This post is written specifically to those readers who consider themselves to be Christians. Have you been paying attention to the political climate in this nation? Have you noticed how quickly the government is forcing us to depend on it for everything, and how it is making it illegal to actually live the tenants of your faith? Well, I have two simple questions for you. First, do you consider yourself to be chaff or wheat? And if you are wheat, do you understand what that means? If not, I will remind you, but first, let me share something with you written by Niemoller, a true Christian Pastor who chose a NAZI prison instead of swearing an oath of allegiance to Hitler:
“We have all of us — the whole Church and the whole community — we’ve been thrown into the Tempter’s sieve, and he is shaking and the wind is blowing, and it must now become manifest whether we are wheat or chaff! Verily, a time of sifting has come upon us, and even the most indolent and peaceful person among us must see that the calm of a meditative Christianity (i.e. keeping faith to yourself) is at an end…
It is now springtime for the hopeful and expectant Christian Church — it is testing time, and God is giving Satan a free hand, so he may shake us up and so that it may be seen what manner of men we are!…
Satan swings his sieve and Christianity is thrown hither and tither; and he who is not ready to suffer, he who is called himself Christian only because he thereby hoped to gain something good for his race and his nation is blown away like chaff by the wind of time.”
So, are you wheat, or chaff? Before you answer, let me explain a little more about why I am asking you this question. Do you know the history of the Fascist and Communist movements? Do you know what drove them, and what allowed them to take root and flourish? It was a long series of economic unrest, of want, of hunger. The dictators of the early Twentieth Century preyed upon that part of human nature that will sell its liberty, even its faith in God for bread and sausage. They also appealed to basic greed and envy, seizing upon the principles of democracy by which to bribe the masses into letting them do their stealing for them — if only those same masses would surrender control of their lives to the dictators in return. And so it was that the tyrants of the last century convinced those who claimed to follow Christ to switch their allegiances from God to the government; from God to men. They were chaff. Are you?
Hitler was allowed to come to power mainly because those people who should have been his natural enemies refused to speak out. they refused to live their faith. When push came to shove, all but some 800 Pastors in Germany swore an oath of allegiance to Hitler. The 800 who refused were put in jail where many of them died, including Bonhoeffer. Had the Christians refused to obey Hitler, there is a chance that the Holocaust may never have happened. Had they chosen to follow the example of the First Century Saints and submitted to Hitler’s wrath instead of bending to his demands, then yes, they may have died, but their sacrifice may have been enough to wake the rest of the German people to the realities of what Hitler really was. Had they refused to give to Caesar that which is God’s (our loyalty), then they may have stopped WW II before it even began. But they did not do that. Instead, they chose to save their lives and, in the process, Scripture tells us they lost them:
Mark 8:35 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
35 For whoever wishes to save his [a]life will lose it, but whoever loses his [b]life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
So — again — I ask you: are you chaff or wheat? But before you answer, let me remind you what the Lord had to say about this matter:
John 12:24 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as bad as things were in NAZI Germany, I fear a far worse time is coming, and it is coming quickly. I fear that we who have never known persecution may soon face persecution equal to that of the Jews under Hitler. The Church has remained silent for far too long. We have surrendered to the very same demands Hitler placed on the Church of Germany: that we stay inside the walls of our churches and keep our faith to ourselves. We have allowed God to be driven from the public square, from our schools, our government and our laws. But history is very clear on this matter: when God is driven from society, society collapses and depravity takes over. The Lord gave us much, and He expects much from us. So I encourage you to steel yourselves; prepare to follow in the foot steps of the First Century Saints. Be wheat, even though it means dying unto your own will and desires. Chose to live for the Lord and His Gospel instead. Show the Light of the World through the way you live your life. And if this means you lose your life here in this world, then take heart and rejoice as — if you truly believe — it means you will have won your life for all eternity.
Now, I understand it is easy to say these things. They are just words. I know it is a much different thing when we are hungry and afraid. But — please — understand that the spirit that drove Hitler is already in the government and social institutions of our own nation. Hitler promised food, as did Lenin. But how is that any different from those in our society crying:
“It’s the economy, stupid!”
You can either serve the Lord, or you can serve the government. Both promise to feed you, but only one will save you in the end. If you love Him, if you are wheat, then chose the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6). Obey His commands, and remember that when the people tried to make Jesus King because He fed them, Christ responded by saying:
John 6:26-27 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Words to the People
26 Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. 27 Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.”
But to do this, we must be prepared. That means we must read our Scriptures, and bury His Word in our hearts so that — if and when the time comes — we will know what God would have us do. The Lord’s Word warns us that we can only have one master. His Word also warns us from being in debt, because the person to whom you owe a debt can easily become your master. The Lord’s Word also tells us we are to be satisfied with what we have, and to work for our own living as well as for those who cannot provide for themselves. We are not to steal or covet, and looking to others to take for us is still both coveting and stealing. It does not matter whether we do it with out own hands or our vote, we are still guilty before the Lord.
Realize that we commit many wrongs out of fear, but why do we fear? Christ has already defeated death and the world. We share in that victory. We have nothing to fear in this world. For this reason, we should have mercy on those who are not as strong. This does not mean we excuse them for doing wrong, even if it is out of fear or hunger. We must still do our best to correct them, but we should also try to lift them up and support them at the same time. And we should do it all with the patience and love of Christ. However, I must confess, if we do this — as the Lord commanded us to do — it is very likely that we will come under attack. The Muslims, our own government and the people of this world who rebel against and reject God will all seek to destroy us. SO prepare yourselves for such a time. Prepare to cling to Christ in your hour of trial so that you will be found wheat and not blown away as chaff. And cling tightly to the promise of Scripture, for:
1 Peter 4:12-14 New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Share the Sufferings of Christ
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 14 If you are reviled [a]for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
May the Grace, Peace and Love of the Lord, Jesus Christ, be with you always.
The Oil for Your Lamp 