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Introduction
The Saga of the Pilgrims is a story about
the religious persecution brought on a group of Christians
by a government. It is also a story about God's deliverance
from that persecution. This story applies, even in
our modern day, to more and more Christians around
the world--Christians coming increasingly under government
and religious persecution. Government persecution
and persecution of all types against Christians is
constantly growing in our modern world, as amazing
as that may seem to some of us in the United States
of America. |
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But it is a plain fact, that as we get closer
to the end of this age of man, these persecutions will increase.
Jesus talked about this persecution in the end times just
prior to his return, so we shouldn't be surprised. But some
of us are, living in these United States of America, when
we hear of Christians being persecuted and even killed in
other countries. We don't really know whether to believe these
stories or not, they sound so outrageous, like Christians
being crucified or sold into slavery in the Sudan. Surely
that can't happen here, can it? How bad could it get over
here in the United States? I think that is a good reason we
need to look at the Saga of the Pilgrims, because England
in the 1600's was considered a civilized society. Queen Elizebeth's
sea dogs had just beaten off the Spanish Armada with their
skillful seamanship, high muzzle-velocity cannons, and by
God's grace through a great storm. A virtual knowledge bloom
both in Scripture and technology was taking place, quite similar
to our time. So let's take a close look at the Saga of the
Pilgrims, for it may yet become our Saga. And if any of you
doubt the seriousness of the times we live in, remember what
just happened on September 11, 2001.
This story is the history of the start of the Congregationalist
revival, but it is also a history of Christians under persecution,
and more importantly, a story about their deliverance. They
were firmly anchored to Jesus, their Rock, and he used them
to become the holy seed crystal of the greatest nation on
earth. We and they will become the seed crystal of the
coming Kingdom of God at the return of Jesus Christ!
He is preparing us to land on that promised land, so let us
read the Saga of the Pilgrims with these things in mind.
One other essential thing. We must not forget one of the central
"religious" motives for the Pilgrim's move to the New World
was that of world evangelism. According to writings of Bradford
and Edward Winslow this motive was expressed thusly: "Lastly,
and which was not least, a great hope and inward zeal they
had of laying some good foundation, or at least to make someway
thereunto, for the promoting and advancing of the gospel of
the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world;
yea, though they should be but even as stepping-stones unto
others for the performing of so great a work." These humble
folk were indeed "stepping stones" for greater works of world
evangelism which now are presently going around the globe
and reaching billions of people with the gospel, all within
the last eight years! Be sure to click onto the section "What
is Evangelism" and then onto the article "Evangelism: national
and international" to read about a group of Christians who
have currently reached two billion people with the gospel
in just eight short years. Without the godly foundation the
Pilgrims laid for the settlement and establishment of these
United States, such works would not be possible. We must rekindle
that early spiritual fire these Pilgrims had for Jesus' Great
Commission which he expressed in Matthew 28:18-20. That Commission
the Pilgrim Separatists took quite seriously as one of their
major motives for removing to the New World, a very uncertain
world.
Elder
William Brewster’s Advice to Christians
Living in the United States
If Elder Brewster
were alive right now, what advice would he have for Christians
today, living in this country his Plymouth Plantation was
a foundation of? This article titled Saga of the Pilgrims
will answer that question by showing you how the Separatist
Christians reacted to very similar circumstances they were
living through. First, William Brewster, upon taking stock
of the condition of the Christian churches in the United States,
would realize that many of these churches have become what
the Church of England was like in the late 1500s to early
1600s. The very reason these Pilgrims were called Separatists
was because they believed one had to separate himself or herself
out from the Church of England in order to more ensure one’s
salvation. Why did they feel so strongly about this issue?
It was because the Church of England was baptizing and allowing
known sinners to become members of the Church of England.
The Bible, as they could plainly read in 1 Corinthians, commands
believers to have no fellowship with sinners that are in the
church, and to put them out of the church. Well these Separatists
couldn’t very well remove the “sinners”
the Church of England was admitting into their fellowship
out of that church, so they felt compelled to break off from
that church, even though that put their lives in peril of
the monarchy of England, the government. William Brewster
would take one good look at what is going on within the Christian
churches here in the United States, and judging by the same
biblical standards they had lived by, advise all Christians
living in this land of ours to separate out from any Christian
church which baptized and/or admitted known sinners to their
membership rolls. Now that sounds pretty reactionary. But
understand, Mr. Brewster was a very pronounced reactionary
of his day. King James I of England had a price on Mr. Brewster’s
head because he had actually dared to publish a book that
went against the kings wishes.
The other thing the Separatists and Mr. Brewster were known
for whilst living in the midlands of England was this. They
would search diligently for those parishes and churches that
had a real preacher that preached the Word of God powerfully
and in a way that would spiritually nourish the congregation.
He and they would search out for Holy Spirit led and inspired
preachers, and go to their services. They set the prime example
of going out in search of churches that were alive spiritually,
and leaving ones that weren’t. Now that may ruffle a
few pastoral feathers, but these people were willing to risk
their lives and die so that we in this land of ours could
have that freedom without risk to life and limb.
So If Elder Brewster were alive today he would be just as
reactionary in his advice to Christians as he was back in
1620. He would advise all Christians living in this land he
loved so much to separate themselves out from any church they
might be attending if that church or denomination
was now in the habit of baptizing or admitting to its membership
rolls known sinners. He would go on to advise
these same Christians to find for themselves doctrinally sound,
solid churches who have preachers in them that expound the
whole Word of God without distortion, in a spiritually nourishing
manner.
Now let’s define sin. The Bible says sin is the transgression
of the law (1 John 3:4). Which law? Christians follow the
law of Christ (which is based on, but not quite the same as
the Law of Moses). The law of Christ is defined by Jesus in
Matthew 5:17-48, and by Paul in Romans 1. Churches that admit
as members people who are knowingly and willingly living by
lifestyles defined in these two passages are what Mr. Brewster
would advise we “separate” ourselves out from
and cease attending.
As a direct descendant of William Brewster, and in a tiny
way following in his footsteps in gospel publishing using
the most modern media (the Internet), just as he did in the
1600s (the printing press), I feel compelled to tell you what
advice my ancestor would desire have me pass on to you. Do
you think this advice is too reactionary? Then read about
the man who would give you this same advice if he were alive
today--read about the man who lived the very advice he would
give you in Saga of the Pilgrims.
Enjoy,
(a descendant of William Brewster)
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