I read from the Ecclesiastical History, where the persecution of the early church was reported, a paragraph, where the writer described the events preceding the persecution. He wrote that some Bishops were vocal in their support of one particular candidate for Emperor against the other candidate. Their candidate lost, and the new Emperor raised persecution against the church. I can see a similar pattern unfolding in America in this generation. Prophets have warned and cautioned the body of Christ to stay out of politics to no avail. The trap is set and some fundamentalist have fallen into the trap to the point that on gospel radio stations you can hear them vocally aligned to one party, and bad mouthing major political figures and candidates. The sad part is that these politically minded preachers have not only fallen into the trap, but also brought every fundamentalist believer into the same trouble when persecution arises.

You may say this is America where the constitution is against persecution. It will not be so in the end. They do not have to make a law to persecute. It may not come in the form of legislature to forbid fundamentalism. The devil normally instigates the wicked public. When the unbelieving public is inspired to commit a crime against the true believers, that is persecution, legal or not legal. In the first church, when apostle Paul was being persecuted everywhere he went by the Jews, it was not condoned by the government of that day, but the Jews were doing it. That is what I am talking about.

It was reported that when Rome was burned, the Christians of that day were falsely accused to be responsible which instigated the civilian public against the believers. When the devil can make the public to dislike the true believers, he will instigate crimes against the believers. That is persecution.

Look at what happened recently. Because one homosexual was murdered, the press began to insinuate that the public denouncement of homosexuality by the preachers was to be blamed. The devil will always accuse because that is the devil’s job as the accuser of the brethren. However we believers are not of the world, and we must use the wisdom of God where necessary,, rather than get drawn into the politics of the world. We ought to stand for morality ready to suffer for it. However, we must use wisdom.

The Lord Jesus was tempted by the Jews about the politics of their day when they asked him, "Is it lawful to pay tribute unto Ceasar?" For Christ to say they must pay, will sound unpatriotic as a Jew; whereas for him to say they must not pay tribute would be incrimination with the Roman government. We all remember the Lord’s response! He asked for the tribute money. When it was given to him, he asked "whose inscription is this on it?" They said "Caesar’s". Then he told them "render to Caesar the thing that be Caesar’s, and to God the thing that be God’s." That is, the money was made by Caesar, give it back to Caesar; but you are in the image of God, give your heart to God. (Lk.20: 21-25).

Some extremists have taken it upon themselves to attack and kill abortionist-doctors. Are you going to tell me that those people were inspired to kill the doctors by the Spirit of Christ? Whereas, when James and John, the sons of Zebedee, asked the Lord Jesus, "wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, (the Samaritan village), even as Elias did?" The Lord rebuked them and said "Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of. For the son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them." (Lk.9:54-56).

It is time for the saints to use wisdom nowadays! We ought not to speak about a particular person in authority. Just preach the truth as the bible revealed it. The word is Spirit.

If we are persecuted for the truth we preach, we have a reward. But let us not be meddlers and busy-bodies in other men’s matters. Apostle Paul wrote, "No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier." (2 Tim.2:4).

I strongly believe that it is entanglement when the Soldiers of Christ get themselves involved in the politics of this world. The deception is that some preachers think they have to save America by politics. The only salvation is for individual to be saved in Christ. The power of the saints to effect a change is much more realizable in prayers. "For 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." (Eph.6: 12).

Think about what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

God bless you.

Bro. Julius Adewumi

Gospel Distribution Ministry

USA.