08/24/2026
WHAT IS THE POINT OF OUR POINT OF VIEW?
(Scripture quoted from the New Living Translation)
In Canada (and other countries around the globe) people have been openly coerced into accepting the premise that it is prudent to totally disregard any Biblical point of view. However, there is nothing new in this particular endeavor for that sane approach (regarding the Word of God) has been present for centuries. Many kingdoms that have opposed any thought of God’s righteousness have both risen and ultimately fallen in the reality of the past.
However, from a Christian point of view, every Book in the Bible accurately upholds the promises of God. They describe His timely revelation regarding Jesus Christ versus the many mini-god(s) of this world. Such truth often conflicts with the beliefs and attitudes of many governing officials who (themselves) have chosen to deny the reality of God’s Creation.
Their actions subsequently affirm that many do worship themselves as mini-god(s). Therefore, it is my opinion that such leaders prefer to walk in total darkness and therefore, remain blissfully unaware that they have become subservient to demons. THAT IS NOT A POLITICAL ASSESSMENT, BUT A PROVEN FACT OF HISTORY.
Consequently, many believers maintain that it is the deliberate intention of the Christ’s enemy (Satan) to totally influence many governing authorities, and he would have them keep younger generations from knowing how and why blatant atrocities have previously befallen various ethnic and religious groups throughout history.
Therefore, if young members of society lack basic knowledge regarding history, such lack of knowledge and applied wisdom will eventually find them acquiring minimal or no insight whatsoever concerning the sins of the past and they will be subject to repeating those same atrocities over and over again!
However, both knowledge and indoctrination (but not necessarily wisdom) does now come to each person through television as well as the internet. These are all mediums that can be and often are skewed by the presenter – whether they be sponsored by a Christian or non-Christian entity. THAT IS VERY SAD BUT TRUE.
Any who deny history, are eventually blinded enough to keep repeating history over and over again, and succeeding generations continue fall for the same type of brazen dictates which fell upon generations that have passed. Consequently, succeeding generations often place their complete confidence in political leaders and openly worship that person for such dynamic leaders have a tendency to present themselves as "the savior of society." NO NATION ON EARTH IS IMMUNE TO THAT! Thereafter, the Christian perspective is often portrayed (by those in positions of leadership) as only portrayed as being the activity of conspiracy theorists.
Whether it was by my parent’s expectations or unintended design, I was born one year after the end of the Second World War and history had just taught their generation a devastating lesson on worshipping evil national leaders and during early school years, my teacher in grades four thru six was “uncle George Pendleton.” He often quoted various sayings such as: “You can fool some of the people all the time; you can fool all the people some of the time; but you cannot fool all the people all of the time!”
Any citizen who chooses to remain blissfully unaware of that reality, has (in my opinion) truly been absolutely blinded by the god of this world! Therein lies the truth of the statement: “He who believes in nothing at all, will fall for anything at all.” However, this subjective anecdote has represented the absolute truth throughout history and in many current (supposedly democratic) societies - if enough people are fooled for a long enough time, those in power can and will completely destroy the very democracy which so many people believe their country is standing upon!
Proverbs 14:34 (NLT) records that: “Godliness makes a nation great, but sin is a disgrace to any people.” According to the internet, politicians (around the globe) base their nations greatness upon their GDP, or Gross Domestic Product, and this refers to the total money value of all finished goods and services made inside a country during a set time. Economists use this as a report card to see how large a country’s economy is and if it is growing or shrinking. However, some nations now appear to be spiritually heading in the same direction as some of my later high school report cards!
In one of my recent messages on 1 Corinthians, the reader may recall what the apostle Paul wrote to young Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1-4 ((NLT) and declared: “You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money. They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful. They will consider nothing sacred. 3 They will be unloving and unforgiving; they will slander others and have no self-control. They will be cruel and hate what is good. 4 They will betray their friends, be reckless, be puffed up with pride, and love pleasure rather than God. 5 They will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. Stay away from people like that!”
