government as you would obey God. Actually it stresses accepting the government that exists. Paul is speaking here to the believers who lived under the control of the government of the Caesar Nero. A bad government is better than anarchy. A bad family is better than free sexual relationships.
Both government and family belong to the order established by God. He has established parents to be the authority for their children. Father and mother must be honoured, although they would be evil. Even so, it is wrong to love your parents or your fatherland more than Jesus. In the same way we must honour our government, though it would be evil. You know that Jesus gives His own people a clear order of the attitude we must adopt towards evilness: "do not resist an evil person." Mt.5:39
From the view point of Jesus' own people all the governments of this world are under the control of evilness, more or less. "We know that we are children of God, and that whole world is under the control of the evil one." 1Jo.5:19
Fatherland under the control of evilness. It is a terrible thing for a patriot!
Fighting against evilness is the cause of all the wars. However it is not possible to win evilness by using human weapons. The world will not be set free from the control of evilness until Jesus comes on earth. Many Christians have not had patience to wait for Jesus, but they have tried to fight against evilness with human weapons. Oh, if only they had been content with being aliens and strangers in the world and fought against evilness only with prayers and good deeds in the Holy Spirit! Ah, how much shame their violent crusades have brought on the name of God!
A Christian submits himself to the governing authorities in similar things as Jesus did. For instance by paying taxes, "give to Caesar what is Caesar's". A Christian doesn't submit himself to the governing authorities when they require idolatry of the citizens, like sacrificing oneself in a war.
Religion of patriotism
Everybody doesn't recognize that patriotism is a religion, although it bears all distinctive marks of a religion. Actually patriotism is the greatest religion of the world, because it is very popular among all nations. All wars have been fought due to this religion. As long as soldiers' graves are worshipped there will be wars. The flags of all the states are made red by the sacrificial blood as long as young men swear their oaths to them.
The state idol has cunningly managed to exploit other religions. By allying with different religions it has often succeeded in putting the blame of its wars on other religions. Therefore it willingly allows also Christians to ride on itself.
You, man of God, jump hastily down from the back of the beast! A true believer should understand that sacrificing blood to your fatherland is detestable in God's sight, although it is a highly valued heroic deed in the minds of many people!
A battle for national pride, property and selfishness is an abomination for God. In their patriotism they love the pride of their country, their possessions and families and they are ready to kill anyone whom they believe to threaten their welfare.
Some of them even believe they kill in a war on the behalf of God and sacrifice themselves for the sake of God. However God doesn't accept their sacrifice, because He has made peace with all people through the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross. Only Jesus is holy enough to kill godless people. Your sacrifice in a war can only be to the government of your state and not to God. Where there are sacrifices to idols there are being offered to evil spirits. "The sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons." 1Co.10:20
Some believers claim that God would have given governments a lisence to kill in a war. They say that it is our duty to defend our country. They see nothing wrong in their patriotism. Jesus will fight against them with the sword of His mouth to demolish the strong-holds of their thoughts, which idols have built up in their hearts so that they would not know God.
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strong-holds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2Co.10:3-5
Who swears oaths to the flag of his country cannot know God. The war against evilness is fought with the spiritual weapons in the hearts of people and not with bombs and with guns in the battle fields. The war against terrorism is fought in your mind. If your fear caused you to take your gun, you have lost the war.
Look at the brave man, Jesus! He didn't resist evilness and He will rule on earth. Be His follower and fight only with spiritual weapons!
Everybody doesn't recognize that patriotism is a religion, although it bears all distinctive marks of a religion. Actually patriotism is the greatest religion of the world, because it is very popular among all nations. All wars have been fought due to this religion. As long as soldiers' graves are worshipped there will be wars. The flags of all the states are made red by the sacrificial blood as long as young men swear their oaths to them.
The state idol has cunningly managed to exploit other religions. By allying with different religions it has often succeeded in putting the blame of its wars on other religions. Therefore it willingly allows also Christians to ride on itself.
