exilesinwaiting
Member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2010
- Messages
- 17
I usually try very hard to separate religion and politics. There are many influential Christian speakers who too often confuse their kingdoms. I try to remember that while I live in America, America is not my kingdom, and while Obama is my president, he is not my king. There is no salvation to be found in government, and that we as Christians are to be strangers in a foreign land, exiles in waiting. There has been some big news recently with our country, good news for our country, but I’ve found myself irritated by political commentators, and even brothers and sisters who misplace God’s will with human excitement. But first, Bin Laden was shot and killed the other day. Our government has every right to do so, and it is within the context of scripture to say that the government has the right and even the responsibility to do so. As Americans his death gives closure to a horribly traumatic event that took place that I’m sure most of us will never forget. I can understand the citizens of New York running to the streets to celebrate as so many loved ones of theirs died, and I can only imagine the friends and family of our troops being given such relief with the news of Bin Laden’s death. I support our president, our government, and our troops in the decision and actions of killing Bin Laden.
It is not the action of killing Bin Laden that I take minor issue with, instead I am bothered by what seems to be a general attitude given by brothers and sisters in Christ about his death. To the secular world I have no right to impose any opinion on, what I’m about to say makes no difference to them, but to Christians, we MUST always allow the Spirit through scripture to guide our opinions and beliefs. We must conform to the Bible, not conform the Bible to us. This brings me to a very important fundamental concept to our faith, one which I personally have only recently learned the power and grace thereof. I would like to do something I haven’t done in a fairly long time due to my studying; a Bible study blog. Today I am reminded of The Gospel According to Luke chapter 10, verses 25 – 37: The Parable of the Good Samaritan.
“And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” (Luke 10: 25-28)
What an amazing question! What an important question! What shall we do to inherit eternal life? But first, let’s notice to context of this lawyer’s question. It was not to learn, for he knew the answer, as it would seem. But the lawyer tries to trick Jesus into saying something other than this truth. In answering Jesus’ question the lawyer quotes from the Law specifically Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. And where the passage from Leviticus gives the lawyer the impression that our neighbor is our own people, he decides to justify himself by his next question.
“But he, desiring to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10: 29)
This is a perfect example of “legalism,” as it is known. “So I’m to love my neighbor… okay… sounds simple enough… um… so who do I not have to love?” Ultimately that is the question being asked here. Where can I stop or end this commandment? So much of our faith is reduced to what you can eat, what you cannot eat, what you can wear, what you cannot wear and ect. “Who is my neighbor” he asks… specifically who am I to love like myself?
“Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place as saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”” (Luke 10: 30- 37)
Have you ever wondered what a Samaritan is? The relationship between the Samaritans and the Jews, to this day, is complicated and bitter. The Jews hate/hated the Samaritans, and the feelings where fairly mutual. Samaritans where not allowed in Jewish town, and Jews where not allow to associate with Samaritans. To the Jews, the Samaritans where the lowest of scumbags and by many old Jewish traditions the Jews would pray for God to curse the Samaritans and to not grant them paradise. It’s interesting to note that when the lawyer answered Jesus’ question at the end, he did not say “the Samaritan.” Even at the end of this lesson, the lawyer was too proud to have the humility, instead he says “the one who showed him mercy.” I can only imagine that anyone there could have heard a pin drop after the controversial statement that Jesus just said to a bunch of Jews. Let us, if you will, break this parable down.
First, let’s skip historical info about the city of Jericho and take notice of the shape that this half-dead Jewish man is in. He has been stripped and we can assume that he is unconscious. This has some implications to it; traditionally, clothing was very cultural. Perhaps not in all cases, but by looking at someone’s clothes your could gather some information about the person’s nationality. The same concept takes place with the man being unconscious, if he was able to speak, either by openly telling someone or by his accent even, one could deduce his cultural identity. We can make the following observation then; three men walking down a dangerous road to a dangerous place saw a man whom they could have no knowledge of his origin, his purposes, his reputation, his status, his nationality or whether he had the beating coming, are confronted by this man’s situation. The first to come across this man was a priest. Automatically we think, “hypocrite priest;” but wait just a second. This priest had a responsibility to the people of Jericho. If the priest got involved with a bloodied dead man on the side of the road, he would then become (by the Law) unclean, and an unclean priest can’t really do his job without a massive cleaning ritual that would take days before he could return to office and do his priestly duties. The priest had a reason not to help the man, he was justified, at the very least he was justified to himself. The Levite was in a similar situation of the priest but not entirely as drastic, but also, the priest didn’t do it. Why she he have to do all the dirty work? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, and if the priest isn’t going to, neither is he. Also I’m sure self justified. Then comes the Samaritan, a man whom quite possible the half dead Jew probably would have stoned if given the chance, had compassion on him. He gave the Jew first aid (oil, linen and wine, common treatments of the day) placed the man on his animal while he walked, took him to an inn and paid the cost and promised to pay more costs to the innkeeper. This story is in perfect congress with Matthew 5: 38 – 42.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
The Samaritan went the extra two miles and demonstrated love to a natural born enemy at the very risk of his own life, for I’m sure that if a Samaritan was caught dragging a half dead Jew into town and seen by some Jews that he would have had a rough time. Jesus finishes the story with a “You go, and do likewise.”