Even though we can not totally ascertain the influence that money had on Paul and his society, we are able to see the influence that political power held over various societies in that day and thus it is easy for us to now recognize how the abuse of power also plays out in our day.
Christ founded his church at Jerusalem around 33AD, and soon afterward Christianity changed many hearts throughout various societies that were under the influence of the Roman government. Many people truly worshiped Rome’s leaders as if they were mini-gods. However, (after 200 years) some of the bishops (elders) in the established church of Rome, chose to follow those same policies and procedures of the original Roman Empire because they had became more enamored with world affairs than with the directives of Christ.
But there have always been believers who continued to take God at His Word and there have also been unbelievers who have only believed in the unproven theories that tend to tickle their imagination. They maintain that this world has evolved upon its own and we are to believe that this world and the entire universe all came about because of chance and also claim to only accept their scientific theories of how the universe began versus the Biblical view of a deliberate minded Creator.
Therefore, those who have denied faith in the God of Creation, now present their premise that society should deny any reality of God and delete everything concerning faith and practice in favor of ordaining modern concepts that define how society should regard life and humanity. In any so called democratic society where this is allowed to happen, political leaders begin openly dictating binding policies which are intended at persuade the general public that they should wholeheartedly allow the most powerful to enforce their will upon an unsuspecting public by rule of law.
However, God’s Word teaches us that believers must seek His approval versus the praise and approval of men. Any citizen can win human praise, if they appear to vote the right way, or support the right cause and are totally supportive of a political savior. Christian who chooses to compromise his or her faith should never forget that God looks at our heart and one’s motivation and motive to do what is right and good, should mean far more than worldly merchandise and the approval of men. Here is how the apostle Paul sums up a similar situation that confronted the early believers in the church at Corinth:
1 Corinthians 2 When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters,[a] I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan.[b] 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
6 Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God[c]—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”[d]
10 But[e] it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. 11 No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. 12 And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.[f] 14 But people who aren’t spiritual[g] can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For,
“Who can know the LORD’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to teach him?”[h]
But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.
Footnotes
a. 2:1a Greek brothers.
b. 2:1b Greek God’s mystery; other manuscripts read God’s testimony.
c. 2:7 Greek But we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery.
d. 2:9 Isa 64:4.
e. 2:10 Some manuscripts read For.
f. 2:13 Or explaining spiritual truths in spiritual language, or explaining spiritual truths to spiritual people.
g. 2:14 Or who don’t have the Spirit; or who have only physical life.
h. 2:16 Isa 40:13 (Greek version).
Paul also wrote a letter at some later time, to the Philippian church and in it he admonished believers to think and act with the same humble attitude that Jesus taught the early disciples. They were not to think of themselves as being any better than anyone else. Therefore, a Christian should not seek personal glory and act self-righteously but should continue doing what they know to be right in God’s eyes. Above all else, (without compromising their faith) a Christian should demonstrate that they care more about helping their fellow man than they focus upon themselves.
With that thought in mind, Jesus revealed a very unselfish truth: “I have come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly.” and in another place he said: "do unto others as you would have others do unto you!" However, his reference to abundant living had little to do with self-centered living and the accumulation of the things of this world versus our service to and toward others.
Many modern politicians have often attempted to borrowed Christ’s ideas and their “speech writers” have often tried to copy his words and sayings but not necessarily within the context in which they were originally spoken by Christ himself. Consequently, the general public also includes unsuspecting Christians who may believe that such leaders are emanating Christian thoughts and therefore, such people are left with the impression that a particular leader surely demonstrates a form of godliness but such realities may not always be the actual case.
