The Direction Of Christianity

[Michael37]

 George Grant wrote in his 1987 book The Changing of the Guard: Biblical Principles for Political Action:

Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land for Jesus Christ—to have dominion in civil structures, just as in every other aspect of life and godliness.... But it is dominion we are after. Not just a voice.... Christian politics has as its primary intent the conquest of the land—of men, families, institutions, bureaucracies, courts, and governments for the Kingdom of Christ.

 

Gen 1:28  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.

Things are about to get very interesting.

[Sower]

            "Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples,
                          “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”

                          And they said, “Some say John the Baptist,
              others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

            “But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?”

          Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

               And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah!
    For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

                     And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter,
                    and upon this rock I will build my church;

                and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it"
                                  Matthew 16:13-18

[Truswell]

27 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

 George Grant wrote in his 1987 book The Changing of the Guard: Biblical Principles for Political Action:

Christians have an obligation, a mandate, a commission, a holy responsibility to reclaim the land for Jesus Christ—to have dominion in civil structures, just as in every other aspect of life and godliness.... But it is dominion we are after. Not just a voice.... Christian politics has as its primary intent the conquest of the land—of men, families, institutions, bureaucracies, courts, and governments for the Kingdom of Christ.

 

Gen 1:28  And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.

Things are about to get very interesting.

Nobody knows where the Garden of Eden was, but seeing as Adam and Eve were expelled from that place, where they are now, will be somewhere different.

Edited December 31, 2023 by Truswell

[Michael37]

31 minutes ago, Truswell said:

Nobody knows where the Garden of Eden was, but seeing as Adam and Eve were expelled from that place, where they are now, will be somewhere different.

Moving on . . . Christians are influencing political outcomes as they seek God's blessings and guidance.

[Neighbor]

11 hours ago, Michael37 said:

Moving on . . . Christians are influencing political outcomes as they seek God's blessings and guidance.

Where is this happening?  At  personal level I see political outcomes influencing Christian behavior, in reaction to what is oppression against what many think of as Christian principles.

There are pockets of Christians forming close faith of Jesus entities (societies, local bodies of Christ)), doing so within hostile to those entities  governments.  It is more than a resistance movement against godlessness, it is a way of life that is led by God the Holy Spirit's indwelling of each member of these local societies, or tribes.

It seeks not to rule others, but to encourage others to hear the general call  to them by the Holy Spirit and then be turned about by the specific calling  by the Holy Spirit; hear and heed.

 I do not see the point of trying to force Christianity on anyone, seems to me that is folly. Instead Christians  are privileged to give testimony in word and in deed of our Lord Jesus. Doing so in obedience to our calling wherever we may be led by theHoly Spirit;  it is just that  a testimony and an invite, not a command  nor conquering by force.

Paul won,  over his "conquerers", by being chained to them as their prisoner. They found themselves his audience as He gave testimony in word and deed of Our Lord and savior Jesus.

The goal is not to force Christ on anyone, but instead to show the awesome grace and mercy  of God in Christ Jesus to the point some do hear and heed  the call to them by the Holy Spirit. Christians of today have the same duty and privilege as Paul did. I don't think success in that will be measured by turf gained, instead it will be by hearts minds and souls being saved out from the just wrath of God to instead be with God under his everlasting mercy.

[Who me]

The early Church existed in a very hostile society where Christians were seen as enemies of the state/society and they suffered the consequences. 

yet it was Christianity that transformed there society. 

                                                         How?

Through the grace of God they lived Christ like lives, caring for those in need supporting the abandoned,  the dying of plagues,by the quality of their life's challenging society.

 

We need to love the unloved sacrificaly, to live lives that are visibly  different.

We need Christians to work in the media who are prepared to present Christian ideas, vie2points and so influence others.

We need Christians to engage  in debate, challenging  societies ideas. Reminding society of just how  uch they depend on a Christian worldview, of how no other worldview fits or sustains the rights claimed by people today

 

 

[JohnD]

I disagree (but not for the sake of being disagreeable).

We are to win individuals to Christ. Not conquer lands or peoples.

The nations in history that were Christianized were won to the faith.

They forgot this and perceived their nation as a Christian nation by law

rather than a nation of Christians by choice and their numbers dwindled

until they were post Christian nations.

America is the ultimate example of this.

She was a nation of 97% Protestant Christians when the Christian charter

(the U.S. Constitution) was ratified.

The founding fathers deliberately did not mandate Christianity as a requirement

for citizenship or as a religion of State. Rather, the nation was chartered on Christian

principles and commandments. The spirit of the laws of the land were Christian.

And little by little that idealism was chipped away at until the majority has turned their

backs on Christ. And many who are believers are more caught up in the pursuit of mammon

than the discipling (winning over) of nations one person at a time.

IMHO the Presidential election of 2016 was a last chance for Christians in America to right the

turned over ship before she sinks... and all that came of it was mammon more mammon.

Some religious liberty (people could say Merry Christmas and God bless you in public again)

but the deeper problems in the nation were not dealt with and they came back with a vengeance

rioting and burning and destroying even before the 2020 election.

If ← IF, I say... God grants another chance,

I pray Jesus we make every effort to restore America to the Christian charter by winning souls to Christ.

2 Chronicles 7:14.

[Marathoner]

4 hours ago, Neighbor said:

Where is this happening?  At  personal level I see political outcomes influencing Christian behavior, in reaction to what is oppression against what many think of as Christian principles.

There are pockets of Christians forming close faith of Jesus entities (societies, local bodies of Christ)), doing so within hostile to those entities  governments.  It is more than a resistance movement against godlessness, it is a way of life that is led by God the Holy Spirit's indwelling of each member of these local societies, or tribes.

It seeks not to rule others, but to encourage others to hear the general call  to them by the Holy Spirit and then be turned about by the specific calling  by the Holy Spirit; hear and heed.

 I do not see the point of trying to force Christianity on anyone, seems to me that is folly. Instead Christians  are privileged to give testimony in word and in deed of our Lord Jesus. Doing so in obedience to our calling wherever we may be led by theHoly Spirit;  it is just that  a testimony and an invite, not a command  nor conquering by force.

Paul won,  over his "conquerers", by being chained to them as their prisoner. They found themselves his audience as He gave testimony in word and deed of Our Lord and savior Jesus.

The goal is not to force Christ on anyone, but instead to show the awesome grace and mercy  of God in Christ Jesus to the point some do hear and heed  the call to them by the Holy Spirit. Christians of today have the same duty and privilege as Paul did. I don't think success in that will be measured by turf gained, instead it will be by hearts minds and souls being saved out from the just wrath of God to instead be with God under his everlasting mercy.

Well said, my friend. 

[Starise]

Not intending to throw a stick into this  but I don't believe we are in for a peaceful government outcome. We CAN however influence our surroundings for the better. When things work they work, and Christian works well all the way from the society level to the individual level.

Matthew 24:9-11

8All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name. 10At that time many will fall away and will betray and hate one another,…

[Michael37]

5 hours ago, JohnD said:

We are to win individuals to Christ. Not conquer lands or peoples.

Luk 19:13  And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.