Talk of JESUS . com

Category: Epistles – Is his letter to our church?

Epistle of Paul to the Romans 1 - the Apostles sends a church letter to Rome and the local saints of area churches
Epistle of Paul to the Romans

Epistles ἐπιστολή or Letters

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.

Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians 

Don’t  miss our recent FEATURED SERIES

JUNE 2024 – 2025 —

1 CORINTHIANS 

———————————————————-

Letters – Is he writing to me?
The short answer: YES.

In their epistles or 1st century church letters the Apostles and other men sent out by Jesus build up the saints [small – ‘s’] or members of local first century churches.

A Disciple or other witness of JESUS would write it. Messengers then delivered these church letters to many isolated worshipers.

Followers of Jesus Christ receive these letters as a major encouragement to their personal faith. Then leaders read them to worshipers of their church.

Although the Epistles 0r Letters to the Church were originally written to churches of the first century,

Romans through Jude will seem like letters to your 21st century church.

  • What do Peter, Paul, John and others tell us we must do?
  • Is he talking about an issue in your 21st c. church as well?
  • How does the writer’s advice, warning, or encouragement to the 1st c. believers apply to you as well
  • Is the writer of this letter talking about something you need to address in your 21st century ‘christian’ life?

Contemporary Application of the Letters (Epistles)

Most New Testament writers take on specific issues confronting faithful followers of Jesus Christ. These same issues continue to confront believers until the Lord’s coming again in these last days.

Certainly Christ our Lord will come again to those God has chosen for eternal life.

Believers currently suffer more than most of you who know Christ in your local church can imagine.

In other lands Christians continue to suffer by the hand of the ungodly.
Go into all the world

A 21st century Common Era church can see and hear nearly any atrocity of man or artificial imagination of sinful man’s mind, yet ‘christians‘ dare not speak of any absolute truth of the Lord God or talk of JESUS CHRIST.

Will YOU comment on Scripture and share the Gospel?

I invite you to read the inspired word of Scripture written in these LETTERS TO THE CHURCH.

YES, He IS writing to YOU.

Beloved brother or sister in Christ Jesus,

Will you read this ‘CHURCH LETTER’ and talk of JESUS through your comment, sharing and email to me about this ‘Letter to you?”

Roger@talkofJesus.com

  • Persevering the Social Distancing of Virtual Relationship

    Persevering the Social Distancing of Virtual Relationship

    Letters to a Distanced Church

    A quick glance at the map reveals many first century churches near the Aegean Sea, a long voyage from Jerusalem.

    Believers of The Way had to depend on distant leaders to sow and nurture virtual relationships:

    • to each other,
    • to other churches (many in local or nearby homes)
    • and to distant Shepherds of Christ like Peter and Paul.

    The Apostles embraced these saints of so many distant churches with Christ’s love. They loved their flocks through letters and by occasional visits of their founding fathers (Apostles and other disciples of Jesus). Each of these mission churches had its own shepherd, sometimes a father of the household where they met.

    Like the Gospels, Church Letters (Epistles) arrived by messenger or with its own pastor (Shepherd or father) returning from Jerusalem, Rome or other place where the Apostles could encourage them in Christ.

    A voyage to Thessalonica from Rome or Jerusalem is about the same distance.

    Pastoral letters (from the Shepherds or Church Fathers) would be read in as many of the churches along its route as practically possible.

    Do you suppose that the saints of the Church in Thessaloniki suffered social distancing from their local friends, neighbors and businesses?

    YES. In fact many early Christians were socially distanced from their own communities and neighbors due to threat of persecution or even death.

    2 Thessalonians

    from the Church Fathers of the First Century

    Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,

    To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

    Grace to you and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

    We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters, as is only fitting, because your faith is increasing abundantly, and the love of each and every one of you toward one another grows ever greater…

    Hear Paul’s heart for them and note how these socially distanced Christians coped with a new reality much different than before.

