We Desperately Need The "Confessing Church"
by Chuck Baldwin
January 4, 2008
If the reader has not already done so, I again urge you to read the book, Hitler's Cross, which was written by Erwin Lutzer and published by Moody Press. This book should be "required reading" for every pastor and Christian layman in America. In his book, Lutzer focuses on the attitudes and actions of Germany's pastors and churches during the rise and reign of the Third Reich. It is a masterpiece.
For those of us living in a country and time far removed from Hitler's Germany, it is hard to comprehend how that nation's Christians--and especially its ministers--could have been so thoroughly taken in by old Adolf. We assume such an event could never happen again--especially to us. However, to any honest observer of history, the conditions of the Church in America today are eerily similar to those of the Church in Nazi Germany.
For one thing, as did the Church in Nazi Germany, the Church in America has become infatuated with Big Government. Historically, patriotism in the United States meant love for God, love for family, and love for freedom and independence. Today, however, Christians of all persuasions have come to accept and even embrace the Nanny State, complete with its intrinsic obsession with an omnipotent federal bureaucracy that exercises perpetual surveillance and absolute control over every area of our lives.
For example, according to today's Republican Presidential candidates (with the exception of Ron Paul), patriotism demands that we click our heels to the Department of Homeland Security and that we enthusiastically support aggressive, preemptive war. This is exactly the kind of redefinition of patriotism used so brilliantly by Hitler and his fellow propagandists. Yes, Martha, it appears that history really does repeat itself.
When Ron Paul was asked about Mike Huckabee's overt usage of a cross for a campaign advertisement, he quoted Sinclair Lewis as saying, "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross." Many Christians railed against Dr. Paul for making this comment. However, the truth is, Ron Paul (himself a committed Christian) is one hundred percent right! (To see how Hitler used this same tactic, I invite readers to note the photograph of the German Fuhrer in Lutzer's book, on page 75, which shows Hitler coming out of church with a large emblem of the Cross directly over his head. This photo was used extensively by Hitler during his political campaigns.)
More than any other Republican Presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee carries his Big Government machinations on a cross. I strongly recommend that readers take a look at Selwyn Duke's excellent exposé on Mike Huckabee at
http://www.newswithviews.com/Duke/selwyn79.htm
In his book, Lutzer notes that the tool Adolf Hitler used to ascend to power in Germany was his ability to wrap the Nazi flag around the Cross of Christ. In fact, Hitler often required that the Cross be emblazoned directly in the middle of the Nazi flag. These flags were not only prominently displayed in parades, but also in church auditoriums.
As a result of Hitler's brilliant deception, Christians throughout Germany were convinced that he was "God's man." They saw him as more than a political leader: he was a spiritual leader as well. They saw him as their country's President and as their Christian brother. If Hitler said the German people needed to surrender their firearms, they saw it as their Christian duty to comply; if Hitler said they needed to enact a total surveillance society, they freely gave up their privacy; if Hitler said Germany needed to invade other nations for its security, Christians were among the first to volunteer; and if Hitler said they could only be good Christians if they supported the Nazi Party, they enthusiastically supported the Nazi Party.
In short, Germany's Christians and pastors surrendered their hearts and minds to Adolf Hitler, because they believed him to be one of them. What they never would have surrendered to a professing agnostic, they gladly surrendered to a professing Christian. Truly, fascism came to Germany "wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross."
Of course, there were a few in Germany who saw through Hitler's deception. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Christian minister who actively opposed Hitler by organizing what he called the "Confessing Church." These were believers who would not surrender Christ's sphere of authority to Hitler. They saw through "Hitler's Cross." Unfortunately, of the more than 14,000 pastors in Germany, only 800 joined with Bonhoeffer.
To the vast majority of Germany's pastors, Bonhoeffer was an "extremist," or a "kook," or a "nut." They relegated Bonhoeffer to the fringe of Christendom. They believed Hitler and repudiated Bonhoeffer; they chose Hitler's "German Church" over the Confessing Church. In retrospect, however, who would they follow today, if they had the chance?
Likewise, many Christians and ministers today have succumbed to the purveyors of internationalism. Issues such as trade, climate control, health and education--and even war--are the tools globalists use to contruct their One World Order.
