Do we do it through socialism, man-centered, God-denying, Christ-hating, philosophy? A soul-destroying philosophy that gives birth to tragic generational dependance on government, a philosophy that crushes individual freedom, a philosophy that enslaves those imprisoned in countries with socialistic governments? A philosophy that, in every single issue stands in direct opposition to the Word of God?
Go back to 2 Timothy 3:5: "Having a form of godliness but denying it's power." That nails the socialist "religous" left. For example:
When God says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: :"...we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat", socialism says: "We will forcibly seize, under penalty of law, the wages of those who work and give it to those who do not". That is socialism, a Christ-hating philosophy, acting in direct opposition to the commandments of Christ.
When God says in Exodus 20:13: "Thou shalt not kill", socialism decrees that some human life is unfit, and therefore open to extermination, i.e. unborn children, disabled people, and old people. Again, the man-centered, God-hating philosophy takes a stand in opposition to God.
When God says in Leviticus 20:13: If a man lies with a male as he lies with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination. They shall surely be put to death. Their blood shall be upon them.", and again in Romans 1: 26 "For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due."...32 "who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.", the left, "religous" and otherwise, legislates into the law of the land protections for people who engage in homosexual behavior, forces onto small schoolchildren homosexual indoctrination, holds parades and parties in celebration of the abomination of homosexuality, bestows civil rights on a deadly virus that is caused by and large by homosexual behavior, works tirelessly to destroy the free speech rights of Christians who speak out against the embracing of this abomination, and, lately, have sought to change the very ordinance of God by legalizing "gay" marriage.
When God says in Luke 4:18: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed" and in 2 Corinthians 3:17: "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.", the left, some of whom call themselves Christians, march in the streets, lay seige to President Bush's home in Texas, travel to war zones and put thier own lives and those of our military at mortal peril, use the media to loudly proclaim thier contempt and hatred for America, and vote into office those who, in different times, would be executed for treason. To what end? To bring to a screeching halt the ongoing liberation and freeing of the people if Iraq. This is socialism, the man-centered, God-rejecting, Christ-hating philosophy, again standing in open rebellion against God.
These are but a few examples of the way of the "religous" left, the way of the imposter, the way of deception, the way of socialism. They can cloak themselves in thier phony, false, lying version of "Christianity" until a new world is built, but, again, like Jesus said, "you will know them by thier works. And yes, we certainly do know them by what they really are.
Giovanna,
The way I live out Christ's commandment is quite simple, Mt 22: 36-39
36 "Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?" 37 He said to him, " "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.' 38 This is the greatest and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
The values of social democracy are not 'man-centred.' The values of social democracy are community centred and is not 'Christ-hating.'
You said,
When God says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: :"...we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat", socialism says: "We will forcibly seize, under penalty of law, the wages of those who work and give it to those who do not". That is socialism, a Christ-hating philosophy, acting in direct opposition to the commandments of Christ.
In (Acts 2:42-45) in the early church "42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.
And
Act 4: 32-35
32 Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33 With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35 They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36 There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means "son of encouragement"). 37 He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
We all pay taxes. Even the post ardent neo-Conservative needs tax money to pay for government, for the war in Iraq etc. The difference is I'd rather see my tax money being use for the benefit of a just and equitable society, and not for the benefit of the few at the expense of the many.
I don't claim to be able to peer into the mind of God or use the Lord's name in vain by suggesting I can judge who stands in open rebellion of God. There are many in my Church who are Christian on Sunday, and athiest the rest of the week, but I still reach out my hand at the passing of the peace and say, Peace be with you.
Mt 13: 24a-30 reads,
"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, "Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' 28 He answered, "An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, "Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29 But he replied, "No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.' "
The seeds have been sown, and the weeds have taken root. It is not our job to seperate the wheat from the weeds, or the sheep from the goats. This is the job of the one whom we profess as the Risen Lord. Does this mean we tolerate injustice. Definitely not, but it does mean that judgement is for the Lord. I assume you are a Christian, and that the seed of truth has been planted in your heart. I don't assume you, or anyone else is a weed sown by the enemy. Through-out the history of the Church good men and women have stood up as witnesses for Christ. Sometimes these martyr's witnessed to the state (Peter, Paul, Thomas More, Oscar Romero) and thus lost their lives for 'treason,' othertimes, martyr's have witnessed to the Church itself and have suffered excommunication and even death. Whatever the case, the church of Christ needs women and men in all places and all times to witness to the Kingdom of God.
Jesus first public appearance after his baptism as recorded by Luke was in the Synagogue in Nazereth,
"he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, 17 and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 Then he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
I continually ask myself the question, am I listening, am I hearing the Word, proclaimed in scripture and lived in this world. The Kingdom we pray for in the Lord's Prayer will only be fully realized, will only be fulfilled in our hearing the Word of the Lord. And the word is being proclaimed by those women and men of good will and faith, who stand up in the synagogues of our society, in public squares, at George Bush's front gate, on Parliament Hill, in public office, in war zones, in zones of poverty, among the alienated and the marginalized. These people are taking the scroll that is written on their hearts, opening it, and through their witness proclaiming ""The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
and for many in our society, "When they [hear] this, [they are] filled with rage. 29 They [drive the prophets out] of the town, and [lead them] to the brow of the hill on which [our society] was built, so that they might hurl [them]off the cliff."(Luke 4:28-30)
Giovanna, you are a fellow sojourner in Christ. I pray that I will be able to see the risen Christ in you and that you can see the risen Christ in me. In Christ, "There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female, no longer socialist or capitalist; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus."
Peace be to God, Amen.
Chris D-Hales