Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeffrey
A friend of mine shared something disturbing from a sermon he heard at a conservative meeting recently. The preacher exhorted the congregation to "have nothing to do" with any family member that has "left the truth." His text? Luke 14.
Thought I'd share the irony. As with most things I'm noticing, there is indeed great irony. For example, when it came to "expelling people" and "having nothing to do with them" the example of Paul and the Judaizers is used. The irony? Those who placed addendums to the simple Gospel were the perpetrators (and of course were physically coming into the community stirring up dissension).
But Luke 14 is even more ironic. Loyalty is a huge value among Pentecostal congregations. Loyalty to the pastor is even preached about. I'd say a Western value would include family (but not as great a value as it was in Jesus' time in the East). So in v25 when Jesus makes His call for discipleship, he is saying that "no matter the cost" (thinking Deitrich Boehnhoffer here) we should follow him. Even if it means ticking off your family, and them hating you for it -- even disowning you! Jesus comes first!
Missing in this exhortation is any instruction for believers to "reject" unbelieving family members. Once again, Biblical literalist, and agenda-happy cultists hijack the word for their own pleasure. |
Excuse me but this has nothing to do with being a literalist. It has more to not understanding the bible and or misusing the bible for your own agenda
To begin with the part about hating mother or father is simply a hyperbole. People need to realize we do have forms of speech, literary devices and who gave us some of these? The greek culture I believe probably influenced some of this. Judaism was not just in the midst of a greek/roman culture but probably influenced. From what I understand greek was the language of commerce...the common tongue that united them all.
Jews in the diaspora no doubt used the language much more but even in Judea they probably spoke some greek and perhaps were influenced a little by the culture just as they did by the Chaldeans.....MO
The admonition by Paul was the church excommunicating someone that claimed to be a brother but was living in gross sin. In otherwords it was an act of booting him OUT of the local church