Missed Opportunities

Written By Thomas Perez. October 3, 2016 at 12:37AM. Copyright 2016.

Derogatory status’ and memes on Facebook, insults on Twitter, the outright unseasoned lips that spur division and itching ears that run to hear the firery canons of slander, bearing false witness, insults, accusations; true or false, must not be curtailed. These things cause division, conflict and judgement. Are we to judge the contents of a person’s heart based upon what we hear or see? If we do, that would be an inappropriate way for a child of God to be acting, wouldn’t you say?

Remember the adulterous woman, they saw her in the act. They also heard the act in progress. Something worthy of gossip and slander. Something worthy of meme’s on a Facebook account, tweets on Twitter, status’ and death by religious civil law. Some of us are guilty of fueling this fire. Even I got caught up in the excitement of political media advertising. Remember, eveytime you post something, it becomes an advertisement. And what you post is a reflection of you. I have seen the errors of my way. The boasting of who I am supporting in politics, posting my little opinion’s on Facebook and other forums of social media shouldn’t define who I am as a person in Christ; and it shouldn’t define you either.

But sometimes we feel the need to proclaim what we think is honest, true and just; whether it be in the form of politics or religious matters. In this there is no wrong. However, when the current events of our time supersede our responsibility and testimony in Christ to the point where He is no longer the center our of social media language, we run the risk of losing our first love. With that in my conscience I have decided to go back to my original roots; the Kingdom of God.

I believe every single one of us, including myself, missed the true meaning of some Jesus’ most important messages. And hence while doing so missed opportunities to advance the Kingdom of God – spiritually or physically, as in our example and conduct. Think about it. He never spoke out against the establishment (the Roman Empire) who butchered, captured, enslaved, tortured and taxed the Jews, along with many other ethnic groups to the point of submission. A submission by which the Sanhedrin became Judah’s puppets to be given to the people as long as they had their temple, religion and freebies from Rome in exchange for loyalty, peace and taxes. Along with this subjergation came petty privileges – their own self proclaimed leader, or messiah, namely Herod the Great (37-4BC) – the Edomite (Arab) -decended from Esau – was given a Theocracy. A practicing Jew by name only.

A generous and pius man when in compromise and corruption – often giving freely the welfare state. But in himself lay the spirit of insubordination toward God, Christ and the people who sincerely was seeking the true Christ, King and Deliverer. Sound familiar? It is quoted that Caesar’s opinion of Herod was demeaning. Caesar is cited as saying; “I would rather be Herod’s pig than his son!” Herod was your basic everyday evil, cunning, conniving, unjust sellout. Often causing the deaths of those around him directly and indirectly through beaucratic means. After his death, his son Antipas took the throne (4-39BC), but only received a tetrarch. A title with less prestige than “king.” Many now wanted to see how Jesus Himself would respond to areas of beauracracy and politics. Would He emulate Herod?

Case and point; trying to trap Jesus, the Pharisees asked Him, “is it lawful to pay tribune (taxes) to Caesar?” If He had answered “no” then that would of been the right answer, ethically and morally that is. But cause enough for insurrection against Rome (the establishment) which would of resulted in His immediate arrest. If he had answered “yes” then that would if been cause enough for the argument of inequality. He would have been seen as a traitor to His own people. He simply answered and said; “who’s image is on this coin?” They answered and said; “Caesar’s.” Then He said to them, “render unto Caesar’s what is Caesar’s and render unto God what is God’s.”

In other words, this present system is not of God and neither does the Almighty Spirit cares about it. We live in the world, but we should not love the world. Nor should we have a preference or support for the economic governance of Capitalism, Socialism, or Communism. Though, in my opinion, Capitalism is the better of the other two; it has never destroyed a nation. Whether you agree with this or not really doesn’t matter to me, because, unfortunately, we are all a part of an economic system of some sort depending on our locale. In other words we are in the world partaking in it; both rich and poor, but we should not love it. Not loving the world is based upon many Scriptural citations.

