Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Wednesday December 10, 2008

I have been writing this week about the suffering of Christians along with Jews and other ethnic groups in Germany in the 1940's. I am basing these articles on an editorial in Time Magazine September 23, 1940.

Hanns Kerrl appointed Minister of Church Affairs by the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler had stated:

"The primacy of the State over the Church must be recognized. The question of the divinity of Christ is ridiculous and unessential. A new authority, Adolf Hitler, has arisen as to what Christ and Christianity really are. Adolf Hitler is the Jesus Christ as well as the Holy Ghost of the Fatherland."

May I ask, "Did this denigrating view of Christ perish in a bunker in Berlin in 1945 along with Hitler and Eva Braun?" Many of you, my dear readers, will be appalled if you take the time to meander into your pastor's study and ask he or she, point blank, what do you believe about Christ? His deity? Bodily resurrection? Substitutionary death? His blood? The list could go on, but keep in mind, those in high places politically and religiously in our own country give the merest of lip service to Christ the King.

How do you respond to the scathing attack on Cardinal Christian beliefs by the Minister of Church Affairs, Herr Hanns Kerrl? Entire denominations arrogantly print in their church literature articles that ridicule the very same doctrines as did Herr Kerrl.

I must point out that the persecution of the people religious respected no denominational barriers, but any leader of any religious group that failed to bow the knee to Hitler's doctrine was executed or dragged off to prison. In fearless response to Herr Kerrls blasphemous mandates Michael Cardinal von Faulhaber, Archbishop of Munich preached a sermon part of which stated:

"Let us not forget that we were saved not by German blood but by the blood of Christ!"

Even middle of the road churches still maintained with fervency:

"The Lord of the Christian Church is Christ, not Hitler."

That the usurping spirit of Adolf Hitler survived the bunker is without serious question. In many, though more subtle ways, his spirit is working in our own country with vigor. Attempts to isolate, refuse permission to preach, zoning laws against houses of worship ad infinitum abound and many holding membership in the same churches as those passing such laws and restrictions do so imagining that they are champions of some America Fuhrer at the city, county state or national level. I sure hope the spirit of Christ moves on the hearts of His people to stand up for Him.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit.

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