    4 As a result, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God:

    • for your perseverance and faith
    • in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure.

    This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you indeed are suffering.

    Commentary on a too-familiar setting
    • Does this also encourage you in your social isolation from the brothers and sisters of Christ’s Church?

    Picture this background from commentary of John MacArthur:

    ..pressure and persecution had also increased. The seeds of false doctrine concerning the Lord had been sown, and the people were behaving disorderly.

    So Paul wrote to his beloved flock who were: 1) discouraged by persecution and needed incentive to persevere; 2) deceived by false teachers who confused them about the Lord’s return; and 3) disobedient to divine commands, particularly by refusing to work.

    Who witnesses Christ’s love in you?

    Our own 21st century community also watches us, even as the Lord Jesus assures His distant lambs held near in every era,

    “In the world you have tribulation, G2347 but take courage; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33 NASB

    There’s that PRESSURE AGAIN.
    COVID – the Affliction of Social Distancing – 2
    Pressure from Affliction – ours and our loved ones.

    Paul assures the Church of Relief & Retribution

    For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict G2346 you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted G2346 and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God, and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

    2 Thessalonians 1:6-8 NASB

    Sinners AFFLICTED — Sinners without hope as once we were.

    SEPARATED by our sin, DISTANCED from the Lord God never seeking Christ Jesus, the Savior who cleanses our soul.

    Afflicted by others, but also sinners spared from Judgment by the mercy of the Lord Jesus.

    • COVID – Social Distancing for a time known to the Lord.
    • Judgment – Just punishment separating sinners from God forever.
    • COVID will end, replaced by other pandemics of the world’s sin.
    • Judgment will come to the unrepentant after our mortal time expires.

    These people will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power..

    2 Thessalonians 1:9 NASB

    Yet in Christ, our Lord and Savior, with the Presence of the Holy Spirit; even now — in these days of affliction — we draw near to the love and light which shines through the darkness of this world.

    Amen.

  • The Tongue is a Fire! – Speaking of Christians

    The Tongue is a Fire! – Speaking of Christians

    If anyone thinks he is religious without controlling his tongue, his religion is useless and he deceives himself.

    James 1:26 CSB

    Contents of 3-part series

    We began this forum for freely speaking whatever is on your mind with the substance and consequences of speaking out in POLITICS. November in the U.S. is always a contentious time and the approaching year of Presidential politics will offer more intense variations on the themes of hypocrisy and hatred.

    As the politically correct and often biased words of media might suggest, RELIGION has no say so in these arguments. The movie scene depicted in the photo for this series suggests a time when all of this correctness fails for all of us, including media.

    Next and finally, today we will take a look at what the Bible has to say about such things. Examine your heart further along with me as our tongues speak up (sometimes inappropriately) for Jesus Christ.

    Don’t be deceived

    Paul preaches to the church in Ephesus:

    Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for God’s wrath is coming on the disobedient because of these things. Ephesians 5:6

    James suggests early in his letter how easily we deceive ourselves.

    James 1:19 So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath; 20 for the wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God…

    He offers a remedy to hypocrisy, of which we will quickly be accused. And James illustrates our self-examination in the mirror.

    22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

    23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was.

    Swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath!

    It’s just not our nature (Christian or not).

    Because we speak out so quickly, we show how easily we are deceived. It is the same deception of our own hearts mentioned in Genesis 3:13

    And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, H5377 and I did eat.

    Disobedience Brings God’s Judgment

    This has always been the warning of the LORD’s true prophets to a people who claim religious favor while displaying hypocritical sin.

    The Lord will judge and many have warned us throughout the millennia in scripture given by Almighty God.

