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charity, Christianity, doing good, experience, following Jesus, God's love, justice, love, Michael Clark, Oswald Chambers, partiality, taking a stand, wisdom

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8 NASB) – Photo by Susanne Schuberth
Good grief, that is a strange question, don’t you think?
Okay, okay, if someone said Christianity was all about Christ, then we would wholeheartedly agree and could stop writing at this point. Nonetheless, that was not what we wanted to talk about here. Instead, we have often wondered whether we as Christians are more known for what we stand against than for what we stand for.
We could say, for example, that Armenians are against Calvinists and vice versa; fundamentalists are against gifts of the Spirit; Pentecostals tend to depend on what they “feel” regarding divine matters; house church people are against organized religion and most Christians are against abortion, homosexuality, getting pregnant outside of wedlock…the list goes on and on.
It seems that all too often our identity is not in Christ, but in what we cannot tolerate. It is so easy to be against something. That is human nature! But to be moved by the love of God, THAT is a miracle of God that causes us to transcend our old Adam nature! Jesus told us to love those who hate us and do good to our enemies, yet is that an earmark of Christians today? If our identity is not Christ and His love for all, especially among those of us who believe (cf. Gal 6:10), what witness do we really have as being any different from those in the world without Christ? The Bible tells us that the (unbelieving) world will only believe that God sent Jesus when we are one in God and Jesus, just as our heavenly Father was in Jesus as Jesus was in His Father (see Jn 17:21).
So, back to our question, “What is Christianity about?” Jesus Christ said, “Don’t you now that I must be about my Father’s business?” Are we as believers in Christ really about our Father’s business? Or have we made a business out of what we believe? When we take a stand against a perceived evil in the world, we as Christians want to organize. We make a business out of the stand. But is that what Jesus did when confronted with the woman caught in adultery or the needs of a hungry people? He just kept it simple and dealt with each need as it arose and did not dehumanize people in their individual needs by turning it into “a ministry.” In fact, our human nature tends to get so focused on the forest that we cannot see the trees any longer. Jesus, instead, never missed out on a chance to reach out to the individual, even when being pressed on by the crowd. While surrounded by a vast number of admirers, he focused on a hated tax collector, Zacchaeus, up in a tree. While being pressed in upon by sick and needy people, He focused on one woman who touched the hem of his garment because she had faith that she could be healed by Him in doing so.
Well, one might argue, aren’t we called as Christians to take a stand for what is right and what is wrong in our world today – by any means? Yes, you are right, but maybe not so much by telling the world what is still wrong, but rather by doing what is right. Or in other words,
Never look for justice in this world, never cease to give it.― Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest
Wow! Thank you very much, dear Deanna. ❤ Indeed, I was thinking about including the verse about mercy and sacrifice, but dropped it for some reason. Now I know why; it was yours to add it as a confirmation. 🙂
The other verses fit too, perfectly! ⭐
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Every blessing to you, my dear sister.
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Ahh, very nice! I loved this quote, “Never look for justice in this world, never cease to give it.”
There are so many problems in the world that stem from people wanting justice (really revenge.) Justice is actually love, redemption, re-connection, reconciliation. Very few of us approach conflict and confrontation with that attitude in mind, so we’re often “against something,” rather than paving the way so people can see what we are really for.
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Thank you very much for your kind words, as always, dear Gabrielle. 🙂
Yes, I fully agree, the attitude of approaching conflict with not wanting others to change something, but offering justice ourselves is hard to find. Without God’s help impossible to ever get there, I presume.
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YOUR TOPIC IS SO BROAD: I WILL ADD ONLY 1 SCRIPTURE. : MATTHEW
5 V 16 “LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE BEFORE MEN THAT THEY MAY SEE YOUR
GOOD WORKS AND GLORIFY OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN”
IN MATT. 6 V 22. THE LAMP (SOURCE OF LIGHT) IS THE EYE OF THE LORD.
