compiled by Jason Guenther

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Now_theology

Kingdom Now theology

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.


Kingdom Now theology is a theological belief within the Charismatic elements in the Church, mainly in the U.S.

This controversial theology begins with the belief that God lost control over the world when Adam and Eve sinned. Since then, the theology goes, God has been trying to re-take control over the world by seeking a "Covenant people" who will then spread across the earth. According to the theology, through these "Covenant people," social institutions (including governments and laws) would be brought under God's authority. How this would happen exactly is unknown. These "covenant people" or "overcomers" would be regarded by believers in this theology as the new Apostles. Proponents of Kingdom Now theology believe Christians are required to "conquer" the world before Christ can return.

One of the most controversial tenets of the theology is the belief that secular or non-Christian society is not truly possible, as the only valid legislation, social theory, spiritual beliefs, and economic theory are those derived from the Bible. According to Kingdom Now, a separation of church and state and freedom of (non-Christian) religion, both tenets of democratic society, would not be possible under the theology.

Kingdom Now theology has some beliefs in common with the Latter Rain Movement.

This religious movement is held by a minority of people within the Charismatic and Pentecostal movements. However, some of the theology's most strident critics are also from within the Pentecostal movement.

Some have claimed that the non-Charismatic movement known as Reconstructionism holds similar beliefs and that the two movements largely complement one another. However, Reconstructionism is much different in many respects. Doctrines such as theonomy, the continued validity of the Old Testiment, Calvinism (particularly predestination and the sovereignty of God are central to Reconstructionist doctrine, and Reconstructionists nearly always teach cessationism. Reconstructionists strongly disagree with many of the doctrines of "Kingdom Now" theology and related theologies such as the Latter Rain Movement and typically consider these movements to be heretical.

The election of George W. Bush as U.S. President and his appointment of the now-departed John Ashcroft as Attorney General of the United States, both Born-again Christians, is seen by many proponents of Kingdom Now as a fulfillment of their beliefs. However, no publicly-elected figures have ever openly endorsed the theology.

http://www.rapidnet.com/~jbeard/bdm/Psychology/cor/dominion.htm

Dominion Theology/Kingdom Now/Reconstructionism

- There is a movement about that is casting a long shadow for its size. It is known as Reconstructionism, Kingdom Now theology, Theonomy, and/or Dominion theology, and it is a curious blend of Reformed/Calvinist theology and Charismatic influence. While there are relatively few who would call themselves reconstructionists, a number of the movement's ideas have infiltrated the thinking and actions of many professing believers, often without them knowing it. The movement is led by such theologians as Rousas J. Rushdoony; Gary North; Ray Sutton; Greg Bahnsen (deceased); David Chilton, and by Charismatic leaders such as Earl Paulk. But their ideas are often reflected by non-reconstructionists such as Pat Robertson, D. James Kennedy, John Whitehead, Franky Schaeffer, and Jerry Falwell. [In spite of the fact that many Dominionists-Reconstructionists-Theonomists are hyper-Calvinists, yet at the same time they write and speak as if they believe that they must help God get things under control down here on earth, so that the kingdom (their version of it) can be set up in order that the King Himself can reign properly (through them, of course!).]

- Dominion theology (the belief-system behind the Reconstructionist movement) teaches that through the coming of Christ the believer has dominion over every area of life. We are now in the Kingdom of God (note the similar view of the Kingdom that the Vineyard movement takes, as well as the plethora of Christian songs being written implying that we are in the Kingdom at the present time), and as a result, we should be reigning with Christ over the earth (as Rev. 5:10 says). The question is when will we reign. If the Kingdom is on earth now, then we should have dominion now, so say the Dominionists. Many of us non-reconstructionists proclaim this same thought when we sing the popular Charismatic song "Majesty" (written by hyper-charismatic Jack Hayford), which invites us to "Come glorify Christ Jesus, the King" -- after all, "Kingdom authority flows from His throne unto His own." With this authority from the King, we are to reclaim the earth for Christ, not just spiritually, but socially, economically (it is no accident that one of the Reconstructionists' organizations is called "The Institute for Christian Economics"), and politically. The dominion of the earth is accomplished not only through prayer and evangelism, but through political process and social reformation. [The Dominion/Reconstructionist organization Coalition on Revival (COR) was established for this purpose.] Christ will not (and cannot) return to earth until the church has accomplished this task, so say the dominionists.

- Dominion theology is predicated upon three basic beliefs:

(a) Satan usurped man's dominion over the earth through the temptation of Adam and Eve;
(b) The Church is God's instrument to take dominion back from Satan; and
(c) Jesus cannot or will not return until the Church has taken dominion by gaining control of the earth's governmental and social institutions.

