What Is America Founded On?

Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but My kingdom is not from here."

(Jhn 18:36)

And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:  Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you".  (Luk 17:20-21)

For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. (Rom 14:17)

Ok, see if you can bear with me a little bit today as I use the American Revolution to show the difference between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of the World. There are so many examples that we can use in our society today, but since this is the 4th of July and it represents what many Christian Americans believe about their country, this could be an eye opener for anyone that would have a love of the truth, no matter what its cost to them might be. 

On this July 4^th holiday I am reminded of when it first “hit me” several years ago, that America was founded on rebellion.  Wow!  What a revelation that was to me…it was shocking, but true.

In America, July 4^th is a holiday called “Independence Day” it is a celebration of when America declared her independence and rebelled against England and her King.  At the end of the ensuing war, America became her own nation and I might add….her own God.  I am not suggesting whether or not God ordained this new nation to form, but rather, did He ordain His followers, His “Called Out Ones” to bring it about?  If I haven’t made you too mad, I hope you will be able to read what the Lord has shown me. 

This revelation came to me shortly after the Lord had been doing a deeper work in me and calling me out of the world and its ways.  He was showing me how the world lives for itself, but to live in the Kingdom of God; I would have to pick up my cross and follow Him.  I had to be willing to die to a self seeking, self pleasing way of life so I could be empowered by His Holy Spirit, to live only for the will of God. 

In learning about the Kingdom of God and its self sacrificing way of life, it allowed me to see how opposed it is to the ways of the world and how America's very foundation was not based on the principles of the Kingdom of God but rather than on the self seeking ways of the world.  You see, there are two Kingdoms in operation now, the Kingdom of the world and the Kingdom of God and they are contrary to each other.  These two kingdoms rule in the hearts of men.  It is impossible to live in a continuously victorious spiritual life while still trying to live in both of these kingdoms.  When we turn to the Lord and submit to His life, He will begin to bring us out of the Kingdom of the World and into His Kingdom.  It is a process and will be accomplished by many trials and tribulations that will crucify our old sin nature (self) so it can be replaced with His divine nature. These two natures, two lives, two kingdoms all speak of the same thing, it is described in scripture many different ways. 

Another word that could be used for Kingdom is “Rule”.

And another word for World is “man” or “self”.   

The Kingdom of this World = Ruled by Man or Self Rule  

The Kingdom Of God = Ruled by God

The Lord began to show me how these two kingdoms will respond differently to situations that arise in our lives and where we get our fulfillment from.  The world’s kingdom depends on exterior circumstances to be fulfilled and satisfied, it is always looking to improve its state or activities.  Inner peace and joy can either be disturb or increased by activities, people and things.  But the pleasure they receive from these exterior means will eventually dry up causing them to constantly seek for more.  Worldly ambition and “success” is considered a virtue in the Kingdom of this World.  The Kingdom of this World could also be described as the Kingdom of Self.      

But for those that matured and are now living fully in the Kingdom (rule) of God, life’s circumstances do not affect them so.  The source of their joy, peace and satisfaction comes from the rivers of Living waters that never run dry.  This is why Paul could say, “…I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.  I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”  (Phl 4:11-13)  All was the same for Paul…whether he had or he had not. 

         

This is the gospel of the Kingdom that was taught in the New Testament and why Christ came into the World, to save us from the old (world’s) self seeking way of life and give us His life in return.  It is the old nature we were born with, we inherited it through Adam and Eve and it must be crucified and put to death.  The old nature will naturally fight to save itself; just like Peter did when the Lord told him He must suffer and be killed.  But Jesus “turned, and said to Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”  Mat 16:23.   Peter was responding by the natural way of the world and its kingdom.  But as we are willing to let the Lord rule in our hearts, the process of death to self and its kingdom can begin.   The more death to self and our own Kingdom rule, the more of His life will reign in us. 

When we understand what the gospel of the Kingdom is and what was taught in the New Testament for us, we will understand that we are not to “fight” for our rights, but rather willingly lay them down.  Then we can see clearly that the followers of Christ will not kill anyone for their own freedom and could not be apart of the American Revolution.  Rather those that have died to self as Paul says in Gal 2:20, would lay down their life, even for an “enemy”. 

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.  For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.  But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us  Rom 5:6-8.

“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”  1 John 2:6

Today I saw this quote about the American Revolution by John Adams and I share my thoughts about it below. 

Quote from “John Adams, letter to H. Niles, February 13, 1818”

 “But what do we mean by the American Revolution? Do we mean the American war? The Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in the minds and hearts of the people; a change in their religious sentiments, of their duties and obligations...This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.”

Can you wonder what was meant by the "change in their religious sentiments" “in the minds and hearts”? Did they change to or away from the manner of life and mind set that Jesus, Paul and the other apostles had and lived?  How they responded to injustices is what exposes which kingdom they are of. The New Testament is full of instructions on how true followers of Christ will behave in the Kingdom of God...

In this part here:  “This radical change in the principles, opinions, sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution” it is clear that they left the ways of the Kingdom of God for the ways of the world…

When Jesus and the apostles lived in the world there were horrific injustices and atrocities commented by the rulers of the world.  At no time did they teach or instruct their followers that they should shed blood and fight in the natural against these things but instructed them to submit.  From the “sermon on the mount” to John’s, James’ and Paul’s writing and exhortations, their “mind” set and ways of the Kingdom of God can be seen.  Paul even instructed slaves to be obedient to their masters.  He wasn’t condoning slavery or its “right” to exist, but he was teaching them how to live for God and not for themselves.

Did not this “mind set”, religious sentiments, duties and obligations have to be “changed” in order to go from understanding the injustices to actually fight and shed blood in order to be free from them?   Is this in accordance with the New Testament life the Lord has called His follower to live; is this truly walking in the Spirit?  The world fights like that…it makes sense to them, they are of the flesh, but God’s ways are not the ways of the world.  The word “rebellion” aught to make us stop and think…

The Lord leads and shows us things in His time, and there can be more “important things” that He may be teaching us and showing us.  But this could be one example of how the Lord can open our eyes to “see” how much of the world is in us.  It is in the things we have been taught all our lives, things we have “believed” in and thought was righteous but in reality have found out it had its source in the world and its ways…the same world that the Lord said we were not to be a part of.  The world is always trying to “save” itself, make it more comfortable, etc., while the Spirit of the Lord will lead us to die to our self and our wants and to live for God and not “man”.