The Extraordinary Gift of Freedom

Freedom from the curse of the Law, and freedom from our bondage to sin is needed by every living human soul, for all have sinned. Jesus Christ met every requirement of the law, led a sinless life, was God with us, and offered Himself as a perfect sacrifice as full payment for the penalty of our sin. He died in our place. He died for our sins, was buried, and rose from the dead for our justification. All that the Father required was that we love and believe in His Beloved Son. Satan tried his best to prevent this atonement for our sins, and he failed.

Chapter 12 of Revelation provides a condensed view of Satan's determined but failed attempt to prevent Jesus Christ from coming into the world. In this picture of Christ's coming the woman is Israel, the child is Jesus, and the dragon is Satan. "A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne." The many attempts by Satan to kill Jesus before His perfect sacrifice on the cross for our sins are listed in numerous accounts in the gospels, from His birth to His death and resurrection. 

My dear friend, Paul Fumea, himself a Marine veteran during the Vietnam war, praying for a leper in India. Were it not for the influence of liberty upon our entire world, we would be severely restricted in bringing the love and gospel of Jesus Christ to these nations "behind the gates of hell."

Freedom is necessary for mankind to seek the Lord, and for the gospel to be preached. In the first century, God used the stability of the Roman government to provide temporary protection during the incarnation of His Son, and for His church, the Bride of Christ. Just as Satan opposed the life and work of Jesus Christ, Satan continues to blind the world, distort the gospel, compromise and distort the truth, and so mislead the world into condemnation along with himself.

After the decline of the Roman Empire, and parallel to the spread of the gospel throughout the world in the first few centuries, Satan formed a counterfeit church, the Roman Catholic Church (the Pharisees reborn) and allied the Catholic Church with the Kings and rulers of its time. This led the world into a period of several hundred years which historians rightly call "the dark ages." During this time the truth was crushed and every attempt was made by the popes and clergy to destroy any remnant of New Testament biblical Christianity. Despite fierce persecution, the truth prevailed. The record of this difficult period for the Body of Christ can be found in books such as "The Trail of Blood," "Foxes Book of Martyrs," and other lesser known books which carefully detail the faithfulness of thousands of saints and martyrs to the testimony of Jesus and the Word of God. Most lost their families and homes, and often their lives. "....they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." Revelation 12:11

Although corrupt and heretical in many of its beliefs, the Catholic Church did serve God's purposes during the Crusades, and rallied brave men and women to defend Europe from Islamic Jihad. The Muslims had literally reached the gates of Paris, occupied Spain, and were sending raiding parties ashore on the British Isles. Were it not for the Crusades, we would all be Muslims today, and the Reformation would have never taken place 200 years later. 

John Wycliffe the great English preacher and teacher. At the risk of his life, he translated the Scriptures into the English language.

By the 14th century, Biblical Christianity began to resurface and God raised up men such as Wycliffe, Luther, Tyndale, Hus, Calvin, Arminius, and hundreds of others known only to God. Although most were martyred, some survived. The printing press had been invented, and across Europe and in England, under threats of being burned at the stake from the Catholic church, brave reformers began to publish copies of the Bible in the languages of the people. The Lord used a few powerful princes and kings who, taught by the reformers, and exposed to the Word of God,  began to realize that Christ was not represented by a pope or institution, but rather by godly men in whom Christ lived and spoke. Physical protection was provided to the reformers by these princes and kings, by the power of their swords, and THE TRUTH OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE WORD OF GOD, WHICH HAD BEEN SUPPRESSED BY SATAN FOR CENTURIES WAS AGAIN SET FREE.

I am deeply grateful for these courageous men and women, both the princes and the preachers, and their families. Many were put to death for their stand for truth, for the Word of God, and for Jesus Christ. They stand at the foundation of Christian Civilization.

Quite rightly did the Reformers consider the Pope to be the Antichrist. Indeed, although he was not THE Antichrist, he surely was an antichrist, and an epitome of the "leaven of the Pharisees." The Catholic Church, and any misrepresentation of the genuineness and reality of Christ in any church, which obscures Christ, is well defined as "the Pharisees reborn." Indeed, the "leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy" lies within each one of us, and is inherently a part of our sin nature. We must each crucify it afresh each day lest the revelation of "Christ in us" be obscured, and the Holy Spirit grieved.

The Reformation brought attention to God's Word and the great cry of the Reformation was: "Christ alone, Scripture alone, faith and grace alone, and to the glory of God alone." With the invention of the printing press, thousands began to obtain a copy of the Bible to read for themselves, and much of Europe was delivered from the tyranny of religion. The godly exercise of freedom, both religious and political, began to spread across Europe. FREEDOM HAD COME ALIVE, FOUNDED UPON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND THE WORD OF GOD. CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION WAS BORN. "THE TIMES OF THE GENTILES" HAD BEGUN." ONCE MORE THE GOSPEL BEGAN TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

Seeking the Lord with tears in a remote village in India. Without some freedom in that nation, resulting from the influence of Christian Civilization, it is unlikely that she would have ever heard of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And, convinced he was being led by the Holy Spirit of God, Christopher Columbus directed his three small ships, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria to weigh anchor and head west towards what would become, really quite obviously, THE PROMISED LAND OF THE GENTILES.

