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Christ Is the Way to Social Justice

Discussion in 'Other Christian Denominations' started by Jared Livesey, Jan 5, 2019.

  1. Jared Livesey

    Jared Livesey New Member

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    The ways humanity tries to bring about justice, peace, and unity do not and cannot work. History and current events are proof that competing against, controlling, or manipulating others always results in disunity, conflict, injustice, and inequality. Yet competition, force, and manipulation are how humanity has chosen to govern itself. Jesus offers us the sole alternative to humanity’s self-destructive ways: love.

    The law of God is this: every last thing you wish others would do to you, do those exact same things to them. This law defines the behavior of perfect love, which is called “charity.” God’s law is the true moral and ethical standard of all humankind, being written into every conscience, and it is the definition of “good.” Behavior that falls short of this law is not good and produces both guilt and conflict with others.

    The purpose of the law of God is to end conflict between people. Those who willingly keep His law may joyfully and peacefully live together as equals, both here and now, and forever in the eternal world. The commandments that Jesus gave us in the Sermon on the Mount are how we are to obey the law of God through our works and end our conflicts with others.

    Love, the feeling which makes us want to do what the law of God commands, is given to us by God. Charity is Jesus’s nature, meaning He feels perfect love towards everyone. Charity is the nature of all those who inherit God’s kingdom with Jesus. Jesus’s commandments in the Sermon on the Mount are the actions which those who have charity do by nature.

    “Sin” is intent or action which falls short of the law of God, such as giving in to lust and doing to others what we do not wish others would do to us. “Repent” means to change one’s mind, to reconsider, or to relent, all of which implies a willing change in one’s behavior.

    Any who will believe Jesus’s words in the Sermon on the Mount as literally as small children believe their parents’ words, and repent of all their sins, and be baptized by one of His sent servants, shall be visited by God with fire and with the Holy Ghost and shall receive a remission of their sins.

    The visitation of the Holy Ghost changes our feelings so that we understand Jesus’s love and want to only do good. Then we are to do what Jesus commands until the end of our lives. We trust in Jesus to guide and comfort us in our trials and afflictions as we learn who and what He is by the things we suffer in obedience to His teachings. Just as one does not learn a new skill without practice, nobody can understand nor master the discipline of perfect love without doing its works. Doing the works Jesus commanded until we fully understand Him and freely agree to become what He is and to receive His nature from Him permanently as a gift by His grace so that we love everyone perfectly just like He does is what it means to be a disciple of Jesus.

    If you keep the commandments of Jesus Christ, you are His church[1], you are His disciple[2], you are His friend[3], and you are His family[4].

    The Sermon on the Mount

    These are the commandments of Jesus Christ as given in Luke 6:20-49. The society built upon these principles is just, equitable, and fair.

    20 ¶ And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.
    21 Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.
    22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.
    23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
    24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.
    25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.
    26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
    27 ¶ But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,
    28 Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
    29 And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloak forbid not to take thy coat also.
    30 Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.
    31 And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.
    32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
    33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
    34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
    35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.
    36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.
    37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:
    38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
    39 And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?
    40 The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect shall be as his master.
    41 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
    42 Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye.
    43 For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
    44 For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes.
    45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
    46 ¶ And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
    47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
    48 He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.
    49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

    ====
    [1] Matthew 7:24-25, Matthew 16:18; Luke 6:47-48
    [2] John 8:31-32 (see also, in this order: John 14:6, John 17:3, John 14:21, John 14:23)
    [3] John 15:14
    [4] Luke 8:19-21
     
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  2. OfLivingWaters

    OfLivingWaters Active Member

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    Great post! Not sure how that goes over with the political and government's of men minded, military minded. For the kingdom of God minded in their Christ whose kingdom is everlasting.......A HOME RUN! Peace, and God Speed to you!
     
  3. OfLivingWaters

    OfLivingWaters Active Member

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    Loving others as one self? You will be hard pressed in here to find baptist who apply that . All Christians Orthodox , Catholic even some of their fellow Protestant sects throughout history are irrelevant to them. They deny the History of Christianity, among the times and era's of denominations. They believe themselves to be the begin and end all of the faith. They can't seem to get the gems possessed within all denominations . I do not claim a loyalty to any one denomination because I have found they all have some untruths . Though they have truth there are some false things. It seems that loyalty to them means you can not step across the lines of division and embrace a truth another holds. Their "Christianity" has become like the political parties, nothing but division.

