It’s the late 1700s and Catherine II, also known as Catherine the Great, rules Russia. She ruled Russia for more than 30 years.
During her reign she oversaw the development of areas of Southern Russia. At this point in history European pacifist Christians were being persecuted because they would not fight for their Countries. Catherine, keen to see productivity in areas of what are now the Ukraine, offered safe haven and religious liberty to these “Mennonites.” Christians poured into these areas and these areas prospered! Their harvests were so bountiful that they attracted people from all around and sturdy villages grew up throughout the countryside, spreading far and wide. For all of Catherine’s lifetime this movement benefited Russia in supernatural ways.
However, as the decades rolled on, to accommodate the religious liberties of these Christians, concessions were made. Rules and laws were formed, and as the people forgot from whence came their prosperity so they also forgot about the blessings of God. To avoid military service these Christians were required to serve in forestry and other government roles. To qualify for these exceptions the Christians were required to keep track of who was with them and because of this many non-believers were admitted into the churches solely to gain the government benefits. Needless to say this wasn’t going to end well.
As more non-believers poured into incentivized churches the churches looked less Christian with every year. The blessings ceased to flow from their congregations, instead bickering, infighting, and ultimately persecution. Catherine didn’t live to see that day, but it didn’t even take a generation for things to degrade severely.
Wow, how neat it would be to get a glimpse of one of these blessed villages before the congregations were corrupted. Perhaps even warn them of the trap they were setting for their own children with the concessions (maybe even bribes) they were taking from the government. Would it have made any difference?
It seems that in all of history one of the major vices of society in general is it’s lack of care about the next generation. Establishing unsustainable habits and sources of wealth is par for our sinful course. Jesus Himself could have warned them that His kingdom is not of this world, and that accepting exemptions from taxes was not wise, in fact He did, yet we don’t listen.
Our sinful nature leads us to care most about today, maybe tomorrow. Some of us will even wait patiently for a year or two to see a good outcome, but long term, such as a lifetime, and society consistently demonstrates a generally selfish worldview. An irrational hope that our kids can have our cake and eat it too.
If we were more wise, we would reject handouts from our government, even in the form of tax exemption, because we know that nothing from the government comes without strings attached. We would trust God to provide all we need, and not just the slack left by our government. Instead we, society, consistently and irrationally believes that this time we really get something for nothing. This time it’s ok to vote for and support a tyrant so long as they give us rewards.
Catherine the Great is an incredible character in history. Her decisions advanced Russia quickly. If she had remained forever it’s possible that her promises could have been kept. In America today, we don’t get 30+ year benevolent leaders. We get wave after wave of devils that we know and devils we don’t know. I implore you as a believer in the sovereignty of God the Father and Jesus His Son to set aside the narcissism of bribes and gifts when making decisions.
A man who flatters his neighbor Is spreading a net for his steps.
– Proverbs 29:5
It seems too much to hope for, but not only should we avoid bribes in our local dealings we should look beyond bribes in our voting and even in our conversations. What someone is going to do “for us” isn’t the important thing. What’s important is our character. It seems too much to hope, but might we cut the strings of corruption from our congregations? Might we just pay the tax, rather than shirk it? Might we preach and teach openly about the corruption and godlessness of society without fear of losing some perks? Might we see godly men leading our congregations and scores of true-believers rejecting the chains of government “benefits?”
Probably not. However, it may help to know that when those European believers trusted God and followed His precepts they prospered not because Catherine the Great gave them tax breaks, but solely because they were free to honor God. In other words, our God is so much bigger than political parties and even good Empresses such as Catherine II. If He doesn’t need the POTUS’ handouts, we shouldn’t either. Is that too much to hope for? Might all true-believers abandon the government gravy train? Might we also abandon the lie that it’s generous to vote for government gravy? Is it possible that one or both parties in the USA will see a mass exodus of all professing believers? If not the professing ones at least the real ones?
Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. – Revelation 18:4-5
Enough of this nonsense that a Christian can be a Democrat. It’s not possible. Perhaps it was in the past, but no longer. Republicans aren’t doing much better either. They are like the latter-day churches of Russia after they had lowered their standards so far that they were infested with non-believers.
Is that too much to ask? Probably, but I’m asking anyway. Help us Lord God to come out of any abomination, even if it’s our own church even if it’s our own school, or job. Whatever it is, help us Lord to come out if it before it’s too late.