The Imperative of Christ:
A Christian Response to
Islam and Global Ecuminicism
Elder R. Keith Hamilton
Part 3 of 3
Grave controversy about Christ’s teachings and violent
rejection of His principles are a reality of temporal life that Christians must
face. One element of this kind of
confrontation is the effort on the part of worldly institutions and
associations to draw the Christian church into a worldly, secular struggle over
countries, wealth, natural resources, and political power. Christians must remember that whatever wars
we must wage and whatever conflicts we must engage have to be for godly,
ideological and spiritual priorities. We
cannot get bogged down in conflicts over temporal riches.
One of the most difficult challenges for Christians is to
stay “on subject” and focus on the true, spiritual nature of the conflict and
resistance we meet. Scripture reminds us
in Ephesians 6:12, that “we wrestle not against flesh
and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the
darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” We must not forget that our battles are not
centered on defeating enemies to build a worldly kingdom, but against the evil
powers and wickedness that are the basis for all of man’s faults. Fundamentally, this warfare is a clash
between truth and error; between the witness of Christ
and the defiance of antichrist, and the battlefield upon which this war is
waged is the hearts and minds of men.
The objective of true Christian warfare is always
spiritual. Christians will not glorify
God by militarily conquering land and people in Jesus’ name. Christian warfare calls sinners to
repentance, and glorifies Jehovah God, as the one true and living God. The purpose of the warfare is to confront any
worldly obstacle to these two priorities and destroy it with the truth of God’s
Word. Christian warfare is not simply a
war of words; it is deeper than that. It
attests to the very substance of mankind, and Christian warfare confronts the
lies of the world with undeniable truths (Rom
The foremost weapon and instrument in these confrontations is
the irrefutable Holy Scriptures, which describes itself as a two-edged sword
capable of dividing asunder marrow and bone (Heb 4:12) and is supremely
suitable for the type of confrontation in which the emphasis is placed upon
discerning man’s hearts and spirits rather than empire-building.
The struggle between Christianity and the elements of worldly
obstruction, Islam in particular, is an ancient conflict. This struggle will persist simply because the
opponents are so diametrically opposed, even so much as light and
darkness. In the case of Islam, the one
seeks world dominance and subjugation of the entire world under Islam, while
the other seeks the subjugation of men’s hearts and minds to the Holiness of
God. Islam seeks to build a global
empire under control of the Imams. Ecuminicism seeks to unite the entire world into a
single-minded mass of humanity under persuasion of a utopian agenda directed
toward reverence for “mother-Earth”. In
these struggles, with wide and various fronts of attack against Christianity,
Christians must foremost be the representatives of the Gospel of Jesus Christ
and harbingers of the Word of God, to call for and declare that men live in
obedience and submission to the truth of God.
Christians must be aware that we are not fighting for the
survival of the Christian Church, or even saving the Gospel of Christ from
destruction. In Christianity’s struggle
against Islam, Ecuminicism, and any number of other
enemies, the Christian objective is to declare the truth of the Gospel of
Christ and call sinful men to repentance before righteous, Jehovah God. The mindset of warfare is to prepare us for
vigilance and determination to overcome all obstructions and difficulties that
may be in our way.
Scripture assures us that through the work of the Holy
Spirit, the Church and the Gospel will persevere until the end of humanity’s
appointed time on the Earth. We, the
human element of God’s kingdom, are compelled to persist in proclaiming the
Gospel of Christ against all obstacles and barriers, and to do so with a
resolve and duty that reflects the love that God has shown towards us. We are authorized to resist the King or
Governor when he is in error and contrary to God’s Word. We are also permitted to resist and combat
erroneous, fraudulent leadership in the world, but only as it exalts Christ and
glorifies God, and not for any ulterior human motive.
Christians should refrain and resist the urge to establish
empires and constitute theocratic governments among men. It is wholly keeping with Scripture and the
American experiment to fashion civil authority in accordance with the precepts
and principles of God’s Word, but the idea of building a Christian political
empire and extending its reach to all corners of the Earth is not in keeping
with the Great Commission. Christians do
not fight Islam and resist Ecuminicism in order to
assert political dominance or religious supremacy. We fight against the lies and false witnesses
of these enemies against God, Christ and the Holy Spirit.
