Christian Culture-an essay in progress.
and now for something completely different...
Is there such a thing as a Christian culture, or more specifically, an Organization outside the church that operates according to Christian principles.
First to define a few terms. It is said of Jesus that He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is the source from which we must draw what being a Christian involves, and His example is the one we are to follow if we are to be His diciples. I see nothing in the New Testament that allows or suggests that we are able to compartmentalize our personal relationship with Jesus apart from our individual actions, family structure, career choices, how we would run our businesses or our governments. It's either all or nothing. I don't see Jesus giving us gray areas.
Let's look at the progression of our relationship with Jesus. It is first and foremost an individual relationship. Despite what the Crusades and other slaughters wrought in the name of God; nations, cultures, communities cannot be converted. It's "whosover will". It's if "you" believe and are baptized, you will enter the kingdom of God. This kingdom an individual enters by belief in Jesus as the Way, the Truth, the Life, is not a physical kingdom. It is not a nation that God has chosen to represent Him to the world. Jesus was quite specific when He talked of the Kingdom: it does not come with observation, or as one transalation says, it does not come with "ocular observation". You can't see it. If Jesus wanted an earthly kingdom, he had the opportunity when He was on earth. People came to Him wanting to make Him King. His reaction, unlike those that spend millions of dollars today to be rulers of this present darkness, was to flee to a quiet place. He didn't want or need the validation of man. He came as a suffering servant, to give His life for those that were lost; not to bring judgement and death to the world...this time. The atrocities done in His name from the early church days to the present bring only shame to His name. He came to seek and save those that were lost, to feed the poor, to cloth the naked. Not to establish His kingdom by war and death.
Contrary to present belief, might does not make right. Might only gives you the power to be wrong and kill those that don't agree with you. Not exactly following Jesus, Who was obedient, even to death on the cross.
...to be continued.
© 2005, Bob Cooper
Is there such a thing as a Christian culture, or more specifically, an Organization outside the church that operates according to Christian principles.
First to define a few terms. It is said of Jesus that He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is the source from which we must draw what being a Christian involves, and His example is the one we are to follow if we are to be His diciples. I see nothing in the New Testament that allows or suggests that we are able to compartmentalize our personal relationship with Jesus apart from our individual actions, family structure, career choices, how we would run our businesses or our governments. It's either all or nothing. I don't see Jesus giving us gray areas.
Let's look at the progression of our relationship with Jesus. It is first and foremost an individual relationship. Despite what the Crusades and other slaughters wrought in the name of God; nations, cultures, communities cannot be converted. It's "whosover will". It's if "you" believe and are baptized, you will enter the kingdom of God. This kingdom an individual enters by belief in Jesus as the Way, the Truth, the Life, is not a physical kingdom. It is not a nation that God has chosen to represent Him to the world. Jesus was quite specific when He talked of the Kingdom: it does not come with observation, or as one transalation says, it does not come with "ocular observation". You can't see it. If Jesus wanted an earthly kingdom, he had the opportunity when He was on earth. People came to Him wanting to make Him King. His reaction, unlike those that spend millions of dollars today to be rulers of this present darkness, was to flee to a quiet place. He didn't want or need the validation of man. He came as a suffering servant, to give His life for those that were lost; not to bring judgement and death to the world...this time. The atrocities done in His name from the early church days to the present bring only shame to His name. He came to seek and save those that were lost, to feed the poor, to cloth the naked. Not to establish His kingdom by war and death.
Contrary to present belief, might does not make right. Might only gives you the power to be wrong and kill those that don't agree with you. Not exactly following Jesus, Who was obedient, even to death on the cross.
...to be continued.
© 2005, Bob Cooper
posted by Bob | 27.5.05
2 Comments:
Very interesting! Nice start to a thought-provoking essay!
This is interesting stuff that I wish I knew more about. For my Revelation pages I am constantly worried about how the color is going to print (will the Red be Orange, etc.). I usually resort to trial and error sadly. I also hear alot of dissapointment from students whose Photoshop projects don't look that same when printed. I also switch back and forthe between CMYK and RGB and I don't know what the difference is.
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