The Christmas Truce was a series of unofficial armistices on the Western Front of World War I on Christmas Even in 1914.
The armistice took place five months after hostilities began. In the week before 25 December, French, German and British soldiers crossed the trenches to exchange seasonal greetings and to talk. In some areas, men from both sides entered so-called No Man’s Land on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to exchange food and souvenirs. There were joint funeral ceremonies for recently killed soldiers and prisoner exchanges, and several meetings ended with the singing of Christmas carols. The men played football games with each other, creating one of the most memorable moments of the Armistice.
A statue depicting one of the moments during the unofficial Christmas Truce of 1914. The statue is located in the garden of St. Lukes Church on Berry Street in Liverpool.
On that Christmas Eve, German officer Walter Kirchhoff, a tenor at the Berlin Opera, began singing, “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht…” He sang it first in German and then in English, “Silent night, holy night…” His voice carried in the air over the stillness of the battlefield.
Stanley Weintraub, author of Silent Night: The Story of the Christmas Truce in World War I, says that after this performance, “…the firing had stopped, and the British, who also knew the song, sang it back.”
In that moment, the collective Christian faith of men singing in different tongues on frozen mud crystallized. Soldiers with guns pointed at each other, who had tried to kill each other the day before, joined in singing the same song of praise to God – a hymn.
Private Albert Morin of the Second Queen’s Regiment remembers that Christmas Eve as “a beautiful moonlit night, frost on the ground, white almost everywhere.” Historians still argue about exactly what happened next, but some details are indisputable. First, Stille Nacht and Silent Night echoed over Christmas trees and candles flickering in the darkness, and then someone started singing another Christmas song. And then another. One historian described what happened as “carol singing,” a joyful race led in praise of God, who was born of a woman as a little Child to bring peace on earth. “It was all improvised. No one planned it,” Weintraub writes.
Graham Williams of the Fifth London Rifle Brigade was there and saw it all. “First the Germans sang one of their Christmas carols and then we sang one of ours,” he recalls. “Whereas when we started ‘O Come, All Ye Faithful,’ the Germans immediately joined in and sang the same hymn with the Latin words ‘Adeste Fideles. And I thought that was a most extraordinary thing indeed, two nations singing the same Christmas carol in the midst of war.”
Approximately 100,000 British and German soldiers participated in the unofficial cessation of hostilities on the Western Front.
The Germans placed candles in their trenches and on Christmas trees, then continued the celebration by singing Christmas carols. The British responded by singing Christmas carols of their own. The two sides continued by shouting Christmas greetings to each other.
Soon after, they even began taking joint walks through No Man’s Land, where the soldiers exchanged small gifts such as food, tobacco, alcohol, and souvenirs.
The artillery in the region also fell silent. The ceasefire allowed for any needed breaks, and recently killed soldiers could be returned to theirs. Joint worship services were held. In many sectors the truce lasted until Christmas night, and in others until New Year’s Day.
One of the most memorable accounts of what happened on that Christmas Day involves the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and a Saxon unit on the edge of the Plogsteert Forest in Flanders, near the French border. They played a game of football (or, soccer). The site is still marked by a simple wooden cross. Half a dozen footballs and a miniature Christmas tree decorated with artificial snow and red pins are left there. A football club scarf is wrapped around the cross and someone has placed a Leeds United cap on top.
Adolf Hitler, a lance corporal in the 16th Bavarian Reserve Infantry at the time, was an opponent of the armistice.
For a week the armistice was not reported by the world press. Finally the New York Times, published the story in the then-neutral United States.
British newspapers quickly followed suit, printing numerous first-hand accounts from soldiers at the front, taken from letters to their families and editorials describing it as “one of the great surprises of the surprise war”.
By January 8th, photographs from the event had reached the press and the Mirror and Sketch printed front-page pictures of British and German soldiers mingling and singing on the battlefield.
The tone of the reports was overwhelmingly positive, with the Times writing of the “lack of malice” felt by both sides and the Mirror regretting that “the absurdity and tragedy” would begin again.
https://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/img_3423-1.jpg450800Georgehttps://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/threefold-2024-80x80.pngGeorge2021-12-29 01:52:532021-12-29 01:52:53The True History of the Christmas Truce During World War I
This post is part of my IN 300 WORDS series. In exactly 300 words I highlight a key issue relevant to God-fearing people who seek authentic understanding of the teachings of the Messiah from Nazareth.
Let’s face it, the Christianity of the developed world has failed to win the hearts and the minds of the people of the Western civilization. Only three decades ago the dividing line between what used to be the free world and the rest of the world, was clearly visible and tangibly defined.
We have now come to a place where Western “doctors” are chopping off the breasts of perfectly healthy girls, social media companies are offering 70+ genders at signup, and jihadists are leading the FBI by the nose (Exhibit A: CAIR-MN).
How did we get here, friends?
It’s because of the failure of Western Christianity. We have been reinventing the God of the Bible since the days of Constantine. We made him Roman-Catholic, then Greek-Orthodox, then Protestant.
We invented monasteries, mega-churches and missionaries in his name. Even though none of these are in the Bible.
We’ve created hundreds of translations of the Bible into English while there are thousands of languages still lacking even ONE!
But even that’s a joke because most aid money goes to dictators.
