PJ Hanley
For the past twenty years or so a new movement has been sweeping the church. It comes to us in many trendy packages and teachings designed to convince us that social transformation is the mission of the church. And sadly many are falling into its deception, especially the so called “millennials,” who want to be radical in their generation but lack the background and teaching to discern delusion. Some of the common themes associated with this movement are; “Kingdom Now,” “Taking the Seven Mountains for God,” “Dominion Theology,” “World Revival,” and of course “Transforming Culture.” Its leaders are big shot celebrities who live in a sort of Christian conference bubble that convinces them everything is getting better. Indeed, the predictions and decrees issued at these “apostolic centers” would suggest this transformation of the planet is well underway. Consider the following:
“The world is on the verge of massive change, and even though it looks very dark in some ways, God has a plan! We are in the birth pangs of a new world. 2012 is the year of shifting governments, as the church rises to take her place on the world stage, bringing the kingdom of heaven to earth.” (1)
“There is a new move of God, with new mindsets, leading to cultural transformation. Our eschatology is working against our ecology. What we believe about the end effects the way we treat the planet. Cities and nations are being restored, as it becomes ‘on earth as it is in heaven.’” (2)
“The Holy Spirit is now speaking to the churches and saying that God’s people must do what it takes to transform society, segment by segment, until God’s kingdom is seen on earth as it is in heaven.” (3)
“Based on social media and television news reports, multitudes are convinced that the world is growing worse and worse. Yet, there’s absolutely no evidence of this. By every measurable standard, life is improving around the globe. Darkness is fading and the goodness of God’s Kingdom is truly taking root.” (4)
Dominion Deception
I know what you’re thinking right now? Is this for real? Are they serious? Unfortunately they are. They are living in a Dominion Theology(5) bubble of their own creation. They really think that the church is taking over the world. Many of them have been advocating for a long time that Christians should enter the political arena and begin to “take back” this so called mountain. Some churches are devoted to teaching and educating people for these causes. However, the Lord did not command us to go into the world and take over the nations. He told us to preach the gospel to all the earth and make disciples of individuals. He also said that once we had preached the gospel in every corner of the world for a witness that the end would come. This is where we find ourselves today – at the end of the age. Jesus is coming soon! Yet these Christian leaders are determined to bring the church back to the doctrines and practices of the Middle-Ages. They want to take us back to the darkest time of the church – the era of “Christendom” which they have shockingly begun to idolize. However, the Bible does not teach that the church will rule and reign before Christ’s return. Countless verses warn us to be on the alert and ready for His appearing and to overcome so that we can reign with Him when He does appear. Furthermore, history also teaches us that, when the church became involved in civil government it began to decline and backslide, ending up more corrupt that the nations of the earth. It is astonishing then that this false teaching is so popular and even becoming mainstream Christian thought. When will the Charismatic and Revival churches wake up to this deception and what will become of those who don’t?
Christians in Politics
Before I go any further, I want to make it clear that I am fine with Christians in politics. Christians are to be involved in all walks of life being salt and light, provided of course they can continue to obey Christ in these areas. Politics unfortunately, is an extremely difficult arena to be in and remain true to the Lord since it is governed by bribery and corruption. Nevertheless, assuming that it can be done if one fights to be honest and truthful, there is no evidence that the church has ever functioned well in politics. Indeed, one could argue that it is a backslidden church that pursues this goal. Consider the condition of Europe when the Roman Church was in power. This period is known as the Dark Ages. And even after the reformation, when Christians have tried their hand at secular government, the result has been dismal failure. For example, John Calvin’s experiment in Geneva would be seen today as tyranny and is certainly a blemish on the reformation. Yet some of today’s Christian leaders tout this as a high water mark(6), because they have embraced the idea that ruling the earth is the great commission. However, this is absolute nonsense. It is the return of the crusader church. God never intended for us to rule in this age. In His great wisdom he has separated civil government from the church, until the time Jesus returns. Romans chapter 13 spells this out, unless of course you believe that the church is to be the one who bears the sword, and the “avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil.” This is not to suggest, as the liberals do, that Churches cannot be involved in politics or make their views known. The founding fathers of the United States did not believe this, but neither did they believe that the church was to govern society. The church has a different calling and mission and lives by different values than the State. This must be so, in order that we can preach the good news of repentance for forgiveness of sins in Christ(7), and prepare the world for the age to come. Social transformation is not the mission of the church and it has never been. This emphasis is leading the church astray. We do not have here a lasting city but we seek the one that is to come(8). We do not focus our attention on solving the earth’s problems because our citizenship is in heaven from which we eagerly await a Savior(9), who will bring all things under His feet.
