Injustice reigns in the earth. Capitalism is corrupt, only granting freedom to the wealthy, while the poor get ground in the dust. The 200 wealthiest people in the world, all heads of corporations, control 40% of the world’s wealth, while the poorest 20% of the world live on 1% of the world’s wealth. The 40 wealthiest Western nations have 85% of the world’s wealth.
Perhaps such disparity in the world today wouldn’t be so bad if the governments and corporations of the world were concerned with justice in the world and providing equity for the poor. Instead, the wealthy of the world use their economic power as the whip on the backs of the oppressed.
The developing countries of the world are required to pay a huge amount of interest on loans, and so unable to pay back the loans, and thus their people starve. On the other hand, the United States has a trillion-dollar debt that they can refuse to pay, if they want. The corporations of the West use Chinese labor to do the menial tasks that the workers of the West find demeaning or that don’t pay enough. Then the Chinese oppress their people, telling them where to work, how to worship, where to live and how many children to have. The world corporations are creating oppression as well in Vietnam, Mexico, Haiti, Bangladesh, Singapore, and multitudes of other developing nations. And all this, while not discouraging them to cease the oppression of ethnic, religious and political minorities.
The governments of the West, especially the United States, are controlled by the corporations, who gain benefits in how much taxes they pay, what tariffs are to be imposed on imports and which developing nations are to be given benefits and which governments are to be destroyed by the U.S. military. And even the nations that receive benefits, they receive it with a price tag that requires them to act in the benefit of the West. Colonization may be dead, but the North American and European nations are controlling the world economically through the UN, the WTO and through their diplomatic carrots and sticks.
In the twenty-first century, economic power is absolute power. And absolute power corrupts absolutely.
The poor are crying out in opposition to the world corporate structure. Protests are happening all over the world. The world press is decrying the controls of the West- although the American press never acknowledges a peep of the worldwide outcry.
What will happen? Will the poor rise up and overthrow their oppressors? Will there be unification among the workers who will overcome the wealth and power of the corporations? Will a great class war happen that will change the economic structure of the world and set all people free economically? Will there be real change in humanity that will provide justice for everyone?
Give me a break.
Let’s look at this historically. Those who were truly poor have never been successful in rising up against their oppressors. From the rise of the Lombards in the 1400s to the Peasants’ War in the early 1500s to the Rebellion of John Brown in the mid 1800s to the ethnic cleansing in Rwanda in the late 1900s, when the truly poor violently rise up against their oppressors, it only ends in tragedy and in the oppressors having an example of why they need to oppress.
Violence and resistance can create an economic change, such as the French Revolution, the Labor Parties, the Communist Revolutions of Russia and China. But the economic benefits are limited to a particular class of people, usually the middle class. Thus, the poor are not assisted at all, but only those who had enough power to enact change themselves.
This is not real change. It is just trading one set of oppressors for another. And this is a summary of the history of the world, for the last 10,000 years.
There is, however, another way for real change to occur. There is a way for the world corporate system to be destroyed and to be replaced by justice. But it requires much more than most people are willing to give. It does not require power, but humility. Not control, but persecution and death.
We need to recognize that the only force that will change things in the world for good is God. God alone has the power and authority to change the world permanently. God alone has the compassion and desire to help the poor, the lowest of the low (Check it out in the Bible- Exodus 22:21-27). God alone, of all the powers that have ever existed, has dedicated himself to helping those who are truly in need (Psalm 146:3-9). And he has promised that any governmental, corporate or religious power that oppressed the poor, he will destroy (Psalm 82:1-8; Revelation 18:1-24).
However, God requires the poor to do one most important thing- to cry out to him for help. The poor must recognize his authority over them and then cry out to him (Exodus 22:23; II Chronicles 7:14; Psalm 18:6-17; Psalm 34:17; Psalm 107). They must turn from the evil things they do- from oppressing their neighbor and do good to all, and then God will listen to them (Micah 3:4; Hosea 8:2-3; Ezekiel 18:27). And those who are poor must ask God persistently for God’s deliverance from oppression and he will give it (Luke 18:2-8). Such humility is required from God to gain freedom from oppression (Luke 18:10-14).
