Non-intervention or intervention

My take on Syria, I have two thoughts here:

As an American, I don't believe America should get involved miltarily here or anywhere. America doesn't need another war and history has shown military interventions are bloody disasters. We don't know who's good or bad in Syria's civil war. We don't know for certain who did the chemical attack. Launching those cruise missles was a mistake. And going to war in Syria could have widespread ramifications like possibly starting World War III. So, I'm an non-interventionist when it comes to foreign policy and  believe that seeking friendship with every nation possible is the key to a safer and freer world.

As a Kingdom of God person, I believe the church in America as well as the world should get involved in that war-torn country. We should do what we can to alleviate the suffering of those affected by this civil war. We can do that through medical aid, food, clothing, and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We should support the churches and pastors in Syria. Maybe we can even help rebuild destroyed towns or homes. In other words, the church should be doing everything possible to show the love of Christ to those people. I believe the Gospel is the only way for true peace, hope, and liberty to that region and the world.

So where does that leave us? Should we intervene or not? This depends on the assumptions you have.

It's important to note that the kingdoms of the world and the Kingdom of Christ are radically different from each other. If we lose that distinction, we might be asking the wrong questions and getting the wrong answers.

The kingdoms of this world will use brute force on people to get its way. The Kingdom of God will show love to people so that they can see Jesus.

A Big Step to Heal the Divide

In my previous blog post, I mentioned that there's no way humanly possible way to heal the divide in this country. This past election, which was a wild ride, and the protests that followed shows the divide is deep and very real. This nation has deep wounds. But having said that it's not totally impossible to bridge this gap between people.

Christians, true followers of Jesus Christ, must seize this time as a golden opportunity to show this country and this world there's another way of doing things. So how do we this? It's simple yet profoundly deep. Christians need to show love towards each other. Even the Church has been somewhat divided over this election. But rather than following the zeitgeist of this culture, we need to listen to the Spirit of our Lord. As a matter of fact, Jesus commanded His disciples to love each other.
  
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. 
-- John 13:34-35 WEB

So Jesus isn't giving an option-- it's a mandate. And if we claim we love Jesus, we must listen to what He says (John 14:15). So it doesn't whether your brother or sister in Christ is a far-lefty or a right-winger, we must love them all the same because they follow Jesus Christ, the Lord. Not to mention, they are also human beings, which are made in God's image (Genesis 1:27).

So what does this love look like and how far does should this love go? What does the Scripture say?

By this we know love, because he laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. -- 1 John 3:16 WEB 

Since Jesus gave us an example of love looks like by laying down life His down on the cross, we ought to be willing to lay our lives down for our brothers and sisters in Christ. So it doesn't matter whether you agree with them or not, you need to be willing to your lay your life down for them. It's not about us and our comfort zone. It's about God and others. Because if show hate towards our brothers and sister, then we are in darkness, we are murderers, we are liars, and cannot love God (1 John 2:9, 2:11, 3:15, 4:20). In other words, we are bunch of phonies if we don't do this. See the following Scripture for further reason why we should love each other. 

 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. -- 1 John 4:8 NIV  

And this love isn't simply a command. Love each other will have a profound impact on those outside of the Church. Look at John 13:35 again:

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.  

King Jesus knows that if His followers love each other truly, then the world will know we identify with Him. Jesus said something similar to God the Father before He was crucified on the cross.

 My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.  I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. -- John 17:20-23 NIV

Jesus said that if those who believe in Him showed the same unity towards each other like the unity He had with God, then the world would know that He was sent by God. That's profound!

You see many people don't follow Jesus not because there's no evidence. There is. It's because there's no proof of Him in the lives of those who claim the name of Christ. But if we show love and unity towards each other, then what would this nation or this world would say then? I believe their hearts would be more open towards the Lord Jesus. The proof is in the pudding.  Being the example matters.

In the same way let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. -- Matthew 5:16 NIV

So what I'm saying is this: We need to start the healing within the Church by loving each other. Once we are healed and united under Christ, then we can show our love to others outside. Then, the healing in this divided nation and in this broken world will begin.
  

 

Can peace emerge from a wrecked weekend

The United States accidentally bombed Syrian troops on Saturday because they thought it was ISIS. But some doubt the sincerity of that claim and claim the US sides with ISIS. Whether this was an accident or not, only God knows. I don't know which way is true. Then also over the weekend, you have explosions happen in New York and New Jersey caused by a terror suspect.  Now whether this is connected in any way, I don't know. 

