About this episode

In this episode, Craig and his better podcast half, Abby Cleckner, are joined by Peter Rollo, founder of the website and blog project Rival Nations. Pete shares the history of Rival Nations, why he started it, why he was anonymous for so long, and where the project is headed.

If you’ve ever questioned if the world of politics, on any side, be it liberal, conservative, anarchist, or libertarian always seems prone to the ways of this world, to violence. This episode looks at why that is, and why we, as Christians are called to a different kingdom, and we must continue to abide by the ways of that Kingdom, the one Jesus showed us, rather than pursue earthly powers.

Too often we find Christians falling into the fallacy that, if we just get more Christians elected into office things will change, and God’s will can be implemented, with the right leaders, but this is the illusion we see Jesus reject time and time again in the Bible. How do we get to this conclusion? By looking at what Jesus has to teach us. In the second half of the episode, Pete breaks down his article, Christians Can’t Be in Government, to show us exactly who is at the forefront of political power (hint: it is not God!).

We see Israel fall when it turns to earthly Kings, and we see Jesus reject the role of Messiah, in an effort to show us God’s way, not Man’s. Rival Nations is a digital archive of Pete’s theological journey, and it all started with seeing Jesus as a political force, not in his pursuit of political power, but, rather, in his rejection of it. Let us know what you think and the comments, or by sharing your thoughts on social media!

Episode Timestamps:

1:46 Pete’s Background

Public ministry and expressing “radical” viewpoints

4:08 The difficulty of engaging those we disagree with

6:31 Peter’s Political Journey

No political ideology or government aligns with Jesus
Jesus is the alternative to the earthly missions of political movements
Jesus is political

8:27 Creation of Rival Nations (formerly done anonymously)

Peter created the website as a tool for himself

11:30 How the Political realization of Jesus transformed Peter’s Theology

Word Gospel was not a Hebrew word, but a word caesar was using and Jesus co-opted the phrase
Early church’s focus on Jesus
Modern church’s alignment with the Roman Catholic church vs. the early church of historic Christianity
Anabaptist

16:17 Peter’s Article - Christians Can’t Be in Government

If you take Jesus seriously, we must abstain from seeking political power
The myth of “getting more Christians in office will fix things”
George W. Bush claimed to follow Jesus vs. his actions while in office (war)
Can a Christian run a secular government, without engaging in violence
Governments cannot love their enemy the way Jesus calls on us to love ours
Satan offered Jesus political power and Jesus rejected it
- Politics pulls us away from God?
- Satan wants more Christians in office

20:22 Did God create the government (or any government)?

1 Samuel 8
Humanity was given authority over animals and nature - not humanity
Israel had no king and was supposed to be an example, but they fell into wanting kings
- Violence always comes from wanting to control others
The whole power structure has to be turned upside down to follow Jesus
The notion of “Jesus for President” can never make sense with the current system

27:06 Jesus being tempted with political power and rejecting it

Jesus avoided term Messiah
- Had violence in its history
People kept trying to make him king
Satan directly tempts him
Jesus is not going to come back and be violent
- Why would Jesus change his mind?
Jesus will not “slay out enemies”
- Our propensity toward violence drives us to this thinking
The myth of American Cowboy
- “Might makes right”
- Our enormous military power

33:07 Opt-Out and Follow Jesus

America is not our nation, Christnation is
We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of Heaven
But what about paul using his Roman citizenship?
- We do what we need to survive practically and leverage situations for our mission for God and further the Gospel
Accepting Jesus as king of your life is the only citizenship you get to choose to participate in
- What paul talked about was a rival nation to Rome

38:59 “God puts people in political power”

Reading Romans 13 without reading Romans 12
Old vs. New Testament
3 Temptations of Jesus
Is Satan only interested in Jesus worshiping him?
If we know the temptation, why would we partake in it?
Does Romans 13 work for Nazi Germany?
- Then it doesn't work for you and America

44:49 God in the Process of Resorting All Things