Quote:
Originally Posted by RandyWayne
Yup. Amazing how it sounds when you start breaking it down into all the specific things someone won't do because it is "part of the world system".
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It's one thing to say that one is disheartened with, or doesn't believe in, our political establishment's committment to justice. It's another to propagate faulty and dangerous logic that numbs the heart and mind. I know... I've done it too on occasion.
The issue is this... in America you have a vote. You have a voice. Even if the political leaders don't have the will power to unite and get something done. We should speak up and cry aloud. We should teach against evil and never just let it rest. Paul wrote something that is often misapplied and misquoted, simply because the verse is misunderstood. Here it is:
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
King James Version (KJV)
4(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; )
5Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
6And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
Let's look at a few alternative translations to fully understand what Paul was talking about
:
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
English Standard Version (ESV)
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
New International Version (NIV)
4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
Amplified Bible (AMP)
4For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds,
5[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),
6Being in readiness to punish every [insubordinate for his] disobedience, when your own submission and obedience [as a church] are fully secured and complete.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
New Living Translation (NLT)
4 We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 5 We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 6 And after you have become fully obedient, we will punish everyone who remains disobedient.
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
The Message (MSG)
3-6The world is unprincipled. It's dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn't fight fair. But we don't live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren't for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God-tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
We forget... Christianity was dangerous to Rome's power and authority. That's why Rome persecuted Christians so violently. The Papal Rome also violently persecuted those who wanted to know and teach God's Word. Why? Because the Gospel is DANGEROUS to their political system of power and exploitation.
But the issue is this... the church has yet to be obedient in most recent generations. We've surrendered the fight. Christianity needs to become dangerous again. We need to become obedient to the call of the Kingdom, so obedient a willingness to punish evil must rise up within us.
Jesus entered the temple and overturned tables and made whips with which he drove out the money changers.
Jesus, when disputing against the relio-political authorities of Jerusalem, pronounced utter judgment and destruction upon their society. Jesus was
very dangerous in their eyes.
Christians must begin to take a stand, the kind of stand that will leave the society at large either loving us or hating us. We must be obedient... we must support punishing institutionalized evil and injustice found in our culture... and let the chips fall where they might.
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