And this way of life needs to be given to others who are poor. Many need to be shown and taught this way of life in order for the oppression of the world corporate structure to be destroyed. If a single person cries out against an oppressor, then that one will be delivered from the one oppressor. If a multitude of poor, all around the world, cry out against the world corporate structure, then the whole world will be changed. This means that we need a multitude of people dedicated to God and to cry out to him for justice to change the world.
But even the humility and the training of others is not enough. We need to prove the oppression. We need to show that oppression really is occurring- for no power overthrows another without proof. This means that we need to put ourselves in the front lines of oppression. We need to show God and the world that the world corporate structure is willing to sacrifice and kill others, but not itself.
How do we do this? Through non-violent, public outcry against oppression. Through standing in front of the violent and haters of the poor, and telling them to stop or they will be destroyed by God. Through praying for God’s justice in their presence.
And then letting them oppress us.
When they want to arrest us, we let them. When they want to punish us, we let them. When they want to hit us, we let them and we do not hit back. Instead, we make a public spectacle of their oppression. We give them an opportunity to show how evil they really are.
And they will be destroyed. By God. By someone God appoints. But the world will change.
Some say, How can you know this? This has never happened before! It can never succeed! Wrong. It has succeeded. And the poor have been released by this very method. Martin Luther King Jr. used this method against those oppressing the black communities, even allowing himself to be martyred. Gandhi used this method, systematically destroying the power of the British. The Anabaptists of the Sixteenth Century used this method- thousands dying for the Truth- and changed the face of Christianity. The Waldensians used this method, and caused there to be a resurgence of concern for the poor, including the powerful Franciscan movement. And all of these successful movements were sourced from one person- Jesus.
Jesus himself came to assist the poor. He brought them freedom and stood against the oppressive authorities that used their power for injustice. But rather than begin a violent revolution, he suffered and was executed as a rebel. And it was because of this that a movement sprang up among the poor that changed the ethical outlook of the world- Christianity. And through Jesus the Jewish government was destroyed and the Roman government was changed forever. And while Christianity has been used for many evils throughout the centuries, the teaching and life of Jesus has been used as an example of the most positive world changers that has existed.
Jesus’ method of world change is just as outlined above-
Do no evil, but do good to the needy according to God’s love (Mark 1:15; Matthew 7:12);
Cry out to God for justice (Luke 18:1-8);
Declare to the oppressors the judgment they will face from God (Matthew 10:7, 28)
Allow them to oppress you to display their evil (Matthew 5:38-48)
Teach the poor the message of freedom from oppression through the way of Jesus (Matthew 28:19-20)
And justice will prevail through the power of God! (Matthew 10:24-27)
The world system will be changed! but only through the way of Jesus.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Few Be The Lovers
What do we desire as Christians? We want the salvation of God, everything that God promised to give us and more. We want the blessing of Christ—healing, joy, satisfaction, eternal life, love of God, forgiveness. What fantastic things await for us! And we also seek the blessing of the flesh—family, acceptance, respect, riches, guilt-free pleasure. This is what we are promised by the church. And, frankly, it is what Jesus offers us as well. That is why we want to be Christians, why we seek God and go to church. To gain what the world may promise us, but will never give us without being damned.
