I realize that what follows is longer than most threads but my point is not: As a footstep follower of Jesus Christ I believe I should do exactly what he did, as detailed below. Therefore, whatever course of action you say I should follow or that you say you prefer for yourself, please show me where Jesus did it. Please, if at all possible, show it to me using Jesus words and actions; that is who I follow.
The adage states: Actions speak louder than words. Perhaps you too have heard someone say, "Oh no, I never discuss politics or religion." Yet the most popular opinion/news programs of late seem to discuss little else (referring to before Katrina). It must be that people really are interested in those topics and only say that when they want to get out of having certain discussions.
So, what do you think about injecting religion into politics or vise versa, is that a good idea? When the question is phrased in those terms perhaps most would answer, No. Yet it seems to be that almost no one was concerned when Alan Keyes and Barack Obama did exactly that this past election season as they made an issue of how Jesus would vote. And Pat Robertsons recent remarks certainly show he has no qualms about doing that and even much worse. Those situations give rise to this question: Really, what would Jesus do?
One very important thing was missing from all the news reports regarding how Jesus would votequotes from Jesus expressing his views. Even though Jesus is not granting interviews to journalists nowadays that does not mean that we cannot get to know his answer for we do have a trustworthy archive of his recorded words and reported actions and from it we can draw solid conclusions.
Due to Bible prophecies specifying that time as the time for the Messiah to appear and as the Jews observed or heard reports of the many miraculous signs Jesus was performing and, also, because of their own increasingly strong nationalistic aspirations arising out of their resentment of Romes harsh rule, the Jews were hoping for, no, even more than that, they were fully expecting Jesus to become their political, national Deliverer and acting in line with that expectation they conspired to make him their king. This report is archived atJohn 6:14,15: So, when the people saw the [miraculous] sign that Jesus had performed [i.e., the feeding of the large crowd with such a small amount of food], they said, Truly, this is the prophet who was to come into the world. [Note: This was probably a reference to the promise made in Deut. 18:15-19]. So, [when] Jesus knew that the people were about to come and forcibly take Him and make Him [their] king, He left there again and went to the high plateau [to be] alone [i.e., to pray. See Mark 6:46]. (Brackets, italics and all from An Understandable VersionNT. I added the links.) Jesus taking actions to avoid this nationalistic political entanglement should speak volumes to us that claim to be his footstep followers. Even though God had it recorded in the Bible, was this a single, isolated incident and therefore with no meaning for us today? Lets see.
Political overtones and conspiracies were definite factors in other incidents God had recorded in the Bible as well. We can find a report of one starting at Matthew 22:15: The Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions. Then they sent to him some of their disciples and some members of Herod's [political] party. "Teacher," they said, "we know that you tell the truth. You teach the truth about God's will for people, without worrying about what others think, because you pay no attention to anyone's status. Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor, or not?" Jesus, however, was aware of their evil plan, and so he said, "You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin for paying the tax!" They brought him the coin, and he asked them, "Whose face and name are these?" "The Emperor's," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God." When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away. Jesus avoids their carefully set trap by deftly and consistently refusing to be pulled into this widely debated nationalistic political dispute, but why? We can understand why by investigating his very first and very last opportunities to become involved with national and international politics. As footstep followers we should be particularly interested in his words, instructions and actions.
All the opportunities Jesus had to meddle in national and international politics pale into insignificance when compared to the first and foremost opportunity he had to do so. Note the details of that incident as reported at Luke 4:5-8: For the second test he led him up and spread out all the countries of the earth on display at once. 6 Then the Devil said, I will give you the right to rule over all these countries. They're yours in all their splendor to serve your pleasure. I'm in charge of them all and can turn them over to whomever I wish. 7 Worship me and they're yours, the whole works." 8 Jesus refused, again backing his refusal with Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God and only the Lord your God. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness." Just think of all the good Jesus could have accomplished if he had accepted Satans offer to rule over and be in charge of all the kingdoms/nations/countries of this world and the thousands of years and billions of lives that would have been saved . . . NOT! This would have involved his rejecting his primary allegiance, Gods kingdom and sovereignty, and instead the pledging of his allegiance to Satan, the ruler of the world. Again, Satans rulership, THEN AND NOW, includes ALL political organizations (see John 14:30; Daniel 7:6-7, 23-24; Revelation 17:11-12; Revelation 12:9; Revelation 13:2). There is no mistaking it. Jesus firmly rejected that opportunity, that course of action, including the idea of using or working within Satans world or system, including all its political organizations, as a means to accomplish Gods will or in any effort to improve or legitimize in some way Satans holdings. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) Again we see Jesus set the pattern for usabsolute single-hearted allegiance to God and to His rule, His government.
Is there any part of Jesus pattern of behavior that does not apply to or is not to be closely followed by someone wanting to be his follower and to be something more than just a Christian in name only? Please consider this then: if ever there were something worth fighting for in this world it was embodied in Jesus, was it not? So did Jesus allow his followers to become involved in physically fighting for him or his ideals? Absolutely not! (Matthew 26:52 compare Revelation 13:10) Why not? Jesus again gives us the answer and the reason why within an answer given to Pilate found at John 18:36, My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this [Satans] world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source. (See John 17:14,16; James 1:27; 4:4 and 1 John 5:19). Do you see the consistent pattern Jesus set and the reason why? Who really are footstep followers of Jesus? Actions speak louder than words!
Continued below.