Lessons from the US Presidential Primary
The current Presidential primaries in the United States are a powerful illustration of why Dominion Theology is harmful and destructive to the church. Having lived through the Reagan era when we thought there was a chance to save America, to the current leader who has brought us to the precipice of destruction, I am qualified to comment on the current political malaise. I remember when Jimmy Carter was lauded as a “born again” Christian. But as time went on it was clear that whatever he was born into it wasn’t Biblical Christianity. I remember when the “prophets” hailed Bill Clinton as God’s anointed leader who was destined to bring us into righteousness. Then there was Monica and cigars and stuff and whatever the meaning of “is” is. Then the same prophets from the Dominion Theology camp told us that Sarah Palin was chosen by God to lead our land. Wrong again! Now many big name prophets and dominion leaders have “anointed” the arrogant and profane Donald Trump, laying their hands on him as he holds up the Bible he never read. One had a dream about how we will go from “Trump to Triumph”(10) and another prophesied that “Trump shall be My Trumpet… who will expose darkness in America like never before.”(11) And yet another staunch supporter, one who is leading the charge to retake the “7 Mountains,” sent Trump a “prophetic prayer” about how he is God’s choice like the ancient Cyrus – simply because he flipped open the Bible to Isaiah 45. (12) How very convincing? But then again it is not surprising since the same method is used to come up with much these days.
And while conservative Christians including Sarah Palin, Phyllis Schafly and Robert Jeffries back America’s new savior, there are some real authentic believers whom they ignore. Why? Because they are “angry” and want to win so bad that they are willing to dis the real believers in favor of someone who is about as conservative as Miley Cyrus. Perhaps they have the wrong Cyrus. Meanwhile the Donald exposes the darkness by calling everyone who opposes him “a liar” and “a bimbo,” and dropping “F” bombs to get attention. What a nightmare? But wait there is more. The soft spoken Ben Carson, who has a reputation for being a godly man, is now calling his fellow conservative and genuine Christian a liar and a false prophet, simply because he thought he had left the race. In reality, Carson had gone home to get a new suit of clothes (apparently unavailable in New Hampshire) just when the finish line was in sight. And then there is Marco Rubio who thanks his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ just before he blasts his fellow believer Ted Cruz for being “willing to say or do anything to win.” These are all Republicans you may say? Well of course they are? Surely you don’t expect Bible believing Christians (the only kind actually) to follow the morally corrupt, criminal Hillary Clinton, or the apparently honest Karl Marx Sanders do you? Incidentally, while all this anointing of Trump is taking place, scores of African American pastors are laying hands on Hillary and proclaiming:
“Until He comes again, Secretary Clinton and President-to-be-Clinton, we declare from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet that the favor of the Lord will surround you like a shield, in Jesus’ name.”(13)
What a joke? What an outrage? Have these “pastors” left the straight and narrow? Do they no longer believe in right or wrong? Haven’t they read what happens to liars?
If you are still reading, I think you can agree with me that all this is an embarrassment to the true Body of Christ? Is this the church changing the world or the world changing the church? Is the church bringing social transformation in our time or is it being conformed to the world? Doesn’t all this illustrate that pastors and leaders are stepping outside their grace and calling and trying to grasp at governing before the time has come? Doesn’t it seem like God is exposing the lying false visions and false teachings of the Dominion crowd? Surely it is time for those who love Jesus and are sold out for Him and His kingdom instead of their own, to speak out against this false doctrine. The true Bride of Christ is devoted to Him and preparing for His return while she does His kingdom work. Isn’t it time to denounce this heresy that undermines Scripture and derails the church from its true pursuit and mission, which is certainly not politics. Surely the Lord knows whom He has chosen to govern our nation. I pray it is a godly person who loves the Lord. But I also don’t want those of us who love Jesus to be maligned for the next eight years by this demonic Dominion deception.
For more on the Dominion deception and how it has infiltrated the church watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBu-ayTSQ-I&feature=youtu.be
- http://www.podcasts.com/kris_kathy_vallotton_ministries/episode/influencing-nations
- https://www.mixcloud.com/krisvallotton/a-pattern-for-nations/
- C. Peter Wagner, “Transform Society!” Global Prayer News, Vol. 6, No. 3, Jul-Sep 2000.
- http://worldrevivalnetwork.blogspot.ca/2015/08/why-you-have-been-duped-into-believing.html?m=1
- Dominion Theology is the belief that the church has to take dominion of the earth before Jesus can return.
- “Then the Protestant Reformation came along in the sixteenth century, led by Martin Luther and John Calvin. Luther’s views of Scripture and of justification by faith produced one of the most positive changes in church history. However, he had a dualistic view of the church over against the world, and therefore he was never much inclined to push the church toward the mission of transforming society. Calvin, on the other hand, taught that believers are responsible for social transformation, and his followers began to believe that we have a cultural mandate (the mandate to transform society) as well as an evangelistic one (the mandate to save souls). One famous Calvinist, pastor and theologian Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920), lived this out, entered politics, became prime minister of the Netherlands.”“The Church in the Marketplace,” by C. Peter Wagner, Regal Books
- Luke 24:47
- Hebrews 13:14
- Phil 3:19-21
- http://www.charismanews.com/opinion/52692-prophetic-dream-from-trump-to-triumph
- http://www.wnd.com/2015/08/firestorm-erupts-over-trumps-bible-connection/
- https://www.facebook.com/LanceWallnau/videos/10153729859919936/
- http://www.charismanews.com/us/54983-pastors-decree-and-declare-favor-of-the-lord-over-hillary-clinton