3.24.26
Hey, Calvary Fremont –
Muslims are not the enemy – they are the victims of the enemy! We are not to respond to Muslims merely as Americans, but as American Christians. So many want them out of here when God brought them here that we might manifest the love of God and share the gospel with them. Yes, if a Muslim perpetrates an act of terror or any crime – he should feel the full weight of the law. But Muslims are not the enemy, they are the victims of the enemy! Christians are to give them the full weight of the Gospel! The State bears the Sword for evildoers. The Church bears the Cup of Christ for the victims of the enemy. When the Church takes up the Chant of the Sword, the Music of the Gospel is drowned out.
Are we Christian Americans or American Christians? Good grief – what does it matter? But listen – there is logic in grammar. The noun carries more weight than the adjective. The noun is who you are in your essence. The adjective is who you are in your properties. Red ball, blue ball, yellow ball – whatever its color – it’s still a ball. Red, blue, and yellow don’t define its essence, but merely one of its properties. Properties come and go – essence remains. Don’t define yourself by your properties, but by your essence. You are a Christian in your essence and an American in your nationality. But if the noun becomes the adjective – you’ve redefined your essence! Unfortunately, a Christian American is not in essence a Christian – he is an American first and a Christian second. This is heresy, for Christ has been dethroned and is no longer Lord.
I have read the Qur’an – more than once. I have studied the life of Mohammad. I have explored the history of Islam. The Qur’an, Mohammad’s life, and the history of Islam are inherently violent – up to and including the present day. I don’t know how anyone with any kind of intellectual honesty can argue otherwise. Are there virtuous passages within the Qur’an – of course. Are there virtuous Muslims – of course. But the fear many have of Islam is theologically, biographically, and historically warranted.
I find myself having to balance these two principles – that Islam is inherently violent and that Muslims are not the enemy, but the victims of the enemy. I do this by understanding that Islam is a system and Muslims are people. The people are victimized by the system. Those who mount a war against Muslims are fighting against flesh and blood. Those who struggle against Islam, are wrestling with powers and principalities.
Ephesians 6:12 tells us that we fight not against flesh and blood but against the spiritual forces of wickedness in heavenly places. Yet unfortunately, many Christians, out of fear, promote the American way of life above the Christian way of life and want to take the fight to Muslims and not the gospel. The heavens weep. What a tragedy that when God brings Muslims to America, the Church is more gripped by fear of what they might do to us than gripped by the excitement of what God wants to do with them.
“But Muslims want to take over America and impose Sharia Law.” There are over 500,000 elected positions in America at the city, county, state, and federal levels. About 350 Muslims hold some kind of elected position. That is 0.07% of all positions. And assuming that all want to impose Sharia law (which is a huge assumption), here’s what Sharia Law cannot do. It cannot replace U.S. Law. The Constitution forbids it through the Establishment Clause (government cannot impose religion) and the Supremacy Clause (the Constitution and federal law override all other systems). Sharia cannot override or replace US civil law under any circumstances.
“But Muslims hate us and want to forcibly convert us or kill us.” This is a thoroughly overblown statement – but even if this is the case, Jesus tells us to love our enemies; bless those who curse us – bless and curse not. Are you a Christian American or an American Christian? If you are a Christian American, you’ll see Muslims as the enemy. If you are an American Christian, you’ll see Muslims as the victims of the enemy. Let’s rise to the challenge and the opportunity God has set before the American Church. Let’s bring to bear the full weight of the Gospel!
Be blessed and stay healthy and follow Jesus – Pastor Tim
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