The American Revolution and the Kingdom of God - David Bercot - Ep. 046

Was the United States of America really founded as a Christian nation? Were the Founding Fathers truly Christian? In this episode David Bercot explores details from the American Revolution, and considers how the values shown by those involved in the American Revolution relate to the values of the Kingdom of God.
Bercot's book, "In God We Don't Trust," at:
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This is the 46th episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and KZbin channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought.
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The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

[@ismaelamadot3893]

Thank you, David and interviewer. What a wonderful segment. Always learning so much and being spiritual nurtured is priceless. Keep those videos coming. God is blessing you. Amador, Kingdom Christian.

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

Thank you for the encouraging note, Ismael. We were also delighted to have David speak with us. We plan to keep the videos coming, but in the future. Last week we ended our second season of weekly episodes. We hope to begin Season Three in the coming months.

[@cynthiaconrad6145]

This video should be played on nation-wide television on a daily basis. Thank you.

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

Thanks for the encouraging comment, Cynthia!

[@1Whipperin]

If you think this was a Christian nation look at the painting in the top of the rotunda in the US Capitol. The painting ia called the Apotheosis of Washington. Also, The preamble of the Constitution expects the nation's blessings to come from Liberty, the Roman goddess of freedom. Liberty welcomes Washington as a new god to the heavens in the Apotheosis of Washington.

[@TRUTHFUL1John221]

This was a good discussion. Much respect. Similar to many that we have had.

[@mtngirlbunny9290]

Well done, brothers! I am sharing this with several people. I pray they will listen. I am so glad we found (by God's direction) David Bercot's books a few years ago and now God has also led us to Porter Mennonite Church here in Oregon, of which we are growing towards covenanting with! Praise God for His leading us out of false Christian teachings and back to His Word, even after attending years of Bible College----scary!!! I cover my head now, as well, though my pic here is old. Thank you for this channel.

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

Thanks for this note! We're glad to hear that you deem this worth sharing. Also, it's good to learn how God has been leading you. Keep pursuing his will!

[@SpencerLionheart-l9p]

In the end, God frees us from this wicked government. We should obey the laws that don't cause us to sin (Romans 13:1), but we should not view states as authorative. There is no freeom apart from Christ.

[@YaHa-16-02]

So good to see David!

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

Indeed!

[@Tom30ad]

Voting is not just a matter of taking up arms in war. Voting is for getting policy in place that would be in line with Christian ethical matters. If anything, it is a war against principalities and powers and we should be willing to fight against such powers with our voice (vote).

[@nomadicrecovery1586]

Agreed. And I’d consider it the same as taxes. A duty to Cesar Not voting influences the end as much as voting. That’s how our system is designed

[@dorinamary7863]

@@nomadicrecovery1586 What if there's nobody decent to vote for?

[@lungandfoot]

I liked this talk, but I was thinking: if you lock your doors at night, is it indication that you’re not trusting God? If not, then why would having a military for our defense be an indication that America is not trusting God?

[@joshuataylor129]

I absolutely need more information on this idea of 2 kingdoms and how that theology works out. All I can find on KZbin is the Lutheran version, but if anyone can link me to something authoritative or from this source I would be very grateful. I’d even read a white paper.

[@ladyshulamite]

Read the book “The Kingdom that Turned the World Upside Down” by David Bercot. It can be purchased at the link in the description. That book does a deep dive into practical two Kingdom theology and life. For a more brief look at this teaching, check out this recent episode of Anabaptist Perspectives m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/g6itmY1mlqaXrtk

[@vatesnavi]

Joshua Taylor may God bless you. I am not a native english speaker for that reason excuse me if i make a gramatical mistake. But regarding to your question this is the thing. We are citiczen of the country we was born, but, as christians, we are also citizens of the kingdom of heaven. the two kingdoms are based on these. therefore, it is necesary to know our rigths and dutys regarding these citizenhips. knowing that in most of the cases the rules or lawes of the kingdom of heaven being above the other one. of course these depends on our maturity in the bible and our relationshp with Christ. God bless you

[@arttyree4504]

@@vatesnavi Of supreme importance here is deciding which kingdom one belongs to.. The Kingdom of God is an exclusive loyalty: there can be no "dual citizenships" in His Kingdom. If I belong to Christ, He must get all my loyalty, all my effort, all my support--I can't promote peace and power at the same time. See Luke Chapter 9 and others. There are civic obligations (taxes etc) which we all have. But taking a stand for Jesus with His Kingdom, means I promote His Good News, and not political positions--those are all about Power. I must be all about Peace, as my Lord is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9, and see Luke 2).

