By the end of the day the Danish people shall know what kind of rule we´re going to have and whom we are to pray for, either a “red” or a “blue” government.  Anyway the Biblical path way for God´s people is laid before us in 1 Tim.2:1-2, a path so simple, but often forgotten. 

At this juncture our heart´s loyalty is to Jesus Christ and not to a political system no matter how religious it may appear on the surface and on the deceptive TV screens.  (In Denmark we´re about to get a non-religious administration, though, with atheistic views – and really, the practical difference between a “red” and a “blue” leadership is not that big).

Let me share with you a beautiful, true story from Hitler´s Germany.  During my soldier time down there (lasting only 14 months), I one day, on a Sunday, after the morning service in a Baptist church, was invited to have dinner with a young married couple in a lovable Christian home.  The mother of my hostess was also there, an elderly, sweet missionary.  The custom in Hitler´s Germany was, as you will know, the greeting, “Heil Hitler!”  (Hail to Hitler).  So when you met on the street the obligatory greeting would be “Heil Hitler!”  (and not:  “How are you doing?”)

This dear woman told me that one day, in the days of Adolf Hitler, as she was walking on some sidewalk in the town Hameln (which was also the town I stayed at), a friend greeted her from the other side of the street with the usual words “Heil Hitler!”, but she immediately shouted back, “Heil Christus!” thus demonstrating, in full public, to whom her loyalty belonged.  I found it pretty courageous as she could have been severely punished if somebody from the Gestapo police had overheard her provocative behavior.

The story is an “object lesson” about the heart´s devotion to Christ, indeed, no matter what kind of rule we are subjected to.  In the case of that missionary woman the Germans were subjected to a diabolic, evil “Führer”, and yet many Christians, - though humble, obedient citizens - suffered martyrdom because of their loyalty to the gospel and its cause.

We haven´t come to that here, - “You have not yet resisted to bloodshed striving against sin”  (Hebr. 12:4) – but it is still true that “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution”  (2 Tim. 3:12), not necessarily to the point of “bloodshed”, but in our obedient walk with Christ where we often have to whisper to the Lord in many situations, “Lord, what I suffer now really hurts, but I know you´re suffering with me even now.”

Notice the word  talks about living a “godly life in Christ Jesus”, - not in the world.  I recently quoted William Kelly, the highly educated British, Christian leader in the 19th century, to whom it was said, “You could be a great man in the world” to which he calmly replied, “What world?”

Sept. 15, 2011
-jn-