COMMUNISM VERSES CHRISTIANITY
WHY IS COMMUNISM SWEEPING THE WORLD?
-by Keith Green
"These men who have upset the world have come here also!." (Acts 17:6)
When Jesus gave His final instructions to the disciples before He ascended to
the Father, He made it clear that they had a job of mammoth proportions to
accomplish.
"And you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and
Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)
This was the first time the disciples were instructed to look beyond their
little country. In fact, Jesus had commanded them on previous missionary
journeys to "not go in the way of the Gentiles (people who were not Jews) and
do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of
the house of Israel." (Matt. 10:5-6) All of a sudden their eyes were opened,
their vision expanded, all prejudice, bigotry, nationalism and cultural bounds
had to snap at Jesus' words "Samaria and the remotest part of the earth". No
self-respecting Jew would even step on Samaritan soil, let alone speak to one;
and "the remotest parts of the earth" would mean preaching to the heathen
Gentiles! "Surely", they must have thought, "He means we should preach to the
scattered Jews in foreign lands!" It's almost funny, as you continue reading
Acts, how one by one, God proved to each disciple that He meant just what He
said..."I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you should bring
salvation to the ends of the earth." (Acts 13:47)
A G R E A T V O I D
There's a great emptiness in the world, and in the hearts of all men. This is
the void that Jesus is meant to fill, in every nation as King, and in every
man's heart as Lord. If the void remains, then men and nations will seek
desperately to fill it with something else that will fulfill them. Satan is
always willing and ready to provide an alternate, a counterfeit peace. The
greatest danger about a counterfeit is that it looks just like the real thing,
but has no value whatsoever. Christianity swept the world in the first century
A.D. It is the force of truth that was meant to answer and quench the thirst
in all mankind for a reason and purpose to life. The thing that made the good
news so believable to those who heard it at that time was not the message
itself... but the messengers! Charles Finney once wrote "Christians themselves
are the greatest reason for accepting Christ. But they are also the greatest
excuse for rejecting Him." What made the early Christians so convincing? What
was it that made 3,000 people convert in one day and be baptized in a city
hostile to the Gospel... (Acts 2:41) It was their commitment. It was their
life-style. It was the Holy Spirit breathing the life and image of Jesus into
a people who literally had left everything, were willing to suffer anything,
and were ready to give all they had (possessions,, time, even blood) to anyone
to prove that their message was the only truth that could save men's souls
from eternal suffering!
COMMUNISTS' ZEAL SURPASSING CHRISTIANS'
It is this same commitment, this same willingness to leave everything and
anyone for the "cause," the "people," and the "Party"-this same desire to
"save" the whole world from suffering injustice and social evils, that are
causing individuals, nations, and even whole continents to turn to a godless
counterfeit-one that promises to unite the world for the common good and
establish a "world-order" that will end all oppression of the "common people."
Again, it isn't really the message, but the messengers who are convincing the
masses. And it puts us as Christians to shame! Many Christians felt strongly
rebuked when Billy Graham first read the following letter, written by an
American college student who had been converted to Communism in Mexico. The
purpose of the letter was to explain to his fiance why he must bread off their
engagement: "We Communists have a high casualty rate. We're the ones who get
slandered and ridiculed and fired from our jobs and in every other way made as
uncomfortable as possible. A certain percentage of us get killed or
imprisoned. We live in virtual poverty. We turn back to the Party every penny
we make above what is absolutely necessary to keep us alive. We Communists
don't have time or the money for many movies or concerts or T-bone steaks or
decent homes and new cars. We've been described as fanatics. We are fanatics!