More specifically, what does Dominion Theology (DT) teach? Here are the highlights:

(a) The Old Testament (OT) Law is our rule of life for today. Although DT teaches that keeping of the Law is not a condition for salvation, it is a condition for sanctification. (However, some of the COR's official statements appear to specifically condition salvation upon OT Law-keeping!);

(b) In addition, the OT Law is to govern over society as well. Since we are called to subdue the earth (Gen. 1:28), DT teaches that God's Law should rule (or dominate) all aspects of society. This view is known as Theonomy (or God's law), and is described by Greg Bahnsen as: "The Christian is obligated to keep the whole law of God as a pattern for sanctification and that this law is to be enforced by the civil magistrate" (Theonomy, p. 34). This would mean that Christians would be obligated to keep the whole OT Law except in a case in which the New Testament (NT) explicitly cancels a command, such as the sacrificial system;

(c) A central piece of DT is its belief in covenant theology. As a result, it makes no distinction between the church and Israel (i.e., the church has become "spiritual Israel"). However, DT goes beyond traditional covenant theology and teaches that the church is to be governed by the same laws, is subject to the same curses, and is promised the same blessings as Israel;

(d) DT teaches a high level of social and political activism. If the Kingdom of God is to gradually take dominion over the earth, it only makes sense that Christians should be attempting to change society through the changing of laws and through social action;

(e) Followers of DT, like many charismatics, especially the Latter Rain Movement, look for a great end time revival in which the masses will turn to Christ. As a result, DT does not believe in the rapture of the church. According to DT, the world should be, and is becoming, a better place through the efforts of Christians (cf. 2 Thes. 2:1-12);

(f) As with many others who follow the teachings of George Ladd, DT believes that we are in the Kingdom age, but the Kingdom in another sense is yet to come. We are in the Kingdom, and have Kingdom authority, but on the other hand, we are ushering in the Kingdom through our efforts. "The Kingdom is now, but not yet," is a popular DT slogan;

(g) DT is postmillennial in its eschatology. It is believed that as a result of the reconstruction of society by Biblical principals, that the final aspect of the Kingdom of God will be established on earth. Christ cannot return until a certain amount of dominion is achieved by the church. It is believed that the curse will slowly be removed as the world is won over. Even disease and death will be all but eliminated before Christ returns to the earth;

(h) DT is preterist in its interpretation of prophecy. This means that they teach that virtually all prophecies which most Christians believe are still future, have in fact been fulfilled already, mainly between the years A.D. 30 and 70. In David Chilton's book, Days of Vengeance, he says that the book of Revelation, "is not about the Second Coming of Christ. It is about the destruction of Israel and Christ's victory over His enemies [during the first century]" (p. 43); and

(i) DT uses an allegorical hermeneutic, especially in reference to prophecy. So we find that the Great Tribulation took place at the fall of Israel in A.D. 70; the Antichrist refers to the apostasy of the Church prior to the fall of Jerusalem; the Beast of Revelation was Nero and the Roman Empire, etc.;

- One of the most important distinctives of DT is its belief in Theonomy. DT teaches that Christians are under the Law as a way of life, and are obligated to ultimately bring the world under that Law. This concept is based on several passages. First, Gen. 1:28 commands Adam to subdue the earth. Adam lost his ability to do so to Satan as a result of sin. The church should now be in the process of reclaiming from the devil what Adam lost. (You will note a hint of the Spiritual Warfare movement here.) Secondly, the Great Commission (Matt. 28:19-20) commands the followers of Christ to disciple all the nations, which we are told, goes beyond personal salvation and sanctification to the reformation of society;

Matt. 5:17-19 is the passage upon which the system hinges. DT claims that the word "fulfill" actually means "confirm." Thus, Christ did not in any sense fulfill, or complete, or do away with the Law, rather he confirmed it as our rule of life today. The normal and best translation of plerosai is "fulfill" not "confirm." Besides this, however, we have the weight of the NT teaching concerning the Law. The epistles clearly teach that believers are no longer under the Law of Moses (Rom. 6:14; 7:6; 8:2-4; Gal. 3:24,25; 5:18), having been set free from that bondage to serve under grace and the law of Christ (Gal. 6:2);

