Hey!!
Please don't skim over this...
Politics and Christ
by Frank S. Palmisano III
To what extent did Jesus involve himself with the tense political situation of his day? When Peter questions the Lord about taxes, Jesus admonishes him to give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto the Lord what is the Lord's. When he stands before Pontius Pilate on the charge of blasphemy, Jesus clearly defends himself by putting his own mission as far from the political spectrum of turmoil and unrest of the day as he could possibly go. "My kingdom is not of this world," he spoke. "If it were, my servants would be fighting." Jesus constantly eschewed titles and grandeur. In the political scene of the day, there were groups of nationalists (or zealots) who pushed for Jesus to adopt a political agenda and set up a temporal king on earth. How many Christians too easily fall into the same trap as those zealots? Grievously, it's evident in the masses of Christians trying to establish a temporal reign of Christ here on earth through a political candidate.
How many of us find a perfect set of moral imperatives in one candidate, only to stamp him with Christ's seal of approval, forgetting that it's a change of heart, not a changing of the guard, that is required? How many of us act as God's attorneys when we are not satisfied to be witnesses? As many rushed off to the polls in hopes of consecrating the best man for the job under a banner of Christ, I was reminded of the Crusaders who carried banners in the Lord's name, as they went forth to establish "Christian rule" on earth, and sealed their testimony in the blood of unbelievers. Let us take to heart that we are merely sojourners, not here to establish kingdoms, but to bring people into the only one that matters.
This is good? I hope this helps people understand where I'm coming from...I know a lot of people aren't so interested in politics now that the election is over, but it is something that I love, and I think is important because of its significance in my religion. Thanks.
Love,
the guff
Politics and Christ
by Frank S. Palmisano III
To what extent did Jesus involve himself with the tense political situation of his day? When Peter questions the Lord about taxes, Jesus admonishes him to give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and unto the Lord what is the Lord's. When he stands before Pontius Pilate on the charge of blasphemy, Jesus clearly defends himself by putting his own mission as far from the political spectrum of turmoil and unrest of the day as he could possibly go. "My kingdom is not of this world," he spoke. "If it were, my servants would be fighting." Jesus constantly eschewed titles and grandeur. In the political scene of the day, there were groups of nationalists (or zealots) who pushed for Jesus to adopt a political agenda and set up a temporal king on earth. How many Christians too easily fall into the same trap as those zealots? Grievously, it's evident in the masses of Christians trying to establish a temporal reign of Christ here on earth through a political candidate.
How many of us find a perfect set of moral imperatives in one candidate, only to stamp him with Christ's seal of approval, forgetting that it's a change of heart, not a changing of the guard, that is required? How many of us act as God's attorneys when we are not satisfied to be witnesses? As many rushed off to the polls in hopes of consecrating the best man for the job under a banner of Christ, I was reminded of the Crusaders who carried banners in the Lord's name, as they went forth to establish "Christian rule" on earth, and sealed their testimony in the blood of unbelievers. Let us take to heart that we are merely sojourners, not here to establish kingdoms, but to bring people into the only one that matters.
This is good? I hope this helps people understand where I'm coming from...I know a lot of people aren't so interested in politics now that the election is over, but it is something that I love, and I think is important because of its significance in my religion. Thanks.
Love,
the guff