Comments on: The End Of Politics http://rsample.com/2009/04/23/the-end-of-politics/ Politics and Theology from Reuel K. Sample Fri, 23 Dec 2011 03:05:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: reuelsample http://rsample.com/2009/04/23/the-end-of-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-26 reuelsample Fri, 24 Apr 2009 18:06:37 +0000 http://rsample.com/?p=32#comment-26 I disagree. John Calvin once said that the highest calling any Christian can have is to be in public office. While it is mandated that we as Christians are involved at the local level, we also need to be involved at all levels of government - making or influencing policy that brings glory and honor to Jesus Christ. In short, Christians need to be tackling these issues at the root, so local churches do not have to tackle the symptoms. Apart from Christ, there is no merit in individual conscience. And, if we are in Christ, one of the essential tenants of the church is sound doctrinal teaching (Acts 2:42) Churches ARE to have an impact on how we think, how we see the world. Through instruction, fellowship, discipline, and love local churches are to demonstrate what happens in the Church Universal - that the only rule of law is the Law of God, and that we are united together through the Holy Spirit, redeemed by the blood of God the Son. I disagree. John Calvin once said that the highest calling any Christian can have is to be in public office. While it is mandated that we as Christians are involved at the local level, we also need to be involved at all levels of government – making or influencing policy that brings glory and honor to Jesus Christ. In short, Christians need to be tackling these issues at the root, so local churches do not have to tackle the symptoms.

Apart from Christ, there is no merit in individual conscience. And, if we are in Christ, one of the essential tenants of the church is sound doctrinal teaching (Acts 2:42) Churches ARE to have an impact on how we think, how we see the world. Through instruction, fellowship, discipline, and love local churches are to demonstrate what happens in the Church Universal – that the only rule of law is the Law of God, and that we are united together through the Holy Spirit, redeemed by the blood of God the Son.

]]> By: snarfboy http://rsample.com/2009/04/23/the-end-of-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-25 snarfboy Fri, 24 Apr 2009 17:37:02 +0000 http://rsample.com/?p=32#comment-25 A local church is not about "equipping its members to bring reason, reconciliation, and peace to the nation". It is about being a community of believers that serve the community. Once all the homeless in the churches community are fed and housed, the widows and orphans in the churches community are cared for, disasters in the churches community are tended to, the "sheep" in the churches community are fed then, and only then should a church look beyond its neighborhood. Individual conscience will dictate whether a person cares about or contributes to a larger good. The Great Experiment will truly be a failure if pastors are influencing individual conscience. As a side note -prior to the War of Independence - all communities had to pay money to the Church of England, regardless of denomination. That one thing prompted churches to get involved. A local church is not about “equipping its members to bring reason, reconciliation, and peace to the nation”. It is about being a community of believers that serve the community. Once all the homeless in the churches community are fed and housed, the widows and orphans in the churches community are cared for, disasters in the churches community are tended to, the “sheep” in the churches community are fed then, and only then should a church look beyond its neighborhood.
Individual conscience will dictate whether a person cares about or contributes to a larger good. The Great Experiment will truly be a failure if pastors are influencing individual conscience.
As a side note -prior to the War of Independence – all communities had to pay money to the Church of England, regardless of denomination. That one thing prompted churches to get involved.

]]> By: reuelsample http://rsample.com/2009/04/23/the-end-of-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-24 reuelsample Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:20:19 +0000 http://rsample.com/?p=32#comment-24 The problem is that the church is not equipping its members to bring reason, reconciliation, and peace to the nation. Churches are too consumed in building campaigns, program development, or finding new ways to try bring in the "younger generation" to spend any time in building disciples of Christ. If the Gospel is to have an impact upon this nation, our churches must get their acts together and pray for, look for, and work for true revival. We often forget that the "Great Experiment" that is this country started in churches and pulpits. It was there that the colonists received instruction, discipline, guidance, and fellowship. While it was not the church that marched against England, these religious organizations played a key role in developing a Christian worldview that made suppression of liberty intolerable. Until today's churches actively seek to instill such an overarching worldview in their members, we will continue to be divided by policies and procedures that are the result of a non-Christocentric mindset. The problem is that the church is not equipping its members to bring reason, reconciliation, and peace to the nation. Churches are too consumed in building campaigns, program development, or finding new ways to try bring in the “younger generation” to spend any time in building disciples of Christ. If the Gospel is to have an impact upon this nation, our churches must get their acts together and pray for, look for, and work for true revival.

