 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 Why do Christian leaders compromise and praise blasphemous communists? Why do so many remain silent about the colossal crimes of communists who have murdered multiplied thousands of Christians? Praising a Persecutor We have heard some unbelievable praises and eulogies for the man who destroyed one of the greatest countries in Africa. Robert Mugabe, a Marxist blasphemer, who boasted that he was greater than Jesus Christ, who had ordered the massacre of missionaries, who unleased the North Korean trained 5th Brigade to slaughter tens-of-thousands of Matebele in the 1980s, who since 1990 ordered that no visas be granted to any missionaries to Zimbabwe, who destroyed one of the finest agricultural economies in all of Africa, leading to catastrophic starvation where more than half of the population of Zimbabwe fled the country, is now praised in eulogies from Christian ministries and politicians! Really Racist This is actually racist hypocrisy. If Mugabe had been a white person, he would have been roundly condemned. But just because of his race, he is given a free pass. Those who praise Mugabe prove themselves to be racist hypocrites. Despite colossal corruption, crimes and cruelty, selfishness and senseless stupidity, Mugabe is praised. Why? What did he ever do to help the people of Zimbabwe? Yet, despite Mugabe being one of the most selfish, self-serving, corrupt and cruel dictators to oppress the long suffering people of Zimbabwe, he is praised just because he was black! Double Standards No white person guilty of such crimes and catastrophic ruin would have been praised. Yet, even some Christians praise this enemy of Christ – why? Just because Mugabe was black? Is that not a racist position? To use such double standards to praise a black man for what any white would have been rightly condemned. As though you cannot expect any better from a black leader! As though the people of Africa do not deserve any better than to be oppressed by a dictator like Mugabe. Ignoring Christian Africans There are Christian Africans who deserve positive recognition for genuine achievements against all odds: Tertullian, Cyprian, Origin, Athanasius, Augustine, Samuel Ajay Crowther, Jonas Savimbi and Prince Gatsha Buthelezi amongst many others. But they are not normally recognised for their achievements, because they were Christian. Telling People What They Want to Hear One understands why Marxists like Malema praises Mugabe, but why would Christians like Cheryllyn Dudley of the ACDP, praise Mugabe and make the tyrant a victim of whites, apparently not responsible for his own actions over 37 years of “leading” Zimbabwe? Perhaps cowardice is the answer. Fear of “public opinion” and a desire to say what people want to hear, instead of what is true. A Snare The Word of God commands us not to be afraid of any man (Deuteronomy 1:17). We are warned that the fear of man will prove to be a snare (Proverbs 29:25). The Scriptures tell us of those who would not say anything about Jesus publically for fear of the Jews (John 7:13). They Loved the Praise of Men "Even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God." John 12:42-43 Compromise Even the Apostle Peter, who was normally so bold and brave, gave in to compromise and cowardice when "he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the Gospel…" then the Apostle Paul rebuked them openly (Galatians 2:12-14). What Are We Afraid of? Fear of disapproval, fear of being embarrassed, fear of being ridiculed, fear of unpopularity, fear of being misunderstood and being lied about, fear of failure, of suffering, pain and death, fear of loss and sacrifice can all too easily lead us to stay seated when we should stand up, to stand still when we should step out. To remain silent when we should speak up, to remain passive and inactive when we should fight for what is right. The Herd Instinct Selfish desires for fame and fortune, health and wealth, comfort and ease, safety and security all too often seduce us into choosing the way of least resistance, going with the flow, following the crowd, chanting the politically correct mantra, burning incense before the image of Caesar, bowing before the world's idol, compromising our principles, stifling the still small voice of our conscience, resisting the Holy Spirit, quenching the Spirit, grieving the Holy Spirit, disobeying the Bible and dishonouring God. The Fear of Man "Who are you that you should be afraid of a man who will die and of a son of man who will be made like grass? You forget the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth; you have feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor… and where is the fury of the oppressor? But I am the Lord your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared - the Lord of hosts is His Name. And I have put My Words in your mouth…" Isaiah 51:12-15 People Pleasers Become Traitors People pleasers make traitors (John 12:43). "For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ." Gal. 1:10 You Cannot Serve Two Masters Remember that Christians in the Roman Empire were not persecuted for worshipping Christ, but for refusing to worship Caesar. Destructive and Shortsighted Compromise and cowardice hurts everyone concerned. Cowardice is destructive and shortsighted. In Revelation 21:8, cowards are at the top of the list of those who will be condemned by God for all eternity - thrown into the Lake of Fire. Deceitful "Open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful." Proverbs 27:5-6 The Paralysis of Fear Courage is not the absence of fear, but the determination to do our duty in spite of our fear. Some rational, God given sense of caution can protect us and our loved ones and prolong life. But if fear paralyses us into inactivity, neutrality, compromise, cowardice, defeat and disobedience, then it is evil. The Spirit of the Age The prevailing Arminian, Antinomian, Egalitarian, sinner-friendly, Prayer-of-Jabez, self-centred, superficial, sensational, materialistic, cheap grace and easy believism produces wets, wimps and weeds and it is gutless. It is spineless and yellow-bellied. We are not called to be popular, but faithful. Stand Firm and Refuse to Compromise Your Faith