What are we to do?
What if I decided to start a movement that honors THE TRUTH more than the lies of the media, politicians, pastors, academics and corporations? How many people would want to be part of such culture of truth?
Can we even know THE TRUTH?
Let’s begin with Jesus himself.
He declared to Pontius Pilate that the very reason He was born into this world was so that he can testify to the TRUTH! (Gospel of John 18:36-38).
And yet we each have our own “truths”?
Something doesn’t add up.
https://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/6bbe7e9d-632b-46ff-963f-b2cf9441c77a.png1423828Georgehttps://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/threefold-2024-80x80.pngGeorge2021-06-17 00:06:152021-06-17 02:06:12In 300 Words: Born To Testify Of The Truth
Christian Hebraism transformed Christianity completely during the Middle Ages. However, the impact this movement had on the world remains forgotten by most people who consider themselves believers today: clergy and laity alike.
I realize I’m not the scholar this subject deserves if Christian Hebraism will have to be re-introduced to believers in the 21st century and beyond. But given the fact that most of the scholars who have specialized in this subject have not produced materials in a format more accessible for the mass reader, any effort to resurrect the legacy of Christian Hebraism is better than no effort at all.
I began to investigate this subject matter three years ago when I experienced a “home coming” of sorts in my faith journey. I will explain this in an attempt to illustrate how deeply personal this subject is to me. The discovery of the story of Christian Hebraism helped bring together many of the otherwise scattered pieces of information I had accumulated through the years when it comes to the Reformation of the Middle Ages. But most importantly, it made me feel like I had “come home”. It made me realize that what I have been sensing intuitively and have been looking for through the years, others had been looking for something similar as well, some 500 or more years ago. This is both humbling and comforting from a spiritual standpoint and I will try to share this perspective with you.
One more thing that will probably help you understand why I am so sensitive to the origin of words, languages and translations – I grew up during the 70s and the 80s in Bulgaria – a hard-core Communist country. Communism is based on violence, theft and ruthless, shameless lies, deception, fraud, manipulation, and propaganda. Growing up, my parents didn’t voice their opposition to Communism in front of me and my brother – they wanted to protect us. But when I was thirteen years old one night I walked in on my father listening to The Voice of Europe on short wave radio in the dark and I realized there was something going on that I didn’t know about. I got my hands on a short wave radio and became an avid listener of the Voice of Europe and the Voice of America. I slowly began to realize we were living in a parallel reality and a lot was going on we had no clue about. Under Communism there is no freedom of speech. If there were freedom of speech, the opposition would expose their fraud and crimes and their regime would be over with very quickly. They controlled all the media: TV, radio and print. Thankfully, short wave radio was there to help bring some news to the people living behind the Iron Wall. I was one of them.
The foundation of Communism has to do with the manipulation of words. Words are the tool we use to explain things. When we corrupt words, we bring a corrupt understanding of the essence of the matter they are meant to convey. For example, Communist regimes have always called their terrorist, totalitarian regimes “people’s republics”. They have fake Constitutions, fake Parliaments and fake elections. This is a gross perversion of the very meaning of what a republic, a Constitution, a Parliament and elections are meant to be. There are no “republics” in Communism. They are all in fact dictatorships. But the Communists are shameless psychopaths and they have zero remorse as they impose their regimes forcing untold millions to submit to their “republic” at gun point.
Gradually, as one grows up in a country totally dominated by the Communist regime, you begin to realize all the public slogans, school textbooks, newspapers, TV and radio are there to produce nothing but one gigantic psyopp intended to keep the people brainwashed into believing the lies of Communism as a dogma and the Communist regime as its executive (and executing) embodiment.
I became a believer in God because I kept having questions such as “how did this world come into being?” and “what happens after we die”? No one could give me an adequate answer. I loved to read books and used to spend hours and hours in the local library while growing up. Thankfully some classic literature had made its way into the Communist system. I realized that people have been asking these same questions through the ages but they still didn’t have any good answers. I also read a number of books I purchased from a bookstore selling Eastern Orthodox literature. This was very interesting but still no real answers came from going to the Orthodox Church, lighting candles, getting baptized as Orthodox, and reading their books.
Finally, at the age of 20 I came into contact with some believers who actually read the Bible and discussed things about it. I started going to the meetings of a congregation that didn’t resemble the Orthodox Church – no temple, no priest, candles, icons and so on. I realized that the only way I can become a “believer” is to accept that Jesus had risen from the dead, that he is alive somewhere in a dimension we can’t see (Heaven), that the Bible is true, and that I need to turn away from my sinful way of life (and there was much to turn away from, trust me)! I took the leap of faith and experienced a dramatic conversion at the age of 20, only a few months before the collapse of the Berlin Wall. My world had fundamentally changed and the world itself was about to change as well. Such was the beginning of my faith walk. I didn’t worry too much about who wrote the Bible and in what language, who translated it, how and when. What was important for me at the time and for many years to come was to be “spiritual”; to read the Bible, to try to grasp its teachings, to try to live according to them, and to try to get others to do the same. Sounds simple but it’s a huge challenge in and of its own. I would say most Christians spend the majority of whatever time they have trying to do their best doing exactly this; study the Bible, pray, try to live out its teachings, try to do good works, try to help others become believers.
