33 Minutes that Will Change You - Page 3

Aquila · #21 03-29-2012, 01:49 PM

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".

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.

Aquila · #22 03-29-2012, 02:03 PM

Also... we get so focused on what's happening in Washington. All politics is local.

Dalton · #23 03-29-2012, 02:05 PM

I answered your questions in the page back....

Also, I can't tell from what your saying but... are you promoting militancy?

Aquila · #24 03-29-2012, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dalton

I answered your questions in the page back....
Also, I can't tell from what your saying but... are you promoting militancy?

Not violent militancy. I don't think the country is that far gone yet. However, Christians need to speak up in the social discourse, protest, and yes... even confront thugs and authorities... and perhaps go to jail for being a "disruption".

Society shouldn't roll their eyes at Christians. A godless society should be very concerned with Christians in their midst. Every porn peddler, drug dealer, pimp, abortion clinic, drunk, and child molester should be very very concerned if a church starts up in their neighborhood. They should know that we won't hurt them physically. But they should also know that we are as serious as a heart attack and that when it comes to evil... we're not afraid of a few minor misdemeanor charges. And that we're like the Neighborhood Watch... on steroids.

Why not appoint ushers to patrol the neighborhood around a church? Oh, we're not that serious are we... When was the last time you've seen a 120 member church get 50 of their men and confront a crack house that's in their neighborhood, warning that dealer about the horror of God's judgments? Chanting, praying, and signs displaying warnings to the dealer of God's wrath out front? Not often enough... most preach from their safe little pulpits. We need to send a message to law enforcement. Police our neighborhoods... or we will.

Just the fight and controversy over the confrontation would be enough to make some changes. Many citizens in that neighborhood would be thankful that the church is speaking up and doing something that might motivate law enforcement to pay closer attention to the area. With that much heat and media... the dealer might just... leave. I'd like to see a preacher mention the dealer BY NAME over the pulpit and even perhaps on radio, complete with address... and not fear slander charges. I can hear that ol' black preacher with a deep graveley voice saying,

"Jerome Wilcox of 1234 Anystreet, you are a drug dealer, poisoning our children, getting money from break-ins... and HELL awaits you! Listen YOU DEVIL, your kingdom is coming down! You're finished here! Flee, get out of town, or face the wrath of the Almighty! Not even the POLICE can save you!!! Go ahead and SUE ME!!! I AIN'T SHUTTIN' UP!!! You're HISTORY you SON OF HELL!!!"

Dalton · #25 03-29-2012, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila

Not violent militancy. I don't think the country is that far gone yet. However, Christians need to speak up in the social discourse, protest, and yes... even confront authorities and perhaps go to jail for being a "disruption".

Society shouldn't roll their eyes at Christians. A godless society should be very concerned with Christians in their midst. Every porn peddler, drug dealer, pimp, abortion clinic, drunk, and child molester should be very very concerned if a church starts up in their neighborhood. They should know that we won't hurt them physically. But they should also know that we are as serious as a heart attack and that when it comes to evil... we're not afraid of a few minor misdemeanor charges. And that we're like the Neighborhood Watch... on steroids.

But those places WOULD be very afraid, if everyone in the church sat down and abided by the rules of the word. If we were leading by example rather than paying lip service, showing the world it IS possible to do the things that he asked of us through god... then the more souls that god granted knowledge and revelation to as they became intrigued by how different we were and started seeking true knowledge, the more these places would drop in numbers, and as they steadily decrease simply because of seperation and doctrine.... man it would be insane how well it would work.

I think the church needs to be louder in my opinion... let our voices be heard...

BUT

I don't think we should let them be heard at a political rally or anything to do with the world. For being born again, we are not of the world... so how can we understand them and they us? Our doctrines need to be heard on the streets, INSIDE those drug dens and pimp houses, talking and teaching folks.

They started biting stephen and stoning him just because of words he spoke. He didn't have to sit in anywhere or perform any actions.... just gave them truth... and the conviction alone was enough to strike a cord to the deepest part of them.

So if we could come together as a true body of christ... and just simply speak the truth to those who will accept it as was done of old. We would have the results that we had in those days.

Same actions,
Same results.

Jay · #26 03-29-2012, 06:28 PM

Educational purposes and short clips. Not sure how much longer I am going to continue to do this though.

AreYouReady? · #27 03-29-2012, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bbyrd009

Whenever I read/hear a post like this, I'm reminded that if God were in the next room, you, a believer, would most likely run screaming in fear, and not stop until you were out of town--but the same believer would almost surely be very comfortable at satan's presence, prolly even bow. I got Scripture for this.

Perhaps you are projecting your own scripture on yourself? Would you run screaming to the next country if God were in the next room? And where does this come from?

Perhaps you misunderstand my post bbyrd. I am not disparaging those who have tattoos, mohawks, piercings in anyway. I am saying that too many people in our church systems do not wait on people who live a different social culture to plant Christ firmly in their hearts before they are rejected by our church people, solely on the way they look.