For example, Mike Huckabee's success in Iowa is largely due to the pastors and Christians of that State buying into his "Christian" campaign. In a manner very similar to the 2000 campaign of George W. Bush, Huckabee has carried his political campaign on the Cross. At the same time, however, Mike Huckabee (as does George W. Bush) embraces and promotes globalism. And, unfortunately, many Christians and pastors do not seem to notice or care.
In a previous column (See it here:
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2007/cbarchive_20071207.html ), I wrote this:
"Have you wondered why Mike Huckabee is suddenly getting so much favorable attention from the mainstream media (who themselves are controlled by this gaggle of global elite)? To find the answer as to why a professing pro-life, conservative Christian would suddenly become the darling of the media, look no further than the fact that just a couple of months ago, Mr. Huckabee appeared before the globalist-minded Council on Foreign Relations. (Read his speech here:
http://www.cfr.org/publication/14335/ ) And when he did, it became abundantly clear that Huckabee was a man globalists could trust.
"By the way, as you read Huckabee's speech, you will find that he is George W. Bush on steroids! This is a man who intends to meddle in the affairs of nations around the world like you can't believe. Talk about entangling alliances: Huckabee intends for our State, Energy, Housing, Education, Justice, Treasury, and Transportation departments to spend untold billions of tax dollars on just about anything and everything, including schools, medical facilities, roads, sewage treatment, water filtration, electricity, and legal and banking systems in countries all over the globe. And that is exactly the kind of man the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) wants in Washington."
After reporting the connection between Mike Huckabee and the CFR, numerous Christians quickly consigned my soul to the regions of the damned and accused me of being a "nut." Some emphatically declared that I had no right to criticize "a Christian brother." Now, who does that sound like?
More importantly, however, is the question, Were my remarks accurate? And the answer is, Yes, they were.
We now learn that Mike Huckabee has named Richard Haass as his advisor on foreign policy. And just who is Richard Haass? He is the President of the CFR. And what does Haass believe? He believes that the United States (and every other country) must surrender its sovereignty to international or global entities. On February 21, 2006, Haass wrote a column for the Taipei Times entitled, "State Sovereignty Must be Altered in Globalized Era." This treatise is nothing more than an explicit solicitation for global government. (Read it here:
http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/editorials/archives/2006/02/21/2003294021 )
In his treatise, Haass writes, "For 350 years, sovereignty--the notion that states are the central actors on the world stage and that governments are essentially free to do what they want within their own territory but not within the territory of other states--has provided the organizing principle of international relations. The time has come to rethink this notion."
He also wrote, "Moreover, states must be prepared to cede some sovereignty to world bodies if the international system is to function."
He went on to say, "
overeignty must be redefined if states are to cope with globalization."
He further said, "Globalization thus implies that sovereignty is not only becoming weaker in reality, but that it needs to become weaker. States would be wise to weaken sovereignty in order to protect themselves . . . Sovereignty is no longer a sanctuary."
Haass also wrote, "Our notion of sovereignty must therefore be conditional, even contractual, rather than absolute."
Haass then summarized his desire for global government by saying, "The goal should be to redefine sovereignty for the era of globalization, to find a balance between a world of fully sovereign states and an international system of either world government or anarchy."
These are the sentiments of the man that the "Christian conservative" Mike Huckabee has chosen to be his foreign policy advisor. Can you not see how, once again, a global government elitist wraps his Big Government ambitions around the Cross of Jesus Christ?
We desperately need Bonhoeffer's "Confessing Church" in America. If pastors do not quickly wake up to the way most of our politicians--even those who profess to be Christians--are selling out America's sovereignty and independence, our wonderful country will not long survive.
I have attempted to resurrect the "Confessing Church" in the form of a 21st Century "Black Regiment." Students of U.S. history recognize the "Black Regiment" as those Colonial Patriot-Pastors who led their churches to assist the efforts of America's fight for independence. Currently, we have over 100 pastors, evangelists, and missionaries listed on our Black Regiment directory.
See the Black Regiment directory here: http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/blackregiment.php
I, once again, encourage readers to buy Lutzer's book, Hitler's Cross. I'm praying that this time there will arise an army of Dietrich Bonhoeffers to lead a modern-day revival of true patriotism: love for God, love for family, and a strong love and commitment to freedom and independence. Call it the "Confessing Church," or the "Black Regiment." Call it what you will: we need it desperately, and we need it now.
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