We Desperately Need The “Confessing Church”
By Chuck Baldwin
January 4, 2008
This column is archived at
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2007/cbarchive_20080104.html
If the reader has not already done so, I again urge you to read the
book, Hitler’s Cross, which was written by Erwin Lutzer and published
by Moody Press. This book should be “required reading” for every
pastor and Christian layman in America. In his book, Lutzer focuses on
the attitudes and actions of Germany’s pastors and churches during the
rise and reign of the Third Reich. It is a masterpiece.
For those of us living in a country and time far removed from Hitler’s
Germany, it is hard to comprehend how that nation’s Christians—and
especially its ministers—could have been so thoroughly taken in by
old Adolf. We assume such an event could never happen
again—especially to us. However, to any honest observer of history,
the conditions of the Church in America today are eerily similar to
those of the Church in Nazi Germany.
For one thing, as did the Church in Nazi Germany, the Church in
America has become infatuated with Big Government. Historically,
patriotism in the United States meant love for God, love for family,
and love for freedom and independence. Today, however, Christians of
all persuasions have come to accept and even embrace the Nanny State,
complete with its intrinsic obsession with an omnipotent federal
bureaucracy that exercises perpetual surveillance and absolute control
over every area of our lives.
For example, according to today’s Republican Presidential candidates
(with the exception of Ron Paul), patriotism demands that we click our
heels to the Department of Homeland Security and that we
enthusiastically support aggressive, preemptive war. This is exactly
the kind of redefinition of patriotism used so brilliantly by Hitler
and his fellow propagandists. Yes, Martha, it appears that history
really does repeat itself.
When Ron Paul was asked about Mike Huckabee’s overt usage of a cross
for a campaign advertisement, he quoted Sinclair Lewis as saying,
“When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in a flag and
carrying a cross.” Many Christians railed against Dr. Paul for making
this comment. However, the truth is, Ron Paul (himself a committed
Christian) is one hundred percent right! (To see how Hitler used this
same tactic, I invite readers to note the photograph of the German
Fuhrer in Lutzer’s book, on page 75, which shows Hitler coming out of
church with a large emblem of the Cross directly over his head. This
photo was used extensively by Hitler during his political campaigns.)
More than any other Republican Presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee
carries his Big Government machinations on a cross. I strongly
recommend that readers take a look at Selwyn Duke’s excellent exposé
on Mike Huckabee at
http://www.newswithviews.com/Duke/selwyn79.htm
In his book, Lutzer notes that the tool Adolf Hitler used to ascend to
power in Germany was his ability to wrap the Nazi flag around the
Cross of Christ. In fact, Hitler often required that the Cross be
emblazoned directly in the middle of the Nazi flag. These flags were
not only prominently displayed in parades, but also in church
auditoriums.
As a result of Hitler’s brilliant deception, Christians throughout
Germany were convinced that he was “God’s man.” They saw him as more
than a political leader: he was a spiritual leader as well. They saw
him as their country’s President and as their Christian brother. If
Hitler said the German people needed to surrender their firearms, they
saw it as their Christian duty to comply; if Hitler said they needed
to enact a total surveillance society, they freely gave up their
privacy; if Hitler said Germany needed to invade other nations for its
security, Christians were among the first to volunteer; and if Hitler
said they could only be good Christians if they supported the Nazi
Party, they enthusiastically supported the Nazi Party.
In short, Germany’s Christians and pastors surrendered their hearts
and minds to Adolf Hitler, because they believed him to be one of
them. What they never would have surrendered to a professing agnostic,
they gladly surrendered to a professing Christian. Truly, fascism came
to Germany “wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross.”
Of course, there were a few in Germany who saw through Hitler’s
deception. Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a Christian minister who actively
opposed Hitler by organizing what he called the “Confessing Church.”
These were believers who would not surrender Christ’s sphere of
authority to Hitler. They saw through “Hitler’s Cross.” Unfortunately,
of the more than 14,000 pastors in Germany, only 800 joined with
Bonhoeffer.
To the vast majority of Germany’s pastors, Bonhoeffer was an
“extremist,” or a “kook,” or a “nut.” They relegated Bonhoeffer to the
fringe of Christendom. They believed Hitler and repudiated Bonhoeffer;
they chose Hitler’s “German Church” over the Confessing Church. In
retrospect, however, who would they follow today, if they had the
chance?
Likewise, many Christians and ministers today have succumbed to the
purveyors of internationalism. Issues such as trade, climate control,
health and education—and even war—are the tools globalists use to
construct their One World Order.
For example, Mike Huckabee’s success in Iowa is largely due to the
pastors and Christians of that State buying into his “Christian”
campaign. In a manner very similar to the 2000 campaign of George W.
Bush, Huckabee has carried his political campaign on the Cross. At the
same time, however, Mike Huckabee (as does George W. Bush) embraces
and promotes globalism. And, unfortunately, many Christians and
pastors do not seem to notice or care.
Full of nice money quotes from Nazi textbooks like, "Hitler and Jesus were both persecuted, but while Jesus was crucified, Hitler went on to become chancellor."
Nice try, though.