As Christians we are supposed to self condemn for our sins, and go forth and help others and defend those who cannot defend themselves. None of us can defend our sins and we need our fellow brothers and sisters to love us and defend us and have fellowship with us. Ours is not the spirit of fear, fearing some presidential candidate or some academic writing, or some movement. If the spirit has come into our house and supped with us, we fear none who can hurt our physical bodies and we fear none who seek to hurt us spiritually for we cannot be hurt spiritually even if the attacks cost us our physical bodies. We have died to ourselves already and the spiritual war of ideas is over for us. We seek to steer elections indeed, and change the course of national events indeed. Joseph Smith was not condemned for always wanting to start a church as his life goal, and Mitt Romney is not condemned for wanting to be president, and I am not condemned for wanting to be a minister and ambassador for Christ. Mitt Romney and Barack Obama was a rare “win-win” possibility for the United States. Mitt Romney, if he had won, would have been used for the Lord God Jesus Christ’s purposes, just like Barack Obama will be used for the Lord God Jesus Christ’s purposes. The Lord God Jesus Christ will have his way with His kingdom and His empire.
You just caused multiple heads to explode here!
Well, first of all allow me to commend you on giving a reminder that I've issued literally DOZENS of times over these past five years on FR...that we are not to operate based upon political or bodily fear...In fact, allow me to quote excerpts of what I've said those dozens of times:
Jesus says "I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him." (Luke 12:4-5)
So does Jesus say, "fear the Marxists/communists/socialists?" (No...I think you, Bill, and I agree on that)
Does Jesus say "fear Obama? -- Or Romney himself?" (No...I think you, Bill, and I agree on that)
But does He still say to exercise fear of the One who has authority to cast somebody into hell? (Yes...and this is where I believe we part perspectives here)
Allow me at this point to break from citing the "excerpt" -- and ask you, Bill:
Do you not, on behalf of those who are hell-bound, fear for them ???
When Jesus tells us plainly and directly that He is "show[ing] you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him" -- Do you not then properly respond with fear where Jesus is directly authorizing it???? (yes or no?)
And, so, to return to that except...
Isn't, then, our "fear" exercised on behalf of those who are placing their eternal spiritual lives at risk?
...we need our fellow brothers and sisters to love us and defend us and have fellowship with us. [billcompugeek]
Hmmm...'tis almost like that "dozens of times" 'excerpt' I keep referencing was written just for you...Because THE very next line reads:
As for "uniting" behind common causes (or fellowships with those who may or may NOT be our "brothers and sisters"), I could probably guess that the folks who the apostle Paul warned the church @ Ephesus about had the bulk in common with the sheep there.
How so?
Well, for example, both groups were "religious." So, let me ask you Bill: Did Paul play the "allies"-game-don't-divide-us-you're playing?
A resounding "NO!" Bill
As Paul was leaving the church of Ephesus, he warned them with this high-priority alert:
"I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." (Acts 20:29-31)
Paul's cultural priority? (Defend against the false disciples who will proselytize the flock and draw away men unto themselves, distorting the truth in the process!)
Joseph Smith was not condemned for always wanting to start a church as his life goal... [Billcompugeek]
Are ya telling us, Bill, that if God could teleport you back to Ephesus where Paul is giving his farewell talk to the church at Ephesus (Acts 20), and you heard him say: "I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears." -- would you mildly scold the apostle, and say "Ya know, Paul, these 'savage wolves' you reference are NOT to be condemned for always wanting to lead this church as their 'life goal...' ????
I mean is that the way you would redefine Acts 20 for us, Bill?
I mean, really, Bill...would you presume upon Paul like that?
And tell me something, Bill: If you did something tearfully night and day for three years, do you think it's rather important?
Or is it a "So what?" Are we simply to conclude, "Oh, the man who contributed a good chunk to the New Testament -- what did he know about assessing false shepherds, savage truth distorting wolves, or cultural priorities?"