Once again I say that I have no issue with tactical action taken against Bin Laden. But I wonder, because I have never done it myself until last night, how many people have prayed for Bin Laden, for his followers, his regime, his family or even those that would kill every Christian man woman or child. Have we ever asked the Lord to forgive him or them, to show mercy on them as the Lord has shown mercy to us. Instead so many of us would drag his body down the street, you can hear the radio littered with professing Christians angry that Bin Laden was even given a burial ceremony. But are we not better than that, rather, shouldn’t we be better than that? If anyone is our enemy, Bin Laden and those like him are our enemies… and aren’t we called to love our enemy? To at least show some level of common respect and dignity to them, regardless of them returning the gesture? I don’t know... just a thought.
It is not the action of killing Bin Laden that I take minor issue with, instead I am bothered by what seems to be a general attitude given by brothers and sisters in Christ about his death. To the secular world I have no right to impose any opinion on, what I’m about to say makes no difference to them, but to Christians, we MUST always allow the Spirit through scripture to guide our opinions and beliefs. We must conform to the Bible, not conform the Bible to us. This brings me to a very important fundamental concept to our faith, one which I personally have only recently learned the power and grace thereof. I would like to do something I haven’t done in a fairly long time due to my studying; a Bible study blog. Today I am reminded of The Gospel According to Luke chapter 10, verses 25 – 37: The Parable of the Good Samaritan.
“And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live.” (Luke 10: 25-28)
What an amazing question! What an important question! What shall we do to inherit eternal life? But first, let’s notice to context of this lawyer’s question. It was not to learn, for he knew the answer, as it would seem. But the lawyer tries to trick Jesus into saying something other than this truth. In answering Jesus’ question the lawyer quotes from the Law specifically Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. And where the passage from Leviticus gives the lawyer the impression that our neighbor is our own people, he decides to justify himself by his next question.
“But he, desiring to justify himself, he said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 10: 29)
This is a perfect example of “legalism,” as it is known. “So I’m to love my neighbor… okay… sounds simple enough… um… so who do I not have to love?” Ultimately that is the question being asked here. Where can I stop or end this commandment? So much of our faith is reduced to what you can eat, what you cannot eat, what you can wear, what you cannot wear and ect. “Who is my neighbor” he asks… specifically who am I to love like myself?
“Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place as saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”” (Luke 10: 30- 37)
Have you ever wondered what a Samaritan is? The relationship between the Samaritans and the Jews, to this day, is complicated and bitter. The Jews hate/hated the Samaritans, and the feelings where fairly mutual. Samaritans where not allowed in Jewish town, and Jews where not allow to associate with Samaritans. To the Jews, the Samaritans where the lowest of scumbags and by many old Jewish traditions the Jews would pray for God to curse the Samaritans and to not grant them paradise. It’s interesting to note that when the lawyer answered Jesus’ question at the end, he did not say “the Samaritan.” Even at the end of this lesson, the lawyer was too proud to have the humility, instead he says “the one who showed him mercy.” I can only imagine that anyone there could have heard a pin drop after the controversial statement that Jesus just said to a bunch of Jews. Let us, if you will, break this parable down.
First, let’s skip historical info about the city of Jericho and take notice of the shape that this half-dead Jewish man is in. He has been stripped and we can assume that he is unconscious. This has some implications to it; traditionally, clothing was very cultural. Perhaps not in all cases, but by looking at someone’s clothes your could gather some information about the person’s nationality. The same concept takes place with the man being unconscious, if he was able to speak, either by openly telling someone or by his accent even, one could deduce his cultural identity. We can make the following observation then; three men walking down a dangerous road to a dangerous place saw a man whom they could have no knowledge of his origin, his purposes, his reputation, his status, his nationality or whether he had the beating coming, are confronted by this man’s situation. The first to come across this man was a priest. Automatically we think, “hypocrite priest;” but wait just a second. This priest had a responsibility to the people of Jericho. If the priest got involved with a bloodied dead man on the side of the road, he would then become (by the Law) unclean, and an unclean priest can’t really do his job without a massive cleaning ritual that would take days before he could return to office and do his priestly duties. The priest had a reason not to help the man, he was justified, at the very least he was justified to himself. The Levite was in a similar situation of the priest but not entirely as drastic, but also, the priest didn’t do it. Why she he have to do all the dirty work? What’s good for the goose is good for the gander, and if the priest isn’t going to, neither is he. Also I’m sure self justified. Then comes the Samaritan, a man whom quite possible the half dead Jew probably would have stoned if given the chance, had compassion on him. He gave the Jew first aid (oil, linen and wine, common treatments of the day) placed the man on his animal while he walked, took him to an inn and paid the cost and promised to pay more costs to the innkeeper. This story is in perfect congress with Matthew 5: 38 – 42.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.”
The Samaritan went the extra two miles and demonstrated love to a natural born enemy at the very risk of his own life, for I’m sure that if a Samaritan was caught dragging a half dead Jew into town and seen by some Jews that he would have had a rough time. Jesus finishes the story with a “You go, and do likewise.”
Once again I say that I have no issue with tactical action taken against Bin Laden. But I wonder, because I have never done it myself until last night, how many people have prayed for Bin Laden, for his followers, his regime, his family or even those that would kill every Christian man woman or child. Have we ever asked the Lord to forgive him or them, to show mercy on them as the Lord has shown mercy to us. Instead so many of us would drag his body down the street, you can hear the radio littered with professing Christians angry that Bin Laden was even given a burial ceremony. But are we not better than that, rather, shouldn’t we be better than that? If anyone is our enemy, Bin Laden and those like him are our enemies… and aren’t we called to love our enemy? To at least show some level of common respect and dignity to them, regardless of them returning the gesture? I don’t know... just a thought.