And besides, if the Christian is still under Law, why do we not keep the OT ceremonial laws? DT's answer is that the Law was divided into three sections: civil, moral, and ceremonial. The ceremonial law, it is claimed, has been fulfilled by Christ and is no longer incumbent upon the believer, but not so the moral and civil parts of the law. Therefore, we are to live under the moral law and seek to establish, in our society, the civil system of OT Israel. The problem with this view is that nowhere in the Bible is the Law broken into these three sections; this is something invented by men. Whenever the Law is mentioned, the Scriptures are speaking of the whole Law as a unit. The Jews were as obligated to keep the sacrificial system and commandments concerning food and dress (ceremonial law) as they were the Ten Commandments (moral law). If the NT says that Christ fulfilled the Law, and that as Christians we are no longer under the Law, it means the whole Law. Church age saints are no longer obligated to any aspect of the OT Law. No one has the right to arbitrarily claim that we have been set free from some of the Law (the parts we don't like), but that the rest of the Law is obligatory. Either the believer has been released from the whole Law (Rom. 7:4,6) or none of it. [As Thomas Ice reminds us, "The Law of Moses was given to a specific people (Israel), to be followed in a specific location (the land of Israel), to deal with their specific situation. Therefore, the Law cannot simply be obeyed today by the Church, as was expected of Israel when it was given to that nation" (Biblical Perspectives, Vol. II, No. 6). On the positive side, Ice comments, "Paul teaches in Galatians 3 and 4 that Christ has set us free from the bondage of the Law, not so that we can be lawless as the Reconstructionists insist, instead, so that we can walk in the newness of the motivation of the Holy Spirit" (Ibid., p. 2).]

- There are many negative effects that the teachings of DT are having on evangelical Christianity today. Four of these would be:

(a) Reconstructionists teach that the mission of the church goes beyond the spiritual transformation of individuals, to a mandate to change society, a "moral patriotism," if you will, in opposition to secular humanism. For Christ to be pleased with Christians, thereby, they must become political and social activists. We must change the laws of the land, gear up to elect Christians to office, and generally seek to take dominion over our world and bring it under the Law of Moses. We see the influence of this thinking even in those who may know little about DT -- James Dobson, Larry Burkett, the Christian Coalition, Pat Robertson, Promise Keepers, Charles Colson and the Evangelicals and Catholics Together document (ECT), and Operation Rescue, are but a few of the evidences that reconstructionist thinking is beginning to dominate the so-called evangelical world;

(b) Motivation for godly living, based upon the blessed hope -- the return of Christ (Titus 2:13) -- is replaced with the task of restructuring society. This cultural mandate to restructure/restore society is a task that may take thousands of years, even by the DT's own admission (approximately 36,000 years, according to David Chilton);

(c) If we are in the Kingdom of God now, then the Charismatics are correct to teach that health and prosperity is the right of every believer today. This is why "Reconstruction" Calvinists and "Kingdom Now" Charismatics have formed at least a loose unity -- they both have the same world view. They are not looking for Christ to return and set up His Kingdom; they are attempting to set it up for Him; and

(d) A theological anti-Semitism exists in the Dominionist plan to replace of Old Testament Israel with the Church, often called the "New Israel" (i.e., "replacement theology" -- the church replaces the Jews as the new or true Israel, and Israel has no future as a distinct nation within God's plan). They believe that Israel does not have a future different from any other nation. Historically, replacement theology has been the theological foundation upon which anti-Semitism has been built within the confines of professing Christianity. While reconstructionists do believe that the individual Jews will be converted to Christ in mass in the future, almost none of them believe that national Israel has a future, and thus, the Church has completely taken over the promises of national Israel. (Reconstructionist David Chilton said that "ethnic Israel was excommunicated for its apostasy and will never again be God's Kingdom. ... the Bible does not tell of any future plan for Israel as a special nation." Reconstructionists believe that the Church is now that new nation, which is why Christ destroyed the Jewish state. Reconstructionists DeMar and Leithart have said, "In destroying Israel, Christ transferred the blessings of the kingdom from Israel to a new people, the church."

http://www.apologeticsindex.org/l04.html

Kingdom Theology Defined

Within the "Kingdom Theology" camp are several movements whose teachings are remarkably similar over all, yet divergent on some points. These movements - though to a greater or lesser degree disavowing association with each other - are sufficiently homogenous in their eschatological and theological viewpoints to place them all under a common banner: what I refer to as "Kingdom Theology." These movements are built upon the same foundation: the neo-Pentecostalism of the mid-twentieth century. They draw from one another the support needed to develop their strategy for gaining preeminence among Christians. All zealously propagate their "new revelations" which allegedly are to prepare the Church for "the next move of God," bringing us closer to the Kingdom Age (the rule of God on earth).

The most prominent of these movements are:

Latter Rain
Identity
Manifest Sons of God
Restoration
Reconstruction

Charismatic Renewal
Shepherding/Discipleship
Kingdom Message
Positive Confession

Throughout the course of this study we'll be examining these movements and their major proponents. But first it's important that I give a general outline of Kingdom Theology itself and its dynamic.