Our lives are dominated by one great overshadowing factor, the struggle for
World Communism. "We Communists have a philosophy of life which no amount of
money could buy. We have a cause to fight for, a definite purpose in life. We
subordinate our petty, personal selves into a great movement of humanity. And
if our personal lives seem hard or our egos appear to suffer through
subordination to the Party, then we are adequately compensated by the fact
that each of us in his small way is contributing to something new and true and
better for mankind. The Communist cause is my life, my business, my religion,
my hobby, my sweetheart, my wife and mistress, my bread and meat. I work at it
in the daytime and dream of it at night. Its hold on me grows, not lessens, as
time goes on. Therefore, I cannot carry on a friendship, a love affair, or
even a conversation without relating it to this force which both guides and
drives my life. I evaluate people, books, ideas and actions according to how
they affect the Communist cause and by their attitude toward it. I've already
been in jail because of my ideas, and if necessary, I'm ready to go before a
firing squad." If Communists can be a devoted as this, how much more should
Christians pour themselves out in intense devotion for their glorious Lord?
THE WORLD BELONGS TO THE DISCIPLINED
One of the most alarming disclosures coming out of the Communist world is that
of the rugged training and discipline they are putting their youth through. In
contrast, there has never before been such a mass pilgrimage to the altar of
leisure in our country. At the end of the rainbow for every American is
relaxation and recreation. The Western world loves to play. Americans average
over eight hours a day of television per household (and with an average like
that you can bet many households watch much more)! In the 1920's, inter-
collegiate debating drew large crowds. Now the debates are held in side rooms
while crowds cheer at the basketball game. It takes discipline to learn a new
art, or science, or skill; it takes no discipline to watch football or a
wrestling match. The point must be made that the shift of excited, popular
interest from debates to sports is a sign of cultural decline. As someone once
said, "It is either discipline or decadence." And the Church has not escaped.
Never has there been such an interest in sports among "the saints." I've heard
much more talk and excitement about the national ratings of college teams
among Christians in churches and Sunday schools, than about how to conquer the
land for God. As an almost unbelievable example, I recently heard about one
large church in Texas who during the Superbowl (when the Dallas Cowboys were
playing) feared that the Sunday evening service (not to mention the offering)
would be poorly attended. So the pastor and elders came up with a wonderful
idea! They brought a large-screen video projection system into the sanctuary
and proceeded to "entertain" the parishioners with a nice, American, Christian
display of "knockin' and hittin' 'em for Christ!" This might be a blatant
example, but the spirit of "fun in the Son" is threatening to destroy what
little hope we have left to avoid judgement, by having true cross-embracing
revival. "For it is time for judgement to begin with the household of God...
and if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, what will become of
the godless man and the sinner?" (I Peter 4:17-18) Communist Lenin once said:
"With a handful of dedicated people who will give me their lives, I will
control the world." This must have sounded like quite a rash statement to
those who first heard it, but it did not prove an empty boast. In 1903, this
one man, with 17 followers, began his attack on the world. By 1918, the number
had increased to 40,000, and with that 40,000 he gained control of the 160
million people of Russia. And the movement has gone on and now controls over
one-third of the population of the world. With this in mind, consider the
warning of the American President, Theodore Roosevelt: "The things that will
destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first
instead of duty first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich quick theory
of life."
THE ARMY OF GOD
(Eph. 6:10-18)
What's needed today is an army. A truly Christian force, armed to the teeth
with love and the power of God, completely trusting God to meet their needs
and lead them into battle and victory. I have heard reports from missionaries
visiting home that there is much division and contention between missionaries
on the field. The same doctrinal differences that plague our denominations at
home are bringing a bad name to our Lord in other lands. "A house divided
against itself will not be able to stand." (Mark 3:25) What are we to do? A
world starving for the truth will not wait for us to get our act together...
it will pass us by and drink up the newest, nicest sounding philosophy or
religion to come along. Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and Moonies are not only
making great gains in our country, but also in foreign fields as well. They
seem determined, committed and willing to sacrifice all the usual comforts to
spread their "good tidings". Christians, by comparison, are lazy, apathetic,
and mesmerized by the same materialism that is choking the very life out of
both our nation and the whole of Western civilization. Philosophically
speaking, what does the Western world really have to offer? When we're talking
about so-called third world countries in Africa and Asia, whether the average
yearly income per person is under $100, does the attraction of a free
enterprise system of capitalism really have any power? These small bands of
Communist "preachers" travel the countryside, sharing their vision of a "one-
world society" with an economy that equally "spreads the wealth" to all. Does
it surprise you that so many of the peasants are inspired to join them?