[@Partyrockk]

It's interesting because one of the main grievances the colonists had was the destruction of their fiat currency. England wanted to be the money changer. In that aspect, there is some Christian merit to the rebellion. The real issue is how we do not fight in the flesh as Christians. There is no "just war" teaching in the Bible. But, it wasn't necessarily about the taxes, though that was certainly a banner carried.

[@100Elephant]

I have not come across a serious discussion of the Anabaptist perspective vs a perspective such as Hillsdale College's point of view. It seems there would be agreement on small government and individual liberty, but how would the discussion turn out on how it all began (I am curious of general Christian view on this) or this idea of "two kingdoms". As I understand it, the Kingdom of God is spiritual and eternal, whereas an earthly country is truly just a way to organize human beings much like a school with a principal. It is just practical. For example, a one-world government would be foolish and dangerous, so nations are quite helpful. To compare the two kingdoms is to compare apples and oranges. One is political and temporal, yet useful and beneficial, and the other is not political, but rather, spiritual, and the ground of ultimate reality from which all human activity obtains its identity. To ignore earthly government responsibility is to ignore the good you know to do. Is non-resistance meant to be interpersonal rather than regarding state protection or even defending the innocent so as to not be complicit in violence? I realize the discussion of non-resistance is another issue, but it seems to be relevant and is perhaps fundamental to the subject at hand. I am very interested in a deeper discussion of these two groups' perspectives. I care very much about the US, and as well, respect Anabaptists. I wonder how many people are in the middle of these two groups.

[@calvinpeterson9581]

Great video!

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

Thanks Calvin! We were also quite pleased that David could share this message with us.

[@bobcaldwellrocks]

Should i read this book?

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

Which book? We can recommend David Bercot’s “In God We Don’t Trust” to you.

[@bobcaldwellrocks]

@@AnabaptistPerspectives thank you i will order it

[@dorinamary7863]

What about Peter's sword, and the whip Jesus made in the temple?

[@johnfal1849]

Peter's sword was not for combat. Jesus commanded him to put it back when he struck the ear of Malchus in John 18:10. Luke 22:38, Jesus says 2 swords is enough for the disciples. And Jesus didn't strike anyone with the whip, but used it to stir up the animals and drive out the money lenders.

[@britty4755]

I wish you would have asked if they were slave owners if they could honestly be christian at the same time.

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

Good question, Brittani. I also wish we had asked David this question.

[@arcanumtrojan8520]

Also, can you call yourself a Christian if you wear Nike shoes? Modern day slave labor made those shoes. That’s just a small example of what many Christians today take part in. No one is perfect. Being a Christian doesn’t mean you are as perfect as Jesus. We were not alive during those day so you have no clue how a Christian should be. Every nation held slaves and many today still do. America is great because of how we broke away from tyranny and then progressed toward abolishing slavery.... IN LESS than 100 years of existence. That’s GOOD! No place for hate and negativity towards ppl you have no right to try to judge their hearts.

[@arcanumtrojan8520]

@Miguel Cortez I seem fine with evil? U seem ok with making bold assumptions about me. That too I don’t think is very Christian of you. I am not ok with it. I will never wear a pair of Nikes ever again. But I have worn them. My point is don’t judge our founders based on the negative. If you actually research them deep enough you may find they are great people used by GOD. They included the Bible in many aspects and even assured it was taught in schools. I have researched that some were born again devout Christians told by those closest to them. I think your argument by being unfounded enough on these judgements you are making on people puts you on the wrong side. America is the freest country in the world for ANYONE and it the motion was set in place by these founders. Again no one is perfect, some have done more wrong than others maybe even downright evil, we may never know, but those who turn to GOD will inherit his kingdom.

[@MrResearcher122]

@@AnabaptistPerspectives It was, Reagan, the elephant in the room.

[@buffaloniceguy7823]

This was a great presentation, but he missed the history of slavery, Jim Crow, redlining, etc. Like David, I'm not anti american, I just believe we need to be totally honest, even about our Christian history in America.

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

This episode didn't adequately address the United States' long history of racial injustice. You might appreciate Bercot's book "In God We Don't Trust." It gives more attention to the slave trade, but not the Jim Crow era, since he primarily focuses on America's early history.

[@Vettel2011]

Also, let us not forget that slavery happened both ways. In the Bible, there is no racism.

[@buffaloniceguy7823]

@Vettel2011 True, but there was/is racism in "Christain" America. As Kingdom believers, we must recognize this and work towards racial reconciliation and healing. We must love one another as Christ commanded.

