A Great Myth

A GREAT MYTH

The Judeo-Christian Ethic

The words “Judea-Christian" were used in the 19^th century mainly to describe a Jew who had converted to Christianity. However the term Judeo-Christian scheme of morals, later shorted to ethic, surfaced first in 1939 when it was used to combat anti-Semitism since it suggested a more inclusive idea of America. Based upon the pluralism constructed in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, it expressed a kind of moral amalgam which seemed to derive its foundation from the Old and the New Testament. President Eisenhower once said,

"All men are endowed by their Creator." In other words, our form of government has no sense unless it is founded in a deeply felt religious faith, and I don't care what it is. With us of course it is the Judeo-Christian concept, but it must be a religion with all men created equal
And over the years the pluralistic concept of Americanism has been widely adopted except by some more ardent Christians who aggressively suggest that America was founded as a Christian nation in doctrine and not just with the Judeo-Christian ethic in mind. Judging by the variety of religions in America who espouse the Judeo-Christian ethic as the basis for the Constitution, most Americans would hold to that in a pluralistic sense. And that of course is obvious by a reading of the official documents penned by the founding fathers.
But let us unpack this so called Judeo-Christian ethic and see if it is what Christians should espouse and unfurl as its banner publicly. Many evangelicals, for example, would vote to display the Ten Commandments in public schools and other public places. They suggest that those original commandments are what America was built upon. But is that so? And if the Ten Commandments are part of the original design for America, then they must adhere to a pluralism. And when we examine the content of those Ten Commandments we will see that they cannot pass the pluralism test.
Take just the first commandment, “Thou shall have no other gods before me.” There it is in the very first commandment. This cannot be pluralism, this is the Lordship of the one true God. This states categorically that Jesus must have all the preeminence. And this by no means duplicates what the founding fathers envisioned for America. The very first amendment of the Constitution states that congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of a religion. How can anyone openly suggest that America was founded as a Christian nation? And to suggest that since most of the men claimed Christianity on their resumes that somehow that translates into a Christian nation is absurd. All the founding fathers were men as well. Does that make America a male nation?
There is no mention of Jesus in the founding documents. The transcripts of the constitutional debates include no objections to the pluralism openly touted in the documents being formed. There were no amendments that used the name of Christ. Everything was formed as a reaction to totalitarianism and to avoid those pitfalls. It was to be a republic with a hint of a religious undertone while still providing room for the non-religious. And to be fair much of the religious crowd is non-religious.
But if the Ten Commandments are to be the open and stated basis for the republic, then the republic must be openly Christian with the Lordship of Jesus a prominent and indispensable feature of the founding documents. To create a religious pluralism is to offend the very first commandment, and in reality it creates a culture of idolatry. If Jesus is the ONLY true God through which all sinners must come, and if He is Lord of all Lords, then to establish a platform for all gods and all religions to be accepted and flourish is completely antithetical to the Ten Commandments as well as revealing the same apostasy that Israel did when they allowed the high places to other gods to exist. Therefore democracy is a form of government every bit as rebellious against Christ as is all the rest of man‘s fallen governmental constructs.
But in today’s volatile political atmosphere the Judeo-Christian ethic is touted as the foundation of America and therefore should be adhered to. But without Jesus as Lord to the exclusion of all other gods there is no ethics in the church. Would the church accept the Judeo-Christian ethic as her foundation? Or would it have to be that Jesus is Lord? If the church can only call herself Christian because she says that Jesus Christ is Lord to the exclusion of all others, then how can we claim a country is Christian if it does not do the same? And if Jesus Christ is Lord to the exclusion of all others, then how can believers join hands with followers of other gods?
But let us be painfully honest here. This is no slight compromise, This is a monstrous level of spiritual adultery that diminishes the cross and makes the sacrifice of Jesus bow to tablets of stone and certain moral standards, when in fact His redemption was for those who practice such things. So in an attempt to preserve a flawed conception of a nation, and in an attempt to change the culture by earthly measures, we have moved away from the faith called Christianity.
The Judeo-Christian ethic is a man made word designed to cultivate a pluralistic culture but with some invented moral structure. And this structure suggests that America was founded upon such a principle, and if that is true than we as believers must strive to keep it that way. But if that is erroneous and based upon a fanciful view of America, then it is the enemy of our faith. That is the very kind of sophisticated deception that has infiltrated the church and with arresting power has even become a doctrinal standard. Who could have believed that deception would be so beloved and embraced that it would become a staple of American Christianity?
But morality is not our gospel, it must always be residual. To force morality upon a fallen culture has never been the calling of the church. And to promote any country as a collective conduit for Biblical standards is incredibly naïve and even somewhat cultish. Again, it downplays the cross and the gospel and relegates them to the function of Sunday morning religion while the other 6 days can be spent playing all sorts of political games. Politics and the gospel are completely independent, and more importantly they are diabolical enemies.
The gospel embraces the immoral while politics castigates them.
The gospel is good news for the immoral while politics seeks to nullify them.
The gospel saves the immoral while politics condemns them.
The gospel is empowered by the Spirit while politics is empowered by money.
The gospel represents Christ while politics represents man.
The gospel is eternal while politics changes with the wind.
The gospel reaches out to sinners while politics divides sinners into groups.
The gospel engenders humility while politics cultivates self righteousness.
The gospel is worldwide while politics is confined to geographical boundaries.
The gospel makes ethnic groups brothers while politics forms different camps.
The gospel seeks the person while politics seeks demographics.
The gospel gives people eternal hope while politics is a hope treadmill.
The gospel changes the soul while politics changes the position.

Do not be deceived. The transformation of the faith has begun long ago and has gained much speed in these latter days. Unless there is a massive revival that deconstructs everything, the visible church will continue to descend further and further into deception. Millions are being told they are right with God and that heaven awaits them, but millions are being deceived by that same visible church. The sinner’s prayer is an instrument of convenience, and the Judeo-Christian ethic is a mirage. Lay hold of Christ and surrender to His Lordship over your entire being. That is not an end but a journey. A journey which the visible church has abandoned long ago.

Bring us back, dear Lord Jesus, to a faith which burns for You and You alone. Remove all the dross which excites but does not edify. Blind our hearts and minds to this world so that Your majesty and Your beauty and Your sacrifice reigns supreme within our spirits. Let us allow Your brilliance to shine through us without the glare of all that is temporal and self serving. We need and desire You, Jesus.