One verse in particular that comes to mind is the verse found in I John 2:15. It is extremely interesting to note that the word for love in I John 2:15 is the word, “agapa.” The word is in the social and moral sense. Verse 15 reads “love not the world,” etc. It can also be read as; “love not the world in the social and moral sense.” Moreover, in that very same verse we find the word “love” mentioned again. But in this instance it is in reference to the Greek word “agape.” The word “agape” is in the benevolent, charitable and unconditional sense. This part of the verse can be read as follows; “…for the unconditional benevolence of God is not in you.”

Other instances that come to mind is the quotation; “It is easier for a camel to find the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” Similarly, other instances of Scriptural citations come to mind as well; the story of the Good Samaritan (which can be viewed as a rebuke against ancient and modern Israel today) or it can be taken and applied into one’s life personally. The story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is another allegory. Naturally the deeper meaning of this particular text is in reference to Israel as being the Rich Man and Lazarus being that of the Samaritan or Gentile (Goyim). But it can also be used in practical applications.

Oh, how often have all the politicians played the Rich Man. Oh, how often has the spirit of Capitalism played it’s role on stage. This is not independence of the classes because the system fuels a co-dependancy. A co-dependacy of labor, a taxed labor, a welfare state and a separatist class system itself; often causing a great gulf fixed between the elite, the middle class, and the improvised. Jesus however, in diplomatic fashion condemned capitalism, oligarchy, totalitarianism and authoritarianism.

He did this by ironically declaring that one should adhere to a corrupt system even if we don’t necessarily agree with it due to our enslavement to it – thus His not redeeming the children of Israel or the world from their corrupt economic governmental systems at that time. Justice was not given on the behalf of the innocents slaughtered at Bethlehem. Nor was justice given to the countless other victims of tyrannical Rome. This is nothing short but a revolt in, and through; love, peace and secrecy. Jesus was wise as a serpent, but harmless as a dove. Even we are told to be as such. An advice also given by Him to His Apostles. But the nation’s was not ready to give up their economic governance’s of the people. Jesus knew this.

The Church, as well as the other two Abrahamic faiths throughout history, failed greatly in secrecy, docilic passive persuasions and humility. Judaism, Christianity and Islam continue to do this today by going out of its way within the framework of a theocracy, or at the very least, a Democratic Theocracy, to achieve land (capital) – property is capital. This is often done through beaucratic means, religious undertones, imperialism, terrorist activities, and/or the fountain pen. Sometimes the pen is mightier than the sword. Similarly, the Eastern world of religion and politics are also without excuse.

The parties involved construct an underbelly of a political hedge or umbrella. This is nothing short than another “cracy” – which means, a form of government or hierarchy. This pyramid, often neglecting the Kingdom of God within us in favor of a redeeming course, will always seek a head, a militia, personal property and money. Heads of state or hierarchy come in many sexes, colors, shapes, words and promises. They often promise redemption with political slogans. Their version of salvation and justice. But what does a politician have in common with redemption?

Redemption or Redeeming is the act of personal vengeance on the behalf of kinship – Strongs Hebrew Concordence (SHC) 1350, it also means a distinction – SHC 6304. In Strongs Greek Concordance of 629 and 1385, we find that it literally means a ransom in full. In Jesus’ case it would of been the act of taking SHC 1350 into vengeance and judgment against the system on the behalf of His ethnic background. But this He did not do – thus the statement; “render unto Caesar.” Instead choosing to lay down His life, he accomplished a ransom in full, and not in part only for His kinsmen, but for the whole world. While doing this He also condemned socialism (an ideology of equality) at the same time by encouraging a political forced allegiance of inequality as in Himself being the Chiefdom and humanity being His unequals, yet one in unity with Him as sons and daughters of God.