Sadly, not so many believers go deeper and investigate the origins of the faith, the history of Scripture, the historic background, culture and context of the different events described, the true meaning of its teachings as they were given at the time, and what all this means to us.
However, I have remained as hungry to learn about the origins of the faith, as I am to learn how to live its teachings. I therefore share my discoveries without any specific agenda except my deeply seated desire to get to the bottom of the story, to learn the truth about something as much as it’s possible and only then to draw my conclusions about it. It’s with this mindset that I have been pursuing the re-discovery of Christian Hebraism during the Reformation of the Middle Ages and its relevancy for us today.
TALMIDIM – NOT DISCIPLES; RABBI – NOT “MASTER”; YESHUA – NOT “JESUS”
My first encounter with the Jewish heritage of the faith was in 1993 when I visited a Messianic congregation where I also purchased the Jewish New Testament by David Stern. It impacted deeply my perception of the historic Jesus as a fully Jewish man, as well as the Jewishness of the Gospel, the “church” (a term we will be deconstructing in a future post), and really the faith as a whole.
I remember how refreshing it was to learn that the “disciples” I had been reading about in the Gospel were in reality “talmidim”, that the real name of Jesus was actually Yeshua and that he was a Rabbi, not “Master” as some translations would have us believe.
Does this matter? Do we have to use Hebrew words and then learn what they mean vs. accepting a bunch of substitute and sometimes totally made up Hellenistic terms? I’ll make the case for Christian Hebraism as I post more on this subject and you can investigate this for yourself and make up your own mind.
NO ONE TALKING ABOUT CHRISTIAN HEBRAISM
I was fortunate enough to have graduated from a Bible School that rejected the replacement theology and honored the Jewish people. This Bible School helped many accept a Biblically correct theological, moral and ethical position of support and love for Israel and the Jews. This was also a Bible School that took the position that the Reformation of the Middle Ages was “the” much needed reset and remake Christianity needed in the pursuit of its original, more authentic beginnings. However, I didn’t hear anyone in Bible School talk about Christian Hebraism and its impact on the Reformation of the Middle Ages.
That was almost 30 years ago.
Since then I have been around a good deal of Christians who love Israel and the Jewish people, the Messianic Jewish movement, and have also gotten to know many non-Jews who have walked away from Protestantism and embraced the messianic movement. When I say “Christians” this includes ordinary believers and leaders alike. They love God, they are zealous about bringing Christianity back to its Jewish foundation, they are eager to express their faith in a way closer to its Jewish origins and they emphasize the changes we need to implement on a liturgical level. But again, they know about Christian Hebraism as much as a Southern Baptist.
To learn about Christian Hebraism today one has to dig deep into the vaults of higher academic learning. While the Messianic movement has picked up quite a lot of momentum during the last 30 years and we rejoice over this fact, it remains a mystery to me why hardly anyone has attempted to re-introduce the Christian Hebraists to our generation. As I kept learning about their passion to re-discover the Truth of God through the lens of Hebrew, I couldn’t help but think about the implications of such discoveries for us today.
I wish I didn’t have to do this. This is not my “full time” job at this point in time and I don’t have the professional theological credentials to challenge the status quo when it comes to the Hellenization of the faith vs. its rightful Hebraic origins. But I kept on digging and investigating this story for me and the sense that I have an obligation to re-tell this forgotten story kept growing in my spirit.
WHAT IS CHRISTIAN HEBRAISM?
“Historically Christian Hebraism has been understood as the use of Hebrew, rabbinic, or Cabbalistic sources for Christian religious purposes during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The use of such source material had dramatic results including the re-translation of the Old Testament, the re-interpretation of the New Testament, and the re-examination of historically central doctrines of Christianity” – Prof. Jerome Friedman, Kent State University [https://www.amazon.com/Most-Ancient-Testimony-Sixteenth-Century-Christian-Hebraica/dp/0821407007]
Stephen Burnett, author of “Christian Hebraism in the Reformation Era (1500-1660)”, says the following: “The Reformation turned Christian Hebraism from a pastime of a few hobbyists and theologians into a broad intellectual movement that involved students and professors, printers, and patrons of many kinds living throughout Europe. Christian Hebraist authors were the central actors in this movement.” [https://www.amazon.com/Christian-Hebraism-Reformation-Era-1500-1660/dp/B01181VYU4]
Going forward, I will quote extensively Prof. Jerome Friedman and Stephen Burnett. They have summarized so much of the information that’s missing from the arsenal of Biblical Scholars and ministers today.
Johannes Reuchlin (1455 – 1522) was classics scholar whose defense of Hebrew literature helped awaken liberal intellectual forces in the years immediately preceding the Reformation.
Christian Hebraica became one of the most powerful spiritual and intellectual forces of the Reformation of the Middle Ages. It became known as “Hebraica Veritas” (Hebrew Truth) because for the first time in 1,000 years Christians recognized the Hebrew Bible and classical Hebrew as the legitimate source of spiritual truth, not Jerome’s Latin translation. While it’s true that Jerome did study Hebrew and Greek in order to produce the Vulgate into Latin, the Reformers of the Middle Ages felt they had many good reasons to re-examine Jerome’s translation which was given the status of “inerrant” or inerrant-like by the Roman-Catholic Church.
