Joshua 1:8
"...[B]ut you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8).
"You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." (John 5:39).
"And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:13).
I like the part about love fulfilling the law - and so true that if you truly love your neighbor as yourself that all of the other commandments must be followed.
ReplyDeleteJust a thought - in the submission to authority. I would assume that with respect to a corrupt authority that this in no way intends Christian to follow as blind sheep right? Wouldn't it be the duty of every Christian to do exactly the opposite? I was thinking of the "render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's... and unto God the things that are God's." I do think, taken out of context, that this section of Romans 13 as well as the first half of the rendering unto Caesar what is his can be completely distorted by government, and abused. I know Romans 13 was used by many in defense for following Hitler - in that they were simply obeying the law. Yet I know that first we are to follow God and if that requires civil disobedience then so be it. Any thoughts?
I really like the verse that states, "Love is the fulfillment of the law". Verse 14 is challenging...
ReplyDeleteVerse 14 is indeed very challenging. I like that verse too. It all kind of falls under what Jesus said is the greatest commandments: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
ReplyDeleteInteresting question, Mary. It seems like God is saying to follow the laws no matter what. Look up how Jesus / the bible views slavery. However I think its our duty to work WITHIN the system to change things. For example, working within our system to outlaw abortion rather than stop paying taxes because we know some tax dollars pay for them.
The laws that man puts into place may be against my moral beliefs (Karyn) but at the end of the day I think that it is all put there because of sin. If there was no sin in the world things would not be so immoral and liberal. When I think of certain laws that get passed or when I found out last year the percentage of my tax dollars that goes to Planned Parenthood, I was so upset and frustrated, but at the end of the day I just rely on the fact that even those people that put these laws into place or make the decisions of where my tax dollars go, Jesus loves them too and that is what I need to remember. Praying for the people in leadership that that they look to God for guidance, not what they think the our nation needs or wants, but what is God's best. I know that is far cry from where are nation is right now, but we are called to pray for those in leadership and I know I could do a better job doing that.
ReplyDeleteRight - and with the planned parenthood: I feel like that is one of the best examples where the church has somewhat failed. There are resources for women out there (ie options 360, pregnancy resource center) but the amount of outreach, advertising, access, etc is nothing in comparison to planned parenthood. Some don't even know it exists! Trista from work didn't know where else you do go - she thought PP was where you go. Women need the access to health care, and if we as a Christian community get so upset and agitated over planned parenthood and their "care deliver" we really need to look at how to better provide for that population. I think part of the fuel for the fire isn't always their abortion rate but that the abortion rate represents our failure. But that's my public health background talking...
ReplyDelete*Note I am not saying that funding planned parenthood with tax dollars is something I'm even slightly happy with - I would shuttle the money nearly anywhere else (except maybe to paint more bike arrows down our side streets in Portland).
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustration Mary but that's almost like questioning why a non-profit coffee shop can't compete with Starbucks AFTER the govt gives them tax exempt status and half a billion dollars a year. PP is a cultural icon, a for profit non-profit, and backed by good ol' Uncle Sam - not to mention their lobby in DC. Many of the PRCs are making strides none the less and I like the push against PP lately but I agree, if everyone is so against PP perhaps we could do a better job supporting the other options. Perhaps you found your calling, Mary.
ReplyDeleteI like Joel's point about changing things from within and agree with His assessment but what about those countries where change is virtually impossible? Where dictators reign. Nazi germany is a good example. That's a hard one...but I think Paul is trying to give us an eternal perspective in that we are to be good civil servants and glorify God in all we do. Paul lived in a country where immorality ran rampant and Christians were continually persecuted/killed just for their beliefs. Interesting that he would still write what he wrote... Likewise Jesus was living under the same jurisdiction when He made the "render unto Caesar" statement. And you can bet that Rome was funding the PP of their day and much worse. Still Jesus made Himself subserviant to all manner of leadership - and He was perfect, God. Interesting...
Was Nazi germany so different than Rome? Yet like you said Josh, Jesus made Himself subserviant. God knows that when we put Jesus on the throne of our hearts the world will change must faster than trying to change corrupt governments.
ReplyDeleteExactly - well said. I like that - put Jesus on the throne of our hearts. And by doing that we apply v. 14.
ReplyDeleteYes exactly
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