They've seen multi-national oil and mineral companies come and build large
refineries and factories, while their own income hardly rises at all. They've
seen Western governments colonize their economies and resources without
raising the peasants' standard of living (and in some cases even lowering it)!
All these people have seen of Western culture and democracy makes them
suspicious and cynical. And how can you blame them? Ask yourself this, is
there any rhyme or reason to the philosophy behind Western culture? At least
the Communists hold out a promise-yes, I admit, a very empty one-but still a
promise. God has commanded the Church to "Go into all the world and preach the
Gospel to all creation"! (Mark 16:15) If we were really doing our job and
living the lives Jesus has commanded us, then the people in these lands would
have the truth of Jesus and His holy promises to compare with these Marxist
pipe-dreams.
IS COMMUNISM REALLY GOD'S WORST ENEMY?
"And you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their
sins." (Matt. 1:21) I want to be extremely careful not to be misunderstood. I
believe that Communism is a counterfeit that has its origins in hell. But all
the pulpit-pounding and the sermon-screaming we have heard in recent years
against the evils of Communism needs to be examined. Is God really as
concerned about systems as much as He is about sin? Do you really believe in
your heart that Communism breeds more sin than "the American dream"? Ask
yourself this: do you think there is more adultery in Russia than in America?
More fornication? More greed and lust? More stealing and murder? How about
pornography and drugs, corruption and deceit? See what I mean? God is
tremendously hurt, pained to His heart by the state of sin that the Western
world has now accepted and pronounced "socially normal".
Of course, there cannot be a "Christian Communist". You cannot condone a
system that denies the existence of God and share God's righteousness at the
same time. But which is worse? Someone who denies that God exists, and acts
accordingly? Or someone who believes there's a God and still lives a life that
totally denies Him? "For to whom much is given, much is required." (Luke
12:48), and "He who knows the good, and does not do it, to him it is sin."
(James 4:17) What do you really think grieves God more? A land that says
"religion is the opiate of the masses", or a land whose money says "In God We
Trust", yet is full of sin, violence and immorality?
E Z E K I E L 1 6
Remember, God's grief with His people Israel was far greater than His
disappointment over Egypt or Babylon. He expected a land full of witchcraft
and idolatry to act wickedly and perversely; but His heart was broken when He
saw His bride, Israel, committing adulteries and harlotries with the heathen
and their idols. Remember, God's enemy is not Communism, God's enemy is sin,
and the current revival which is being reported in the Church behind the Iron
Curtain only shows that a godless system cannot keep God from moving among His
people. But as the Church of the Western world flirts with the god of
materialism, they will see no great move of God among them, because their sin
is much greater than the Communists' (whom they so vocally love to hate).
In a land of freedom, where believers have never had a greater opportunity to
see the Lord's glory descend upon a nation, the cry of "Depart from Me, I
never knew you!" awaits an unfaithful bride who loved her pleasures and
programs, who delighted in her fund-raising and building, more than the holy
pleasure of delivering Americia and its spoil to a mighty God, through a true
revival of prayer, repentance and holiness. (See Matt. 25:14-30).
The persecuted Church has little choice but to endure their tribulations to
the end. (Matt. 24:14) But the fat, obnoxiously wealthy Church of our land
"who has need of nothing" will be horrified when they see their temples were
built of wood, hay and stubble (1 Cor. 3:12-14), and their gold, silver, and
jewels (men's precious souls and the restored honor of God) were left lying on
the ground, ignored, never having been put into the treasury of the Lord.
"So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of
my mouth. Because you say 'I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need
of nothing and you do not know you are wretched and miserable and poor and
blind and naked..." (Rev 3:16-17)
We are in grave danger of being judged as the Church in Laodicea. Remember,
there are two runners in the race - Revival and Judgement. Let us get on our
knees and win!
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