    In order that you may anticipate my outline from the Lord’s word, we will examine four of these chronologically:

    1. Jeremiah ~687-520 B.C.
    2. John the Baptist ~A.D. 30
    3. Jesus Christ
    4. James, brother of Jesus, leader of the church at Jerusalem ~A.D. 50

    Jeremiah 9:

    3 “They bend their tongue like their bow;
    Lies and not truth prevail in the land;
    For they proceed from evil to evil,
    And they do not know Me,” declares the Lord.

    The LORD, through the Prophet Jeremiah, condemns the tongue of the religious leaders of Judah.

    5 “Everyone deceives his neighbor
    And does not speak the truth,
    They have taught their tongue to speak lies;
    They weary themselves committing iniquity.
    6 “Your dwelling is in the midst of deceit;
    Through deceit they refuse to know Me,” declares the Lord.

    The Tongue that Answers Hypocrisy

    How is this any different than the hypocrisy of some who claim God today?

    Though this condemnation is directed toward Jews around 627 Before Christ, the Lord could well convict so-called christians of this 21st century in the year of our Lord.

    For what else can I do, because of the daughter of My people?
    8 “Their tongue is a deadly arrow;
    It speaks deceit;
    With his mouth one speaks peace to his neighbor,
    But inwardly he sets an ambush for him.
    9 “Shall I not punish them for these things?” declares the Lord.
    “On a nation such as this
    Shall I not avenge Myself?

    The Lord does not condemn the nations for the fire of their accusations against God, but those who claim the Name of the Lord whose tongue deceives their neighbor and speaks deceit.

    How are we not like those condemned here, where our tongues of fire shout against the evils of the world, “I’m mad and hell and I’m not going to take this anymore!”

    John the Baptist

    In a captive Israel (and Judah) after centuries of silence from the Lord, many recognized John as a Prophet of God. Jesus confirms it.

    “And if you’re willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who is to come.

    The testimony of Jesus Christ about John the Baptist – Matthew 11:14

    REPENT! you religious hypocrites

    John never said this in so many words, but repentance of sins and hypocrisy of the tongue by religious leaders held center-stage in his ministry to the crowds in the wilderness.

    Matthew 3:

    4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

    Although the son of a priest, John followed the Lord’s leading away from the Temple limelight into the wilderness. And his raiment reminded all of the great Prophet Elijah. John’s fiery calls for repentance he directed not to idolatrous followers of other religions, but to the Jews.

    Our most enduring impression of John may be his public accusation of the leaders of religion who came to hear him in the wilderness.

    What the crowds witnessed

    But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them,

    “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

    Matthew 3:7-8 ESV

    I could easily say more about John’s tongue of fire as it also applies to Christians, but I’ll save it for a more detailed look at John the Baptist, greatest of the prophets who the Lord sent before the Messiah Jesus.

    Proverbs for the Tongue

    There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.

    The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

    Proverbs 12:18-19 KJV

    Christ Jesus

    As John and the Spirit testified, Jesus is more than a man who speaks truth. He IS the Perfect truth established before time for all time, the Son of God the Father!

    Previously in this series I mentioned Jesus’ caution about the tongue of one saying “raca” or “you fool” being liable to hell. Although this ought to be caution enough for those claiming Christ, here I will add an additional insight from Jesus about hell.

    Jews, Messianic Jews and Christians may differ on our views of hell; its punishments, certainly who is condemned and the nature of eternal life after death. Nevertheless, considering not the illustrative nature of the parable, but the truth of what the Messiah Jesus must witness by His very word, take just this one scene to heart.

    Luke 16:

    Jesus’ parable follows three more familiar parables about the lost followers of the LORD, Shepherd of Israel.

    Most hearers compare Jesus’ two main characters, a rich earthly master and his poor servant by identifying Jesus’ parable as The Rich Man and Lazarus. For many this may confuse the issues of resurrection (identified with the name of this other Lazarus) and salvation for the wealthy (which Jesus seems to oppose on many occasions).

    Neither wealth nor resurrection are at issue in this parable.

    Prior to this parable, Jesus categorically states:

    “Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in.

