Politics and the Kingdom continued

Three reasons politics is a unhealthy pursuit for the Church

(1) Contrary to Kingdom growth:
The power of God is manifested in His people when we emulate the example of Christ by demonstrating love with humility, service, and sacrifice. Seizing power over "the world" to change behavior and make it a more comfortable place to be a Christian is contary to both the message of Jesus and the methods He used. Remember, He was the rightful heir to the throne of God, one with the Father, the rightful ruler of the world. But rather than seizing power by force, He chose to "empty Himself" and "make Himself of no reputation" (Phil. 2)
Consider His instructions to those who would follow in his footsteps: "Be as sheep among wolves" Be wise as serpents, gentle as doves" "Turn the other cheek" "Go the extra mile" etc...

The spread of the Kingdom (better translated "Reign of God") was clearly organic, not systemic. The gospel ("good news") of Christ ultimately revolutionizes (and I use revolution in the GK Chesterton sense) the world as it revolutionizes YOU (The Kingdom of Heaven is AMONG you)

(2) Distracts the Church from her true mission with a myopic vision:
The temptation here is to replace the authenticity of a Spirit-led life - Submission to God, respect for authority, completely sold-out Kingdom life - with self: becoming like a God to others (determining their actions by "power-over"), being the authority (ie..."The Moral Majority"), and having our own kingdoms stamped with a "Christian" label to justify our idolatry.
When this happens you have law over love, you replace Kingdom life with nationalism, Godliness with gain, humility and submission with power over others.

Once again, the followers of Christ that manifest this organism known as the Church were intended to BE the embodiment of the "Reign of God" by living a life that imitates Christ in message and method.

(3) It doesn't work:
There is no historically demonstrable example of the seizure of power being beneficial for the cause of Christ (a few negative examples would be the crusades, the reformation, and the slave trade) . Rather, the Church flourishes when believers are living a life that is completely Kingdom-focused regardless of their situation and occupation and outside of the world's methods of gaining power. From the first 300 years of the Church to the modern spread of the movement of Jesus in China, God has continually demonstrated His willingnes to manifest His power when His people humble themselves, seek HIS face, and turn from their OWN sins.

grace, peace, love,
michael
phil 1:20-21, 3:7-10

Why I won't be joining you November 4th...

"My Kingdom is not of this world..."
The message of the messiah is completely missed in a world gone mad. Did He not say that the Kingdom of Heaven was like a treasure hidden in a field, that one must obsess over to find? Did not He say that following Him would cost us everything, starting with our own ideas? Did He not say the last would be the first, and the least would be the greatest? Did He not tell us that to seek power was a dead-end road, and to seek a scepter was the way of darkness? Do not be deceived - the Kingdom doesn't come through the seizure of power, and change is nothing more than a by-word unless it comes from the heart. Laws don't change hearts, they change actions (with dubious success at best).

I hear the voice of a radical, revolutionary, passionate Messiah. I hear Him saying "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand!" I hear His call "Follow Me"
Yea, Crucify yourself - serve, sacrifice, love, give, be gracious, submit, pray, fast, fight the powers of darkness by the might of the Spirit, forgive, bless, do not curse...
But nowhere, not once, ever..."Seize power, exalt yourself, tear down your enemies, rule, take vengeance..."

You can take your politics back to the hell that spawned them. We see the truest works of the Enemy when we see the "followers of Christ" spending their time and money on acheiving a faltering, fading hold on "power" that will vanish like a mist in the midsummer's dawn. Cease from folly, turn your eyes and your efforts to the Kingdom lest you waste your life."

A voice says, "Cry out."And I said, "What shall I cry?"

"All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." (Isaiah 40:6-8)

For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:11 NIV)

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Ephesians 6:12 NIV)

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!

(Philippians 2:5-8)

peace,

michael

Phil 1:20-21, 3:7-10