I truly like your perspective on Luke 16:19-31 and the "Us vs. them mentality".
I am of the belief that we separate ourselves into an "us vs them" category, as the teachings of Christ leads us be forgiving of sinners (as you said). Jesus himself ate with the sinners and tax collectors showing that this "Us vs. them" mentality is not of the discerning spirit the Holy Spirit has gifted us.
I like to think of our experience as a long walk (great book by the way) on our way to the afterlife. On this walk we have a path that is wide and many go through it that leads to damnation. There is another path that is straight and narrow that leads to eternal life. What happens is when we chose Jesus we chose that narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14). I don't believe that we are suddenly enemies with those on the wide path. Its that our paths split from those who do not follow. We have to go our separate ways or we will miss our opportunity. Your reference to Eph 6:12 is the perfect explanation as to why, thank you for citing that.
In light of Luke 16:19-31, the rich man was someone who chose to make his life more about enjoying the broad path and all its vices. Over the harder path that leads to entering into the kingdom of heaven.
Thank you sir, that is a very insightful analysis. It also shows why this is so confusing for many Christians, since we do have to be separated from some people when we try to be holy while they live in worldliness, and sometimes this even makes them our enemies when they try to persecute us, yet we're also called to love and pray for our enemies and know that our true Enemy is Satan, not other men. It's a very delicate balance, one only God can help us maintain, as you said. God bless!
The world is being artificially made into us vs them or divide and conquer by those godless wealthy people who look down on “us” as smelly Wal Mart shoppers with no intrinsic human value. I do remember the days before this all began and the people were more united in a nationalistic sense. Or maybe I just thought that was the case. But for sure, woe to those who are so determined to see us destroy each other. If I recall from college, Aristotle warned that a large middle class was the best societal organization especially if the 1% wanted to keep on breathing. The masses usually will turn on them.
Aristotle did say that yes and I think he was absolutely right. Maybe the threat of the Soviets helped America be more united, even across political and demographic lines? It used to be that you could be a Democrat and still also maintain traditional Christian values or at least be some kind of moderate, which simply isn’t the case anymore. But the upper and lower classes have expanded since the rapid inflation of the 70s and prices continue to prevent the middle class from regrowing. I particularly find it funny today when Hollywood elites look down on people for getting married young, even fellow celebrities like Bon Jovi’s son, while openly celebrating the LGBT crowd and covering up their own pedophile rings.
I am hoping and praying that the current administration won’t just take apart the multi-layered domestic terror apparatus (the REAL threat and not the fake threat under the previous administration) but will also take on the poisonous cultural network of funders and Marxist soldiers. The Divide and Conquer plan is a real one, made possible by bad thinking people with plenty of money to shape the minds of millions of people.
I truly like your perspective on Luke 16:19-31 and the "Us vs. them mentality".
I am of the belief that we separate ourselves into an "us vs them" category, as the teachings of Christ leads us be forgiving of sinners (as you said). Jesus himself ate with the sinners and tax collectors showing that this "Us vs. them" mentality is not of the discerning spirit the Holy Spirit has gifted us.
I like to think of our experience as a long walk (great book by the way) on our way to the afterlife. On this walk we have a path that is wide and many go through it that leads to damnation. There is another path that is straight and narrow that leads to eternal life. What happens is when we chose Jesus we chose that narrow path (Matthew 7:13-14). I don't believe that we are suddenly enemies with those on the wide path. Its that our paths split from those who do not follow. We have to go our separate ways or we will miss our opportunity. Your reference to Eph 6:12 is the perfect explanation as to why, thank you for citing that.
In light of Luke 16:19-31, the rich man was someone who chose to make his life more about enjoying the broad path and all its vices. Over the harder path that leads to entering into the kingdom of heaven.
Thank you sir, that is a very insightful analysis. It also shows why this is so confusing for many Christians, since we do have to be separated from some people when we try to be holy while they live in worldliness, and sometimes this even makes them our enemies when they try to persecute us, yet we're also called to love and pray for our enemies and know that our true Enemy is Satan, not other men. It's a very delicate balance, one only God can help us maintain, as you said. God bless!
The world is being artificially made into us vs them or divide and conquer by those godless wealthy people who look down on “us” as smelly Wal Mart shoppers with no intrinsic human value. I do remember the days before this all began and the people were more united in a nationalistic sense. Or maybe I just thought that was the case. But for sure, woe to those who are so determined to see us destroy each other. If I recall from college, Aristotle warned that a large middle class was the best societal organization especially if the 1% wanted to keep on breathing. The masses usually will turn on them.
Aristotle did say that yes and I think he was absolutely right. Maybe the threat of the Soviets helped America be more united, even across political and demographic lines? It used to be that you could be a Democrat and still also maintain traditional Christian values or at least be some kind of moderate, which simply isn’t the case anymore. But the upper and lower classes have expanded since the rapid inflation of the 70s and prices continue to prevent the middle class from regrowing. I particularly find it funny today when Hollywood elites look down on people for getting married young, even fellow celebrities like Bon Jovi’s son, while openly celebrating the LGBT crowd and covering up their own pedophile rings.
I am hoping and praying that the current administration won’t just take apart the multi-layered domestic terror apparatus (the REAL threat and not the fake threat under the previous administration) but will also take on the poisonous cultural network of funders and Marxist soldiers. The Divide and Conquer plan is a real one, made possible by bad thinking people with plenty of money to shape the minds of millions of people.
Your article today was excellent and provocative.