Christian Hebraists were scholars of Hebrew literature. Hebraists approached Jewish texts with both academic and polemical motivations; some wanted to study Jesus in his time while others sought a way to convert Jews to Christianity. Their focus was on Biblical scholarship, religious philosophy, and the aggadah. Christian Hebraism offers a fascinating perspective into the history of printing, linguistics, and European culture in the Middle Ages as well as comparative religion and Jewish-Christian relations. By impacting theology, literature, science, and philosophy, Hebrew literature played a vital role in the development of Western culture.
IS CHRISTIAN HEBRAISM RELEVANT FOR US TODAY?
Undoubtedly, this is the proverbial “million dollar question”. If the story of Christian Hebraism is only something that was relevant to the people in the Middle Ages, I can understand why very few people today should care about it.
But let’s go back to what Prof. Jerome Friedman had to say about the implications of Christian Hebraism, this intentional return to Hebrew as the primary lens of Biblical learning, and let’s see if there might be something important we need to pay a little more attention to:
“Historically Christian Hebraism has been understood as the use of Hebrew, rabbinic, or Cabbalistic sources for Christian religious purposes during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. The use of such source material had dramatic results including the re-translation of the Old Testament, the re-interpretation of the New Testament, and the re-examination of historically central doctrines of Christianity”
Could this be the crux of the matter, the very kernel of what this treasure hunting journey is all about?
Re-translation (of the Old Testament, for better accuracy and understanding)
Re-interpretation (of the New Testament, due to better understanding of Hebrew, the language used by the Jews in the 1st century)
Re-examination (of the historically central doctrines of Christianity! This is huge.)
Christians have been in pursuit of a better, more authentic, and truer to the original version Christianity for the last 500 years. The creation of many translations of Scripture has been a huge part of this pursuit of authenticity.
The return to the Hebraic framework of thought has resulted in actual re-interpretations of the New Testament itself.
But have we done any serious re-examination of the historically central doctrines of Christianity in light of the fact that Hebrew, not Latin or Greek, is “the” most important key to the correct understanding of the Truth of God?
You may think we’ve done enough but my answer would be a “no”!
But hey, I am nobody. I’m just a normal guy who wants to know why I believe what I believe, why do we do what we do and most importantly, what is the Truth of God as intended by Him? If I am ready to live or die for what I believe, I don’t see why I need to spare one’s sacred cows in my pursuit of Truth.
Standby as post more articles on this subject and we look into the genius of the Hebrew language, what it has meant for the world, the true history of its origins, and how Christian Hebraism relates to our faith today.
I would like to also invite you to check out the beta version of a wiki I have been using to organize my research in the area of Hebraica Veritas. It’s only in its beginning stages but I haven’t seen even this much organized in one place when it comes to Christian Hebraism on the Internet – so I hope this can add to your own research: https://threefold.life/wiki
https://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/arundel_ms_155_f007v_detail.jpg4711500Georgehttps://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/threefold-2024-80x80.pngGeorge2020-09-18 05:50:152023-02-17 11:41:34What is Christian Hebraism and Is It Relevant for Today?
INTRODUCTION: The main point of this post is the article below so if you just want to skip this commentary, please scroll down to the main article. However, please allow me to share with you why I was compelled to add this lengthy introductory commentary. It has to do with the fact that I born in a Communist country. This has given the a unique perspective on Liberty and what America stands for.
On August 28t, 1963 the historic March on Washington occurred and Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his historic “I Have a Dream” speech. Fifty-seven years later many of us are wondering just what kind of a dream is guiding the people we see looting and burning down buildings in America? These are controversial subjects but they need to be addressed nevertheless. Many in the Christian world cringe when they have to take a public stand for or against something controversial. This is exactly what political correctness is leveraging against Liberty-loving people everywhere in America and the free world.
Why have leaders been afraid of controversies? It’s because they strive to maintain a polished public image in order to successfully use that image in the public square for the purposes of advancing their goals in ministry, business or politics. This strategy has worked well for many leaders in civilized societies. However, civility is quickly getting lost, and uncivilized tactics are threatening the social order in America and the countries of the free world. Terrorist organizations like BLM, Antifa, and the Muslim Brotherhood proxy CAIR, are waging an all-out warfare against Liberty and they mean business. They won’t flinch if they have to set entire cities ablaze, murder innocent people, and bring economic misery to millions more. The only reason such malicious actors are winning is not because they are so strong or so many. It’s because the silent Christian majority has chosen to remain passive and uninvolved in defending Liberty at the local, state or national level.
When different ideas and views of the world clash in a free society governed by a Constitution, how do such clashes get resolved?
First and foremost through freedom of speech.
The leaders representing different ideas must have the freedom to articulate their ideas. It is then up to the people (voters) to choose what worldview, values and program they will align themselves with, and support financially and at the ballot box. None of this exists in totalitarian societies where one party regime persecutes all and any opponents for as long as they can. A free society relies on its social order based on Liberty and on the common sense and values of the people to make such judgement calls.
The post below is just that – the right of one of the many Christian leaders in America today to voice his concerns over existing issues, and to outline some of the solutions they believe in.
