The Emperor Should Stick with State Issues

 You know, when Constantine decided to get in the "business" of church he made a big mess. We're still trying to disentangle from that conundrum. 

The Church was doing just fine following the Commission, that Jesus Christ left us. Every time, we try to mix church and state, we add to the mess. The Church is THE CHURCH and government is of the world. Until the Nicaean Council, the Church was growing--and people came to Christ, because they were drawn spiritually--they CHOSE this Way. The hardships and persecution couldn't keep them away! Those new Christians simply walked out their testimony and loved the way Christ taught us to; and they came in droves.

The Gospel was never meant to be a "have to" thing. We have been gifted with free will to choose how we will live our lives, (at, and since) the beginning of the world. That free will has never been rescinded. Even when God was sorry (repented) that He had made mankind, He didn't withdraw it. What He did do was command Noah to build an ark of safety. He is still offering us a passport for "the Ship". No one is forced or prodded to board. You simply need to recognize your need and come aboard.

Jesus, in His Humanity didn't come to fix government. That wasn't His purpose then, and it still isn't. He told His followers to give Caesar what was Caesars. So, they paid the taxes according to the law of man, but with the heart they gave the Father what He desired--willingly. 

This has always been a "heart issue" with God. He called David "a man after His Own Heart". Because David (the king, by the way) recognized the sinfulness of his heart and he repented. It is the heart of man that God seeks, while we can't seem to see beyond the outer man. We who are called by His Name are so destitute of His Spirit working in and through us, that we behave just like unregenerated man--it's as if we never really had an encounter with the One that we claim as Sovereign. 

We want to do His job for Him--and we are sorely ill-equipped. 


I love what Paul (an apostle called directly by God, on the Damascus Road had to say in 1 Corinthians 5:12. I'm going to paraphrase, "Mind your own business! When it comes to those who are outside of the Body of Christ, we are to keep our mouths, legislations and ideas to ourselves. Our focus is the Body of Christ--not society". Don't we have enough to concern ourselves with, within? If we could spend more time seeking His face and His will for ourselves, we wouldn't have so much time to devote to His business. And, like Hans Christian Andersen's emperor came to realize (with the help of a young boy) found out, it was he himself who was shamefully presented. 

We have a few things to do:

1. "Love the Lord God with all of your heart, all of your mind and all of your soul".

2. We are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. And if you have any question about who is your neighbor, just remember the story of the Samaritan. All of humanity is your neighbor.

3. Go, with only the love of God and deliver the Gospel. Not with rules and our own ideas. Remember, people who are not redeemed aren't your enemy. They sin because it is their nature to sin (and we struggle WITH the Spirit in us, to live according to His commandments). How dare we try to force people who don't know Him, to live as if they did! Let them witness the love of God in action through and among us--then we will be irresistible, instead of repulsive. 

4. Preach the Gospel. How? It doesn't take a bullhorn, placards or force. Someone said, "the only church many will see is when we ourselves are the Church before them." Be the example of change that you wish to see in others.

5. Baptize them in His Name. The authority is in the Name of Jesus. The blood has the power to save, but without the Authority the power is useless. Remember, when God had Moses to tell His people to put the blood over the door post, while they were in Egypt? That was to preserve them--or hide them from the wrath that was poured out in the land. It didn't get them to the Promised Land. But it covered them, until the Law could teach them, and the Law taught them "as a schoolmaster", until Jesus shed His perfect, unblemished blood to take away the sins of the world--but only if we want Him to.

I said all of this to say, mind your own business. You have enough to do within the Body, until Jesus comes. Occupy yourself with that.

"Let your light shine...."

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