We often forget that the “Great Experiment” that is this country started in churches and pulpits. It was there that the colonists received instruction, discipline, guidance, and fellowship. While it was not the church that marched against England, these religious organizations played a key role in developing a Christian worldview that made suppression of liberty intolerable. Until today’s churches actively seek to instill such an overarching worldview in their members, we will continue to be divided by policies and procedures that are the result of a non-Christocentric mindset.

]]> By: snarfboy http://rsample.com/2009/04/23/the-end-of-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-23 snarfboy Fri, 24 Apr 2009 14:02:47 +0000 http://rsample.com/?p=32#comment-23 ....Saddest of all this is the impotence of the Church to bring reason, reconciliation, or peace to the nation. We’re too compromised, too alienated, and too ill-informed to offer anything but more fuel to the fire..... And adding fuel to the fire makes the church impotent? Ask any gay person in California how impotent the Mormon church was in passing prop 8 - and there was incessant prayer on both sides of the issue. Your brother has a point - though I am not sure of his numbers - that it is a small minority of Americans that are partisan. The majority of the US don't care enough to, or are wise enough not to let political ideology affect a peaceful life. Whether churched or unchurched the majority of Americans see their lives as locally-influenced and their prayers most likely reflect that. ….Saddest of all this is the impotence of the Church to bring reason, reconciliation, or peace to the nation. We’re too compromised, too alienated, and too ill-informed to offer anything but more fuel to the fire….. And adding fuel to the fire makes the church impotent? Ask any gay person in California how impotent the Mormon church was in passing prop 8 – and there was incessant prayer on both sides of the issue.
Your brother has a point – though I am not sure of his numbers – that it is a small minority of Americans that are partisan. The majority of the US don’t care enough to, or are wise enough not to let political ideology affect a peaceful life. Whether churched or unchurched the majority of Americans see their lives as locally-influenced and their prayers most likely reflect that.

]]> By: reuelsample http://rsample.com/2009/04/23/the-end-of-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-22 reuelsample Fri, 24 Apr 2009 03:03:37 +0000 http://rsample.com/?p=32#comment-22 Kurt - Good to have you! I think there is an increasing rift - between common sense approaches to government and spending and the business as normal approach that has been the hallmark of government for decades. The problem that the article is pointing out is that no decent discussion on these and other issues can take place anymore. The liberal left responds to any critiscim with ad hominem attacks, and the right often does the same. The founding fathers had spirited dissent, but not at this level. If we truly believe in the uniting power of the Holy Spirit, then T. M. Moore's call for revival should be embraced by both the left and the right. If we seek the mind of Christ, then His wisdom will guide us in all that we do - even politics. Kurt -

Good to have you!

I think there is an increasing rift – between common sense approaches to government and spending and the business as normal approach that has been the hallmark of government for decades.

The problem that the article is pointing out is that no decent discussion on these and other issues can take place anymore. The liberal left responds to any critiscim with ad hominem attacks, and the right often does the same. The founding fathers had spirited dissent, but not at this level.

If we truly believe in the uniting power of the Holy Spirit, then T. M. Moore’s call for revival should be embraced by both the left and the right. If we seek the mind of Christ, then His wisdom will guide us in all that we do – even politics.

]]> By: ksample http://rsample.com/2009/04/23/the-end-of-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-21 ksample Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:49:23 +0000 http://rsample.com/?p=32#comment-21 Hey, it did it again. How can you moderate a moderate? Hey, it did it again. How can you moderate a moderate?

]]> By: ksample http://rsample.com/2009/04/23/the-end-of-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-20 ksample Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:48:41 +0000 http://rsample.com/?p=32#comment-20 My comment is awaiting moderation! Are you afraid of something? My comment is awaiting moderation! Are you afraid of something?

]]> By: ksample http://rsample.com/2009/04/23/the-end-of-politics/comment-page-1/#comment-19 ksample Fri, 24 Apr 2009 02:47:51 +0000 http://rsample.com/?p=32#comment-19 Hey, little brother, I just found your 'blog. No, the country is not anymoreso politically divided. There is still, and will always be, a division betwixt the nutjob liberals and the Bible-thumping-nutjob conservatives but the 80% of the country who are moderate/centrist/normal folks are just doing fine, thankyouverymuch. Hey, little brother, I just found your ‘blog.
No, the country is not anymoreso politically divided. There is still, and will always be, a division betwixt the nutjob liberals and the Bible-thumping-nutjob conservatives but the 80% of the country who are moderate/centrist/normal folks are just doing fine, thankyouverymuch.

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