Freedom of speech is being lost fast in American today. Christian and conservative leaders are being de-platformed from social media giants. Not here. Threefold.Life will always be a platform for Liberty, no matter how small and insignificant this tiny website is when compared to the influence tech giants have on the Internet. We happen to believe in a book that teaches us that even if you are a shepherd boy who only has five stones in your hand, you still have a shot at whatever giant is threatening the peace and the life of your people. If millions of small websites did the right thing and didn’t flinch when it comes to standing up for what is right, allowing our leaders to have their voice heard, things might look very differently today. Conservatives like Laura Loomer who recently won her primary in President Trump’s own backyard, are the proof that the power of many on the Internet is real, even if the social media giants ban you completely like they have banned Laura.
For more of my thoughts on how important Liberty is to the Lord, click here.
Recently the Rev. Samuel Rivers, member of the Board of Threefold Christian Alliance and long time friend shared some of his thoughts on the current situation in the United States, using a popular social media platform. The below is an edited version.
It’s refreshing to hear a Christian leader who is also a Conservative, to take a clear and bold stand against the terrorist, satanic ideology of Communism and its many modern iterations.
George
2020 – The Most Crucial Election In Our Lifetime!
by the Rev. Samuel Rivers
Democratic Socialism captures the mind of the naïve, destroys societies, and feeds the lust of those who want to exercise power over others!
My plea to Christians, please know the policies of the candidates running for public office! We are supposed to get our political principles from the word of God.
If the Democrats gain power, it indeed will be a disaster for Christianity, the economy, and a political catastrophe for the U.S.A. Their policies will physically destroy our economy, the marketplace, and physically destroy schools, the courts, and churches.
As we look back at the way the Bolsheviks took power in Russia in 1917, it becomes pretty clear they used extremism as their main tool of persuasion. The Democrats are using those same measures to persuade the American people during this election cycle. It’s safe to say the Democrats are embracing the tactics of the Marxists in order to create chaos in America. The Bolsheviks secretly did all that they could to aggravate the differences between different groups. We see the Democratic Party using their same playbook today.
The Bolsheviks wanted to abolish the police, army, and the bureaucracy in addition to nationalizing the land and all banks. The Democrats want to defund the police, their support for our military is weak, and they don’t believe in nationalism! Basically, the Democratic Party, along with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, are promoting an extremist vision.
The Bolsheviks of 1917 Russia convinced the people that they wanted peace, land, and bread for them, painting beautiful pictures of the future. All on a façade of unity, they used sympathy and promised wealth, happiness, centralized food production, and a better life. They used lies to persuade and convince people that they were the authentic Voice of the People. Little did the people know that they were the living embodiment of the Dictatorship, Marxism, Socialism, and Communism!
The Bolsheviks persuaded a fanatical and devoted minority, and this passionate and dedicated minority proved sufficient. Capturing power was not difficult as they used tactics of psychological warfare combined with the class warfare narrative of the Communist ideology. They caused class rivalry, through the ballot box and street fighting. Similarly, the Democratic Party embodies class warfare; today’s Democrats are Bolsheviks and a danger to our Republic.
The Bolsheviks’ Communist agenda was cocooned in layers of dishonesty and lost touch with reality: they promoted and embraced nonsense, rather than God and proven policies. Truth disappeared from even the intellectuals. The people were unable to distinguish the truth from ideological fiction. Following the playbook of the Bolsheviks, the Democrats are using fear, hatred, cynicism, and criminality to create a socialist society, known as Democrat Socialism. The Democrats are trying to bribe the public by promising them free things to gain political power to pass their socialist agenda, which will lead to misery, higher taxes, big government, the absence of the markets, innovation, and free enterprise.
Furthermore, the DNC and the Biden campaign are not being truthful about Joe Biden’s diminished mental capacity. This man does not have the capability to be President. They’re trying to deceive the public so that they can deliver the first woman of color President. You can look and listen to Joe Biden and tell he’s not all there! If Joe Biden is barely leaving his house and not answering reporters’ questions, how can he lead the free world?
We may very well be one vote away, where we will have to contend and fight for our liberties, our right to bear arms, freedom of speech, our right to assemble and worship, and our unalienable right!
Samuel Rivers has PhD in Theology from Smith Christian University. He is the Founder and President of Voice of the Lord Ministries, and a Board Member of Threefold Christian Alliance. In 2017 he traveled to Bulgaria where he spoke аbout Faith and Liberty to political and church leaders. Samuel Rivers represented South Carolina’s District 15 in the SC House of Representatives between 2012-2018. He is running again for office in the 2020 elections. Campaign website: http://samuelriversjr.com/
https://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/samuel-rivers.jpg855855Georgehttps://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/threefold-2024-80x80.pngGeorge2020-08-28 06:30:152020-09-01 18:48:59When Christian Leaders Speak Out For Liberty – This Is How It Sounds!
by Erik Lindamood for Threefold Christian Alliance
In many aspects of evangelical “Christianity” (lowercase c is intentional) it’s as if a certain definition of “blind faith” has dominated mindsets to the detriment of societal engagement. The scriptures and the patriarchs, in particular, gave us an excellent blueprint for Geo-political-economic matters, however, in the pursuit of being a people of faith we have neglected being a people of action.