Where am I going with this? This world is a powder keg ready to explode. But is there a way a diffuse it?  Maybe, in the short run through diplomacy. But in the long run, sadly no. Why? It's because the kingdoms of this world can't. They are inherently based on brute force and power over others. Fighting, divisions conquest, and war is the water they drink. Randolph Bourne said it best:

"War is the Health of the State."

Sadly, it is. They thrive off it. Otherwise, they will shrivel up and dine. While stated in Romans 13 from the Bible, God uses the sword to punish the evildoers, it's also shown in Revelation 13, the State or the kingdoms of this world, are shown as a ferocious beast backed by Satan. For goodness sake's the system is described as a brute in this chapter. What a double-edge sword the government is. So what do we do?

There is hope. But it wouldn't be solved by political means or looking to the governments of this world. The hope is found in Jesus Christ.  He gives us peace, but not like the fleeting peace of this world. It's a different kind of peace. It's a peace that more meaningful and more lasting and transcends the politics of this world (John 14:27; Philippians 4:7). So how do we get this peace?

This peace can only be found in Jesus. If we follow Jesus as the Lord over our lives, He will transform us into a people of love, peace, and truth. He is not like the tyrants of this world. Jesus is caring and loving and give us peace. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30, his yoke is easy and his burden is light. He is not like the tyrants of this world, who will weigh you down and crush you. Jesus is gentle and humble and will lift you up.

If we submit our lives to King Jesus, he shows us how to be peaceful and loving to others. As a matter of fact, His command to His disciples in John 13:34 is to love one another as He loved them. 

Imagine, what the world be like if we were loving towards each others. When I mean love, it's not the world's way of understanding. It's Christ's way of understanding it.

So in short, can peace emerge from a wrecked weekend? Yes, it can. But we can't look to the kingdoms of this world to solve it. We can only look to the Kingdom of God and the King who sits on the throne there.  

Showing God's love, peace, truth, and liberty the best way I know how

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 
-- Matthew 5:9 NIV

Hello, everyone! Thank you for stopping by.  This blog will focus on being an advocate for peace, love, truth, and liberty from hopefully a Christian perspective.

The blog was started as a way to counter some problems I've noticed within the Christian community. If you're not a Christian, that's okay too. I would love to have you follow along as well. I will cover topics that are not always directly related to Christianity.

What this blog is aiming to counter

There are a couple of problems I've noticed at least in the church of North America.

One, it seems many Christians, especially in the US, have wrapped themselves in a flag and gotten hypnotized by neoconservatives to support the war machine and blindly follow the interests of the military-industrial complex, imperialists, or hyper-nationalists, especially when it comes to actions in the Middle East.

Rather than getting drawn into such conflicts, which is only benefits one worldly kingdom at the expense of another, Christians need to follow Jesus Christ. He told them to love to each other as well as our neighbors and even our enemies. When Jesus was about to ascend into heaven, He told His disciples to teach others to obey his command, which is love. This radical love is only thing that prevent the human race from going into extinction.

Two, to a lesser extent, some Christians have been lulled by the sirens of social progressives. Things like standing against corporate personhood, cronyism, human trafficking, human rights abuse, and economic injustice are what Christians should do. Christians should be the voice of the oppressed and the downtrodden since God is a defender of them. However, to advocate things like state socialism, collectivism, taking people's right to defend themselves, and giving approval to certain behaviors that humans aren't made for is something Christian should avoid. This reason is that these things don't reflect the radical love of King Jesus. These things seek control over other people. One group will dominate at the expense of others. 

Christocultural

Now the two problems I listed out doesn't Christians shouldn't vote. That's up to the conscience of every brother and sister in Christ, since voting isn't mentioned in Scripture. I'm merely saying that the priority is Jesus Christ and His Kingdom.

Christians need to be counterculture because we serve a King that's not of this world. We shouldn't embrace the culture. Nonetheless, Christians should build bridges with others as much as possible.

Being a Christian is a fine and delicate balance. Jesus should always be the center and core of it all. If Christian keep their eyes on Jesus, then they can be radical like Him but avoiding the extremes at the same time.

I don't have all the answers. I'm not infallible. I'm just here to communicate the love and light of Jesus Christ to this dark world the best way I know how. Blessings to all!