Coincidentally, when it comes to this aspect of leadership - in the year before I graduated High School, President John F. Kennedy was assonated in Dallas, Texas but (as a teenager) I had particularly remembered his inaugural words (upon taking the oath of office) and becoming the 35th President of the United States. At the time, I thought Kennedy’s speech was totally inspiring (even though I was not an American) for when he said: “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country!” – this had a direct application for every person who was devoted to their own country throughout the world. His speech writers had accurate thought this statement completely thought and it truly presented him as being very Presidential.
Jesus originally corrected Pontius Pilate when Pilate asked him if he were a King, and the Lord replied in the affirmative but included one fundamental truth: “My kingdom is not of this world!” However, Kennedy was thought of (by many around the globe) as being a truly great political leader and he (in many respects) was being worshiped by many as being the supreme political savior of the “free world.” However, Jesus never presented himself as a political savior even thought that is exactly what many in that society and most of his chosen apostles apparently expected him to be.
So I now ask the question: “Why are so many of todays political leaders totally fearful of New Testament Christianity? Why are they so adamantly accusing believers of being hateful when they themselves are the ones demonstrating their hatred toward the Word of God?” Herein lies the central point of our point of view.
Christians are not perfect people for the church is only comprised of sinners who have recognize what they truly are. Christ’s disciples know they have been forgiven by God, because each believer has (by faith) invoked the name of God's Son, Jesus Christ, over their sinful condition and truly believe he has applied his atoning blood to their sinful heart and life when they obeyed the Gospel! Therefore, Paul’s letter to the Corinthian church has much to teach mature minded people whether they be Christian or non-Christian and I suppose that is why several politicians don’t want to hear of or about the Christian point of view.
At this time, I recall the words of my mother who once said to me: “Some people just never grow up,” and it personally took me about 20 years to realize what she was getting at. Some men and women demonstrate that they will never and have never grown up for they continually acting like selfish children and keep on wanting to have their own way about everything - whether they be politician, preacher or any self-centered person!
From 1971 through 73 (while living in Ottawa) I spent three years often listening to speeches in the House of Commons while watching the antics of several politicians from the visitors gallery. I was usually there as a guest of the Hon. Hugh John Flemming and he was the former 24th. Premier of my home Province of New Brunswick. On these occasions I came to fully realized that several members on all sides of the house were clearly demonstrating (to me) that they were not grown up and never would be! But, lest I digress even further, let’s continue looking at God’s truth.
1 Corinthians 3 “Dear brothers and sisters,[a] when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people.[b] I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in Christ. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger. And you still aren’t ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? 4 When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world?”
Some Christians are more interested in political patriotism than God’s truth and even though I might personally favor one political party’s position on any given matter over another - politics and politicians have never become my source for all truth but each person is left to make their own decisions on such matters unless they prefer to have politicians make their personal decisions for them.
“5 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.”
Some bad Government policies have resulted in good project being abandoned, historic buildings being demolished and good programs being cancelled and several good people’s lives being partially or completely destroyed. But the only way politician are able to destroy the church (God's building) is if and when Christian believers give their hearts to politics and politicians rather than to the Lord Jesus Christ and the "god of this world" knows that!
Before continuing with 1 Corinthians let’s look at this thing called worldliness, as Jesus illustrated the same in Luke 18:1-17 “One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up. 2 “There was a judge in a certain city,” he said, “who neither feared God nor cared about people. 3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, saying, ‘Give me justice in this dispute with my enemy.’ 4 The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, ‘I don’t fear God or care about people, 5 but this woman is driving me crazy. I’m going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!’”
6 Then the Lord said, “Learn a lesson from this unjust judge. 7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don’t you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when the Son of Man[a] returns, how many will he find on the earth who have faith?”
Did you catch Christ’s primary thought here - or were you just reading it over while racing toward the end? WHEN THE SON OF MAN RETURNS, HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL HE FIND ON EARTH WHO HAVE FAITH IN GOD RATHER THAN PLACE THEIR FAITH IN POLITICIANS?
Jesus did not answer his own question. He left the answer up to the hearer and wants each one to ponder their own fate as if each believer should discern the times in which they are currently living. Paul’s next statement has great relevance for todays society.