The Teachings

The basic premise of Kingdom Theology is that man lost dominion over the earth when Adam and Eve succumbed to Satan's temptation in the Garden of Eden. God "lost control" of the earth to Satan at that time, and has since been looking for a "covenant people" who will be His "extension," or "expression," in the earth and take dominion back from Satan. This is to be accomplished through certain "overcomers" who, by yielding themselves to the authority of God's apostles and prophets for the Kingdom Age, will take control of the kingdoms of this world. These kingdoms are defined as all social institutions, such as the "kingdom" of education, the "kingdom" of science, the "kingdom" of the arts, and so on.

Most especially there is the "kingdom" of politics or government. This naturally implies the concentration of military and police power in the hands of those in control during the Kingdom Age. They are referred to as the "many-membered man child," whom Kingdom Theology adherents believe will be the fulfillment of Revelation 12:1-5: "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars....And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron."

Those who hold to Kingdom Theology assume that the Church (some believe only a small group within the Church, called "overcomers"), under submission to the latter day apostles and prophets, is that man child, and that it has the responsibility to put down all rebellion and establish righteousness. This necessitates the utilization of supernatural power and the full implementation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This theory is based upon the idea that all authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to Jesus. Since believers are indwelt by the same Holy Spirit that indwelt Jesus, we have all authority in heaven and on the earth; we have the power to believe for and speak into existence things that are not, and thus we can bring about the Kingdom Age. The many-membered man child must take control of the earth before Jesus can return.

Necessary to the Kingdom Age is "the Restoration of the Tabernacle of David," defined as the completion of perfection of the Bride of Christ - a Church without spot or wrinkle. During the Kingdom Age (or after all else is subdued during that time) Satan and all enemies of God will be put under the feet of the many-membered man child. This will be the fulfillment of I Corinthians 15:25-26: "For he (Christ) must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."

The rationale that the many-membered man child will put God's enemies under 'its' feet is that Jesus is the head of Christ and the Church is the body of Christ. And where are the feet but in the body? Many in the Kingdom Theology movements insist that when this Scripture refers to Christ it is really referring to the Church who is the Body of Christ. Therefore it is necessary for them to establish within the minds of Christians the idea that, as the Body of Christ, we are Christ. In other words, we have His divine nature.

Notice that this idea, similar to that of mind science and other false religions, separates the anointing of "Christ" from Jesus and bestows it upon all who come into a place of certain knowledge and spiritual attainment. This is a heresy that is as old as the Church. It is rooted in the Greek school of philosophy known as Gnosticism.

No Rapture

Critical to hard-core Kingdom Theology is the denial of "the Rapture" - the teaching that the Church will one day be caught up to meet the Lord in the air so that we will be with Him in Heaven when God's wrath is poured out upon the earth. This event is explained away as a feeling of rapture or excitement when the Lord returns to receive the Kingdom from our hands. In other words, everyone will be "caught up" emotionally when He returns. This explanation ignores the fact that such an application of the term "caught up" is strictly an idiomatic expression peculiar to English, not Greek. "I was all 'caught up' in the movie" (or other excitement) is not the equivalent of 'harpazo' in I Thessalonians 4:17, II Corinthians 12:2-4, and Revelation 12:5, used to describe the catching up bodily into Heaven, and Acts 8:39 where Phillip is bodily "caught away" by the Spirit to another location.

Consequently, since there will be no bodily catching away - or "Rapture" - of the Church (some say not until the Church has taken dominion in the face of adversity), there will be no restoration of the nation of Israel. The proponents of Kingdom Theology are correct when they say that the Church is spiritual Israel, but they fail to acknowledge that God has promised to restore national Israel and deal with her during the coming seventieth week of Daniel.

All prophecies regarding future Israel - both in the Old and New Testaments - are made to apply to the Church. The restoration of the dry bones in Ezekiel 37:1-11 is said to be the Restoration of the Church out of Babylon (denominationalism) into perfect unity. All believers will possess the same mind, same thoughts, and same goals delineated by the apostles and prophets of the Kingdom Age through new revelations.

The Church Has Failed

Another eschatological viewpoint of Kingdom Theology is that the Great Tribulation is seen not as a time when anti-Christ will reign and war against God's people, but rather a time of tribulation for the world brought about by God's judgment through His people. Anti-Christ, in fact, is considered by some not to be a person, or even a system of government, but a spirit of rebellion against God's constituted authority - the coming of Jesus in the flesh of the apostles and prophets, according to their interpretation of I John 4:2 and II John 7.

