Help I'm stuck!

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Permalink Reply by Linda Daniels on November 10, 2008 at 5:44pm

Good stuff Dana, I like it! Especially "He showed them how what they were doing was wrong not that they themselves were wrong." and the last paragraph :)

Dana Cashwell said:

Linda that's great! here's the last bit.

I just wanna’ be a sheep…

The chorus of this song states perfectly how we should be politically. We should be sheep. Psalms 23 states that, “The Lord is my Shepherd…” We should follow the Shepherd and do His will. If we don’t we are in danger of losing our very souls. Matthew 23 says we as Christians have but one Leader and that is Christ. He may have placed others in authority over us as “generals” but that doesn’t mean blindly following them as if they’re the pied piper. If they go against the True Commander in Chief, it is our duty to replace them by peaceful means.

Personally, I don’t adhere to any political party. With that said, because of my biblical worldview there are certain issues that are non-negotiable for me. Some examples, I oppose gay marriage but support civil unions but only after a good marriage amendment. I oppose abortion but I’m pro-choice. I oppose child abuse (as most people do) but advocate for spanking. As you can see, I don’t hold to the “party” line for either party and neither does Jesus.

Jesus Himself had a unique way of supporting the things of God. He lived them. He did live in a constant state of purity, yet he was never self righteous, never a hypocrite, never sanctimonious. He never tried to change a person’s behavior but giving them more rules to follow. No, He loved them. He understood where there sin came from and why. He showed them how what they were doing was wrong not that they themselves were wrong. He had accommodation for them because sin can never dominate the love of Christ. He did hold them accountable and insure just consequences but He realized they would never understand that His consequences were not the same as theirs. Then He showed them the right way. This is what we need to do on both sides of the isle.

We, as sheep, need to follow his example. We need to LIVE the things of God. OK so we can’t live in a constant state of purity because we’re not perfect. However, the simplest way for people to learn is by pictures so we need to picture for them what good behavior looks like. We need to understand where their behavior is coming from and why. We need to show them, by own behavior; how what they are doing is wrong not that they themselves are wrong. We should have accommodation for them because sin can never dominate the love of Christ through us. We need to hold them accountable for their behavior by insuring just consequences while remembering our consequences are not necessarily the same as God’s. We need to show them the right way. We need to LOVE them.

Permalink Reply by Dana Cashwell on November 12, 2008 at 7:32am

Roger you are right. Which is my point. Jesus didn't join the Sanhedrin (republicans & democrats). He didn't join the Zealots (libertarians). He joined the poor and the wicked. He joined us. He loved us from the inside out.

Julia, I use the new sentance you gave me. It works beautifully! I thank God for you!

Roger Dreger said:

Hi Dana,

Let me start by saying this is a great discussion and I like the statement you used to start this whole thing going. The political party divide is sort of like how both sides of a war claim that God is on their side. You have Christians, mostly white and middle class, who are staunch Republicans and can not even consider voting for a Democrat. But you also have Christians who love the LORD, mostly minority, who are strong Democrats and could never vote for a Republican.

Couple of points on this: I lean Republican. I like where they stand on issues like abortion, and the homosexual agenda. I am a fiscal conservative even though the party lately has not been. But I hate the fact that the party is also for corporate give aways to pay back the people that gave them money to get elected. I don't like the gun lobby that thinks owning an automatic weapon is a God given right. So at times, I hold my nose and vote.

For those who tend Democratic, they like how they champion the poor and minority rights. They appreciate an emphasis on public schools etc. But if they believe the Scripture, they don't like the stance on abortion and the gay agenda.

The main problem is that while we should vote, we lose focus. Ultimately the cure for all our country's problems is found in a people, the Body of Christ, living out the kingdom of God. If there is an awakening at the national level , there will be fewer abortions, we will take care of the poor, people will be delivered from sexual bondage, etc. The "church" makes a lot of noise and gets all in a dither when there is an election or an issue. But there is not the same level of activity for preaching the gospel or caring for the poor. And I'll just throw this out, maybe we don't get the elected official we want because the LORD doesn't want us to stop praying. If we get what we want, the church often just rolls over and goes back to sleep.

So to sum up because I have to go to work, while we are to be involved in the kingdom of man, the political process, we are to spend most of our time and talents through the Holy Spirit advancing the Kingdom of God. Many of us like to do the former but not the latter.

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