We must keep in mind that in the last days the danger to the saints will be deception, not physical suffering. Other religions, or Communism, or the New Age movement (about which Christians are so concerned), are but a minor threat to the believers. They obviously are in error. It is democracy that is so deadly. The Christians cannot see the difference between the Statue of Liberty (the goddess of democracy) and the cross of Calvary. They cannot see any difference between the pursuit of happiness and the pursuit of righteousness.

The Christian schools of America are somewhat confused, it appears, concerning the nature of America. They do not realize there are two Americas: the religious America founded by the Puritans and the secular America of the humanists. The secular America is prevailing today and will not willingly adopt Christian values. Our job is to bear witness of the Kingdom of God, not to attempt to force secular society to conform to our way of thinking.

The right of freedom of speech is not a value of the Scriptures but of libertarian philosophy. The Scriptures teach us to gain control over our tongue, and over all other forms of self-expression, because our adamic personality is inherently lawless.

If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. (James 1:26)

But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. (I Corinthians 9:27)

The Scriptures teach subjection and self-control, not abandonment to our senses. We do not have a right to do as we please, except as God wills.

Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. (James 4:13-15)

The only truly free individual is he or she who is the slave of Christ. The Christian who has left the Law of Moses but who is not the slave of the Lord Jesus is a spiritual "single." He will make little progress in the Kingdom of God.

The Constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech has made possible every form of blasphemy in America. How, then, is freedom of speech a Christian value? We have been deceived.

The true Christian pilgrimage is one of patient, cross-carrying obedience, of delayed gratification, of repentance, and often of physical suffering and martyrdom. Where are these found in the tenets of libertarian democracy?

We appreciate that the government of America has not prevented us from following the Lord Jesus, according to its promise not to interfere with the exercise of religion. Our point is that libertarian democracy and the Kingdom of God are by no means the same form of government, and the Christian schools need to understand this and teach the children clearly and forcefully, that the true saints always will be hated by the world—even by (and in the future perhaps especially by) the democratic governments of the world.

To be continued.