Since there will be no "Rapture," and no Second Coming of Jesus until the Kingdom has been established by the Church under the direction of the apostles and prophets, most Kingdom Theology adherents are mid- or post-millennialists: Jesus will come back after the millennium has begun or after it has been completed. Some are amillennialists, believing He will never come back personally, or that He already came back to His own generation, leaving the Church to take dominion over the earth. Thus they see the Church as having failed in what they consider its commission to take dominion over the kingdoms of the earth.

The reason the Church has failed is because it has not understood what Jesus meant when He told His disciples that they would be witnesses of Him throughout the earth. To be a witness means to demonstrate the Kingdom on earth: to take dominion, bringing all things into obedience to Christ. In order to demonstrate the Kingdom, the Church must not only be united under the apostles and prophets, but must be prosperous, having taken control of all the material wealth of the earth. Since "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1), the world is ours as joint heirs with Christ. This sounds good, but without Jesus here to establish the dominion, we are left at the mercy of men who, according to their thinking, will have "overcome" all faults and will be operating according to the perfect will of God. Since all enemies, including death, will be put under the feet of the "overcomers," it is therefore necessary that dominion include "immortalization" (or at least living in "divine health" as well as "divine prosperity").

The Cloud of Witnesses

To accomplish the great task of taking dominion over a rebellious world, the Church must have supernatural help not only from God, but from angels and from the "great cloud of witnesses" (the dead in Christ) who have preceded us. A unity between their spirits and our spirits will create a communications link by which revelations will be conveyed that will guide the Church in its mission. The apostles and prophets especially will have contact into the spirit realm through appearances of Jesus, angels, and departed saints. In fact, such contacts have already been reported in the Christian media.

Essentially then, Kingdom Theology sees the Second Coming of Jesus in two stages: first through the flesh of the believers (and in particular the flesh of today's apostles and prophets), and then in person to take over the Kingdom handed to Him by those who have been victorious (the "overcomers"). In some circles it is believed that the overcomers will have become immortal - they will have attained what is called "resurrection life."

Whether immortal or not, it is generally agreed in Kingdom Theology that the overcomers must purge the earth of all evil influences. "Evildoers" must be converted or they will be punished and/or "destroyed from off the face of the earth." "Evildoers" have been variously described as drug pushers, murderers, child molesters, thieves, prostitutes, and other such "scum" that Jesus died for. It will interest the reader to learn, however, that for many who teach Kingdom Theology, the term "evildoer" applies to anyone who refuses to submit to God's authority (the latter day apostles and prophets). Those who do submit will be sealed with the "mark of God" in their foreheads, and will escape the coming judgment.

Some Differences

As we deal with these teachings individually in successive chapters, keep in mind that some movements are more extreme than others, and each is somewhat unique in its approach to the basic tenets of Kingdom Theology. In fact, not everyone within each movement is necessarily in agreement with each other, let alone with those in the other movements. Still, each movement has teachings that are sufficiently aberrant as to warrant careful testing by the Word of God. Each in its own way has its part in propagating some or all of the elements of Kingdom Theology. Other teachings not detailed here are quite bizarre, and add to the overall occult flavor of Kingdom Theology. We'll be dealing with them as we progress.

It's important to understand that not everyone in the various movements mentioned believe all Kingdom Theology teachings. Many are innocently fraternizing with those whose doctrines would horrify them if they were aware of them. Yet while the adage "guilt by association" does not always hold true, a consistent pattern of fraternization and support are sufficient grounds to at least question whether one holds the views of those he supports and with whom he seeks unity.

Some Terminology

As in all fraternities, there is certain terminology peculiar to Kingdom Theology. Knowledge of that terminology can alert us to the possibility that we are hearing from an adherent to those teachings. A few occasions of word usage prove nothing, of course. But a pattern of usage and dependence upon terminology peculiar to Kingdom Theology is reason for concern and further investigation of a teacher's doctrines. Many will hide their true beliefs to all but those within their inner circle lest they be prematurely exposed to the Body of Christ at large. Once you become familiar with their terminology I urge you not to judge arbitrarily, but to seek further knowledge of the teacher's true beliefs (Acts 17:11). Meanwhile, be cautious until you do know what he or she believes. The following Kingdom terminology should be cause for concern even though much will be defended as "scriptural" by those who use them:

Dominion
Overcomer(s)
Word-Faith
Spoken Word
Five-fold ministry
Latter Rain
Tabernacle of David
Feast of Tabernacles
Many-membered man child
Manifestation of the Kingdom
Manifestation of the Sons of God
Ongoing Incarnation
Birthing in the Spirit
Get this into your spirit

Unity (of the Body)
Serpent's Seed
or Seed of the Serpent
Faith in faith
God's faith
God-like faith
Kingdom language
Kingdom principles
Christ principles
Elijah Company
Bride Company
The Christ
Ecclesias

I wish to reiterate that the use of some of these words - at least moderately - is not grounds for judging harshly the speaker or writer (see John 7:24). I stress this because I know I'll be accused of jumping to conclusions and lumping everyone together. I urge caution in accepting or rejecting anyone on the basis of their terminology alone. By the time you've read through this report, however, I'm certain you'll see why these terms are good indicators of the teacher's beliefs.