God uses the church as His vessel for the proclamation of the Gospel. He uses righteous men and nations to resist evil, to resist the spirit of antichrist, and to provide some measure of freedom in our world SO THAT MEN MIGHT "SEEK THE LORD WHILE HE MAY BE FOUND." So that Christians can FREELY go and make disciples of all men. For "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." And "how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard."  

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." "When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice..." If we have a righteous government based on the rule of God's law then the government "....is God's servant to do you good....he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer." But, "when the wicked rule, the people groan."

The past two hundred plus years have been an extraordinary time in human history. Never before, to our knowledge, has the gospel penetrated so far to every tribe, tongue, and nation. Never before has the entire world been confronted with such great value for human life. Never before have we seen such levels of prosperity.  

Most of the world lives far below the standards and opportunities found in America, but the blessings of God upon Christian civilization, since the Reformation, have brought unparalleled progress to the entire world, including those in opposition to the truth. 

Calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ at an open air meeting in a rural village church in India. Were it not for Christian civilization and the freedom that follows, these precious people would not be hearing the gospel, and responding.

Sadly, most American Christians are ignoring America's obvious role in the Kingdom of God throughout the entire world. God wrought a great miracle through the Reformation, which resulted in Christian Civilization. From the infancy of Christian civilization arose America, with the strongest Christian foundation. The blessings we see in our world today are the result of Christian Civilization, not what is popularly called Western Civilization. We are living in the closing days of "the times of the Gentiles" spoken of by Jesus. I believe we in America are living in what can best be described as "the promised land of the Gentiles." And just as judgment came to the nation of Israel for her disobedience, so judgment will eventually come to the gentile "promised land." But God used Israel to His glory and for His purposes, and does to this day even in her unbelief. Indeed the natural Jew, and the Nation of Israel remains one of the world's greatest spiritual and natural blessings. And even more, God continues to work mightily through His church scattered throughout the world, UNDER THE PROTECTION OF CHRISTIAN CIVILIZATION. SINCE THE REFORMATION, WITH A BIBLE IN ONE HAND, AND WHEN NECESSARY, A SWORD OR RIFLE IN THE OTHER, MILLIONS OF SAINTS HAVE FOUGHT AND DIED FOR FREEDOM. FREEDOM FROM TYRANNY. FREEDOM TO THINK. FREEDOM TO PRAY. FREEDOM TO READ THE WORD OF GOD. FREEDOM TO PROCLAIM THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. FREEDOM TO GLORIFY GOD. GOD FORBID THAT WE SHOULD PARTAKE LIGHTLY OF THIS FREEDOM SO DEARLY PAID FOR BY OUR GOD, AND BY HIS SAINTS. May we "work while it is day, for night is coming when no man can work." 

And this Freedom aligned with Christian (not Western) Civilization was purchased at a great price. It costs our Lord His life, and He gave it freely. It has cost the lives of countless martyrs throughout the centuries. And it has cost the lives of millions of soldiers who have fought bravely against tyranny in it's many forms. Never before the reformation did a soldier fight for freedom. He fought for his pay, or because he was forced to. From the reformation onward, men realized that our struggles were not in vain, and that freedom is a precious gift from God to be cherished, protected, fought for, and if need be, die for. On Memorial Day, Independence Day, and every day, I am deeply grateful for the great price so many have paid for this freedom, built upon the Chief Cornerstone, the Lamb of God, the Good Shepherd, the man of sorrows aquainted with grief, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Mighty Warrior, the Captain of our salvation, our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  

The founders of America were devout Christians

It is certain that "here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come," but it is equally true that we live as temporal citizens in a nation, along with a few other nations built on Christian foundations, not seen since God led the Jewish people into their promised land. Clearly God's hand has guided the establishment, purpose, and preservation of not only the nation of Israel, but also of America, and a few other free nations. And our purpose is not for our self gratification. America's purpose in the world is to restrain the forces of Anti-Christ which are in direct opposition to the message of the gospel and the Word of God. Without freedom, people cannot have access to truth which is only found in Jesus Christ. 

May God grant us courage in the days ahead. It is our duty to persevere without retreat until the day of Christ's return. We are to be witnesses of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. 

I am very grateful for those who have gone before me. The days ahead may hold revival and awakening, or they may hold apostasy and continued decline of Christian civilization. Either way our calling is unchanged.

We are to "endure to the end." 

Thank God for freedom, for America, for our brave men and women who have fought and died that we might remain free, for all that our flag represents, for our founding fathers, for the Reformation, for every true preacher of the Gospel, and for every godly Christian man and woman.

May we take to heart the words of the Puritan John Winthrop. In 1630 John was still aboard the ship Arbella on his way to America. In a sermon to his fellow Puritans on the ship he said:

"For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken... we shall be made a story and a by-word throughout the world. We shall open the mouths of enemies to speak evil of the ways of God... We shall shame the faces of many of God's worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned into curses upon us til we be consumed out of the good land whither we are a-going."

Gratefully your servants in Jesus Christ, 

Court and Sandy Wood - In Jesus' Name Ministries 

Please join with us in praying for an awakening in the American church to our responsibility as the most prosperous Christians in the world. We have been so blessed, not that we might dwell at ease in Zion, but rather that we might consider ourselves, here in America, like Queen Esther, for such a time as this to bring deliverance to the people of God.