    Luke 16:16 NLT

    Jesus on Social Injustice

    J.B. Phillips focuses our attention more to the issue of how we act toward others during this mortal life, introducing this parable: Jesus shows the fearful consequence of social injustice.

    It’s a tragic tale describing the inequities of this life, followed by a scene of the rich man gazing upon heaven from hell. The rich master and faithful servant have died, their fates having rewarded each justly.

    And from among the dead he looked up and saw Abraham a long way away, and Lazarus in his arms.

    ‘Father Abraham!’ he cried out, ‘please pity me.

    Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.’

    Luke 16 excerpt J.B. PHILLIPS

    This follower of the LORD who had every blessing in life pleads to Abraham to intercede for him while he suffers the agony of hell! It would be like asking a saint of old or mother of our Lord to help you. Just cool my tongue from the agony in these flames.

    Jesus has already separated the sheep from the goats. This is no intermittent place of punishment where relief through others may take place.

    Dear brother or sister in Christ,

    Therefore, watch your tongue and actions in this mortal life. For we must now be perfect in Him before a world hearing us as Christ, named ‘Christians.’

    James

    Earlier this year I addressed the turmoil of religion and politics which preceded the appearance of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. If you would like to read more follow this link to James and Jerusalem’s Controversy.

    The applications of James to Christian contemporary thought may be helpful to each of us personally, particularly what I taught previously on this in James – Preaching to a Worldly Church.

    Even though I recently covered the entire book of James, his application to Christians is worth repeating as a brief conclusion to this 3-part series: The Tongue is a Fire!

    FOR CHRISTIANS ONLY:

    DISCLAIMER: IF you do not believe in God, no need to read further. As Jeremiah aimed his tongue of rebuke to the Jews and as John the Baptist also called God’s chosen to repentance, this is not for those who refuse the Lord’s grace.

    And so, you who claim Christ consider this:

    Your contemporary issue of how God can use your tongue of fire to save the world may not agree with scripture.

    Roger Harned – TalkofJesus.com

    Which issue excites your tongue to cry out, “you brood of vipers?” Abortion? Equal rights for women? Helping poor migrants trying to come to America? Healthcare, food and shelter for the poor? Fair elections? Tolerance for other religions?

    All of these causes may excite your witness to others, but the leaders of the church will warn you and me to watch our tongue and act like Jesus.

    You cannot go wrong by keeping the love of Jesus on your lips and the fruit of love in the harvest of your relationships with others. But look more closely at nearly every New Testament writer and the sayings of Jesus:

    Our words of refinement and love are for each other – brothers and sisters in Christ. If our actions match the love of Jesus, only then will the world take note of our words.

    James 3:

    2 For in many things we offend all. – KJV

    Christians excel in this, but the world should not be offended by you. Rather, the world is offended by Christ Jesus and will not accept the grace of His love.

    2-6 [PHILLIPS] We all make mistakes in all kinds of ways, but the man who can claim that he never says the wrong thing can consider himself perfect, for if he can control his tongue he can control every other part of his personality!

    Think of it. If you control your tongue, you can be perfect; that is, Christ-like. Your actions will finally become perfect, because you mirror our Lord.

    5b [NASB] See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! 6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.

    The Not So Good NEWS of Today

    Can you think of some in the public eye whose tongues easily set social media on fire?

    Sadly, Christians participate in the hot debates of those worldly things which have little or nothing to do with Christ. I admit it. My speech before others sparks debate. Yet is it for Christ?

    Are you a disciple of your political party? Of your particular issue? Do you show religion as condemnation and faith as opposition to the value of others?

    8 [NASB] But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; 10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing.

    Again, the hypocrisy of ‘christians’

    As we pointed a finger toward ourselves in an earlier post in this series, this is hypocrisy. James tells us that it must not be. He asks the church to direct our teaching first to ourselves.