    The Orthodox and Catholic do not accept Scripture Alone. The Protestants do not either in actuality ,they only give lip service. For when you support a truth of another and uphold it by the scriptures alone, they throw mud and opinion at Scripture Alone. The Catholics like to act as though they speak from a point of Revelation. When you disprove a doctrine or at least a wrongly defined Title given to something or someone, they say scripture alone is not the basis of doctrine. Yet the scriptures say otherwise.

    All Scripture is God-Breathed
    …15From infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.…
    Satan has been able ,through the selfish ambition of men to create discord and division.
    To me it is not complicated. If I can support a doctrine with scripture then it is true. I will not for the sake of a denomination reject an obvious truth. That is what denominational minded people do. In turn , they show NO brotherly love- first to their own (fellow Christians),
    and definitely NOT to an enemy.

    They call non Baptist the enemy and all things they say are all false , according to them.

    One in Christ Philippians 2:2-4
    …2then make my joy complete by being of one mind, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.…

    It is clear the state of affairs concerning denominations is because of selfish ambition and a desire to be superior than the other. Each does not accept a truth from the other. Not Christ's will for sure. Christ gives gems to each , the Protestants is Sola Scriptura. The Lord does not put all his eggs into one basket , nor has He revealed all truth to any one denomination. The foundation is all truth and men build upon it what they do. Men are prideful and want to lord over Christ not be Lorded by Him.
     
  4. OfLivingWaters

    OfLivingWaters Active Member

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  5. OfLivingWaters

    OfLivingWaters Active Member

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    Future Blessings for Zion Isaiah 54:1-2
    1“Shout for joy, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth into song and cry aloud, you who have never travailed; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the LORD. 2“Enlarge the site of your tent, stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, do not hold back. Lengthen your ropes and drive your stakes deep.…

    Correlates with Rev14. New season coming and is already at hand. I have no husband ( denomination) no branch, which dominates me.
    de·nom·i·na·tion
    /dəˌnäməˈnāSH(ə)n/
    noun
    noun: denomination; plural noun: denominations
    1.
    a recognized autonomous branch of the Christian Church.

    I have the Lord ( the foundation)alone who is my Husband.All who are not dominated by a denomination and are in it(life) for the TRUTH have only Christ for their Husband. I am enlarging the site of my tent( Kuria- means Noble Lady). The Lord has a name for His church alright. She is a Perpetual Virgin like Mother Mary meaning :ABIDING IN CHASTITY always loyal to Christ alone. Oh! what a surprise coming for the RCC and all! The true meaning of the Perpetual Virginity of Mother Mary, revealed by heaven in Title and state of being, but misinterpreted because Scripture Alone is not adhered to , to form doctrines. The AHA GOTCHA MOMENT for all because of the great deception!
    Only the Elect get it.

    The New Song of Rev. 14 is the everlasting gospel which is revealed in a New way. The falling away of Babylon will bring the hallelujah because the Harlot and all women that defile (false churches ) will be DONE! Rev. 19 the best is yet to come. For those who get it, this song is for you! For all the attacks and hatred thrown at you from the father in-laws ( Why Jacob had to flee) -Because of the wrath of his father in- law!


    REV. 19 will be the best days of the end Time Elects lives! Until then we must persevere to the attainment. Daniel 12. Jew and Hebrew- converted Gentile) . A Christian is no gentile anymore for the Hebrew King is within and we are made into His image.

