Ah, I know why you clicked on this blog post. You were expecting me to rant about the “institution” of church vs. the organic church. Right? Well, not so fast. Today’s post is far more important than the typical Christian vs. Christian battle that dominates most blogs and books. The contrast I want to make today is between the Church as the Community of the living Jesus vs. the Institution of Government.
I have written a lot this past year on faith and politics. The thing that troubles me most about the new wave of Christian politicians, is that like the Pat Robertson generation, they still see politics as God’s weapon of change. The only difference today is that they have exchanged one set of values for another. In my Oct 19,2008 post titled, “From Moral Majority to Messianic Minority” I lament the new generation of leaders as more of the same but with a different game.
The problem is that these Christians have simply exchanged one political movement (the Moral Majority) for a new one (the Messianic Minority).
- They have replaced one “chosen” politician (George Bush) with a new one (Barack Obama).
- The new political-Christian brand has set aside one earthly mission (Family Values), for another earthly mission (Social Justice)
- They have set aside one political cause (Abortion) for the newest political cuase (Global Warming).
- They have replaced one spiritual-leader (Jerry Falwell) for another of the same kind (Brian McLaren)
These movements have adopted a worldly solution for a spiritual problem.
- Both political movements branded with the name of “biblical” fail to bring spiritual satisfaction because both movements are a corruption of the Gospel.
- Both political movements exchange reliance upon the power of the Spirit with the power of the politician.
- Both political movements exchange investment in the church as the agent of change with investment in government.
- Both movements exchange hope in the Kingdom of Christ with hope in American Democracy.
The problem with all of these movements, old or new, is that they put their faith in the Institution of Government over the Community of Christ. Consequently, the solutions offered by government are not our solutions–they are not the solutions that the Community of Saints was created to offer our world. Seeking to implement the Gospel through the power of Government insitituions is flawed for two reasons.
First, Institutions are marked by self-preservation; Communities are marked by self-sacrifice.
The government, and all of its solutions, will do anything to survive. The founding motives may be good, but ultimately the systems embrace survival over service. It’s a lot like the movie iRobot with Will Smith. The robots were designed to fulfill the grand mission of saving humanity, but in the end their programming determined the only way to save humanity, was to ensure the Robots ruled. The Robot began as the servant of humanity, and ended up enslaving it In stark contrast to the Institution of government, Christian Community solves problems by serving others with humility and self-sacrifice. The Community is willing to give up their rights to attain the greater goal.
Second, Institutions are built through force; Communities are built through weakness.
Governments begin with a dream, but survive through intimidation and force. The Community of Jesus began with the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross and survives through the weakness of His followers. The two systems are diametrically opposed in both mission and method. The Christian William Penn wanted to build the State of Pennsylvania on his dream of creating a non-violent utopia. Ultimately, a government backed by the force of military might overwhelmed the pacific Quakers. The reason Penn’s dream failed is because he mixed the dream of Christian Community with a dependence upon the institution of government for survival.
As Christians today wrestle with the issues of social justice, healthcare, hunger, and peace, we must understand that our solution is found in the person of Jesus, the power of the Spirit and the persistence of the Saints. True world impact begins when we recognize that institutional solutions are not our solutions!
Regarding 
Regarding 
Regarding 
Regarding 
Regarding 
Regarding 
Joe, way to go for it! I like! And I recall Jesus saying, “do not lose heart, I have overcome the world.” He alone (and by alone, I mean alone) is the only solution.
“Love Not The World”
”For the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one”(I John 5:19)
“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world will pass away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of The Only True GOD will abide for ever.” (I John 2:15-17)
“If you were of the world, the world would love it’s own: but because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept My saying, they will keep yours also.” (John 15:19-20)
“Where do wars and fighting among you come from? Do they not come of your lusts that war in your members? You lust, and have not: you kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: you fight and war yet you have not, because you ask not. You ask, and receive not, because you ask amiss, that you may consume it upon your lusts. You adulterers and adulteresses, don’t you know that friendship with the world is to be at enmity with The Only True GOD? Therefore whoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of The Only True GOD.” (James 4:1-4)
“The world cannot hate you; but the world hates Me, because I testify that the works of this world are evil.” (John 7:7)” and “The Messiah gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of The Only True God, Our Father.”(Gal 1:4)
The Messiah testified: “If the world hates you know that it hated Me before it hated you.”(John 5:18) Truly, Truly, I say unto you, except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abides alone: but if it die it brings forth much fruit. He that loves his life in this world shall lose it; and he that hates his life in this world shall have it unto life eternal.” (John 12:24-25)
John testified: “Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you.” (I John 3:13) “ James testified, “Whoever would be a friend of this world is the enemy of GOD”(James 4:4)
The “earth” is The Creation of The Only True GOD, Father of ALL! The “worldly” systems are the creation of, and under the dominion of “the god of this world”, he who is “the father of lies”, he who “has blinded the minds of those who believe not The Messiah”! All the nations of this world are under the dominion of, and serve, the evil one for he provides the fuel that feeds mankind’s “imag”ination, and mankind’s “imagination is destroying and perverting Creation(land, air, water, creatures, Truth, Love, Peace, Faith, Simplicity, .etc.) ;-(
And the “strongest thing” in the evil one’s worldly systems? “Woman”…… yet The Truth, that which is of The Only True GOD, is stronger even than woman. (read I Esdras 3&4 of the Apocrypha) And Truth, Love, Peace, Faith, Mercy, Hope,,,etc,,, all that is “good”, is of The Only True GOD and is of HIS Spirit, not of this world. Those born of The Spirit, those born of The Only True GOD, are the brethren of The Messiah, for they received “a love of The Truth that they might be saved”. Reborn!