    [PHILLIPS] … your lives will be an example of the humility that is born of true wisdom… —don’t deny the truth that you must recognise in your inmost heart… For wherever you find jealousy and rivalry you also find disharmony and all other kinds of evil.

    TRUE. True in the world and true in the church. Jealousy and rivalry lead to disharmony and many kinds of evil. Don’t get caught up in it all.

    Listen to this: James’ instruction to Christians in how to be perfect can be found in two verses of his letter. Consider them before your tongue turns your life off course in the next storm of public opinion.

    Wisdom from Above

    17-18 [PHILLIPS] The wisdom that comes from God is first utterly pure, then peace-loving, gentle, approachable, full of tolerant thoughts and kindly actions, with no breath of favouritism or hint of hypocrisy. And the wise are peace-makers who go on quietly sowing for a harvest of righteousness—in other people and in themselves.

    Would a list help?

    From the KJV, But the wisdom that is from above is:

    • pure,
    • peaceable,
    • gentle,
    • easy to be intreated,
    • full of mercy
    • good fruits,
    • without partiality,
    • without hypocrisy.

    We cannot be pure while leavened by the hatred of the world. And the world’s peace looks much different than the peace of Jesus.

    Can you imagine any more gentle example than our Lord Jesus Christ?

    Easy to be intreated would be advice from more obedient times meaning compliant or easily obeying. Modern translations sweeten it a bit calling this trait, ‘reasonable.’ Are you reasonable or compliant in your conversation with others?

    Full of mercy: there’s a trait we wish to encounter. Compassion, true compassion for others; not claims of a nice ‘christian’ to treat others with mercy, but Christ-like compassion for another.

    Jesus said:

    “But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

    the words of Jesus to religious leaders – Matthew 9:13

    Are you a Pharisee of this 21st century in the eyes of those you encounter? You with ears to hear, hold your tongue until your heart finds mercy.

    We know many parables of Jesus about the fruit of righteousness. Do you show others how you, a sinner, have changed? Like John the Baptist scorned the Pharisees and Scribes coming for baptism:

    “Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

    Matthew 3:8 NASB

    Has Jesus changed you? Did your tongue receive Christ’s bridle of restraint of your words of witness to the world?

    Is your witness for a cause OR for Christ Jesus? What do your words say?

    Show no partiality or favoritism in your faith. Be unwavering for Jesus rather than swayed to the right or to the left by the crowds.

    NO Hypocrisy

    Hypocrisy is the mask of appearances, the make-up of our image. It is the false face of the world and their accusation of masked ‘christians.’

    The fire of our tongue will betray our motives. And our fruit of hypocrisy is witness against Jesus.

    Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. – Romans 12:9 NASB

    It is the genuine love of Jesus Christ, sincere faith in our Lord. The world must see Jesus in your actions, but first the world will hear your words.

    Are the words of your mouth witness that Jesus IS your LORD?

    OR

    Do you just have something more to say back to the world from your fiery tongue?

    Remember the love and grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, dear saint and fellow sinner. For you would not want to hear the Lord say,

    “I never knew you.”

    May the grace, mercy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ help you to hold your tongue from evil and witness His love through the Holy Spirit.
  • The Tongue is a Fire! – Religion

    The Tongue is a Fire! – Religion

    The Fire of the Tongue, the Rhetoric of Politics and Religion

    In our previous look at public controversy in the media we began with the clash of politics, mentioning the trial of Socrates in 399 B.C. Today we begin coverage of the clashes of religion and the church with everyday culture.

    For, “THE ONE WHO DESIRES LIFE, TO LOVE AND SEE GOOD DAYS,
    MUST KEEP HIS TONGUE FROM EVIL AND HIS LIPS FROM SPEAKING DECEIT.

    First Letter of Peter to the Church 3:10 NASB

    Without digging a hole into some serious divisions of the church in our brief look at this opening quote of the Apostle Peter to the church, let me just remind us:

    Political parties and the church are all gatherings of disagreeable people more or less united in one thing.

