The holy Scriptures have little if anything to say about democratic forms of government. They have much to say about righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God. It may be observed that the peoples of today who have won the right to govern themselves are turning away from God's standard of righteousness rather than toward God.

For example, one of the diabolical fruits of the governmental guarantee of freedom of speech is pornography. It appears that pornography is about to make tremendous leaps of immoral influence through the Internet. Pastors and congregations alike will immerse themselves in the immoral contributions of the Internet because of the confusion over what the Apostle Paul meant by "grace."

The Scriptures do not guarantee freedom of speech. They require that an individual guard his tongue with the greatest diligence (James 3:2-8).

Many of the democratic nations of today are experiencing a breakdown of the moral behavior commanded by the Scriptures.

Because we believers do not understand clearly the total difference between having liberty and happiness as our goal, and having righteousness, holiness, and obedience to God as our goal, we are ready subjects for the government of Antichrist.

Antichrist does not present himself as the opposite of Christ. Rather, Antichrist is the human imitation of Christ. Antichrist is Christ without a cross and his followers are "Christians" without crosses.

The False Prophet (the spirit of religious deception) and his followers, who include numerous Christian believers, are seeking the power and authority of God; but they do not desire to have God's moral character or to walk in strict obedience to Him or to enter union with Him. They want God's power but they do not want to submit to God or to become part of Him.

Antichrist understands that the Lord's people do not grasp the difference between the pursuit of happiness and liberty, and the pursuit of righteousness. Therefore he will play on the self-love both of the peoples of the world and of the Christians. He will produce a government acceptable to both groups, a program that (perhaps in the name of Christ) emphasizes the rights of people as its objective. Here is the master deception of the last days.

The doctrine of the pre-tribulation rapture, the concept that God will not allow His elect to suffer, is part of the focus on the "rights of people." So are the concepts of salvation apart from thorough repentance, God is only love, and the get-what-you-want-by-faith emphasis that are undermining the spiritual strength of the believers of our day.

Antichrist will not remove the churches, he will support them. This is why the church of Laodicea will be rich and increased with goods. Antichrist will encourage the Christian people to support such worthy goals as human dignity, the feeding and clothing of the poor, education, and the appreciation of diverse cultures (all of which are proper Christian values).

The Christian people, who are lovers of peace and good will, will not be able to perceive they are being led away from the Life of the Holy Spirit, whose primary concern is exalting Christ and perfecting the Wife of the Lamb, not the securing of the rights of people.

The subordinating of the Divine goals to the welfare of human beings is taking place today in many Christian organizations. It is a snare of Satan. It is an easy trap to fall into because Christians are sensitive to human need.

We must remember, however, that the establishing of human dignity, the feeding and clothing of the poor, education, and the appreciation of diverse cultures, pose no threat to Satan's kingdom unless the Spirit of God is leading us in these areas. Exalting the Lord Jesus Christ and perfecting the Wife of the Lamb indeed are direct threats to Satan's kingdom.

To be continued.