This intellectual disengagement was particularly visible with the election of Donald Trump. Despite the fact that it was a very positive thing that a vast majority of evangelicals got behind this candidate. The vast majority of the support and the praise for Donald Trump from the evangelical community was void of any form of intellectualism. Spend some time in the comment section of online news articles and you will see the evangelical community defending Trump with bible verses and “holier than thou” statements. For decades, evangelicals have appeared to be afraid of intellectualism or cognitive reasoning, as they see it as an enemy of their faith. Fortunately, Trump’s political agenda and his council members are not afraid and do have the strategies, insight and business acumen to follow through with the task in front of him.
I have studied the roots of this disengagement and I believe that it has been strongly influenced by some of the biggest revivals the West has seen. A lot of the revivalists in various centuries were convinced that we could give up our business, scientific and political aspirations “to follow Jesus” … performing miracles, signs and wonders within the four walls of the “church” seem to take precedence to the very simple fact that more than 90% of the church is not called to be “full-time ministers” within the four walls of the building we call “church”… (other things to be unpacked here, but I will refrain…) they miss the simple fact that signs and wonders were meant to be practiced in the marketplace, in science, and in the political arena to draw men and women to the Kingdom… through time it seems like this disengagement of society and disengagement of intellectual pursuits has done the very opposite, and push the world away from the Kingdom…
I remember, about 20 years ago, like it was yesterday, a preacher saying to young men and women “don’t worry if you don’t get your high school diploma, what matters is it is that you preach the gospel!” This was definitely not the interpretation Jesus wanted with His parable of talents!
When revival meets reform, we have societal impact. Take for example Calvin that introduced banking to the middle class. We still see the effects of that revival turned reform today. Calvin was not afraid to embrace intellectualism as a much-needed tool to develop his craft of modern banking. Can we, as Kingdom minded believers, do better than that today? I HOPE SO!
Kingdom minded believers need to learn how to articulate the reasons why the various societal ills are not conducive to a viable civilization, without saying “it’s not American…” We also need the __ (fill in the blank with the word that you are comfortable with… I have a few in mind…) to defend our convictions at the right time, at the right place, in the right manner. Freedom is not given to the intellectually deprived, but on the contrary to those that can articulate why we have this freedom and what it is used for! Imagine Patrick Henry saying “Give Me Freedom…uh…because its American”
Erik Lindamood has been involved for many years in the marketplace as an entrepreneur, trainer and property consultant. However, his guiding star is Jesus and His call to transform the world. Erik is currently involved in transforming Africa through social entrepreneurship in the water supply area. You can get in touch with him here.
https://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/threefold-2024-80x80.png00Georgehttps://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/threefold-2024-80x80.pngGeorge2017-08-10 22:36:152020-07-27 08:18:39Evangelicals and The Unfortunate Lack of Intellectual Engagement in Society
Today, the Church is losing its influence in American culture, and Apostles, Prophets, and the Saints should do something about it. It is time to take action and ready ourselves to go through the Gates of Our Nation, States, Counties, and Cities to serve the world. For those who hear and respond, they will be the ones to lead in commerce, advise officials concerning foreign affairs, warn world leaders against foreign alliances, and attack and dismantle the social injustices of the day.
Go through, go through the gates, Clear the way for the people;
Build up, build up the highway; Remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples (Isaiah 62:10).
As spiritual leaders, it is upon us to shake off mediocrity and live up to the call and commission of God. He inspires people worldwide to reach for and become more than they ever thought possible. God has provided through scripture many examples in the historical text, as well as, inspirational encouragement to move forward:
That in blessings I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed and the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the seashore, and your seed shall possess the gate of his enemies. (Genesis 22:17).
Throughout scripture and as recorded by the historian Josephus (Of the War, Book V, v, 3), the “gates” of a city was the place for vital activities for the organisation and health of the city and the citizens within. Naturally, it was the area for defence and easily evolved as the marketplace location, where business and social life thrived. The Gates were also the place for justice and law to be established publicly, for the kings and judges would mete out their decisions at the opening of the gate. If an elder had a seat at the gate, it was a high honor. The seats of authority established at the gate are the predecessors for the Branches of Government in our society today: Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary decisions were made among the kings, rulers, ambassadors, and prophets.
Go through, go through the gates
Godly governance requires the proper attitudes, techniques, methods, and strategies that will penetrate every area of society and impact future generations. Wisdom in governing begins with respect and love for your neighbour, and worship, love and honor to God with our whole heart. These attitudes are commanded by God and certainly begin to paint the proper picture of the believer in authority.
Honor every person, love your brethren, worship God and honor Kings (I Peter 2:17).
Like a natural King of the earth, the ultimate rule of Civic Government is part of God’s supreme reign and responsibility.
The Kingdom of Heaven is like a King (Matthew 22:2).
“Kingdom of Heaven” – Spiritual; “like a King” – Political
Samuel was a Prophet, Priest and Judge (I Samuel 3:1-21).
Samuel, a “Prophet and Priest” – Spiritual; Samuel, a “Judge” – Political
Therefore, it is His to promote or position whom He will to govern the people, both spiritually and naturally (civically). Samuel ruled in both natural and spiritual realms. Samuel kept Israel under the rule and spiritual subjection of God by decreeing God’s judging action, not wavering, to reinforce the wisdom and word of God. And Samuel was effective in his mission through personal, corporate, and territorial prophecy, continued prayer, and the offered sacrifices on behalf of God’s people. He also accomplished much through the training and mentorship of prophets, priests, and kings, his supernatural ministry, by being God’s divine oracle, and from ministering in the house of the LORD.