    Roger Harned – talkofJesus.com

    Can you think of an application for followers of Christ in current election rhetoric for the (U.S.) election year to come?

    The church (saints or people) of this day and the past are all like you, like me and just like every candidate of every party in every country on earth. We are ALL SINNERS.

    Therefore, regardless of our politics of the moment or religion of the past, we all speak and do evil.

    The Tongue of the ‘Christian’

    But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

    Caution of Christ – Matthew 5:22 NASB

    Jesus Christ asks the crowds to examine our own hearts. So before we get to the controversy of Christ, let’s work back from Peter’s last point in this one verse [1 Peter 3:10] instructing “Christians.”

    Peter asks or suggests to followers of Jesus:

    1. If you desire LIFE, what is life?
    2. Do you desire LOVE, what kind of love?
    3. So you want to SEE GOOD DAYS, what path do you seek?
    4. Do you KEEP YOUR TONGUE FROM EVIL?
    5. Would others find you guilty of SPEAKING DECEIT because you have fooled yourself?

    Do you speak foolishness in angry answers to others – your loved ones, those you work or worship with, a politician inciting opposition?

    How can you judge their speech when you do not even judge your own?

    The root meaning of deceit here is to decoy. In other words, deceive another by your words. Of course no politician would do that!

    But Jesus speaks to those who want to speak truth. When we do not, like the politicians and leaders of cultural religion we also become hypocrites, as are our accusers.

    Hypocrites

    Their audience is US.

    ὑποκριτής, ὑποκριτου, ὁ (ὑποκρίνομαι, which see);

    1. one who answers, an interpreter (Plato, Lucian).
    2. an actor, stage-player (Aristophanes, Xenophon, Plato, Aelian, Herodian).
    3. in Biblical Greek, a dissembler, pretender, hypocrite:

    Followers of Christ must look in the mirror first.

    If you catch yourself speaking deceit you had best shut your mouth and seal your lips. (Nevermind the hypocrisy of your opponent, just find the beam in your own eye and fire of your own tongue.)

    The tongue of Evil

    The tongue of evil could be our own!

    Paul writes to church of the Romans:

    as it is written,
    “THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE;

    Romans 3:13

    He continues in speaking of Jews and Hellenistic culturists (Greeks):

    THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD,
    THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE.

    “THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE,
    WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,”
    “THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS”;

    “WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS”…

    “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

    Could this be a political treatise against Christians, Jews, Muslims, and ANY claiming God without love on their lips even in this day?

    Like Peter, Paul also shows why politics and religion mix in a murky cloud of hypocrisy.

    How do you seek GOOD DAYS?

    What is the platform of your faith? Your religion? Traditions? Good deeds?

    Your works of goodness certainly can not sway the politics of a fallen world or misled nation.

    Do you seek an honest path to righteousness? It would be a religion of works and false morality, a religion of philanthropic leading in your own ideals.

    … and I’m NOT going to take it anymore!

    Do any recall our ‘must elect my candidate’ arguments of religion for the 2016 election?

    How will you, being evil, do good for anyone?

    My fellow Christians, is your witness for the Gospel of Christ?

    Or is your shout to the crowds that you’re mad as hell as if Christ would be swayed by the fire of your tongue?

    Perhaps your opponents think that you feign madness before the media.

    What good is your shouting into the whirlwind? For the fire of your words fails to witness the compassion of our Lord Christ Jesus.

    Mere religion and righteousness never equate.

    Love of words or love of the Word?

    Here’s a question for so-called ‘christians’ embroiled in the politics of the day: Do you have a love of words or love of the Word?

    Surely the politician loves the stage of the world. Certainly the media twists words meant to incite supporters into indictments of political opponents.

    Satan works no differently than the internet in spreading false accusation of the believer; for Christ is the only Word of love who can save the sinner.