The imperialistic aims of Islam and Global Ecuminicism are a threat to the freedom of Gospel Preaching
and open, Christian worship. Christians
are right and virtuous to resist the suppression and mind-control of these
worldly elements and not to forsake the gifts and graces that God has bestowed
on His Beloved. In history, the church
has thrived in times of oppression. Even
so, the peace and prosperity that Christianity has enjoyed in free societies is
a great gift of God. Although our
stewardship of this gift has been weak, we should no longer take it for granted
and instead be jealous and watchful.
Above all other matters, the interest of the Christian in
world and domestic affairs should be to provide for the preaching of the Gospel
and the witness of Jesus Christ. The
The final answer for Christians to respond to the challenges of Islam, Global Ecuminicism and other worldly institutions is to simply preach the Gospel. In these perilous times, the Great Commission remains valid and critically important for the Church. Now, perhaps more than ever, there is an essential need for the Church to vigorously declare the message of Christ and publicly advance the Gospel.
A crucial element in Christian ministry is to recall that the
preaching of the Gospel is for calling the Elect, the children of God to
repentance and obedience. But whereas we
know not “who is” and “who is not” a Child of God, we are compelled under the
parable of the sower to dutifully go about our
ministry and testimony “unto every creature”, all to the glory of God; Mark
4:3-23 records the parable of the sower, and it is
dutifully noted that the sower goes about his work
without discerning which “seed” is worthwhile and which is cast aside unfruitfully. So
likewise are we to insist upon access to all the lands of the Earth, barren and
rocky, or lush and bountiful, to declare openly the Gospel of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
There is no Scriptural warrant or authority for Christians to
take up arms or mount conquests against those who reject the Gospel of
Christ. In the place of that is the
heavy armament of the soldier of Christ properly prepared and committed to
declaring and defending the Gospel. Such
persons are described in Ephesians 6:13-17 and one of the key elements in their
suitability for service is their “feet shod with the preparation of the gospel
of peace.”
The proper way for Christians to confront the challenges
before us and to stand against the evils and lies that we face is to study the
Word of God so that we may show ourselves to be workmen that need not to be
ashamed and to hold steadfastly to the truth of God’s Word. Rather than retreat in the face of adversity
and worldly controversy about Christ, Christians must press on even more
vigorously with the Gospel message and confront all of the world’s lies and
half-truths with the full power of the message of Jesus Christ.
The Christian Church is to preach the Word and to do so
without compromise, without apology, and without alteration. The Apostle Paul devotedly declares the
utility of this practice in Acts 20:26-27, “Wherefore I take you to record this
day, that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to
declare unto you all the counsel of God”. The modern day Christian Church must also
embrace a similar resolve to declare the whole counsel of God, and to do so
with the understanding that such efforts will be rebuffed and attacked by the
world, and to expect this as a natural consequence and reaction to the efforts
to preach Christ.
There is a tendency among many of the faithful to desire a
haven-land to which Christians may retreat and relish the joys of Christ
without interference from the world.
This is not possible (John
The message of the Great Commission (Mt 28:19-20, Mark
While it is worthwhile, and consistent with Scripture, for
Christians to fashion or influence a civil government in keeping with biblical
principles that is friendly and tolerant towards the Gospel, it is not an acceptable
priority for us to endeavor to establish an earthly kingdom and to unify all of
humanity under a “Christian” government.
Christ simply did not authorize us to do such.
Even so, American Christians are uniquely blessed with a
participatory form of governance; a government in which we have a say in who is
charged with civil authority over us.
Its endurance and scope is unparalleled in human history. As Christians we have a very special place
and responsibility in this arrangement, having a powerful voice and influence
on the body of law that constitutes that civil authority. We may only hope that other Christians
throughout the world could come to know such a beneficial arrangement as ours.
Let us labor, therefore, as by Divine Right, that we may
willfully and faithfully confront the enemies of God and God’s people, pointing
out their error and false witness, confronting them with the truths of God’s
Holy Scriptures, and may all the world know that indeed Jesus Christ is the Son
of God.
End of Part 3
of 3
(March, 2003. R. Keith Hamilton)