    Hebrew means (Traversed) we have from one side of the river to the other. Abraham is the first to be called a Hebrew. This is the type and example and is why he is the father of MANY NATIONS. Rev. 14 those called out from among nations. We are redeemed from among men ,gentiles. Called out from among mankind along with our Israeli counterparts . Rev.12 The completion from among the country Israel and gentile nations is at hand. The two from the older (Leah) and the younger Covenant (Rachel )will be united in Jacob (Israel). The wedding Feast of the Lamb Rev.19 its mystery revealed in the dialogue of Jesus and His mother and the story of Jacob. BIG THINGS COMING! Telling it before hand because it is in process and is soon at hand. Those who are seeking to develop their own narrative from what I share and omit the full context will simply be cursed. I am not cursing you, you curse yourselves by seeking your own agenda. Have at it, the same thing is done now concerning His written word , scriptures. His purpose will NOT BE hindered! The miracle before His time done at the Wedding Faest at Canaan is a message to the Elect of this end of the age of sin. He will make a way, Rev.6 the sixth seal! The first WOE before the sixth seal is coming and will continue in growth to the sixth seal! Those on board with undiluted truth, God Speed.

    Rev12
    15Then from the mouth of the serpent spewed water like a river to overtake the woman and sweep her away in the torrent

    A Lot of diluting coming from all the denominations . God has the Elect's back! THE BRIDE IS HERE and the Herod's will not Kill Christ who is their Testimony. The toppling of many kings and their thrones coming! The Magnificat speaks to this. With Mother Mary and what she reveals in the fullness of GRACE (CHRIST JESUS) will be the rise and fall of many. Even the RCC is in trouble.
    God's Grace Brings Salvation Titus 2:10-12
    10not stealing from them, but showing all good faith, so that in every respect they will adorn the teaching about God our Savior. 11For the grace of God has appeared (CHRIST JESUS), bringing salvation to all men. 12It instructs us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives in the present age,…

    All those who say Mother Mary is not full of Christ (grace) better repent. For you deny Christ is fully within her! "Do you not know that yourselves are the TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD"! She before you though.,chosen as mother to God the Son.
     
    #5 OfLivingWaters, Jan 6, 2019
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2019
  6. JonC

    JonC Moderator
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    I believe an unfortunate consequence of the westernization of Christianity has been at once a spiritualized approach to the "kingdom here" and a rationalized approach to the "kingdon to come". The present sufferings of others are ignored as temporal and irrelevant while the gospel itself is reduced to cognitive appropriation.

    An exaggerated example of this can be seen in Whitefield's defence of the institution of slavery as a mode to "Christianize the savage". A more subdued example can be seen by comparing the statistical data of a professing Christian population against the immorality of today's culture.
     
  7. Jared Livesey

    Jared Livesey New Member

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    JonC,

    Acts 2:44-47 and Acts 4:32 represent what we would expect to see from people who actually did as the Lord instructed in the Sermon. The kingdom of God on the Earth would have to be a place and a people who do those things, or else His will would not be being done on Earth as in heaven, and thus it would not be His kingdom.

    Jared
     
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  8. RighteousnessTemperance&

    RighteousnessTemperance& Well-Known Member

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    The kingdom of God is certainly about loving and sharing in all the things of God. But because of past experience, your post raises red flags.

    I don’t know why you chose to isolate those particular verses, but I have seen them used in attempts to promote socialism and communism. Abusing them that way leads far astray from the biblical concepts expressed in Acts and the rest of the New Testament. The context won’t allow it. Socialism and communism are the opposite of cheerful giving.
     
  9. Jared Livesey

    Jared Livesey New Member

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    I choose to isolate those particular verses to illustrate what the kingdom of God on the Earth must be like. Those verses show us what it looks like when His will is done on Earth.

    Where those things are not being done, and being done cheerfully, as you point out, neither is the kingdom of God there, for His will is not being done there.
     
  10. RighteousnessTemperance&

    RighteousnessTemperance& Well-Known Member

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    Those verses illustrate an important part of what the kingdom is like. Acts (and the NT) is full of much more.

    But to your point, I have personally been blessed to be part of some very loving churches, and heard of many more. Most I have known are full of generous people. And when disaster strikes, a great many are first on the scene with all kinds of aid and support, and this for people who are not members or even believers. I’ve probably seen more problem with Christians giving to unworthy causes than with them being uncharitable.
     
  11. Jared Livesey

    Jared Livesey New Member

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    I appreciate what you are saying. Many people in many organizations engage in much well-doing.
     
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