The Great Commission is not about how to win friends and influence people, but how to make disciples of all nations, teaching obedience to all that the Lord has commanded. Like Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego we need to stand firm in the Faith, no matter what the cost. We are called to submit to God, to resist the devil and he will flee from us (James 4:7). God alone is worthy of our worship. We must not bow to any idols. “Our God, whom we serve, is able to save us and He will. But even if not, be assured, we will not bow before your idols. Nor shall we serve your gods!” Christian Courage We are called to overcome the world: "Because He Who is in you is greater than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4. The Will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you. Where God guides He provides. God gives the best to those who leave the choice to Him. "I can do all things through Christ Who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13 "In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." John 16:33 "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him Who loved us." Romans 8:37 The safest place in the world is in the centre of God's Will. Duty is ours, the results are God's. God's servant is God's responsibility. At the Congress of Cults organised by the Romanian Communist Party, Sabina Wurmbrand told her husband: “I do not need a coward for a husband!” Rev. Richard Wurmbrand stood up at Communist rally broadcast live to the nation and quoted 2 Corinthians 6:14-18: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God and they shall be My people.’ Therefore ‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean and I will receive you.’ ‘I will be a Father to you and you shall be My sons and daughters’, says the Lord Almighty.” A Place to Stand Like German Reformer, Martin Luther, who dared to defy the collective might of the Pope of Rome and the Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire when he refused their threats and demands to recant, we need to be able to say: "My conscience is captive to the Word of God…Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise, so help me God. Amen." In the Light of Eternity As Swiss Reformer, Ulrich Zwingli declared: "They can kill the body - but they cannot kill the soul." Storm the Gates of Hell "Some like to live within sound of chapel bell - I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell." C.T. Studd Be Strong "Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 Be Very Courageous As God commanded Joshua: "Be strong and of good courage… only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, that you shall mediate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:6-9 Do Not Be Afraid "Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed… for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles." 2 Chronicles 32:7-8 Remain Steadfast "Only let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that… you remain steadfast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the Faith of the Gospel and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake…" Philippians 1:27-29 Fearless Then with David we can say: "I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around." Psalm 3:6; "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid… though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may arise against me, in this I will be confident." Psalm 27:1-3 Protected "You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noon day… for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways." Psalm 91:5-11 Trust "I called on the Lord in my distress; the Lord answered me… I will not fear. What can man do to me? It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." Psalm 118:5-9 Faith "Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation." Isaiah 12:2 The Fear of God is Liberating Our Lord Jesus taught us that we should not fear man who can only kill the body, but rather we should learn to fear God alone who can destroy both body and soul in hell forever. The fear of God will free us from the fear of man. The reverential awe, respect and fear of God is liberating. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Proverbs 1:7 Dr. Peter Hammond Livingstone Fellowship P.O. Box 74 Newlands 7725 Cape Town South Africa Tel: 021-689-4480 Email: [email protected] Website: www.livingstonefellowship.co.za www.hmsschoolofchristianjournalism.org See also: Mugabe’s Legacy in the Light of Eternity Exposing Hypocrisy The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom
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