Towards the end of the Roman era, the Western Empire became corrupt and unwieldy. Constantine, who converted to Christianity, moved to Byzantium and left the Western, Roman part to others. For in those days the East war rich.
Around that time there was a call to leave the cities — to get out of Babylon — and live in the Church (Zion) which the monks tried to find in the desert. It is a matter of discernment as to who is the righteous community at any one time (Zion) and who is the worldy community (Babylon).
6Up, up! Flee from the land of the north, says the LORD; for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven, says the LORD. 7Up! Escape to Zion, you that live with daughter Babylon. 8For thus said the LORD of hosts (after his glory sent me) regarding the nations that plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye. 9See now, I am going to raise my hand against them, and they shall become plunder for their own slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me. 10Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the LORD. 11Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. 12The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.
The trouble is that our habits of thinking are influenced by the vocabulary and analysis of the West: which includes the language of rights from the American and English revolutions, aggressive naturalism and anti traditionalism of the French Revolution, and the class analysis from the Soviet revolutions.
We forget the ideo of covenant or binding. God bound himself to the children of Abraham. He has bound himself to the church through the blood of Christ.
(and this lack of acknowledgement of covenant has led to a tolerance of oath-breaking — from casual divorce to casual treason). In this sense. the people of the covenants need to consider how they stay out of the world of progressivism — which denies the very idea of God, sin, justice, mercy… and forgiveness.
But we need to be fervent. Because the risk of staying is that our wealth will make us lukewarm.
14″And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the origin of God’s creation:
15″I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. 16So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17For you say, ‘I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing.’ You do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich; and white robes to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen; and salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. 19I reprove and discipline those whom I love. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. 20Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me. 21To the one who conquers I will give a place with me on my throne, just as I myself conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.
This calls for discernment. We are in a time of financial crisis, and the very people who made the policies that permitted that crisis now want more power to manage our way out of it. The idea of democracy is dying as collectivism rises again in Europe.
But our loyalty has to be elsewhere. And to these habits of thought, and to these fascist rules, we should not submit. We must leave the resurrected empire — if needed, physically, and be in a place which tolerates us having a covenantal relationship with God, with each other, and within our families.