7.7- In times of our culture wars we need to decide will we live in obedience to Jesus
7.7-
In times of our culture wars we need to decide will we live
in obedience to Jesus or some earthly court or party in our nation?
One of the problems that has come with our culture wars is
that we have seen in our nation division can be applied to everything from vaccines
to masks during our pandemic. Culture
wars have cause division among the people of God and division in families and
it has grieved the Spirit of God.
The war against gun accessibility; against abortion
restrictions; against poverty; against race- based bias and oppression; against
corruption in our elected officials, against the poison in the swamp; against
the indoctrination of our children in publicly-funded institutions of learning;
against the growing threat of white supremacy; against the fossil-fueled
climate crisis bearing down on us, against the oppression of LGBTQ+ people,
against the punitive charge to change the definition of marriage, man, and
woman?
These issues are not theoretical. Splits are happening as
the distinction between the church and culture is becoming cloudy.
Right now, the second largest protestant denomination in the
United States is splitting. The united
Methodist church will no longer be united.
That last time a split like that occurred was during the Civil War. At that time, every institution in the United
States split, and the Methodist Church was the largest Christian denomination
to split—it was even larger than the government of the united states, which
also split.
I have heard of several churches that have split and closed
down during the pandemic because of the stress of the wars going on. Jesus calls us to think and pray about who the
real enemy is.
Paul said our struggle is not against flesh and blood.
Ephesians 6.
10 Finally, be
strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. 11 Put on the
full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against
the schemes of the devil. 12 For
our struggle is not against [f]flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces
of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of
wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore,
take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist
on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. 14 Stand
firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put
on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and
having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 [g]in addition to all,
taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And
take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which
is the word of God.
18 [h]With every prayer
and request, [i]pray at all times in
the Spirit, and with this in view, [j]be alert with
all perseverance and every request for all the [k]saints, 19 and pray in
my behalf, that speech may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to
make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, 20 for
which I am an ambassador in [l]chains; that [m]in proclaiming it
I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
21 Now, so
that you also may know about my circumstances as to [n]what I am
doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful [o]servant in the Lord, will
make everything known to you. 22 [p]I have sent him to you
for this very purpose, so that you may know [q]about us, and that he
may comfort your hearts.
23 Peace be
to the brothers and sisters, and love with faith, from God the
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with
all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ [r]with incorruptible love.
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