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Post by Josh on Jan 16, 2021 12:39:50 GMT -8
Originally posted March 2020:
If I hear one more Christian comment about martial law and the government trampling on our rights with coronavirus restrictions, I’mma 😤
Whatever happened to “submitting to the governing authorities?” (Romans 13)
Oh, that’s only when you like what they’re doing?!
Even in the days of your imagined golden age Americans were still asked to temporarily lay down their rights. It didn’t lead to a police state, but to lives being saved.
News flash: the early Christians had far fewer rights than we and still submitted to the government in everything except the profession of their faith.
Also, let’s not embarrass ourselves by scoffing at the seriousness of this epidemic and science behind that.
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Post by gregory on Jan 18, 2021 7:11:29 GMT -8
The early christians did not submit to the empire, but their response to it was in a different paradigm from what we recognize as non-submission. The general disengagement from evil systems we see should be promoted, as there is a logical equivalence in Romans 13, namely that all authority comes from God predicated upon justice, and doing good, in the basement of a Godly foundation, the power relationship is no longer a godly authority, but is instead simply remains raw exercised power.
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Post by Josh on Feb 22, 2022 16:58:43 GMT -8
What do you mean they didn't submit to empire? Paul did, and that is why he encouraged his readers to do likewise in cases that weren't in direct and obvious conflict with gospel prerogatives.
I do believe that the time has probably come where mask mandates and mandatory vaccinations should be reconsidered, as they seem at this point to be doing more harm than good. But two years ago I thought it was just plain trivial for Christians to make it an issue of civil disobedience.
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Post by gregory on Oct 10, 2022 9:46:17 GMT -8
This is not the submission in the Bible. Biblical submission is to show the injustice plainly through forcing the victimizer to view their injustice plainly. Like a judo move to reveal the truth of a moral principle to someone numb to the gospel. It is not as simple as simply, they complied in everything...
This being said. There is anger. A lot of anger. This is not, nor has ever been from God. One side thinks about their 'rights' and in doing so takes a callous position toward those around them. The other is self righteous and believes it is acceptable to coerce, belittle, and demean those that think differently than them. This second position existed before the COVID crisis, and the first group is mad at the second for holding this position, so out of spite and anger they stop caring for their fellow man to force the second group to show themselves and the vitriol in their hearts they have toward the first group.
This is not love. There is no love from either side, but pride. It is not a unity in the body of Christ, and if fundamentally denies the Christ in the other and in doing so is not embracing the Christ who dwells within.
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