Recently
an article from Dr Michael Brown says (see the link below): "Does Jesus
belong in the culture wars?" He mentioned about a young pastor who
said, "That's not to say that Christian people don't have opinions on
social issues and we shouldn't speak those opinions, but Sunday morning
from behind the pulpit is not the place, in my opinion."
The young
pastor was right to say that that it is in his opinion; not in Jesus
Christ's. Jesus proved that His opinion was not just to go to the
synagogue and preach to the Pharisees only; He went to the streets and
preached to the non-religious about life, issues of life, darkness of
life, as well as the beauty of life too. He touched the very core of the
people's lives and struck a chord that still causes many nations to
resonate with wonders and amazement. It was certainly not any 'normal'
simple preaching behind a pulpit. Hence, if we want to excel as a
preacher, learn from Him.
However, when a preacher stands behind
the pulpit and says that we ought to preach the 'normal' simple
preaching, he does not only confuse himself, but others too. Today we
see most pastors trying to integrate themselves with the society in the
way they preach, the way they speak, and the way they dress too. Hence,
from the dressing, I perceive that the young preacher (in the photo) has
already showed changes to gear himself and others in the culture of his
society, but he spoke without knowing how much he has been influenced
by his own culture too, regardless of whether it is right or wrong.
Let us focus back on Jesus, instead of the man. Let us think of His words, instead of man's opinion or political opinion:
Mat 4:4 KJV But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Luk 15:29-31 KJV And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment:
and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my
friends: .. (31) And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and
all that I have is thine.
Mat 5:19 KJV Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments,
and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of
heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called
great in the kingdom of heaven.
Joh 14:21-24 KJV He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall
be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to
him .. (23) .. If a man love me, he will keep my words .. (24) He that
loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not
mine, but the Father's which sent me.
Joh 7:16-17 KJV Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine
is not mine, but his that sent me. (17) If any man will do his will,
he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak
of myself.
We know that the teaching and commandments of Jesus
were always based on God's commandments. However, please think, Where
did He get the doctrine or commandments of God? Did He know it
supernaturally without studying the scripture? Or did He suddenly
receive all the revelation after He started to preach? No, I don't think
so. He had probably studied like us, until he was about thirty years
old before He started to preach. The commandments that He knew at that
time were probably the Ten Commandments from the scripture.
Let
us come back to our first question: Does Jesus belong in the culture
wars? or does Jesus teach doing good or practical living? Yes,
certainly. If we go back to read all His teaching, doctrine, parables,
and commandments, we will know the answer.
Of course, what He taught
do have deep spiritual implication too. Take for example, doing good is
directly related to obedience to God's commandments. Although doing good
or obedience to God's commandments cannot save us; it has spiritual
implication on the true nature of His believers or those who truly
believe in Him:
Mat 25:37-40 KJV Then shall the righteous
answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or
thirsty, and gave thee drink? (38) When saw we thee a stranger, and
took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? (39) Or when saw we thee
sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? (40) And the King shall answer
and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it
unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me ..
.. (44) Then shall they (the goats) also answer him, saying,
Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked,
or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? (45) Then shall
he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it
not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. (46) And these
shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life
eternal.
Many radical grace preachers today argue that they do
not have to teach the 'sheep' or the 'goats' to do good because, if they
are the sheep, they will automatically do good.
I will tell them,
You are only half correct. I do not dispute that, if they are the sheep,
they will always do good. But I can judge that you are wrong when you
said that you do not have to teach the 'sheep' or the 'goats'. If we do
not have to teach the sheep or feed the sheep, Jesus would not have told
Peter, "Feed my sheep !"
Joh 21:15-17 KJV So when they had dined,
Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more
than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. (16) He saith to him again the
second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him,
Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my
sheep. (17) He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas,
lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third
time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all
things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my
sheep.
The Lord cannot force us to feed His sheep; but if we
argue and say, "We should not feed the sheep; We should let Him feed His
own sheep !", we are blind and ignorant. If we argue and say, "Doing
good and obedience to God's commandments will not save. Hence, it is
useless to teach or feed the sheep who are already saved ..", we are on a
hasty road to dooms. Of course, doctrine cannot save and God's
preachers do not teach doctrine to save. However, if they are truly
saved, good doctrine (which teaches the people, the 'sheep', and the
'goats') will keep flowing out from them. It is a fruit which
accompanies all God's preachers and they can't help it. And they need
not keep saying that many people are jealous of them !
https://plus.google.com/110642186341113849723/posts/G5ocZDMzbF2
https://plus.google.com/107879558787474957333/posts/UWCPUt6QfQv
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