You, man of God, jump hastily down from the back of the beast! A true believer should understand that sacrificing blood to your fatherland is detestable in God's sight, although it is a highly valued heroic deed in the minds of many people!
A battle for national pride, property and selfishness is an abomination for God. In their patriotism they love the pride of their country, their possessions and families and they are ready to kill anyone whom they believe to threaten their welfare.
Some of them even believe they kill in a war on the behalf of God and sacrifice themselves for the sake of God. However God doesn't accept their sacrifice, because He has made peace with all people through the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross. Only Jesus is holy enough to kill godless people. Your sacrifice in a war can only be to the government of your state and not to God. Where there are sacrifices to idols there are being offered to evil spirits. "The sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons." 1Co.10:20
Some believers claim that God would have given governments a lisence to kill in a war. They say that it is our duty to defend our country. They see nothing wrong in their patriotism. Jesus will fight against them with the sword of His mouth to demolish the strong-holds of their thoughts, which idols have built up in their hearts so that they would not know God.
"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strong-holds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2Co.10:3-5
Who swears oaths to the flag of his country cannot know God. The war against evilness is fought with the spiritual weapons in the hearts of people and not with bombs and with guns in the battle fields. The war against terrorism is fought in your mind. If your fear caused you to take your gun, you have lost the war.
Look at the brave man, Jesus! He didn't resist evilness and He will rule on earth. Be His follower and fight only with spiritual weapons!
God's country
God owns all the universes. He does to them what He wants. Who can say to Him: "What do you think you are doing!" He also owns the Earth and everything that is made on it. All nations are like a dust particle before Him. He became man in Jesus so that we could know Him. He has promised us a resurrection into a new body in which we can live near Him.
God is our Father through Jesus. So everything He owns is our fatherland. Also every square of the earth is land of my Father.
Fear of evil causes people to defend their country. They fear losing their independence and becoming slaves of a foreign nation. They fear wrong things. They should fear being enemies of God and slaves of sin.
What ever injustice I face in this world, it cannot make me unhappy, because my happiness is to be near God. He is with me if I become a refugee. He gives me what I need, if my property is taken away from me. A foreign state can force me to speak other language than my native language, but nobody can take away hearing of God's voice. Nobody can take away from me the freedom that Jesus has given me.
God owns all the universes. He does to them what He wants. Who can say to Him: "What do you think you are doing!" He also owns the Earth and everything that is made on it. All nations are like a dust particle before Him. He became man in Jesus so that we could know Him. He has promised us a resurrection into a new body in which we can live near Him.
God is our Father through Jesus. So everything He owns is our fatherland. Also every square of the earth is land of my Father.
Fear of evil causes people to defend their country. They fear losing their independence and becoming slaves of a foreign nation. They fear wrong things. They should fear being enemies of God and slaves of sin.
What ever injustice I face in this world, it cannot make me unhappy, because my happiness is to be near God. He is with me if I become a refugee. He gives me what I need, if my property is taken away from me. A foreign state can force me to speak other language than my native language, but nobody can take away hearing of God's voice. Nobody can take away from me the freedom that Jesus has given me.
Jesus has all authority
Worshippers of the state idol are pitiful. They live in the sphere of power of the devil. Jesus came to drive the master of this world out from his throne. Jesus said: "Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out." Joh.12:31
After Jesus had risen from the dead He said: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Mt.28:18
God's Son, Jesus was once on the cross for the sake of our sins, but now Man, Jesus Christ is on the throne of God. Soon He will come on clouds to the earth and rule the whole world.
All present governments and parliaments will lose their power - to Him!
Will the president of Finland, the government and parliament give their power to Jesus voluntarily? A government of any country will not give up its power without a battle. The Bible tells that they try to make war against Jesus, when He comes.