Faith in God and morality are central to the civic virtue required for our republic to survive and prosper;
“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars.” George Washington, Farewell Address (1796)
“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with passions unbridled by morality and religion . . . Our Constitution is only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other.” John Adams, Address to the US Military (1798)
“I sought for the greatness and genius of America. Not until I went into the churches of America and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because America is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.” Alexis de Tocqueville, Democracy in America (1835)
Augustine, on the other hand, wrote The City of God where he argued that the City of God (God’s kingdom) transcended the City of Man (Rome) and was not dependent upon it. Yet, the peace of the (citizens of the) Heavenly city is in direct relation to the harmony of the earthly city.
The earthly city, which does not live by faith, seeks an earthly peace, and the end it proposes, in the well-ordered concord of civic obedience and rule, is the combination of men’s wills to attain the things which are helpful to this life. The heavenly city, or rather the part of it which sojourns on earth and lives by faith, makes use of this peace only because it must, until this mortal condition which necessitates it shall pass away (Augustine, City of God, Ch. 17, 3).
Clear the way for the people
It is imperative that we re-establish our positions to not only “occupy until I come” (Luke 19:13), but also, to become leaders and towering giants in government.
He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come (Luke 19:12-13).
Historically, Apostles and Prophets are a called people holding a unique place in world history. They were great and courageous souls—the guides to proper religious belief and correct conduct. Apostles and Prophets were outstanding men and women of character, with great minds, credibility, and members of devout study and training groups.
Apostles and Prophets, with the reputation for wisdom, continually were positioned to speak on behalf of God—delivering messages from the mind, heart, emotions, and will of God, as revealed by the Holy Spirit. These divine messages were proclaimed to the church, regions and nations, as well as, individuals, spiritual leaders, and social and political leaders. The purpose of these messages through these oracles was to provide biblical insight and alignment and, therefore, success in their duties and responsibilities each commanded.
The time is upon us to press into that level of effectiveness and productivity in society, not allowing anything to baffle us or prevent us from going forward.
…of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do– (I Chronicles 12).
When the righteous are positioned in seats of authority, we will see the church catapult into greater levels of achievement in society—the plans and plots of foreign enemies will be revealed, the state of our nation and the state of the state will be made known by the church (2 Kings 6).
The prophet of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there (2 Kings 6:9).
Some Apostles and Prophets of today, even now hear the call and reason to be leaders in the kingdoms of this world— by making known the wisdom of God to the kingdoms of this world, through our unique gifting, anointing, and biblical understanding.
It will take time to reinstate the saint’s role in civic government; first, by renewing the minds of church leadership and laity to let go of an old mindset of antiquated or misunderstood laws (i.e. separation of Church and State) and then, using new courage, step into places of influence in Our Nation’s Executive, Legislative and Judiciary Branches of government.
Build up, build up the highway
Following are scripture examples of key principles of, and godly leaders in, civic government: first and foremost, God is the one who decrees and declares laws.
The Lord is our lawgiver (Isaiah 33:22).
There is one lawgiver (James 4:12).
It is the responsibility of His Church to write legislation and appoint judges and officers in all the towns (Deuteronomy 16:18).
When the righteous rule, there is rejoicing in the city (Proverbs 29:2).
We shall possess the gates of our enemies (Genesis 22:17).
We shall possess the gates of those that hate us (Genesis 24:60).
Joseph exalted to Governor (Genesis 41:37-44).
Deborah called to Judge (Judges 4).
Daniel promoted to Governor (Daniel 2:46-49).
All authorities are established by God (Romans 13:1-5).
We are predestined to lead, govern and legislate in the midst of our enemies (Psalm 110:1-3).
The principal and most damaging widespread belief restricting the Saint from these governmental positions of authority is the belief that the minister of the gospel should have no part in politics. This limiting idea, embedded in the Church mind, has done more to stagnate the mission of apostles, prophets, and saints more than any other. This false belief is simply a stubborn fear and keeps one caught in the old model of thinking. Denying this aspect of the Apostles’ and Prophets’ calling to kings, world leaders, and commander of armies, is wreaking havoc in the effectiveness of the Christian Body advancing in Power and Influence.
As we break out of this old pattern of limited thinking, we will begin to experience and demonstrate the height and width of God’s Purpose and Vision for Our World. Using His Power, Authority, and the depth of His Wisdom and Intelligence, we will release His divine messages into the ears of those who manage worldly affairs.
As the Prophets and Apostles operated in laser-sharp focus, accuracy, and integrity— the time is now for saints to step up and reach their full capacity and potential of living a Holy Spirit-led life, filled with Godly revelation and knowledge, growing in intelligence and wisdom and impacting the world.
The whole Earth is waiting for a public demonstration of the saints; and God commands us to war and take possession of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven and establishing His will, governance and values on earth until all dominions serve and obey Him.
Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, were 10 times better in every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about than all the diviners, priests and mediums in the entire kingdom (Daniel 1:20).
Remove the stones
Personal transformation is needed.
Daniel distinguished himself above the administrators and satraps because he had an extraordinary spirit (Daniel 6:3).