EVERY THING WE READ OR SEE COMES THRU OUR EYES: JESUS SAID”
IF YOUR EYE IS GOOD: THE WHOLE BODY WILL BE FULL OF LIFE.
NOW, WHAT IS A GOOD EYE? WE READ THE BIBLE WHICH GIVES A
GOOD EYE. WE SEE THOSE IN NEED; MATT. 25 V SAYS: CLOTHE THE
NAKED HELP THE SEEK, VISIT THE PRISONER; ALL THESE THINGS WE
CAN SEE WITH OUR EYES.
AS A MEDICAL DOCTOR, I USED MY EYE TO CARE FOR THE SICK.
WE CAN SEE SOME ONE WHO SINGS, SHOUTS, DANCES TO THE
GLORY OF GOD.
I like to say this about LIGHT. WHEN YOU ENTER A DARK ROOM,
THE MOMENT YOU TURN ON THE SWTCH, EVERY THING IN THE ROOM
IS VISIBLE. WHEN GOD GIVES US DISCERNMENT. WE CAN SEE THOSE
THINGS THAT EDIFY US IN THE ROOM.
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I love your example on the effect of light, Bernie. You said,
“WHEN YOU ENTER A DARK ROOM, THE MOMENT YOU TURN ON THE SWTCH, EVERYTHING IN THE ROOM IS VISIBLE. WHEN GOD GIVES US DISCERNMENT, WE CAN SEE THOSE THINGS THAT EDIFY US IN THE ROOM.”
Very good! ⭐
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MY E-MAIL ABOVE IS ABOUT RECEIVING LIGHT. SO NOW, I WILL TELL YOU
THAT THE LIGHT YOU RECEIVED IS REFLECTED OUT. 2nd Cor vs`3-18
IS ABOUT MOSES WHO, WHEN IN CONTACT WITH GOD, HIS FACE SHONE
WITH LIGHT SUCH THE PEOPLE WERE AFRAID. SO, MOSES PUT
A VEIL OVER HIS FACE WHEN IN CONTACT WITH THE PEOPLE. V 18
WE ALL WITH UNVEILED FACES BEHOLDING AS IN A MIRROR THE GLORY
OF THE LORD…. If it can be seen in a MRROR, OTHERS CAN SEE IT TOO..
hymn: TAKE TIMETO BE HOLY…SPEND MUCH TIME IN SECRET WITH JESUS
ALONE: BY LOOKING TO JESUS LIKE HIM THOU SHALT BE: THY FRIENDS IN THY CONDUCT, HIS LIKENESS SHALL (SEE).!
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Very Good comment, Bernie! I have felt for years that those who spend time with Jesus will have shining faces not only like Moses, but like Stephen who saw Jesus and his face shown like that of an angel even while facing death. Like Paul said,
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Your comment, dear Michael, has been a confirmation for my own experiences which I tried to describe in my last reply to Bernie below https://enteringthepromisedland.wordpress.com/2015/10/10/what-is-christianity-about-by-michael-and-susanne/comment-page-1/#comment-12431.
Great Scripture at that! ⭐
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Oh yes, dear Bernie, spending much time with Jesus in secret is very important since it is in prayer we receive the light that will shine forth from us. Also, our Father in Heaven gives us our reward when we pray secretly to Him; the reward is the experience of His loving embrace that takes away all pain and fears. Furthermore, He brings forth the fruit of the Spirit in us while praying. And after having prayed, only His peace remains (not always, but more and more while we grow into Him).
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THANKS, FOR YOUR REPLY. I FOUND ANOTHER PASSAGE ABOUT “LIGHT”
EPHESIANS 5 VS 8-11″ FOR YOU WERE ONCE DARKNESS BUT NOW YOU ARE
LIGHT IN THE LORD: WALK AS CHILDREN OF LIGHT (FOR THE FRUIT OF THE
SPIRIT IS IN ALL GOODNESS, RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND TRUTH. FINDING OUT
WHAT IS ACCEPTABLE TO THE LORD.”
