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The kingdom of God is to be understood in revolutionary opposition to the kingdom of Caesar.
Jesus was saying, in effect, “There are two ways. There is Caesar’s way, and there is God’s way.” What he actually is quoted as saying is, “Render unto Caesar, the things that are Caesar’s, and render unto God, the things that are God’s.” His clear implication is, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Jesus declares: “Choose this day the foundation and orientation of your life. Choose this day the ground of your identity, and the focus and intention of your daily work.”
What is the work of the disciples of Christ? Is it to put bread on the table, or to become the image of God in the world? Is it to enlist ourselves in the service of a steadily increasing standard of living, or is it to bring the grace, mercy, and peace of God to life in the world? Is it to take our place, shoulder to shoulder, alongside those whose primary motive and goal is to buy, spend, amass and consume, or is it to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God”?
The kingdom of God clashes violently with the kingdom of Caesar. We cannot serve two masters. When Jesus asks “the disciple that he loved,” he is asking all of his disciples, including us, “Do you love me?” When he asks, “Do you love me?”, he is asking, “Who are you? What are you about?” Well? Are you a Disciple of Jesus? Or a Disciple of Ceasers America? American? Or A Child of the living God? The law of God? Or the law of America? A child of the Kingdom of Heaven?Is your citizenship in Heaven, or Amerika? Matthew 6:24, No one can serve two master's, for he will hate one and love the other...and, 1Kings18:21/Isaiah29:13/Matthew5:19/Matt6:24/James1:8/James4:4/James4:8/
John2:15/Corinthians3:11/Galatians1:6-8/2John9:111 The sure test for determining who we are and what we are about is the question of what commands our attention. What do we spend our time thinking about? That is who we are; that is what we are about. Our identity is reflected by our thoughts. Whatever our thoughts coalesce around, there is our heart. Does that heart beat in synch with Caesar, or with God? Would Caesar or God be more apt to have a heart like ours? Would Caesar or God be more apt to think the things we think? Philippians4:8-9
The work of the church is to become more like God and nothing like Caesar. All of our talk about the kingdom of God is only empty words whispered into a howling gale if our goals and purposes and reasons for living are goals, purposes, and reasons that Caesar, that the culture, would approve and be proud of. If we think the AmeriKan Way of Life and the kingdom of God are synonymous, interchangeable, identical, we have missed the essence of the one who went to his death opposing the fundamental lie of the Roman Empire. AmeriKa/Babylon). To say, “Jesus is Lord,” while we are draped in a toga, eating peeled grapes on satin pillows, and building bigger barns in which to store our excessive stuff is to make a mockery of the phrase and the one who inspired it. “Jesus—NOT Caesar—is Lord!” THAT’S the way to say it. And we can’t say it with all seriousness and devotion with our bent for togas, grapes, pillows and barns. Matt6:19-20.
I am proposing simply that the church be the real church. You have to understand that in every culture, that ever has been, or will be, the church has to fight to be the church. Yet not in AmeriKa. Why? And did Jesus say the church will suffer prosecution? ( John 15: 17& 19) Not in AmeriKa. Why? Because it lies with Caesar. Obviously. In every culture, the work of the church is to understand and exhibit the declaration, “Jesus—NOT Caesar—is Lord!” In every culture, the church has to vigilantly and diligently oppose the ease with which the church becomes the tool of the culture. Caesar is not God’s envoy sent to protect the church, champion the church, endorse the church and serve the great ends of the church. Yet, it is the demonic genius of Caesar to disguise himself as an angel of light, and say to the church, “Here I am. Follow me.” As is the current Church today. Matt7:15
Once the ends of the culture and the ends of the church become confused in the mind of the church, the church has ceased to be the church. Take a honest look at the church today. Is the Church a place of Holy refuge? It competes with and incorporates the church of Caesar ( AmeriKa). The world glorifies it self with the Oscars, so the church has the Dove awards. The world has Disneyland, the church has TBN fun world. The world has it's famous entertainers, and the groupies. So does the church. Christian aerobics, diets, artist, foods, Et...Thus it is the AmeriKan version of Christianity, an obvious apostasy. A farce. That is why the church is ineffective. And it is full of liars, thieves, and murderers. Less we forget, one can buy there way into Heaven for 10% of there gross income. Jesus is for sale. AmeriKan Christianity, God and country!! Which scripture is that? Better to be a Disciple of Christ, than a Disciple of AmeriKa. Also, REV 18:4 is a distinct warning to those who say" I love Jesus". As well REV 18 fits the U.S. like a tailored glove. Food for thought.
