Death to the West
I know not why but within me there arises a sense of disgust with the West. This is not the way we were meant to live. The truth of the universe doesn't lie within but without. We seek our after own gain at others expense. We destroy and do not create. With uncaring thoughtlessness we destroy the kosmos.
Jesus taught us that blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; why were they so blessed? If the history within Acts is accurate then they were blessed by the church. There were no poor in the church because those with gave to those without. There are recorded instances (within Roman descriptions of the church) of whenever the member of a church was hungry then the rest of the church went without food...in order to give it to them. And likewise with the rest of the beatitudes rather than being vague eschatological (end time) promises they might well be realised promises...through the church.
Yet I don't think that I see this in the church today. Rather than a community seeking salvation everyone is concerned with their own salvation (and as easy a ride as possible in this world). If the church is to be a living example of the kingdom no wonder the world has rejected the kingdom. We've got to stop thinking about the end for no one knows when it will come, whats the point of converting people because of the end of the world if they don't see the world end. The kingdom is not a future possibility but a present reality that exists and is witnessed to by the church and through the church. If we change the world as it exists around us for good then we have indeed brought heaven to earth. The kingdom of God is in our presence but are we within it. If we are in it then we should try to prove, through our words deeds and lives that this is the truth. We are called to witness to this good news.
Jesus taught us that blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; why were they so blessed? If the history within Acts is accurate then they were blessed by the church. There were no poor in the church because those with gave to those without. There are recorded instances (within Roman descriptions of the church) of whenever the member of a church was hungry then the rest of the church went without food...in order to give it to them. And likewise with the rest of the beatitudes rather than being vague eschatological (end time) promises they might well be realised promises...through the church.
Yet I don't think that I see this in the church today. Rather than a community seeking salvation everyone is concerned with their own salvation (and as easy a ride as possible in this world). If the church is to be a living example of the kingdom no wonder the world has rejected the kingdom. We've got to stop thinking about the end for no one knows when it will come, whats the point of converting people because of the end of the world if they don't see the world end. The kingdom is not a future possibility but a present reality that exists and is witnessed to by the church and through the church. If we change the world as it exists around us for good then we have indeed brought heaven to earth. The kingdom of God is in our presence but are we within it. If we are in it then we should try to prove, through our words deeds and lives that this is the truth. We are called to witness to this good news.
3 Comments:
Bro, that's a good post. The church today has lost relevence to the world around it. There are little enclaves all over, but no one knows who or what they are. (I suppose it's easy to look at Christianity in the 21 century and get disgusted, but not everything about it is awful...)
Overall, I am learning more and more that I will never be able to fully justify what every enclave of believers is doing to and in this world, but I am determining to be without excuse in my life. I'm responsible for me, and what I do with this adoption I've been given, you know?
Peace and love.
Good post Jared... just what i've been noticing lately! =(
Yes! I agree! : )
I like this post! It makes me feel kinda sad though that this is what we've made the church - I don't think we can claim innocence as to how the church now is cos we live life the same as those before us, we live as we've been taught, which is, for example, to seek our own salvation, etc!
As much as I look at the western church and think that it's not sposed to be like it is - I have to realise that I am part of the Western church and one of those people who make up the church today! Yet I don't look on myself with disgust (entirely), this is possibly my problem - I find it easy to say that the church is not how it should be, but on closer inspection, I'm not as I should be!
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