[@Vettel2011]

@@buffaloniceguy7823 Exactly. All racism is foreign to spiritual Christianity, there is no room for white or black supremacy. We must show that all lives matter towards God

[@dorinamary7863]

The early Christian settlers, especially a group like the Puritans, were very into the old testament God of war, wrath and vengeance. This is one of the reasons there are so many ministries now that are teaching he was not the Father who sent Jesus. Good God channel explains this very well.

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

Marcionism?

[@dorinamary7863]

@@AnabaptistPerspectives No, not Marcionism or Gnosticism. Just Christianity.

[@walkingonwater1967]

Indians could have been the first settlements of Solomon's era. 900-800 BCE. and if so, who's land is it?

[@jamesbattle5381]

Shouldn't we clearly and consistently point out to critics of Christianity that only atheists, agnostics, disobedient believers and false Christians did these wicked things that you mentioned? Shouldn't we point out clearly and consistently point out to them that they have no excuse for rejecting biblical Christianity since it doesn't teach Christians to do such things? I say this because the world seems to want to ignore these facts and point to rebellious believers as an excuse for rejecting true Christianity which is based on honest interpretation of the scriptures. I know that mention what I am saying but I think it needs to be stressed since the world seems to want to stress the evil that has been done by those who claim to be followers of Christ.

[@grandpahonestyguy8978]

iF WE ARE 'ANABAPTIST PERSPECTIVE', are we 'avoiding Christ and HolySpirt perspective'?? this should be a sober concern. anabaptist was a REACTION to evil kings of europe ruining the original 'Way of Life'... that yeshua taught the apostles. restore THAT please get THAT perspective. the 'church around me' had NO COURAGE to help me understand and deal with 'male arousal and pleasure' and NO PERSPECTIVE on holy spirit and power and revelation. brothers.. thats BAD. i lived surrounded by christianty and there was NO JOY regarding gods gifts of marriage bed and HOLY SPIRIT.. so i was 'self defiled' and ignorant for 40 years...!! i was saturated in the art and music of the world for 30 years i toured the christianity that i had hated for 30 years.. i have patiently asked precious brother david to gain the perspective of FIRSTHAND EXPERIENCE of baptzng people in the holy spirit. (a simple and basic part of our faith in christ) and expound on the 'honesty and confession before communion in the home' of the early church. you can interview me if you like. i have sat in EVERY major denomination just to 'observe without complaint' for a period of 24 years. sometimes you do not 'get the way' until you WALK IN IT with those of peculiar TYPES of strengths. discover zume project.com discover curtis sergeant discover the unusual work of Torben Sondergaard. there may be 'parts missing'. but there are POWERS AND RESULTS shown.. YOU must put 'all parts together' in your own home AFTER you have made the effort LIKE ABRAHAM to LEAVE your people to get truly connected with ELOHIM....

[@arttyree4504]

Anabaptists began as groups of earnest believers began searching the Scriptures to see what the Holy Spirit had to say about many ideas and practices that they (rightly) had questions about. The aim isn't to be an institutional sect, but to learn God's way and God's will, and do it.

[@DelmyTreeCutter]

Watch the hidden faith of the founding fathers. A very well documented documentary that shows how these men did not follow Jesus.

[@Peregrino1995]

¡¡¡¡Traducción al Español Please!!!!!! :,(

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

I wish we could. We’ll keep your request in mind, but we can’t, at this point, make any promises. Sorry! :-(

19:45 ..100 million = Moron.

[@AnabaptistPerspectives]

Hi Matthew. 100 million seems high and is certainly worthy of question, but we have reason to consider its validity. I cannot present you with independent research, but I can point you to several resources that you might find to be interesting. The first is "American Colonies" by Alan Taylor (Ph.D. from Brandeis University and presently a faculty member at the University of Virginia). On page 40, while discussing the depopulation of indigenous people, Taylor suggests that some scholars believe the pre-Columbus population of the American continents to be about 100 million. Secondly, you might investigate Charles C. Mann's "1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus." On page 94, Mann discusses, and rightly questions, the 1966 estimated aboriginal population of anthropologist Henry Dobyns. Dobyns proposed that more than 112,000,000 indigenous people lived in the Western Hemisphere (if you have access to Jstor, see www.jstor.org/stable/2740306?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents). Most of these would have been killed as a consequence of European settlement. So, 100 million might be too high, but the claim that some scholars have estimated the number to be that high isn't unfounded. Thanks again for the comment.

[@99xstallerthanmost]

Oliver Cromwell, Trust in God and keep your powder dry?

[@arttyree4504]

I go by what Jesus said. "My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight". -- John 18.36.