You see, if He had supported an economic system like socialism, then we would have had very little in common with higher virtues of pursuit in reference to freedom, liberty and the incentive to seek the Father who sits at the penicle of the highest two virtues known to man; benevolence and charity. We will not know salvation. Remember, Jesus said; “your captivity is over.” “What captivity? – they asked. “Your captivity from sin.” Not the captivity of Rome.

John picks up on this in chapter 2 of his first epistle. The rendering of the two Greek words for love reveals our dichotomy. You see, at a pivotal point in human history, humanity was ready by way of the prophets, Greek philosophers, and Plato’s Logos, to receive the actual Logos or “information” in and from Jesus – a “Logocracy.” But alas, it was too heavy to bear, even though the burden was, and still is light to carry. We wanted our self governing systems to continue. It satisfies our bellies, cold backs, and for many, their hedonistic lifestyles – often feeding Oligarchy within the framework of Capitalism and Socialism. Choosing to kill the two with one stone; Jesus and His Logos (the Word – for He is the Word incarnate), was a far more better choice for those with vested interests in the temple and it’s religious secular political economies within its shared collectivism; than having to let Him continue His existence.

Jesus’ death didn’t occur just because it was predicted by the prophets, or due to a corrupt system, His voluntarily actions, or because God ordained it to be so from the foundations of the world; it was a combination of all four. He had to follow the course of redemption, even unto the death. Not that He needed redemption, but that he needed vindication. Vindication is Righteousness at work. One cannot seem to exist without the other.

According to Bullard, “the Hebrew reads, “He is righteous and saved.” This is indeed the reading in the Geneva Bible of 1560, the version that commanded the devotion of the English-speaking peoples before the King James Version: “He is just and saved.” The ancient Greek translation, as well as Jerome’s Latin Bible, rendered the passive form “saved” as an active, “saving.” The King James straddles the issue with its awkward and ambiguous “having salvation.” – “righteousness in the Bible carries an idea of vindication, of having been declared by God to be right; for the source of all Righteousness, even Messiah’s God.” The Gospel according to Handel’s Oratorio. Page 17. By Roger A Bullard – PhD of Religion at Barton College.

Vindication within this light enhances the Gospels message and Jesus’ other indirect utopian messages as well. For in them we find vindication against the law of Moses (as in it’s ceremonial garb accusations and revealing of sin), our ancient codes, ethics and morality. We also find traces of the rudimentary principles of this world crushed by the Rock of ages that smatches the clay and iron of Nebuchadnezzar’s iconic dream image of a man – Daniel 2. A man with a head of gold (Babylon), chest of bronze (Medo-Persia), belly and thighs of silver (Greece), and legs of iron (Rome); with its feet partly mixed with iron and clay (this is where we are today – howbeit interpreted in various fashions, especially among prophetic apocalyptic doomsayers).

This is indeed a rudimentary image. Rudimentary due to the fact that their governing powers and economic strong holds upon men are nothing more than simply four legged creatures maining and conquering the world with no intelligence whatsoever – Gods version of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 7. Be it in the form of Assyria, Israel (ancient or modern) Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, the Vatican, China, Japan, India, Britain, Iraq, Iran, Russia, Korea, Canada, France, the U.S. or any Islamic theocracy, etc; they are all guilty before the whole human race due to the spirit of “cracy.”

Logocracy – another form of govenment will eventually take over the former. Another “cracy.” But this one, at the risk of sounding like an Apocalyptic futurist, will be the better “cracy.” An age of wisdom, reason, information – as in information technology and the Logos. It will or may be the healing of the nation’s. It is happening today as we become more and more connected. But like I said in a previous article, there might still be a danger – indeed, a beaucratic system of some sort can surface once again, rearing its ugly head. Or, the greater good can emerge from shared “information” without Capitalism, the Federal Reserve, socialism, or a beaucratic system. Let us be vigilant.

But eventually, when all is said and done, the stage of Netocracy and Logocracy will give way to a state of “No Name” dipped in blood, formerly called; the “Word of God.”