    The Apostle John instructs the church:

    Do not love G25 the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves G25 the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

    1 John 2:15 NASB – Strong’s G25 ἀγαπάω agapaō

    Life – ζωή – zōē

    Life’s meaning described by Peter is:

    1. life
      1. the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate
      2. every living soul
    2. life
      1. of the absolute fullness of life, both essential and ethical, which belongs to God, and through him both to the hypostatic “logos” and to Christ in whom the “logos” put on human nature
      2. life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever.

    Peter points not only forward to Christ, but by scripture back to David, a man after God’s own heart.

    Religion questions God.

    May I add that the politics of the world deny God’s saving grace. By our knowledge of good and evil we lost the fruit of the tree of life in Eden. Mankind spoiled God’s paradise by disobedient sin.

    Psalm 34: A Psalm of David

    when he feigned madness before Abimelech, who drove him away and he departed.

    David looks back at these dark days and praises the LORD.

    I will bless the LORD at all times;
    His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

    Psalm 34:1

    9 O fear the LORD, you His saints;
    For to those who fear Him there is no want.

    13 Keep your tongue from evil
    And your lips from speaking deceit.

    14 Depart from evil and do good;
    Seek peace and pursue it.

    From advice for the saints of the Lord, David proceeds to the justice and redemption of the faithful.

    21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
    And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

    22 The LORD redeems the soul of His servants,
    And none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.

    The Fire of the Tongue, the Politics of Jesus

    Now it was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient that one man should die for the people.

    John 18:14 NKJV

    Jesus against religion

    John 2:

    14 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!”

    John 8:

    42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. 43 Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. 44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

    54 Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. 55 Though you do not know him, I know him.

    58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

    a Word of witness to followers of false religion

    Jesus answered him,

    “I have spoken openly to the world; I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where all the Jews come together; and I spoke nothing in secret.

    John 18:20 NASB

    Jesus continues:

    “Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard what I spoke to them; they know what I said.”

    Truth has witnesses; yet how do unrighteous leaders of religion react?

    When He had said this, one of the officers standing nearby struck Jesus, saying, “Is that the way You answer the high priest?”

    Jesus answered him, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify of the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike Me?”

    So Annas sent Him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

    Political reaction to Righteousness

    Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in Him.

    Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your King?”

    The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.”

    John 18:38; 19:15b NASB

    Righteous reaction to the Political

    Mark 12:

    Is it lawful to pay a poll-tax to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay or shall we not pay?”

    coin head of Antiochus IV Epiphanes

    But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them,

    “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.”

    17 And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” 

    Is Politics your Religion OR Religion your Politics?

    Psalm 2:

    The Messiah’s Triumph and Kingdom

    Why do the nations rage,
    And the people plot a vain thing?
    2 The kings of the earth set themselves,
    And the rulers take counsel together,
    Against the Lord and against His Anointed saying,
    3 “Let us break Their bonds in pieces
    And cast away Their cords from us.”

    Christ Jesus, the Messiah of the Lord God, warned of our anger against God.

    7 אֲסַפְּרָ֗ה אֶֽ֫ל חֹ֥ק יְֽהוָ֗ה אָמַ֘ר אֵלַ֥י בְּנִ֥י אַ֑תָּה אֲ֝נִ֗י הַיּ֥וֹם יְלִדְתִּֽיךָ׃

    8 שְׁאַ֤ל מִמֶּ֗נִּי וְאֶתְּנָ֣ה ג֭וֹיִם נַחֲלָתֶ֑ךָ וַ֝אֲחֻזָּתְךָ֗ אַפְסֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃

    10 Now therefore, be wise, O kings;
    Be instructed, you judges of the earth.
    11 Serve the Lord with fear,
    And rejoice with trembling.
    12 Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,
    And you perish in the way,
    When His wrath is kindled but a little.
    Blessed are all those who put their trust in Him.

    To be continued...