Jesus as a political/economic role model.
10/20/2011
I wrote this in response to Herman Cain having called Jesus the perfect conservative.
Jesus turned the world upside down and it hasn't stopped trembling yet. Until Jesus, the Jews were the vectors of God's law and morals to the world. Now we have Jesus elegantly quoted at great length in the New Testament Scriptures where He brings perfection to the law and morals of Moses. When Christians live out what the Bible calls “the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus” they do influence the world for good. They are salt (preservative) and the light for all who will be salted and enlightened. Their work is that of their Savior Jesus “to preach the gospel to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” Christians have a “vocation” which seeks the true welfare of others, spiritually especially and materially where possible. Conversely, the world's other religious and irreligious peoples and groups will influence others as they wish, generally for their own self promotion benefit. For this reason it IS often controversial to bring the Christian faith directly to the political debate. It tends to make a mess.
Political debate is the promotion of self interest by compromise. Christian faith is the worship and love of God and the love neighbor. Self promotion and self interest is to take a back seat to the needs of others. We are to live sacrificially. I personally believe that any governmental system would work if people were willing to consider other and their needs before their own. Jesus came from heaven and is King of His universe, we ought to see it and learn to live according to His commandments. They are not grievous commandments at all. They in fact exclude all that causes grief, including the self absorbed greedy pretensions often called “capitalism.” Capitalism, or the market place, requires law and morals to contain and control those self interested persons who would steal from and defraud any to line their own pockets. It is in my opinion wrong to think that Jesus favors those who compete brutally in the capitalist market place to those who compete brutally in the socialist halls of government.
While Jesus may not expect an egalitarian result in this world today, I believe strongly that equity of care for all men, women and children, or the attempt to have equity is a large part of the gospel He gives us. It is said that if men would simply stop fighting the wars being fought, those who would do good could feed the entire world and have plenty to spare. Those who war in the streets, the government house or the boardroom in such a way which prevents and/or encumbers doing good to all men are not hearing the message of love God give in His Son Jesus. Ultimately the Kingdom will come and many will be so very sorry they had not listened to Jesus.
And he [Jesus] said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15
10/20/2011
I wrote this in response to Herman Cain having called Jesus the perfect conservative.
Jesus turned the world upside down and it hasn't stopped trembling yet. Until Jesus, the Jews were the vectors of God's law and morals to the world. Now we have Jesus elegantly quoted at great length in the New Testament Scriptures where He brings perfection to the law and morals of Moses. When Christians live out what the Bible calls “the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus” they do influence the world for good. They are salt (preservative) and the light for all who will be salted and enlightened. Their work is that of their Savior Jesus “to preach the gospel to the poor; to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.” Christians have a “vocation” which seeks the true welfare of others, spiritually especially and materially where possible. Conversely, the world's other religious and irreligious peoples and groups will influence others as they wish, generally for their own self promotion benefit. For this reason it IS often controversial to bring the Christian faith directly to the political debate. It tends to make a mess.
Political debate is the promotion of self interest by compromise. Christian faith is the worship and love of God and the love neighbor. Self promotion and self interest is to take a back seat to the needs of others. We are to live sacrificially. I personally believe that any governmental system would work if people were willing to consider other and their needs before their own. Jesus came from heaven and is King of His universe, we ought to see it and learn to live according to His commandments. They are not grievous commandments at all. They in fact exclude all that causes grief, including the self absorbed greedy pretensions often called “capitalism.” Capitalism, or the market place, requires law and morals to contain and control those self interested persons who would steal from and defraud any to line their own pockets. It is in my opinion wrong to think that Jesus favors those who compete brutally in the capitalist market place to those who compete brutally in the socialist halls of government.
While Jesus may not expect an egalitarian result in this world today, I believe strongly that equity of care for all men, women and children, or the attempt to have equity is a large part of the gospel He gives us. It is said that if men would simply stop fighting the wars being fought, those who would do good could feed the entire world and have plenty to spare. Those who war in the streets, the government house or the boardroom in such a way which prevents and/or encumbers doing good to all men are not hearing the message of love God give in His Son Jesus. Ultimately the Kingdom will come and many will be so very sorry they had not listened to Jesus.
And he [Jesus] said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. Luke 12:15
No comments:
Post a Comment