At the end of the final installment you'll find a sample questionnaire which you can use to test any teacher's position relative to Kingdom Theology. This may be used as a precaution against erroneously prejudging anyone - teacher or disciple. This said, we will examine now the roots and the effects of Kingdom Theology and its various movements. 

http://www.bloomington.in.us/~lgthscac/kingdomnow.htm

Kingdom Now: Recent History

Amos 3:3: "Can two walk together except they be agreed?"

Since the 1960's a group of American Christians have been calling for a 2nd Reconstruction which would combine the church of Jesus Christ with society and government, into a Church-State combination, an idea which has become known as Reconstructionism. What they propose is a reconstruction that is even more radical and ominous than the post-Civil War restructuring of Southern society turned out to be.

Among the Reconstructionists most startling proposals for society are the abolition of democracy and the reinstitution of slavery.

1 John 5:10-12: The one who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the witness that God has borne concerning His Son.

And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.

Rousas John Rushdoony is the patriarch of modern Reconstructionist thought. He is an Armenian who traces his family in an unbroken succession of fathers and sons or nephews who were pastors from the early 4th century until the present. He is the son of immigrants from Armenia which became the first nation to accept Christianity as their state religion about 300 A.D. This automatically put them outside God's will, according to His Word, for although the church is to submit to the government, Jesus said His kingdom is not of this world, it is to be separate and apart from it, for in Luke 20:25: [Jesus said] to them, "Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." He never insinuated in any way that the two should be combined.

Rushdoony admits that his family background has something to do with his Biblical understand. For 2,000 years prior to their immigration, the Rushdoony family had lived on a mountain adjoining the biblical Ararat. The present day father of Christian Reconstruction comes from a highly "religious" family living in a distinctly "religious" country, but unfortunately, it is not Biblical Christianity that they practice.

The church is the "ecclesia" - the "called out ones" whose calling is first and foremost to worship God. This is the business of the church. They are to worship God in spirit and in truth, and by doing so to reflect His glory before the world, through the strength that He provides them. All else flows from this: preaching the gospel, and witnessing by ministering their loving good works throughout their community and around the world.

In placing themselves outside the revealed Word of God by combining the church with the Government in this manner, they moved outside God's protection and became subject to the attacks and whims of Satan, as did the Catholic Church a few years later in 325 A.D., for just as Jesus is the head of His Church, Satan has power over the government, as it is part of this world's infrastructure, so "how can two who are not agreed walk together"? Amos 3:3

John 8:44* Jesus told the Pharisees: "You are of [your] father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own [nature;] for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

Unfortunately whenever Christianity has been institutionalized into an ungodly mixture with government, it has placed "strange fire" upon the altar of God which has resulted in intolerable bondage for the members of the Body of Christ, as it defeats God's purpose in calling them out to be separate and apart from the World's system and destroys their ability to function with Jesus as their Head. As Jesus told the church: in John 4:23-24: "But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth."

Because the government, as part of the world's system is subject to the power of Satan whom Jesus called the "god of this age" and because Jesus said that "Satan is a liar and the father of liars", combining church and state creates an unholy mixture putting the members of the institutionalized or State Church in the position of trying to serve two masters, Jesus Christ and Satan and of trying to combine God's truth with the lies of Satan. Jesus said in Mark 3:24-25: "And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand."

Rushdoony head's the Chalcedon Foundation which has published dozens of books on the subject of Reconstructionism. In the 1980's the charismatic wing of evangelicalism adopted their philosophy renaming it "Kingdom Now." They are post-millennial in their end times view, believing that the Church will triumph over the entire world, and will claim the "crown rights" of Jesus Christ, ruling over all earthly governments, and placing all people under the law of the Ten Commandments, before Jesus' Second Coming. Other well known Reconstructionist authors are David Chilton, Gary North and Greg Bahnsen.

What Is The Reconstructionist Plan For The Future?

Imitating Rushdoony's Armenian ancestors, Reconstructionists believe the detailed laws of the Old Testament are not at all obsolete, but must be adhered to today. They have designed their political, economic and legal agendas solely on the details of Old Testament Law, with New Testament modifications, for instance, they are not polygamists.