9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[b]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Footnotes on Luke 18
a. 18:8 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
b. 18:11 Some manuscripts read stood and prayed this prayer to himself.
Let me remind you once again: Even thought the god of this world always works to deceiver you, the God of Creation has declared that “you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!” But many would rather hide behind the darkness of their sinful nature than have their deeds exposed by the light of Christ’s Gospel. Here is where Paul declares and identifies the following facts concerning Christ’s church as we continue reading his letter to the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 3:10 Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.
12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.
16 Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in[c] you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple. 18 Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world’s standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say,
“He traps the wise
in the snare of their own cleverness.”[d]
20 And again,
“The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise;
he knows they are worthless.”[e]
21 So don’t boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you— 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Peter,[f] or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.
Footnotes
a. 3:1a Greek Brothers.
b. 3:1b Or to people who have the Spirit.
c. 3:16 Or among.
d. 3:19 Job 5:13.
e. 3:20 Ps 94:11.
f. 3:22 Greek Cephas.
I have often made the statement in church gatherings that I would rather be God’s fool any day than the world’s fool every day!” King David wrote in Psalm 14:1 “The fool has said in his heart that there is no God” and this passage clearly validates the fact that many so called influential people have rebelled against the authority of Almighty God.
A fool is not a person who lacks intelligence but is someone who has a spiritual heart that isn’t working properly. The god of this world has blinded their eyes and therefore they lack spiritual perspective. In God’s eyes, such people are basically sinfully corrupt and desires to live outside God’s moral and spiritual sphere while feeling and actually believing that they are not going to be accountable to anyone but themselves.
Almighty God admonishes His people to judge righteous judgments and this calls for a level of discernment on every mature Christian’s part, but this fact does not place someone’s eternal condemnation in the hands of pious believers. However, no one on earth should neglect the reality of eternal judgment as declared in God’s Word, for we know (as believers) that everyone will be held accountable for their actions or lack of action toward Almighty God and His Son, Jesus Christ.
The Scriptures warn of a future day of accountability coming upon mankind and this fact is just as true as the reality of the great flood which came in the days of Noah. Regardless of what many people choose to believe and think, citizens of the world are only partially accountable to Prime Ministers, Kings or Presidents but everyone will ultimately be accountable before the Creator of the Universe.
Regretfully, many “democratically elected governments” around the world now have their citizens believing and accepting that there is no God and consequently governing authorities have declared themselves to be god’s over God’s creation.
Laws can be just or unjust and when any free people are “told” (as citizens in a specific country) that their point of view is offensive to those who do not agree with that point of view – then something is fundamentally missing in that supposed free society.
Thousands have stood up and died for a point of view which offended many and today (in Canada) any citizen should have the right to stand up for their point of view even if that view opposes the Biblical point of view. But if the Christian point of view does not count for anything then our military has paid a horrible price toward maintaining our freedom of expression.
However, as earlier stated, many people have never grown up enough to make intellectual conclusions that will turn them toward God. Those who think like a child will act like children, and consequently many choose to turn away from Almighty God and refuse (like Satan himself) to obey His authority and do remain sinful and unholy in His sight. Many choose to dishonor God by obnoxiously doing what is not right in His sight. They do not care about the point that New Testament Christianity is making and possibly never will.
In my opinion, when governing parties declared it to be illegal and offensive to preach the Word of God, they show no regard for personal freedoms and such governing authorities blatantly choose to defy and dispose of the basic precepts in our nation’s written constitution as well as our charter of rights and freedoms.
THEREFORE, SEVERAL OFFICIALS NOW OPENLY PROCLAIM THAT THEY LOVE WHAT IS EVIL AND HATE WHAT IS GOOD.
R. Conrad Cline August 23, 2026
Ministers with the Back Bay Christian Church / Church of Christ New Brunswick, CANADA