The adage states: Actions speak louder than words. Perhaps you too have heard someone say, "Oh no, I never discuss politics or religion." Yet the most popular opinion/news programs of late seem to discuss little else (referring to before Katrina). It must be that people really are interested in those topics and only say that when they want to get out of having certain discussions.
So, what do you think about injecting religion into politics or vise versa, is that a good idea? When the question is phrased in those terms perhaps most would answer, No. Yet it seems to be that almost no one was concerned when Alan Keyes and Barack Obama did exactly that this past election season as they made an issue of how Jesus would vote. And Pat Robertsons recent remarks certainly show he has no qualms about doing that and even much worse. Those situations give rise to this question: Really, what would Jesus do?
One very important thing was missing from all the news reports regarding how Jesus would votequotes from Jesus expressing his views. Even though Jesus is not granting interviews to journalists nowadays that does not mean that we cannot get to know his answer for we do have a trustworthy archive of his recorded words and reported actions and from it we can draw solid conclusions.
Due to Bible prophecies specifying that time as the time for the Messiah to appear and as the Jews observed or heard reports of the many miraculous signs Jesus was performing and, also, because of their own increasingly strong nationalistic aspirations arising out of their resentment of Romes harsh rule, the Jews were hoping for, no, even more than that, they were fully expecting Jesus to become their political, national Deliverer and acting in line with that expectation they conspired to make him their king. This report is archived atJohn 6:14,15: So, when the people saw the [miraculous] sign that Jesus had performed [i.e., the feeding of the large crowd with such a small amount of food], they said, Truly, this is the prophet who was to come into the world. [Note: This was probably a reference to the promise made in Deut. 18:15-19]. So, [when] Jesus knew that the people were about to come and forcibly take Him and make Him [their] king, He left there again and went to the high plateau [to be] alone [i.e., to pray. See Mark 6:46]. (Brackets, italics and all from An Understandable VersionNT. I added the links.) Jesus taking actions to avoid this nationalistic political entanglement should speak volumes to us that claim to be his footstep followers. Even though God had it recorded in the Bible, was this a single, isolated incident and therefore with no meaning for us today? Lets see.
Political overtones and conspiracies were definite factors in other incidents God had recorded in the Bible as well. We can find a report of one starting at Matthew 22:15: The Pharisees went off and made a plan to trap Jesus with questions. Then they sent to him some of their disciples and some members of Herod's [political] party. "Teacher," they said, "we know that you tell the truth. You teach the truth about God's will for people, without worrying about what others think, because you pay no attention to anyone's status. Tell us, then, what do you think? Is it against our Law to pay taxes to the Roman Emperor, or not?" Jesus, however, was aware of their evil plan, and so he said, "You hypocrites! Why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin for paying the tax!" They brought him the coin, and he asked them, "Whose face and name are these?" "The Emperor's," they answered. So Jesus said to them, "Well, then, pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and pay to God what belongs to God." When they heard this, they were amazed; and they left him and went away. Jesus avoids their carefully set trap by deftly and consistently refusing to be pulled into this widely debated nationalistic political dispute, but why? We can understand why by investigating his very first and very last opportunities to become involved with national and international politics. As footstep followers we should be particularly interested in his words, instructions and actions.
All the opportunities Jesus had to meddle in national and international politics pale into insignificance when compared to the first and foremost opportunity he had to do so. Note the details of that incident as reported at Luke 4:5-8: For the second test he led him up and spread out all the countries of the earth on display at once. 6 Then the Devil said, I will give you the right to rule over all these countries. They're yours in all their splendor to serve your pleasure. I'm in charge of them all and can turn them over to whomever I wish. 7 Worship me and they're yours, the whole works." 8 Jesus refused, again backing his refusal with Deuteronomy: "Worship the Lord your God and only the Lord your God. Serve him with absolute single-heartedness." Just think of all the good Jesus could have accomplished if he had accepted Satans offer to rule over and be in charge of all the kingdoms/nations/countries of this world and the thousands of years and billions of lives that would have been saved . . . NOT! This would have involved his rejecting his primary allegiance, Gods kingdom and sovereignty, and instead the pledging of his allegiance to Satan, the ruler of the world. Again, Satans rulership, THEN AND NOW, includes ALL political organizations (see John 14:30; Daniel 7:6-7, 23-24; Revelation 17:11-12; Revelation 12:9; Revelation 13:2). There is no mistaking it. Jesus firmly rejected that opportunity, that course of action, including the idea of using or working within Satans world or system, including all its political organizations, as a means to accomplish Gods will or in any effort to improve or legitimize in some way Satans holdings. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) Again we see Jesus set the pattern for usabsolute single-hearted allegiance to God and to His rule, His government.
Is there any part of Jesus pattern of behavior that does not apply to or is not to be closely followed by someone wanting to be his follower and to be something more than just a Christian in name only? Please consider this then: if ever there were something worth fighting for in this world it was embodied in Jesus, was it not? So did Jesus allow his followers to become involved in physically fighting for him or his ideals? Absolutely not! (Matthew 26:52 compare Revelation 13:10) Why not? Jesus again gives us the answer and the reason why within an answer given to Pilate found at John 18:36, My kingdom is no part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this [Satans] world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be delivered up to the Jews. But, as it is, my kingdom is not from this source. (See John 17:14,16; James 1:27; 4:4 and 1 John 5:19). Do you see the consistent pattern Jesus set and the reason why? Who really are footstep followers of Jesus? Actions speak louder than words!
Continued below.