Be strong for the people and the city (I Chronicles 19:12,13).
Free yourself from self-limiting beliefs that hold you back. Identify and eliminate negative emotions and false doctrines. Develop clarity about who we are and why you are here. Unlock the power of your spiritual gifts and learn to release the anointing.
Overcome every attack that comes, dominate the devil, reclaim the anointing and receive the impartation of Christ, Savior and King (Luke 4:14,18-19,21).
Reach beyond the walls of the church. Be the full expression of God’s glory, with clear, biblical knowledge of our important role in the world.
God is looking for those He can strongly support (II Chronicles 16:9).
Lift up a standard over the peoples
To be relevant the Church must take a leap of faith (with knowledge) and start to seek positions in the power bases. In doing so, we build citadels of hope for those in the world to witness–solving problems and overcoming worldly conflicts and obstacles—rapidly leading our nation to greater victories with illumination, insight, and wisdom from God (Daniel 5:10-12).
Daniel had an extraordinary spirit of knowledge, insight, and the ability to interpret dreams. He explained enigmas and solved difficult problems. No one could find any ground for accusation against Daniel in regard to government affairs; they could not find any evidence of corruption or negligence. Nothing baffled Daniel; he was not defiled by the customs and cultures of the day (Daniel 5 & 6).
World leaders must see the Church with an extraordinary spirit possessing insight, intelligence, wisdom and perception, the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems. The King of Babylon said to Daniel,
Surely your God is God……You have been able to reveal this mystery (Daniel 2:14-48).
Our task ahead is to bring the church to the knowledge of how important the training of saints to serve in seats of authority by understanding biblical principles concerning our role in government. The biblical texts record the positions of the righteous believer repeatedly occupying positions of authority in government and these examples should be the accepted and realistic expectation of the saintly life in civic service.
Living a yielded and obedient life to the Word of God is the common detail in each of the personal examples of authority and rule as recorded in the Bible. The saint in power and position of influence with a life empowered and fueled by the Holy Spirit is equipped to perform supernatural acts and demonstrate the kingdom truths. When this realm of divine reality is accepted and reached, there is nothing that will restrain an equipped body of believers ready to govern, legislate and demonstrate God’s judgment in this present world.
Expecting this transformational outcome, individually and corporately, will require high engagement: accelerated studies and learning, the gain of knowledge and experience through mentorship and fathering. These deliberate steps will give believers the knowledge, insight, and wisdom to dramatically enhance their lives ethically—equipped to lead, govern, legislate, and make righteous judgments.
Through understanding, operating, and properly discerning kingdom principles, the process of breakthrough begins. Believers will experience the certainty of apostles, prophets, godly judges, and officers in every branch of government to serve with righteous judgment, not denying justice, showing partiality or accepting bribes (I Kings 22:10; Deuteronomy 16:18,19; Proverbs 29:2).
We owe the world more… an intelligent encounter with God!
God has given us courage, a sound mind, and strength to perform conquests; He has given us the ability to face and resolve worldly conflicts, just as He has equipped us to display wisdom, knowledge, and insight, or to perform miracles, heal the sick, and strengthen the faith of the weak.
And you are sons of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers, when He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring, all the families of the earth will be blessed (Acts 3:25).
As saints, we are challenged to bless the nations of this world with lawful expertise leading the families of the world into holiness, prosperity, success and breakthroughs in society, in business, and in the political arenas.
It is time for the saints to jump in, take risks, and challenge ourselves. We must trust God to grant us boldness and strengthen us to fulfil His plans as Saints on the Earth. Our God-given instincts, innate talents and anointing are calling out for use!
Jesus had no dependence on human reasoning.
I can do nothing on my own (John 5:30).
Devoted to God and the ways of righteousness, the men and women of the Bible used their personal relationship with God and His word to guide the decisions of kings and nations. It is the duty of the Apostles and Prophets to bridge the gap of church and politics, and rewrite this school of thought— separation of church and state—to being positioned in leadership roles in Government and in cabinets of Governments, Educational Institutions, Media, Arts & Entertainment industries, and Business, by becoming effective saints doing exploits with our dependence solely on the Father.
Go through the gates! Let us go through the Gates!!!
Samuel Rivers Jr.is a member of the board of Threefold Christian Alliance. He is an Ordained Minister, Motivational Speaker, Educator, The Republican Whip-Member of SC House of Representatives District 15 -Berkeley & Charleston Counties. You can learn more about his work in the South Carolina House of Representatives at this website www.samuelriversjr.com and more about his ministry at www.thevoiceofthelordintl.com
https://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/samuel-rivers.png400400Georgehttps://threefold.life/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/threefold-2024-80x80.pngGeorge2017-03-14 04:43:582020-07-27 08:30:28How can the Church become Kingdom Influencers and establish Law and Order in an unruly world?
Public Domain
INTRODUCTION: The main point of this post is the article below so if you just want to skip this commentary, please scroll down to the main article. However, please allow me to share with you why I was compelled to add this lengthy introductory commentary. It has to do with the fact that I born in a Communist country. This has given the a unique perspective on Liberty and what America stands for.
Democratic Socialism captures the mind of the naïve, destroys societies, and feeds the lust of those who want to exercise power over others!
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