This explains to me what are attributes of “light.” Paul’s ministry was Acts. 26 vs 17-18: ‘JESUS TOLD PAUL: “” (I SAY THIS BECAUSE MY BIBLE PUTS THIS IN
RED LETTERS) “I WILL DELIVER YOU FROM THE JEWISH PEOPLE AS WELL AS THE GENTILES TO WHOM I NOW SEND YOU.: TO OPEN THEIR EYES IN ORDER
TO TURN THEM FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT AND FROM SATAN TO GOD
THAT THEY MAY RECEIVE FORGIVENESS OF SINS AND AN INHERITANCE
AMONG THOSE WHO ARE SANCTIFIED BY FAITH IN ME.”
I HAVE FOR A LONG TIME LIKED Phillipians 2 vs 13-16. “FOR IT IS GOD WHO WORKS IN YOU BOTH TO WILL AND TO DO FOR HIS GOOD PLEASURE:
Do all things without complaining and disputing that you may heme blameless
and harmless: CHLDEN OF GOD WITHOUT FAULT IN THE MIDST OF A CROOKED AND PERVERSE GENERATION AMONG WHOM YOU SHINE
AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD.
I have been protected from complaining or disputing because I have read about
the Israelies in the desert who complained. This was stated because what Paul
said about them as examples for us. 1st Cor. 10 vs 1-11. SO, I WANTED NO
PART OF THEIR PROBLEMS!
I, ALSO, HAVE BEEN PROTECTED SO FAR, KEEPING MY LIFE IN THE
CHRISTIAN ENVIRONMENT WHERE I AM NOT EXPOSED TO THOSE IN
DARKNESS EXCEPT THOSE I MEET IN PLACES OF BUSINESSES. I NEVER
HAVE BEEN SO BOLD AS SOME TO BRING UP MY CHRISTIAN FAITH
EXCEPT MY BARBER WHERE I HAVE TIME TO TALK.
HOWEVER, PART OF MY PETITIONS TO THE LORD IS TO PRAY FOR
THOSE IN THE WORLD EVANGELIZING OTHERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE
CHRISTIANS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND CHRISTIANS IN PLACES
WHERE NATURAL DISASTERS HAVE LEFT MULTITUDES WITHOUT
HOUSES AND ALL THE NECESSITIES OF LIFE.
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Thanks for your honesty regarding your lack of courage to speak about your faith. Bernie, I believe it is the same for all of us who try to listen to the Lord’s voice. Those who do not listen may be “bold” personalities by nature (humanly speaking) whether they try to sell a car or their faith to someone else. God showed us very clearly in the Bible how “bold” Jesus’ disciples were without the Holy Spirit’s help (thinking of our poor Peter once again).
One Scripture you mentioned has been one of my favorites, too. I think Phil 2:13 explains that if God wants us to do something, He will make it possible – somehow,
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THANKS, I THINK NOW THAT THIS IS A GOOD VERSE AS YOU SAID TO
LET THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE YOU TO ONE HE WANTS YOU TO WITNESS TO.
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You’re very welcome, my brother. Thanks for your confirming words, Bernie. 🙂
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There is no heaven on earth but the LORD that lives inside of us.and He does not need us to do His job except that He does want to use us to display Himself.if there is any need of pointing out the right and wrong of things He can do the pointing–and He is not a book but a being.
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Wow!!! Very well said, dear Ken! ⭐
It is sooo true that He can and will do the pointing. How often we might be tempted to “play God” and tell others what, in our view, might still be “wrong” with them. The tree of knowledge indeed poisoned our single-eyed view of all things.
Your first sentence was so beautiful to read too, my brother.
Yes and amen! 🙂
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This bring a whole new meaning to words from a good friend. “Live Christianity in front of them” – that might not be her exact words but it is close.
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Yes, indeed. Great quote, Fred. Thanks for sharing it with us on here too.
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