As Rushdoony writes in "The Institutes of Biblical Law," in the Reconstructed society, there will be no democracy, which Reconstructionists regard as a heresy, because the believer is expected to associate on a common level with the atheist, the pervert, the criminal and the adherents of other religions. Government will operate only at a state and local level. There will be no federal government. In a Reconstructed society, the Bible will be the only charter and constitutional document. Rushdoony's Institutes proclaim that women cannot claim "priority or even equality" with men. Parents will be responsible for the education of their own children, as any other form of education is said to "emasculate" men, detracting from their leadership of the family and render's women either fluffy luxuries for men or aggressive competitors to men."

Gary North writes that "The so-called underdeveloped societies are underdeveloped because they are socialist, demonist, and cursed... The Bible tells us that the citizens of the Third World ought to feel guilty to fall on their knees and repent from their godless, rebellious, socialist ways, and that they should feel guilty because they are guilty."

Reconstructionists quote the Old Testament laws condemning usury, and The Chalcedon Foundation's Journal of Christian Reconstruction argues that a thirty-year mortgage on a home is an unbiblical practice (citing Deuteronomy 15) and they suggest that debts be limited to six years.

The Reconstructed society will reinstitute a "biblical" form of slavery to allow impoverished persons to labor away their indebtedness, or for criminals to make restitution for damages, arguing that "even Southern slavery was not as unbiblical as many have charged." David Chilton says the slave should be cared for, educated in civic responsibility, and (if Christian) freed after set periods of time. With such boons as "job security," slavery is to be regarded as among "the most beneficent" of biblical laws.

The Reconstructed society will have no property tax, since taxes supposedly imply that the state, not God, owns the Earth. Tithing will substitute for income tax, and "tithe agencies" will take over the services currently provided by the welfare state.

Greg Bahnsen lists fifteen crimes that deserve capital punishment in the Reconstructed society. These include murder, rape, sodomy, Sabbath breaking, apostasy, witchcraft, blasphemy and incorrigibility in children. Bahnsen writes that "Christians do well at this point to adjust their attitudes so as to coincide with those of their Heavenly Father." The Reconstructed society will have no prisons. Under biblical law, "men either died as criminals or made restitution." Career criminals will be executed and occasional lawbreakers will pay for the damages of their actions, possibly as slaves.

Reconstructionist Joseph Kickasola, now teaching at Regent University, wrote in the Journal of Christian Reconstruction, "We do not believe in revolution or in massive and rapid social change... What is important is bottom-up-ism, grass-roots - transforming moral and spiritual change... for we cannot allow our social base and religious liberty to deterioriate in the meantime.

Reconstructionists have some appeal with independent Baptist churches and more with fundamentalist and Reformed roots. The Presbyterian church in America issued a statement in 1978 which said the Reconstructonist position was not heretical. Their greatest appeal, however, has been among Charismatics. Twenty million charismatics worldwide are part of the Reconstructionist movement. This is true because one cannot be a consistent charismatic, insisting on the continuing exercise of miraculous gifts, and remain dispensational.

The most interesting Reconstructionist political ties are to television evangelists Pat Robertson and to Presbyterian minister of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Dr. D. James Kennedy. Rushdoony and North have appeared a number of times on Robertson's "700 Club."

They are very close to the beliefs of the Roman Catholic Church and the Episcopal church - which is the Anglican church or Church of England, although they are amillennial believing that there will be no 1,000 year reign or time of tribulation because the endtime prophecies of the tribulation were all fulfilled before 70 A.D. when the temple was destroyed, instead of being postmillennial. The church is to gradually take dominion over all the earth for Christ - both it's government and geographical territory and reign in His name. Authority and Control, not love, are what these "churches" are all about. They believe the Church is now the true spiritual Israel and that physically, God's purpose for the Jewish people and for Israel is finished. They choose to believe that the return of the Jewish people to Israel, after 1900 years, is a mere coincidence and is in no way an act of God or a fulfillment of Biblical prophecy.

The view of "Christiandom" (not Christianity) they advocate for future society is very similar to the viewpoint of the Roman Catholic Church during the dark ages (which is unchanged today), which produced the crusades, the inquisition and ultimately contributed heavily to Germany's Holocaust. They are seducing the right wing conservative branch of the church into ignoring the literal historical meaning of prophecy and buying into the false eschotological view that will allow them to persecue the Jewish people. This persecution may fit into God's plan forcing the Jewish people to return to Israel - which is where God intends for them to be, however; those who touch Israel and/or the Jewish people (the apple of God's eye) will be judged. This apostate movement will agree with and ultimately unite with Rome to form a One World Nazified End Time Church.

