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How do we accept and narrow the wide gap from one to the other? |
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Posted By: papillionkiller
How is the Bible Preached in different cultures, ethnic groups and economic class' of people?
Does the Bible allow for these variances?
How do we accept and narrow the wide gap from one to the other?
The reason you believed and accepted Jesus is vastly different than the reason your neighbor or wife or person living on the street did, though all reached the same conclusion.
Jesus taught this, we see it in Acts and Paul understood it, ‘I become all things to all men'. In Acts the Ethiopian heard and believed. Jesus never made a distinction from one man to another but included all; sure He spoke of how hard for a rich man to believe and accept. But no one was excluded from the cross, death and resurrection.
So we see the same Gospel being taught across the lines of gender, race, economic class' and ages in the Bible. Yet we don't seem to be able to make this work in America without some controversy. Perhaps, we are not teaching the heart of the Gospel, could be, we have to throw politics into the mix, or we just can't figure out how to reconcile our many and vast differences.
First, let's get over thinking we're the first. We are not the first or only Country with a conquered people living inside the same borders, we are not the first or only Nation that has slavery in its past and the children of those people still living in the borders, we are not the only place in the World that has such a mix of peoples living under its same roof any longer. We are all, the children of the children of the children of all this past.
I'm speaking to Christians on this, those of us that should know the Gospel of Jesus. Should know there is no respect of persons, no divide in our belief from one to another; know there is one God, one Jesus, one Spirit, one Church.
So why are we allowing division and made up theologies in the buildings we call Church? I'm not speaking to one side or the other on this; I see it and hear it on all sides. And, I will not call out names of him or her but rather to the whole of the Church. I'll count myself as guilty as any other for allowing division, distrust, falsehood, corruption in Jesus' Body.
The Bible does make allowances for each of our differences. For the one that is persuading, to become as the one he or she is talking to about Jesus. That is the allowance and no other. We don't seem to know what compassion or sacrifice mean.
The allowance is to preach and teach Jesus Christ above all else, to believe in Him with our wholeness with love and to love each other the same as ourselves.
What does ‘to love each other the same as ourselves' mean? If you would not throw a rock at your own eye then don't throw it at another. If you want respect then respect others. Whatever you want or don't want is how you treat everyone else, Christian or not. Compassion, Sacrifice for others, not self, is what it means.
To bring the gap to a close; let us each look past our past, see who we are in Christ as one. Stop worrying about the secular worlds problems and fix our own in the Body of Christ. Then join hands and be the witness' we should be, preaching the whole of the Gospel of Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit as one.
Personal note:
I do not have a single home Church, I have a community of churches I visit and speak in or have spoken in. Korean, Indian, Black, White, Mexican stretching over most denominations. I dance in one and sit quietly in another.
I detest racism in the world and especially in the Church, I mostly despise reverse racism.
I come from a people that 80% died from disease first, and then had others want them exterminated from the New World as they called it. I am married to a German Jew from below the Mason-Dixie line who can tell you about wearing burlap dresses and not owning a pair of shoes to wear except for school or church.
I have yet to see where any one person is above another in the Bible except for the Son of God who is above us all and deserves our worship and praise.
If you wish to speak anymore of poverty, oppression, racism, depression, or any other ‘sion,' do so without the inclusive all. Not all Blacks are poor, not all whites are rich, and not all of anything or one is all...
But our Lord and Savior.
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Posted: 05/10/08 7:48am - Total Views: 349 - Category: Christian Life
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allforhim |
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Posted by:
allforhim
(Posted: 05/10/08 7:58am)
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P-Killer,
I have been on the verge of writing a blog, similar in nature. God has not led me to it, yet. But I must say how heavy my heart has been, how grieved I have been, at the division that has crept up. God's Word says plainly that this should not be so.
Philippians 2:1-4:
[1]If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, [2]Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. [3]Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. [4]Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
1 Corinthians 1:10-17[10]Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. [11]For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. [12]Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. [13]Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? [14]I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius; [15]Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. [16]And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other. [17]For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Where do the divisions come from? satan, himself or the the selfishness, pride of our own hearts, where we do not esteem one more than ourself? Both, of course and am sure, and I am guilty as charged.
It saddens me to no end.
How can we reconcile this?
Denominations I do not believe are from God, for they serve to divide us, they serve to say this is my interpretation of the Word and I am right, how much confusion does this cause a new believer in Christ? Where do I go and what do I believe? I am attending a Presbyterian church right now, but hubby and I have long ago decided that we do not put any of man's religion to our title, we are Christians, followers of Jesus, servants of the Lord.
I am sickened about what has been done in the name of God. I grieve over the American Indians, we are studying this in school right now, and it is appalling. I am grieved over the Holocaust, I am grieved over slavery for I believe the words of the Bible are true, when it says there are none who are better than another. And no matter what derogatory name you choose, the facts of the matter is that we can all be jerks, no matter our color, our sex, our nationality. But the reverse is true too! So why divide?
The only answer to this is to live out Philippians 2 and as God as so been pressing into me; We are to love the Lord our God, with all our hearts, soul and strength. We are to love our neighbor as ourself.
I better stop before I write a blog in your blog.
Blessings!
Andrea
WHose heart is very sad and heavy now
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blessings2you |
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Posted by:
blessings2you 
(Posted: 05/10/08 9:10am)
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I agree, amazing; I think I like yours better. I perceive of a truth the Lord is working the same basic thing on many hearts. I perceive the enemy is trying to take us back, as a nation to 1968 and the bitter riots and other problems which almost took down this country back then.
We all, regardless of race, ethnic origin, nationality, denomination, or gender have stories of incredible injustice done, many times in the name of God to innocent ancestors in the past. We must leave the past behind and press towards the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus and seek to be of one heart and one mind in Christ not in our race or gender.
Thanks for the wonderful post and comment.
B2Y
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youaregolden |
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Posted by:
youaregolden
(Posted: 05/10/08 3:25pm)
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Awesome blog brother! I get so disgusted people being racist even to the point of ages too. Teenagers are shunned because we can't be any good. I am so sick of all the prejudice in church and such. We are Christians, we need to love one another. Amen.
YSIC,
-Golden
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blackrose65 |
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Posted by:
blackrose65
(Posted: 05/11/08 1:37pm)
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The Holy Spirit is working on us...we cannot be blinded by the billowing smokescreen put up by the Enemy. I will freely confess that as a Christian, I have had to work, and work hard on how I see my brothers and sisters in light of my own cultural past and I get so tired when I work hard to break through "ism" and walk in the liberty given to all believers only to be boxed in by the culture I live in!
Much love to all.
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Member Biography |
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I have been a Christian since 74/75.
Have visited or spoken in about every denomination there is.
I am now at a turning point, as I think many are, of what it means to be a Christian in America.
I am asking myself again; What can I do to help...
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