Upon reflection of my previous thought - I would add that authority / power etc., in God's kingdom is so substantially different from any human establishment of power or authority.
It is a Christian's responsibility to denounce power and render them void - except God's power. That power can come from so many avenues, whether human, technological or systematic. By operating this way, we can feel perfectly fine in submitting to these authorities, as they have no power over us. We can exist in whatever situation in freedom, as Christ is our only authority. It is difficult to verbalize, as there seems to be contradictions - but living the life Christ wants us to live - means contradictions and challenging the ways, institutions, systems and people that oppose the Kingdom of God.
THUS: we may submit to them, BUT they have no power over us!!!!!!
As a side note: I know that these powers, authorities, principilities and even ourselves can control us. But the blood of Christ has given us freedom from the bondage that these things do to us - and we must live in that freedom!!!!!!
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Monday, October 29, 2007
Authority - a developing thought
What does the Kingdom of God say, instruct and teach us about Authority?
Obviously: God is King.
Obviously: We must obey Jesus.
Obviously: The Holy Spirit was given to us to guide, teach and exhort us.
God reigns in us, through: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit!
All this is obvious! All authority and power belongs to Them!!!
Yet, we are all faced with some form of human authority. Unjust leaders, dictators, oppressors, teachers, the police, parents, bosses and so forth. There is no escaping it. Even good and Godly leaders make terrible mistakes and fall into iniquity. King David is the prime example!
The question then arises: how do we balance what Romans 13 (or 1 Peter 2 & 3) says with life and ministry of Jesus (and the apostles in Acts)?
I recently read the 1 Peter passage and have frequently pondered Romans 13. I have been angered by hearing many Christians quote these passages as a form of guilt tripping and manipulation. It angers me more when Christians use it to entice the young to military service. Yet, history proves, the early church did not readily participate in military service - in fact, they opposed it!
Jesus, on the other hand, challenged authority: He refused to answer the "powers that be". He overturned the tables in the temple. He scolded the religious leaders in Matthew 23. He rendered to Caesar what was Caesar's and God what was God's, and then paid his tax from the mouth of a fish! He refused to render any significance to such a worldly deed. The fish, in fact, served to glorify the Kingdom of God and challenged the importance of the kingdoms of this world. He paid His tax! He submitted! He went about His business and He, thus, made it extremely clear that the Father was His authority, and nothing was going to stop him from being obedient to that calling!
Through this brief and rather fragmented monologue, on a topic that would and could amount to numerous words, I will try to clarify and summarize my thoughts:
Jesus lived a life of obedience to God the Father. He had His eyes set on Him. When authorities came, he submitted, yet did not necessarily obey. He did not start a violent revolution, yet he had the power to do just that. He operated in weakness, meekness and in submission. His revolution operated by creating a humble, peaceful and loving Kingdom. A Kingdom which has the power to exist amongst other kingdoms and render them as nothing. Freedom and love, through faith and the Kingdom of God, can and will exist in the harshest of regimes, the worst prisons and the bondage of a technological society.
I believe Romans 13 and 1 Peter teach us this: Submit (but not necessarily obey) to your authorities as this is the Will of God, render void their power, as all power belongs to God and the authority's power comes only by and through God. May persecution or punishment be through obedience to God, not through the rowdy and disruptive disobedience to the "powers that be".
Jesus hung on the cross because he chose the way of the Kingdom of God and opposed the kingdoms of this world. He suffered and died, yet he did not sin! He was able to submit to the "powers" because He knows the Power of God's Kingdom! He now sits in Heaven! May I also render void the powers that be - and be obedient to the One true Power!
Obviously: God is King.
Obviously: We must obey Jesus.
Obviously: The Holy Spirit was given to us to guide, teach and exhort us.
God reigns in us, through: The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit!
All this is obvious! All authority and power belongs to Them!!!
Yet, we are all faced with some form of human authority. Unjust leaders, dictators, oppressors, teachers, the police, parents, bosses and so forth. There is no escaping it. Even good and Godly leaders make terrible mistakes and fall into iniquity. King David is the prime example!
The question then arises: how do we balance what Romans 13 (or 1 Peter 2 & 3) says with life and ministry of Jesus (and the apostles in Acts)?
I recently read the 1 Peter passage and have frequently pondered Romans 13. I have been angered by hearing many Christians quote these passages as a form of guilt tripping and manipulation. It angers me more when Christians use it to entice the young to military service. Yet, history proves, the early church did not readily participate in military service - in fact, they opposed it!
Jesus, on the other hand, challenged authority: He refused to answer the "powers that be". He overturned the tables in the temple. He scolded the religious leaders in Matthew 23. He rendered to Caesar what was Caesar's and God what was God's, and then paid his tax from the mouth of a fish! He refused to render any significance to such a worldly deed. The fish, in fact, served to glorify the Kingdom of God and challenged the importance of the kingdoms of this world. He paid His tax! He submitted! He went about His business and He, thus, made it extremely clear that the Father was His authority, and nothing was going to stop him from being obedient to that calling!
Through this brief and rather fragmented monologue, on a topic that would and could amount to numerous words, I will try to clarify and summarize my thoughts:
Jesus lived a life of obedience to God the Father. He had His eyes set on Him. When authorities came, he submitted, yet did not necessarily obey. He did not start a violent revolution, yet he had the power to do just that. He operated in weakness, meekness and in submission. His revolution operated by creating a humble, peaceful and loving Kingdom. A Kingdom which has the power to exist amongst other kingdoms and render them as nothing. Freedom and love, through faith and the Kingdom of God, can and will exist in the harshest of regimes, the worst prisons and the bondage of a technological society.
I believe Romans 13 and 1 Peter teach us this: Submit (but not necessarily obey) to your authorities as this is the Will of God, render void their power, as all power belongs to God and the authority's power comes only by and through God. May persecution or punishment be through obedience to God, not through the rowdy and disruptive disobedience to the "powers that be".
Jesus hung on the cross because he chose the way of the Kingdom of God and opposed the kingdoms of this world. He suffered and died, yet he did not sin! He was able to submit to the "powers" because He knows the Power of God's Kingdom! He now sits in Heaven! May I also render void the powers that be - and be obedient to the One true Power!
Friday, October 19, 2007
PURPOSE!
I feel the purpose of this blog is to be a personal reflection!
Through reading the Bible and books, thru discussion, the observation, thru study and thru(much needed yet often lacking) prayer:
I intend to use this blog to REFLECT!
What is Jesus saying to me, What am I reading and How do I put these Kingom principles into action and live as Jesus lived!
I intend to use this blog as PRAYER!
I struggle to "BE STILL", as silence does not always serve as my friend. I want to DO or I waste too much time, rather than comtemplate, listen and hear the words of the LORD.
Finally, I want Jesus to use this blog in my life:
to take me from Faith to Faith (Romans 1.17)
to draw me closer to Him
To love Him more
To love my neighbour
To love my enemies
To pray without ceasing
To denounce and reject all power that challanges Christ's Throne and His Kingdom (whether in me or in my surroundings), BY:
Living the ethics of Biblical Freedom
Accepting and rejoicing in my weaknesses
Doing Kingdom work in His power - Not mine!
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