And those who have received “a love of The Truth” have separated themselves from this world and those of this world, for they have taken heed unto The Call of The Only True GOD to “Come out of her MY people.” They are “in, but not of this wicked, evil world”, and The Only True GOD has received them, and is “A Father unto them, and they are HIS sons and daughters”. And they follow, and desire to be like their Master and Brother, The Messiah, He Who was “the firstborn of many brethren”. And as “The Messiah was a servant of The Only True GOD”, so also His Brethren are “servants of The Only True GOD.”
The called out ones are not “adulterers and adulteresses”, they are not “friends of this wicked, evil world”, they do not “fornicate with the god of this world” for they know that “to be a friend of this world is to be the enemy of The Only True GOD.” They are at war against the evil spirits that possess those who are of this world.
And they do not “allow that woman Jezebel, which calls herself a prophetess, to teach. For she teaches others to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. The Only True GOD gave her a chance to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.” (Rev 2:20-21)
“fornication” and “adultery..” in that which is recorded above signifies spiritual fornication with “the god of this world”, which is to love that which is of his world.
Once again, the “earth” is The Creation of The Only True GOD, Father of ALL! The “worldly” systems are the creation of, and under the dominion of “the god of this world”.
Those who “love this world” all serve “the god of this world”, and play their part in the processes that seek to destroy The Creation of The Only True GOD. “And The Only True GOD will destroy them who destroy the earth.” (Rev 11:18)
Global warming, polluted air, land and waters, toxic wastes, sexual perversion, evil inventions of destruction, greed, hate, carnal warfare, dis-ease ,,,etc,,, are all destructive processes that have their root in “the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life”.
And as stated, “woman is the strongest thing of this world”. Yet stronger than woman is The Truth, which is in those who have “received a love of The Truth”.
The Truth Is Alive in those who have been born of The Spirit for “they no longer love this wicked, evil world and it’s things, nor do they love their own lives in this world”.
They but seek and desire The Will of GOD, their Father and Creator, as they await their final transformation. “Corruptible to Incorruptible” ndeed and Truth!
Now “the ground was cursed for Adam’s sake” because he “hearkened unto the woman”.
Adam listened to a woman rather than obeying The Only True GOD. Yet because of Faithful Noah, The Only True GOD “no longer would curse the ground for man’s sake” because Noah obeyed The Only True GOD! (Genesis 8:21-22)
And the Faithful today are exhorted to “love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” And Faithful women are exhorted to “be in silence.” “Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. For I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” “For Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.” (I Timothy 2:11,12,14)
A man and woman joined together in obedience and submission unto The Only True GOD are blessed indeed. All who are not obedient, all who will not submit themselves unto The Only True GOD will have to answer to HIM..period..
Be not of those who deny and defy “The One GOD, Father of All”. Be not of those who are destroying and perverting HIS Creation(land, air, water, creatures, Light, Truth, Love, Peace, Hope, Mercy, Thankfulness, .etc.)!
Paul testified, “The Only True GOD is The HEAD of The Messiah, The Messiah is The Head of the man, and the man is the head of the woman”. Multitudes pervert GOD’s Order because they have been seduced by ” the commandments and doctrines of men and devils”.
Multitudes are seduced by the religious systems that are in and of this evil world. Seduced because they love this evil world and their own life in it!
“Set your affections on things above”. Desire heavenly, eternal things. Quit serving ‘time’ in the prison that is this world and take heed unto The Call of “The Only True GOD” to ”Come Out of her, MY people!”
Once again, “Come out” from among those who are destroying and perverting Creation and be of those who follow The Messiah on “The Way to The Truth of The Life”.
“Come out” of the worldly systems, which are the product of mankind’s “imag”ination, especially the religious systems. “Pure religion and undefiled before GOD The Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself uncontaminated by the world.” (James 1:27)
Simply, all other religions are impure, defiled and of this wicked, evil world!
Faith will not create a system of religion!
Peace, in spite of the dis-ease(no-peace) that is of this world and it’s systems of religion, for “the WHOLE world is under the control of the evil one” indeed and Truth…….
Truth is never ending…….
Brad,
Thanks for your encouragement brother.
Francis, that is a lot of verses to take in at once. I will give it a read. Meanwhile, thanks for visiting and commenting on The Cake!
Joe, I have just been de-throned by brother Francis.
I don’t share Paul’s generally low opinion of women.
Not sure what that means Don regarding Frances?
On the contrary, I think Paul has a supremely high view of women well advanced beyond his culture and immeshed in the design of God’s creation.
Meaning I thought I was the undisputed king of long posts. I’m glad to see I am in good company.
peace
The problem is that many fail to put what Paul says about women in to cultural context and therefor assume an ancient and outdated view of women. A “high view” of women in first century Palestine would be considered a low view by today’s standards. That is what I meant. I don’t share Paul’s first century outdated view of women no matter how advanced it was for the time. We talk about the “sin of Adam” yet Paul is clear in his view it was the “woman who sinned.”
Well, we disagree about Paul, but I tell you where we do agree, Francis is a nut-case!! I will forward you the email he sent to me…