You will sooner or later be forced to choose between two different systems of Christianity. One system will force you to conform. It is called “Babylon.” Babylon is based on the traditions of men. The other system forces no one, but offers complete freedom of conscience. It is called the “remnant.”
The remnant is the object of persecution by the forces of Babylon because they “keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 12:17).
The Babylonian system is now closer than ever to becoming a threat to religious freedom. The sign? On February 24, 2026, the President of the United States made the following statements at his state of the union address to the nation:
“There has been a tremendous renewal of religion, faith, Christianity, and belief in God, a tremendous renewal.”
“We love religion, and we love bringing it back, and it’s coming back at levels nobody thought possible.”
“When God needs a nation to work His miracles, He knows exactly who to ask.”
“Our destiny is written by the hand of Providence, and these first 250 years were just the beginning.”
“The golden age of America is upon us.”
“Our future will be bigger, better, brighter, bolder, and more glorious than ever before.”
The President has made similar statements before, such as claiming he wanted to “make Christianity great again,” presumably through legislation. Such language comes directly from the tenets of Christian nationalism. Christian nationalists presume that their notions of Christianity are the only true version, and that it should become the national religion.
Of course, such an idea runs counter to the founding principles of the nation, which advocate the separation of church and state and a rejection of religious tests for office holders. Clearly, the President is not letting up on his religious rhetoric after more than a year in office.
Project 2025, a document created by people now in the administration for guidance to policy makers, expresses support for a national Sunday law. If implemented, such a law would be the first of its kind. Sunday blue laws are on the books of many states, but are not ordinarily enforced. A national Sunday law would pay homage to the Roman papacy, since Sunday bears its mark of authority. The papacy gradually changed the law of God over its early centuries in regard to Sunday, which is of pagan origin.
Christians who honor the biblical Sabbath (Saturday) will become heretics. Non-Christians will be forced to conform, at least in an external way. There’s a growing sense in America that Muslims, Hindus, and others are not real Americans. But according to our constitution, religion is not an identifying mark of an American citizen. That’s about to change.
All people in the United States would welcome a golden age. Unfortunately, such a golden age is a dream and not what the Bible predicts. The future of the nation, and the world, is dire. Jesus, the great authority on Truth, clearly describes what the future looks like:
“Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matt. 24:7-8).
Jesus continues, “Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another, and many false prophets will arise and mislead many. Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold. But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matt. 24:10-14).
Does this sound like a golden age? No, a union of church and state will be the opposite. God’s true followers, His remnant people, will live through a religious dystopia, a time of attack on their conscientious adherence to the Word of God and their refusal to bow to the forces of Babylon.
I appeal to you to go to Jesus, the Rock on whom you must stand in the coming union of church and state, a union that will repeat the oppressions of the Middle Ages. In addition, study the Bible for yourself. Prepare to make the right choice.
In love, Jesus calls you to come out of Babylon. She is doomed to destruction. (See Rev. 18:4).
A.I. Supplement. Artificial intelligence, when used properly and knowledgeably, can be an excellent source of fact and historical summary. Below is what A.I. says when asked to describe the oppressions of the medieval church. If church and state unify in America, the same oppressions will return.
When Faith Became Power: Oppressions of the Medieval Church
The medieval church was the most influential institution in Europe for nearly a thousand years. It preserved literacy, founded hospitals, organized charity, and helped stabilize societies emerging from the collapse of Rome. Yet the same institution also accumulated judicial, economic, and political authority. When spiritual authority merged with governing power, coercion followed.
This article is not an attack on Christianity itself, nor on the sincere faith of medieval believers. Rather, it examines how an institution designed to guide conscience gradually gained control over conscience — and how that transformation shaped European society.
1. Enforcing Belief: Heresy as a Crime
In the Middle Ages, belief was not considered private. Religion formed the foundation of law, morality, and social order. Therefore disagreement with official doctrine was treated as a threat to civilization itself.
Movements such as the Cathars and Waldensians rejected aspects of church authority and teachings. They were not merely debated — they were prosecuted. Special courts known as inquisitions investigated doctrine, interrogated suspects, and compelled confessions.
Punishments ranged from imprisonment to execution, usually carried out by civil authorities after ecclesiastical judgment. The Czech reformer Jan Hus was executed after being promised safe conduct to defend his views.
To the medieval mindset, this was not seen as cruelty but protection. Just as treason threatened a kingdom, heresy threatened the eternal salvation of society.
2. The Economics of Salvation
Religion also governed daily survival. Medieval Europeans lived close to subsistence, yet religious payments were mandatory.
The church collected:
- Tithes (commonly a tenth of production)
- Fees for baptisms, marriages, and burials
- Pilgrimage costs encouraged as acts of devotion
- Indulgences — payments connected to remission of punishment for sin
Indulgences became especially controversial. Though originally tied to acts of repentance, they gradually became financial instruments supporting church projects. To poor peasants, salvation could appear monetized.
Refusal was not merely religious dissent — it could mean social exclusion, loss of burial rights, and community rejection. Spiritual penalties carried material consequences.
3. Authority Over Kings
The church was not only a religious body; it functioned as a transnational government. Its greatest weapon was not armies but legitimacy.
Through excommunication, a ruler could be cut off from Christian society. Through interdict, entire nations could be deprived of sacraments — marriages halted, funerals restricted, and churches closed. Social life froze.
The dramatic submission of Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor during the Investiture Controversy illustrated this power. A monarch stood barefoot in winter seeking reconciliation because political survival depended on spiritual approval.
In effect, the church possessed veto power over governments.
4. Control of Scripture and Interpretation
Most scripture in Western Europe existed in Latin. Ordinary believers depended on clergy to interpret divine authority.
When scholars such as John Wycliffe promoted vernacular translations, authorities reacted harshly. Unauthorized interpretations threatened not only theology but institutional authority. If individuals interpreted scripture independently, the hierarchy’s control weakened.
The issue was deeper than literacy. It was about who possessed the right to define truth.
5. Regulation of Daily Life
Religion shaped nearly every aspect of existence:
Marriage: Only church-sanctioned unions were legitimate, affecting inheritance and alliances.
Work: Holy days halted economic activity.
Morality: Oaths, contracts, and courts invoked religious authority.
Community: Excommunication removed a person from trade, relationships, and burial in consecrated ground.
In a society where identity depended on community membership, exclusion was devastating. Spiritual discipline functioned as social enforcement.
Why This System Developed
These structures arose from historical conditions rather than simple malice.
After Rome’s fall, Europe lacked strong centralized states. The church became the only continent-wide institution capable of maintaining unity. Stability depended on shared belief. Diversity of doctrine appeared synonymous with chaos.
Thus medieval leaders pursued unity over liberty. They feared disorder more than coercion.
Heresy, in their eyes, was not personal opinion — it was social fragmentation.
The Breaking Point
Over time tensions grew between institutional authority and individual conscience. Criticism of indulgences, demands for scripture access, and resistance to centralized power accumulated. These pressures eventually erupted in the Protestant Reformation.
The Reformation did not simply change theology. It reshaped Western thought about authority itself. The idea emerged that faith could exist without coercion and that belief should not be enforced by political power.
Conclusion
The medieval church illustrates a recurring historical pattern: when an institution entrusted with guiding souls acquires the power to govern bodies, persuasion can become compulsion.
It preserved civilization — yet also constrained conscience.
Understanding this tension helps explain why later societies increasingly separated church from state. The lesson was learned slowly, often painfully: genuine faith persuades; power enforces. History shows the difference matters.
Final corrections, additions, and editorial clarifications were completed on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 17:31 UTC.