Epaggelia

Key Text: Proverbs 8:15-16 & Romans 13:1-5.

If you read philosophical and historical literature of our day, you will realize that people who work from the most prestigious seats of academia, write that our society has abandoned rational or objective thought and is rapidly affirming personal opinion and relativism as the superior guide for life and setting  standards for a better future. Philosophers term this way of thinking as “postmodernism”, historians are calling it ‘revisionism’. It involves ignoring the reality of life and accepting only whatever we ‘believe’ are the facts. This new mindset abandons anything absolute and exalts what is relative. If we assume that everyone is supposedly right in their own experience then apparently no one is really wrong! Sin is paraded around as nothing more than sickness, drug consumption is spoken of as a recreation, the traditional family is considered an endangered species, immorality is heralded as sexual freedom, pornography is projected as freedom of speech, homosexuality is defined as an alternative lifestyle and abortion is sugar-coated by calling it ‘post-conception birth control’. The Christian can pray about it and preach against it, but our efforts are not efficient and as effective as we could be, if we do not influence our Government, WISELY and PRAYERFULLY. When Christianity first came into our world, it AFFECTED and CHANGED rulers in the highest places. Why? Because of Christians putting into practice the command of 1^st Timothy 2:1-2. They did not just say a prayer for blessings on their government, they cried out fervently and prayed prayers for rulers to lead in forming and enforcing laws which help us live in a society that promotes…

PEACE          eeremon kai heesuchion

This is the opposite of arrogant belligerence, it requires society to pursue friendship and to make allies in balanced cooperation and negotiating compromise. A goal many Jewish leaders were not interested in, from the context of re-establishing the Kingdom of God (Israel) from David’s throne outward and into the world.

GODLINESS  eusebeia

Any attempt that is made by humanity to mimic Christ or be like Jesus. In what ways can a society exemplify Jesus? Whenever our society recognizes God in an honourable way, that is the godliness we must pray and work together to attain and maintain publicly. This entails the engagement of God & Government, not Church & State.

PROPER RESPECT     semnoteeti

This is a lifestyle that treats everyone with a degree of dignity. Actions that reflect the honest truth of being equal in God’s eyes, recognizing and being able to act upon the truth, that Jesus died for you, me, the President and the mentally ill homeless person. Does our society truly offer an equal footing for every citizen to live in dignity? We can learn a real truth about our Government by the way our leaders treat three areas of society…, The Mentally Ill,  The Homeless &  The Alien.  How does our understanding of Christianity affect the dignity of these people in our society?

God has used rulers in the world of all kinds to accomplish His will historically and He is using them now. King Ahasuerus & Mordecai (Esther 1-10), King Cyrus (Dan. 10:1 & Ezra 1:1-2) & King Agrippa (Acts 26) are good examples. In complete disregard for a political person’s party ethics, faith, ethnicity or personal behavior, God gave each of them some of His wisdom. Can we pray fervently that God gives each politician in this world, some of His wisdom? If Christians can do the work of God with only the faith of a mustard seed, how much of God’s work can a politician do with a fraction of God’s wisdom? Luke 17:6.  It is our godly duty to pray and work to influence them.