Other well known teachers of this viewpoint are Gary North, whose book Conspiracy is very well known. He is published by Dominion Press, a Reconstructionist publisher. Crossway Books, a conservative Christian publisher is also producing Reconstructionist material. Thomas Nelson copublished (with Dominion) four titles in the Biblical Blueprint Series, which are edited by Gary North. These books were endorsed by Jerry Falwell as "a tool Christians need" for the difficulties "that confront society" and preceded his move into politics as "The Moral Majority."

Reconstructionists have claimed that the late Christian philosopher, Francis Schaeffer's A Christian Manifesto relied on Rushdoony's analysis of society and John Whitehead, prominent conservative attorney and author called Rushdoony one of the two major influences on his thought. As radical and frightening as the views of Reconstructionists are, they cannot be ignored by Bible believing Christians who view the Bible literally and understand God's love and endtime purpose for the Jewish people because Reconstructionists or Dominion Theologists are no longer considered an eccentric marginal movement but have moved to a position of considerable influence in traditional conservative Christian thought.

Kingdom Now: Historical Beginnings within the Christian Church

The root beginning of the interpretation of prophecy that allows people to buy into a teachings such as Reconstructionism happened in Alexandria, Egypt at the beginning of the 3rd century. Origen (185-254 A.D.) was a leading teacher of theology and philosophy at the influential catechetical school of Alexandria. Church historian A H. Newman reported that "Origen was the first to reduce the allegorical method of interpretation of prophecy into a system... His method of Scripture interpretation was soon adopted throughout the church, and prevailed throughout the Middle Ages. In this particular Origen's influence was bad, and only bad."

Because of Origen's desire to harmonize the New Testament with the philosophy of Plato, he powerfully introduced, taught and spread the allegorical method of interpreting the Scriptures, particularly in the area of prophecy. This was also the beginning of "Christian" Church anti-Semitism, for from this method of prophetic interpretation, Church theologians began to develop the idea that the Israelites had permanently forefeited all their covenants by rejecting Jesus as the Messiah.

By using this method of prophetic interpretation, and forsaking a literal historical view of prophecy, which had prevailed with the Apostles and through the first two hundred years of the Church age, Church theologians developed the belief that all of the covenants which God had made now belonged to the Church, and that it was now the only true Israel, now and forever.

In their eyes, this meant that the Jews were now imposters who no longer had any vocation or reason to exist except as a witness to the misery and degradation that would befall a people originally chosen by God, but unfithful to its election by rejecting the Messiah and bringing about His death.

This interpretation is impossible, when the Bible is read as literally and historically true. It was only by interpreting prophecy allegorically, which is something God never intended.

Origen's system of interpretation dominated the Christian scene by the time of Augustine (354-425 A.D.), the famous Bishop of Hippo. Augustine then systematized Origen's allegorically based teachings into a cohesive theology that would dominate the church for over a thousand years. Even the Reformers continued to hold most of his views, for just as with infant baptism, they were unable to separate themselves completely from the seduction of false teaching, including Origen's allegorically based, unrefinded eschatology.

The Roman Catholic church, using Origen's system of interpretation and Augustine's theology, soon applied and instituted the teaching that they were the inheritors of Israel's promises - that they were the inheritors of the "Kingdom" promised to Israel and therefore must take ultimate authority over the political powers of this world, thus arriving at their policy of "temporal power," i.e., control of both Church and State whenever and wherever possible, becoming The Church Militant. This policy has never changed. Roman Catholicism hates democracy, for it makes it much more difficult for them to gain political power in a country, than working with a Roman Catholic dictator or king.

At one point during the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church actually held authority over virtually all the rulers of Europe. History witnesses that this was one of the most oppressive periods of Christianity, both toward the Christians and those outside the Church, for Christiandom is a Satanic imitation of Christianity and does not place Jesus Christ as it's Head, nor does it follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, but substitutes human earthly rulers.

Kingdom Now, Dominion Theology or Reconstructionism, also use Origen and Augustine's misinterpretation of Biblical Prophecy to continue the Church Militant teachings that Constantine introduced into Roman Catholicism in the 4th century.

As worldly men work feverishly to create a false unity among the world's "Christian" churches, the Anti-Christ of prophecy waits in the wings to come on stage. These foolish men believe they are fulfilling a mission that must be done before our Lord can return, but in reality, the prophet Daniel, in Daniel 4:34-35 corrects them: "His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation.
All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No-one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"

"Our God is God and He does as He pleases."

It is the god of this world they serve, as they prepare the earthly Satanic church that will entice the world to receive his false prophet.

IF They Build It, He Will Come!