Ted Cruz is being “labeled” as a dominionist which also just happens to frighten a lot of people. The term does sound scary to the citizens of a constitutional republic until you understand it. That is exactly what the liberals, who are the ones who started this story, want. Every article that claims this also uses terrible logic and leaps of insinuation to come to a particular conclusion. In this article, I will address the facts and dismiss the fanciful machinations of those minds that merely dislike the senator for political reasons.
Dominionism also goes by the name of “Christian Reconstructionism.” It is a doctrine started by Calvinists to explain their end time view of Jesus’ future rule. I won’t go into details about this doctrine as it would take many more pages than I am willing to write, but suffice it to say it is the idea that Jesus will not come back to rule the nations until we Christians bring about a Christian society first. Thus, every sector of society is in need of Christians who would bring their Christian integrity to the job place and bring godly principles there as well.
Because Raphael Cruz, Ted Cruz’s father and who is also a pastor, speaks of the seven mountains of society, some have assumed that Raphael is a dominionist. Hence, his son must be as well according to their logic. Two giant leaps are taken here. For the first leap we need to understand what these seven mountains have in the context of how it was used by Raphael.
A few years ago a man, whose name is Lance Wallnau, took the idea of the seven mountains of society from the dominionists and used it in his own material to encourage all Christians to understand that they are all called of God, to go into one of these areas of society and be an influence for good. Wallnau, a Pentecostal, took “only” that portion of dominionism to add to his presentation.
Now if we look at the types of churches Raphael, an itinerant minister, speaks at, we can surmise that because they are Pentecostal, the mention of seven mountains would be in the context of Wallnau’s teaching rather than the Christian Reconstructionist. Therefore, it does not make Raphael a dominionist. To make that inference without any other evidence is shoddy journalism. It is a narrative in search of facts to support it.
Is it not true that as a created being, each of us have a particular calling to do a particular work with the life we are given. Would it not make sense that people are not only called to be pulpit ministers, but they are called to be doctors, soldiers, engineers, mechanics, teachers, athletes, etc.? These are the seven mountains of society: (1) Business; (2) Government; (3) Media; (4) Arts and Entertainment; (5) Education; (6) Family; and (7) Religion. Are there no people at all in any of these fields who are not called to them by God? Would that not even mean and include to be president of the United States? Did not God call and anoint David to lead the people of Israel?
The second leap is easier to define. It is a leap of subjectivity to suggest that the son is like the father. One cannot make that inference except that the son agrees to it. Ted describes himself as a Baptist. One cannot “infer” that the son is the same as the father. Again, shoddy journalism is employed. Rather than making leaps of inference and subjectivity, why not simply ask Ted Cruz himself. Would that not make much more sense than gathering all of this subjective evidence to build a case against him?
The next piece of so-called evidence that Ted Cruz is a dominionist is that Raphael prayed over his son with other pastors and they “anointed” him, calling him a “king” who was anointed to bring about a transfer of wealth from the wicked to the righteous. Those who are unfamiliar with some Pentecostal doctrines would take this differently than how it would sound on the surface. There is biblical precedence for anointing and laying on of hands to send a person out on a mission but I would disagree with the idea of a transfer of wealth. This transfer of wealth is not even part of dominionists’ theology that I am aware of. This is a Pentecostal doctrine that in the end days this will take place and they use the following passage:
Proverbs 13:22 (KJV) 22A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children: And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
As anyone can see there are no end time ramification to this passage. It is merely a generalized rule. I am not concerned over this this portion anyway. It is the calling of Ted Cruz a “king” that panics people. But they need to understand that every Christian is called a “king” and a “priest” in the bible.
Revelation 1:6 (KJV) And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
We are called that because we are adopted as sons and daughters of God. Jesus is our King of kings and High Priest of priests. For people to “infer” that Ted Cruz sees himself as a literal king who would suspend the Constitution and create a monarchy is to engage in delusional thought. They literally show that they are not only unfamiliar with Christianity but they are also unfamiliar with what the bible actually says.
People also do not understand the Christian principle of anointing and laying on of hands and sending one on a mission. This is exactly what Raphael and other pastors did with Ted Cruz. To anoint is merely a practice to demonstrate that a leader or leaders acknowledge the calling of a person to a particular position. Consider the following:
Acts 13:2–3 (KJV) 2As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. 3And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.
There are those who are calling those pastors who prayed for Ted Cruz, “false prophets.” This is a serious charge. It is so easy to throw out pejoratives and label people for your own personal gain. But the charge carries no evidentiary findings. These attacks are filled with innuendo, suggestion, subjection, and faulty inferences. Moreover, they are leveled by fellow Christians. There are warnings about bearing false witness and I have no doubt that Christians that engage in this type of behavior will receive in themselves the fruit of their own works.
As you can see, opponents of Ted Cruz have put their own scandalous views upon him and then looked for evidence to support it. They made leaps of inference bathed in ignorance to generate fear in those who also are ignorant concerning these things. Did they ever think to ask Ted Cruz or his campaign rather than pushing a narrative that lacks evidence to support it?
Fact: Ted Cruz has defended the Constitution before the Supreme Court.
Fact: Ted Cruz has stated his belief in limited government.
Fact: Ted Cruz wants to reign in the Executive Branch to be more in line with the Constitution.
Fact: Ted Cruz has a history of supporting limited government and the Constitution.
Does this suggest to you that Ted Cruz wants to suspend the Constitution and institute a theocracy or a monarchy? To suggest that Mr. Cruz sees himself as a king is merely the attempts of those who do not like true conservatism to smear a man they oppose. As is always the case in an election cycle, stories are made up and passed around as truth. What surprises me this year is the number of Christians who are knowingly slandering a brother in Christ. Stick to the facts, hammer them all you want, but don’t engage in the slimy tactics of the left by passing around these false stories birthed in the basements of socialist liberals.
Don’t shoot the messenger.
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