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If we will not sacrife our lifestyles, we will not sacrifice our lifes in the faith of Christ
Jesus was saying, in effect, “There are two ways. There is Caesar’s way, and there is God’s way.” What he actually is quoted as saying is, “Render unto Caesar, the things that are Caesar’s, and render unto God, the things that are God’s.” His clear implication is, “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Jesus declares: “Choose this day the foundation and orientation of your life. Choose this day the ground of your identity, and the focus and intention of your daily work.”
What is the work of the disciples of Christ? Is it to put bread on the table, or to become the image of God in the world? Is it to enlist ourselves in the service of a steadily increasing standard of living, or is it to bring the grace, mercy, and peace of God to life in the world? Is it to take our place, shoulder to shoulder, alongside those whose primary motive and goal is to buy, spend, amass and consume, or is it to “do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with God”?
The kingdom of God clashes violently with the kingdom of Caesar. We cannot serve two masters. When Jesus asks “the disciple that he loved,” he is asking all of his disciples, including us, “Do you love me?” When he asks, “Do you love me?”, he is asking, “Who are you? What are you about?” Well? Are you a Disciple of Jesus? Or a Disciple of Ceasers America? American? Or A Child of the living God? The law of God? Or the law of America? A child of the Kingdom of Heaven?Is your citizenship in Heaven, or Amerika? Matthew 6:24, No one can serve two master's, for he will hate one and love the other...and, 1Kings18:21/Isaiah29:13/Matthew5:19/Matt6:24/James1:8/James4:4/James4:8/
John2:15/Corinthians3:11/Galatians1:6-8/2John9:111 The sure test for determining who we are and what we are about is the question of what commands our attention. What do we spend our time thinking about? That is who we are; that is what we are about. Our identity is reflected by our thoughts. Whatever our thoughts coalesce around, there is our heart. Does that heart beat in synch with Caesar, or with God? Would Caesar or God be more apt to have a heart like ours? Would Caesar or God be more apt to think the things we think? Philippians4:8-9
The work of the church is to become more like God and nothing like Caesar. All of our talk about the kingdom of God is only empty words whispered into a howling gale if our goals and purposes and reasons for living are goals, purposes, and reasons that Caesar, that the culture, would approve and be proud of. If we think the AmeriKan Way of Life and the kingdom of God are synonymous, interchangeable, identical, we have missed the essence of the one who went to his death opposing the fundamental lie of the Roman Empire. AmeriKa/Babylon). To say, “Jesus is Lord,” while we are draped in a toga, eating peeled grapes on satin pillows, and building bigger barns in which to store our excessive stuff is to make a mockery of the phrase and the one who inspired it. “Jesus—NOT Caesar—is Lord!” THAT’S the way to say it. And we can’t say it with all seriousness and devotion with our bent for togas, grapes, pillows and barns. Matt6:19-20.
I am proposing simply that the church be the real church. You have to understand that in every culture, that ever has been, or will be, the church has to fight to be the church. Yet not in AmeriKa. Why? And did Jesus say the church will suffer prosecution? ( John 15: 17& 19) Not in AmeriKa. Why? Because it lies with Caesar. Obviously. In every culture, the work of the church is to understand and exhibit the declaration, “Jesus—NOT Caesar—is Lord!” In every culture, the church has to vigilantly and diligently oppose the ease with which the church becomes the tool of the culture. Caesar is not God’s envoy sent to protect the church, champion the church, endorse the church and serve the great ends of the church. Yet, it is the demonic genius of Caesar to disguise himself as an angel of light, and say to the church, “Here I am. Follow me.” As is the current Church today. Matt7:15
Once the ends of the culture and the ends of the church become confused in the mind of the church, the church has ceased to be the church. Take a honest look at the church today. Is the Church a place of Holy refuge? It competes with and incorporates the church of Caesar ( AmeriKa). The world glorifies it self with the Oscars, so the church has the Dove awards. The world has Disneyland, the church has TBN fun world. The world has it's famous entertainers, and the groupies. So does the church. Christian aerobics, diets, artist, foods, Et...Thus it is the AmeriKan version of Christianity, an obvious apostasy. A farce. That is why the church is ineffective. And it is full of liars, thieves, and murderers. Less we forget, one can buy there way into Heaven for 10% of there gross income. Jesus is for sale. AmeriKan Christianity, God and country!! Which scripture is that? Better to be a Disciple of Christ, than a Disciple of AmeriKa. Also, REV 18:4 is a distinct warning to those who say" I love Jesus". As well REV 18 fits the U.S. like a tailored glove. Food for thought.
_________________
If we will not sacrife our lifestyles, we will not sacrifice our lifes in the faith of Christ