Pastor Rex: We all feel that pressure not to speak out against particular issues. The need to ‘fit in’ is part of human nature that we all experience. But there are times when we must recognize and stand for Christ’s point of view and recognize as well that it may be in direct opposition to the world’s view.
There is no division in the body of believers, but persecution of Christ and His followers has its’ origin in His life on earth. We all want to support people, diversity and their needs. But we need to be able to distinguish when those needs are cloaking philosophy in opposition to God’s calling. We can’t embrace the world’s point of view and stand in the Kingdom at the same time. A current euphemism for a position is to be ‘woke’, which is accepting a particular point of view to the exclusion of all else. You might say, “Go woke or go Home”…
Philosopher Karl Marx developed a belief system called “Marxism” which ideally thinks that it will free the downtrodden and the poor, bringing down the barriers between them and the affluent, if all material wealth is divided with equity. But in application of the system, those without will invariably pay the price of the practice. A major plank of the belief system is the abolition of ‘religion’, which is defined as superstitious, oppressive and backward. The premise gave and gives rise to persecution of those who practice and live their faith.
Matthew 6:31-33: So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Pastor Rex: Marx saw religion as ‘an opiate
of the people’ but Jesus presented His way as freedom from those worldly cares and a source of peace against the weight of being in the world. We must be wary of being lulled into a belief structure that denies Christ and encourages that denial in our actions. Embrace that we are all human and we don’t divide ourselves from each other based on superficial or external factors (such as our heritage or appearance.) We are all one in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:28: There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
Ephesians 6:5-9: Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same
way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
Pastor Rex: To God, we are one, even while we are in the world. Paul recognized that we need to thrive here while looking to Him. We are under earthly burdens but we keep our hearts on Him. Our station and what we do to earn our living isn’t the point. He is, and we are His hands.
2nd Corinthians 8:14: At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. The goal is equality.
Pastor Rex: We help each other, knowing that all will need at some point. We also know we need to work if we are able.
2nd Thessalonians 3:10: For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
Pastor Rex: God is no respecter of persons. Justice should follow the same standard.
Exodus 23:2-3: “Do not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you give testimony in a lawsuit, do not pervert justice by siding with the crowd, and do not show favoritism to a poor person in a lawsuit.
Pastor Rex: We are to supply the needs of others (feeding, clothing them) and build them up while showing them His face, His heart and His word. At the same time, be wary of superficial parallels that appear to support His words. We help and share with each other out of love, not self-interest. His love doesn’t restrict our freedom, (as worldly philosophies seek to) but enhances it.
2nd Corinthians 9:7: Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
2nd Corinthians 4:16-18: Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
John 14:6: Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Isaiah 53:5: But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on Him, and by His wounds we are healed.
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