It is miserable, isn't it! Urged by evil spirits all nations will be gathered to make war against the Almighty. "The spirits of demons go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty." Re.16:14
You, a patriotic believer, you are in danger of ending up in the war against the Almighty to Armageddon! Be on your guard against serving the state idol. Be cleansed from your share with idols. Jesus, the Messiah is the true God and eternal life.
Worshippers of the state idol are pitiful. They live in the sphere of power of the devil. Jesus came to drive the master of this world out from his throne. Jesus said: "Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out." Joh.12:31
After Jesus had risen from the dead He said: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Mt.28:18
God's Son, Jesus was once on the cross for the sake of our sins, but now Man, Jesus Christ is on the throne of God. Soon He will come on clouds to the earth and rule the whole world.
All present governments and parliaments will lose their power - to Him!
Will the president of Finland, the government and parliament give their power to Jesus voluntarily? A government of any country will not give up its power without a battle. The Bible tells that they try to make war against Jesus, when He comes.
It is miserable, isn't it! Urged by evil spirits all nations will be gathered to make war against the Almighty. "The spirits of demons go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty." Re.16:14
You, a patriotic believer, you are in danger of ending up in the war against the Almighty to Armageddon! Be on your guard against serving the state idol. Be cleansed from your share with idols. Jesus, the Messiah is the true God and eternal life.
Persecuted strangers
Jesus is a threat to the governments of this world, because He is coming to take power on earth. Therefore it is natural that governments persecute Jesus' own. Politicians don't always realize why they detest persons who believe in Jesus. Although they themselves don't believe that Jesus is coming, the evil spirits who live in them know it. They cause in them actions against believers.
A state offers freedom of religion, but it is a trap for the believers of Jesus. It is not possible to offer freedom to those who are free. If you ask for yourself freedom of religion, you confess receiving your freedom from the state. If you confessed that then the state says that you must defend the state with guns so that you could keep your freedom of religion.
The word has come out from the mouth of God: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." There is no need to ask any government for a permission to preach. If a government tries to prevent God's deeds, He is powerful to remove obstacles. Persecution has never succeeded in stopping the gospel of God. Instead alliances of believers with a state have often done it.
The closer we are to the coming of Jesus the greater grows the tension between the Jesus' own and the governments of the world. Now are the last moments for two minded believers to choose their side. Every bond of your heart that ties you to this world is dangerous to your soul. When Jesus speaks about the times of the end He says: "Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Lu.17:32-33
Nothing happens to us without God's permission, neither good nor evil. Lot's wife looked back, because she didn't want to lose what God had decided to take away from her. If she had completely trusted God, she would have eagerly looked forward to see what new God had prepared for her.
Jesus is a threat to the governments of this world, because He is coming to take power on earth. Therefore it is natural that governments persecute Jesus' own. Politicians don't always realize why they detest persons who believe in Jesus. Although they themselves don't believe that Jesus is coming, the evil spirits who live in them know it. They cause in them actions against believers.
A state offers freedom of religion, but it is a trap for the believers of Jesus. It is not possible to offer freedom to those who are free. If you ask for yourself freedom of religion, you confess receiving your freedom from the state. If you confessed that then the state says that you must defend the state with guns so that you could keep your freedom of religion.
The word has come out from the mouth of God: "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." There is no need to ask any government for a permission to preach. If a government tries to prevent God's deeds, He is powerful to remove obstacles. Persecution has never succeeded in stopping the gospel of God. Instead alliances of believers with a state have often done it.
The closer we are to the coming of Jesus the greater grows the tension between the Jesus' own and the governments of the world. Now are the last moments for two minded believers to choose their side. Every bond of your heart that ties you to this world is dangerous to your soul. When Jesus speaks about the times of the end He says: "Remember Lot's wife! Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it." Lu.17:32-33
Nothing happens to us without God's permission, neither good nor evil. Lot's wife looked back, because she didn't want to lose what God had decided to take away from her. If she had completely trusted God, she would have eagerly looked forward to see what new God had prepared for her.
The Bible version used in references is NIV