Right, hence parables. Connecting to seeking hearts rather than ranting to deaf ears.
Yes, has anyone made any modern versions of the Parables lol. Maybe instead of Talents we could use Crypto currency. Don't leave your Bit Coin wasting away doing nothing. Invest your Bit coin like investing in the Kingdom of God. It may be more relatable lol.
Can't remember the quote but it embodies this absolutely, and paraphrased it was said that "If Satan possessed one of the disciples how much more every non-believer on Earth." It obviously is true if one is aware and intellectually honest about their observations pertaining to encounters where the message of the Bible is being proclaimed, the demonic manifests, the evil is visible, the behavior is lunacy.
I honestly don't think non believers can see Gods spirit or Gods aspects in the world. As the bible says they look but do not see. Its almost like a different paradigm.
But I also think they know but deny. Which is a different kind of self imposed blindness due to not being able to acknowledge the truth.
If Christ is the truth, the way and Life and if Satan is the anti Christ who wants to usurp Christ with a copycat philosophy to win people over. Then Christs truth and Christians standing on that truth will be seen as a threat in exposing the lies. Especially when push comes to shove.
It says in 2 Corinthians 2:16 we are the smell of death to those who are "perishing" because God to them is judgment and Hellfire, and so the threat is that very concept because they cannot hear the message of forgiveness when they aren't looking to repent or agree with God about their fallen nature. Add the evil spirits and demonic following them around and possessing them and the "threat level" is code red.. all defenses up.
Thats interesting. The smell of death is an unusual term. Almost like a reminder of death having its way over people. The sight of Christs light and goodness brings up the opposite in their hearts and minds. Almost like someone on the run who sees every flashing light or uniform coming to arrest them.
Good point there. You mean that Christ would "defy the religious establishments" in today's society? Oh yes He would, and they would probably try to crucify Him again if He returned clothed in humility, but we all know it is a lion that is returning.
Yes so I think its coming full circle. Before Christ there was the rule of the pagan gods. Then Christ came and this began Christianity. It grew to become the religion of the Roman Empire.
The church has made many mistakes and abused its power. But all along there was Christs church that was the balancing denominator that kept society in check. We at least respected God enough to welcome Him in the public square.
But now God is being rejected from the public square and out of secular society. In its place once again come the pagan beliefs of various sorts. So of course along with this will be the return of Christ and Christians being hated and persecuted. It is almost an inevitable progression.
From the time of Christ we were either going to flourish as Christ church or as we moved away from that time we forgot or rationalised away the importance.
But also it is evil replaying itself over and over again due to the fall of humans. But the difference now is that all the cards are on the table. God has shown His hand in Christ who will finally defeat satan. Satan knows this so he is even more desperate and decieving.
So really everyone knows what the stakes are the anti Christ and followers will be much more angry and desperate. Thats is why it seems everything is becoming a battle of life and the order of the world itself as a spiritual battle and not just politics or the enviroment or equality.
Well absolutely, it is a ploy by the devil to hijack the core of God's power which is "love" and paint it as pampering and gentleness to keep anyone from actually "fighting" against darkness or evil. Preaching acceptance of literally anything is the "new love," versus that really hard, trail blazing, narrow road, and carrying the weight of responsibility (defending weak, helping the poor, etc) stuff that most people simply don't want to hear.
Yes and its interesting that part of what cultivated this 'over sensitivity' to everything and feelings equals love that can heal and accept everything was the replacement for God and the bible.
All these ideas come from academia and Critical theories which came from the counter culture that rejected God. This is the replacement for social morals and how to order society.
Whereas we use to believe we were made in Gods image and that true love meant actually suffering for another for the good of all. No world ideology can possible achieve this as it can only happen in Christ.
So the message that you have sins in the first place is a big "oh no" to most who hear out the gate, and they can hardly hear "forgiveness" or "gift" for the humming they are doing and the fingers plugged into their ears as an initial reaction.
Yes I really think Grace and Forgiveness as sorely missing. I think because the world has been sold to many lies and there are so many claims to the truth to life that everyone is offering that people are lost and confused.
Because the world is tangible and can be felt its easy to be lured into the percieved comfort or idea thats being painted. Thats the problem. Its so superficial and artificial yet has been made so real that it fools people.
Whereas the whole idea of Gods Kingdom is to actually detach from this world. Not live by the flesh and desires and feelings but the spirit. I think people are open to all sort of psuedo spirits dressed as feelings or some mystical inner self belief that can transcend reality.
But its never really detaching from the world and into Gods spirit. I think you have to be willing to let go of the world and there is only one aspect thats going to fullfill that inner search for peace and love which is Christ.
It takes a special message curated by God the Holy Spirit to reach people who are so opposed to such an abject degree to the "Good News" that we are sinners (threat to identity of good person) and that God sent His Son as a gift (part they don't think they need) to save their lives from evil.
I really think it is harder today. At least in past generations most people grew up in Godly households and communities. Today theres nothing. I forget that my kids did not grow up in the same world as me when I was their age.
But the Gospel Good News message has long gone. Its been replace many times by all sorts of ideas over the last few decades and especially post 2000.
In some ways I think this current generation are like new people who have never heard the gospel in a way like in the past. Maybe its come fullcircle and they are more ready and open after seeing decades of chaos. But I don't think even their parents really experienced the gospel that much among all the whitenoise of alternative ideaologies.
I have actually heard that some young people are going back to basics and getting back to church even showing their parents up. Maybe there is a wind of change.
I think that focus is love (1 John 4:8), but love in truth (Ephesians 4:15). I think showing love is even more powerful than speaking it though, such as the cross, but an extension of it through our behavior. That is when people's ears open to hear, because no one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.
Yes I agree. Because there is so much fake news, false preaching, worldly ideas all speaking their truths and claims. Trying to preach the gospel will be hard.
But living the gospel and teachings and being Christlike without words speaks a lot. Even the world knows that its actions not words. They respect someone who puts into practice what they preach.
I think this is why Christ and the disciples garnered so much respect. They lived the gospel and the few words they did speak people knew they were important and truthful.
That is one thing I think is missing out of all the culture wars. Then no one actually quietly goes about doing what everyone is yelling and telling others they should do.
If one group did I reckon it would make the rest stop and look.
