An Alabama newspaper editorialized the other day about corruption of the churches by right-wing politics.
Church congregations are allowing their leaders to grow calluses on Christ’s greatest commandments. It’s difficult to love God with all of one’s heart, soul and mind, and your neighbor as yourself when ministers persecute non-conforming Christians.
This was in response to the sad incident where the pastor of a small church was pressured to resign after excommunicating several members for espousing liberal politics. (Rob Couto informed us of this recently in “Pewjacked!“.) Martin Luther King said Christians (and liberals) need to be strong-minded and tender-hearted, but often have it the other way around. Unfortunately, this editorial says, many “silver-tongued” successful and experienced pastors of large churches are deliberately cultivating hard-heartedness and unholiness among their listeners. I think that is clearly true.
The Rev. Chandler, who called it a misunderstanding, wasn’t smooth enough to emulate the silver-tongued preachers in the mega-churches who find fortune in spewing their intolerance across the nation’s airwaves daily. He’s a sad victim of their trickle-down theology.
Politics will destroy the holiness of civilization’s greatest institution if Americans don’t stop this dangerous movement.
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Mat 5:39 But I say unto you, that ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. This commandment of Christ which is found in the 5th chapter of the gospel of Mathew is one of the most hated of all. Can we call ourselves Christian if we don’t do what Jesus commanded us to do? John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
I once ask another pastor about this command. He told me that Christ intended it for the Christians to keep after the second coming when our sin nature will be gone. I told him that I believe it was for all Christians for all times. He laughed at me and said I was confused because it would be impossible to do this command now. I reminded him that the things that are impossible for men are possible with God.
The apostle Paul must have been confused to when he said. 1Co 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Suffer yourselves to be defrauded? This guy must have been out of his mind. In fact, he was out of his mind when he wrote this because he wrote also. 1Co 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
The mind of Christ is a terrible thing to waste but the majority of those who identify with Him have done just that. Our natural understanding together with the world around us proclaims this non-resistant attitude is a position of weakness that brings shame on our faith.
I hear other Christians proclaiming that we are supposed to divide and conquer the enemies of our faith so when Jesus comes with all the holy angels we can just hand over the throne of the world that we’ve taken for Him by force. Sounds like some Middle Eastern religion to me.
Jesus never has and never will force people to serve Him. He together with His true disciples already owns everything and everything is going exactly as He predicted it would in the bible. Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. If you want to get your way in a disagreement, do what Jesus commanded and wait on God. You will get a BIG surprise.
Can the words of the greatest commandments possibly show how Christ is one with the Father by describing their perfection and their relationship with each other?
The Father loves all that he is and all that he does with all his heart, soul, mind and strength.
The Father loves Christ as he loves HIMSELF.
Christ loves the father as he loves HIMSELF.
God loves each and every one of us as he loves himself?
Here is a short passage that uses the same kind of language to describe one flesh, as you read it, search in your heart for the profound mystery.
Ephesians 5:31 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery- but I am talking about Christ and the Church. However each one of you also must love his wife as he loves Himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Paul brings together one flesh, marriage, Christ and the Church, and the second commandment making a profound connection between them all.
Christians were put to death in Rome for not worshipping the emporer.
Where does that fine line emerge, between trusting in the emporer, picking fights about the emporer, voting for the emporer… and worship?
This approach to democracy also robs people of salvation:
Galatians 5:19 Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: – enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, – of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
I heard a bit more about this NC pastor… I don’t want ot cross-post so I’ll just start here. Supposedly, the first victims were asked to sign something that pertained to their agreement on his political views… I have to say that I jumped to the typical conclusion when I thought it was a requisite for their further service. It may have been something entirely different; the ‘misunderstanding’ might have been that he wanted their approval, he needed them to sign off on his position before he went any further in the pulpit. Then they would have misunderstood, and walked out. It was much later on that they were voted out by the remaining board members; I can imagine that this is the only thing left for them to do, and it may have been a fitting response to their harsh reaction. I don’t know, I wasn’t there. I’m just trying to be careful, and I tend to view everything indiscriminately as part of the setup. If we aren’t careful, the negative feelings inspired within the true church could easily be part of the desired results— intended by the enemy. Second-guess everything.
However… he said repent and vote for Bush. No thanks. That all by itself is evidence of the way God and king, church and country, are all being blurred together. Coupled with the Bush fish sticker, it has me leaning back from the table, saying ‘I’m full.’