- Apr 27, 2017
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Spoken like a true United Methodist, utterly indifferent to hostile forces that set themselves against Christianity.
I find this sort of interpretation of Jesus to be trite. Who was Jesus? He was the incarnate second person of the Trinity. Did he associate himself with all sorts of people? Yes, to what end though? Was he friends with Pontius Pilate? Was he friends with the Prostitutes, just casually chatting and never admonishing them for their lifestyle? Or was he preaching to them, calling them to repentance and to walk with him and his way? He was at heart a subversive force within the Jewish community by convincing others to go with him instead of the Pharisees. This is why the Pharisees hated him.
It's not about living in a bubble, but it is about setting up safeguards for a community and any group that's smart will do this if they want to preserve themselves and their way of life. This goes for nations, this goes for clubs and it especially goes for religions. There's a reason why the Islamic world has successfully resisted Christianization, mainly because they persecute Christians and let them know of their subordinate status within Islamic society. There is a reason why the Romans weren't able to convert Christians to become decent Pagans, because Christians resisted becoming part of the mainstream. They didn't join the army, they didn't sacrifice to Caesar and they kept their communion and services limited to only baptized members of the community.
Now, if you want to pretend that setting up safe guards of appropriate behavior and associations is contrary to Christianity, then you'll be arguing against the entire history of the Church. It also would explain why the United Methodists are probably going to die out sooner or later. They are utterly unwilling to say no or have some line that cannot be crossed.
Even back in John Wesley's day, being a "Methodist" was originally considered an insult, so I suppose if being Methodist is what you've got, then I'm in good company.
Methodists from the very beginning of the movement within the Anglican church have always been out in the midst of society, even in the midst of what was considered to be the very worst of society, getting our hands dirty, participating in social causes, and associating with the least and less desirable.
We don't need to worry about "hostile forces" as God already has the victory. Like Paul, we are "convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)
If you're living your life hidden away in a bubble in fear of the outside world and "hostile forces" then you are living a life enslaved to these very hostile forces you fear.
We aren't commissioned to sit in safety in self-preservation, but to go out into the world. Islam is not exactly a role model for Christ and his Way.
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