We want cost-free, guilt-free, strings-free salvation. Jesus paid it all, so we have no charge, right? Of course, Jesus did die for our sins. He paid the ultimate price for us. But he never promised us a free ride. Jesus promises us the great life of God, but it is not without cost
We cannot have forgiveness without painful separation from our sin. (Luke 24:47)
We cannot have eternal life without suffering. (Luke 9:23-24;Acts 14:22)
We cannot have a peaceful family without hating our earthly family and friends. (Matthew 12:48-50; Luke 14:26)
We cannot have the pleasure of God without rejecting the pleasures of earth. (Luke 6:21, 25; Mark 8:36)
We cannot have the respect of heaven without experiencing rejection from our loves. (Matthew 10:34-38)
We cannot have acceptance by God unless we give up who we see ourselves to be. (Luke 14:26-27)
We cannot gain healing unless we first experience suffering and humiliation. (Luke 4:18; Matthew 15:21-28)
We cannot gain true satisfaction until we are sickened by the world we live in. (Mark 8:36)
We cannot gain great riches from God until we first experience poverty. (Matthew 13:44-46; Luke 6:20)
We cannot truly gain joy until we live with the utmost sorrow. (Matthew 5:4)
These seem paradoxical—how can one only gain peace and joy through it’s opposite? Yet it is no mystery, but based on four basic principles of life:
We learn what we need only by suffering want
If we didn’t suffer, we wouldn’t know we needed anything. If we never hungered, why would we eat? If we never desired companionship, why would we deal with conflict? Even so, if we never were sick, we would not seek healing. If we were never depressed, we would never seek joy. If we were never stressed or anxious, we would never seek peace. If we were never oppressed, then we wouldn’t seek release. If we didn’t die, we wouldn’t need resurrection.
We do not ask for a gift unless we feel its loss
If we give a child a toy they never wanted, they would throw it aside after a short time of playing with it. They don’t appreciate the cost of something, until they experience the loss. But if a child had and loved a toy and then lost it, then the child will cry until the toy is found again. Even so with salvation. If we have lost forgiveness and security and satisfaction, then we too will cry until we get it. And those who cry to God are those who receive.
We obtain God’s pity only by being pitiful
The rich and powerful, even the most compassionate, look only at the innocent who are helpless. The powerful and famous, the well-to-do and those who have everything "under control" do not stir the hearts of those who have it in their power to offer charity. Even so, God looks for the just who are weak and oppressed—the mourning and desperate—they are the ones whom God redeems and lifts up high. It is a matter of justice—those who suffer deserve joy, while those who already have joy gain nothing from God.
We prove faith through endurance
No one knows whether our faith be true or not unless it be tested. Everyone’s faith is strong in abundance and blessing—it can only be proven by testing and suffering. The one whose love endures through hardship—that is the one whose love is true.
So why do we seek only blessing? Jesus sought the curse in order to obtain the blessing. If the blessing only comes from difficulty and suffering, why do we seek only earthly joy and peace? It is because we do not seek the real Jesus. We have created a fantasy Jesus, a Jesus of our own imagining who promises us everything in this world and the next.
The truth is, many want the promises, but few want to gain the promises through the conditions Jesus offered. Many love the blessings, but few love the cross. The true followers of Jesus are those who take up the cross and follow him. The true lovers of Jesus are ready to follow him anywhere, wherever he leads. But few be the lovers of the cross. We need to love the real Jesus, not the Jesus of our fantasy.
If we are to gain salvation, we are to work hard and love that which Jesus told us to love:
Benefiting others (Luke 10:25-37)
Prayer (Luke 11:1-13)
Commitment to God through Jesus (John 14:21)
Giving to the poor (Luke 12:33)
Rejecting the world’s ways of salvation (Matthew 6:1)
Boldly proclaiming Jesus’ words and life (Matthew 10:32)
And we need to endure in all these acts of love and faithfulness through the crap the world gives us for faithfully seeking God. (Mark 13:13)
Who do we really love? Do we love the real Jesus, looking down on us, ready to endure with us if we are ready to pay the cost (Luke 14:28-30)? Or are we content with only a fantasy Jesus, an image of the true, who will give us what we want without having to endure anything? Let us not love the wealth of this age, the pleasures of the world, the satisfactions of our flesh. Let us be lovers of the cross.
If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel will save it. For what is the profit, if one gains the whole world but loses his soul?
Be a lover of the cross.
A Message To the Churches of the West
Hear the word of the Lord to the churches:
My idolatrous children! After diligently studying my word, you still pursue other gods! I have pleaded with you, commanded you, clung to your feet like a forsaken woman yet still you would not come back to me! Oh, faithless generation! You weep and wail during your lip service to me, but your true worship gets handed to your gods, your false images.
How I have longed to pour righteousness upon you, to adorn you with purity and love. I have wanted to exalt your humility and strengthen your weakness. But you refused. You turned to me and said, "I love you, I love you O God." And then immediately you turned back and groveled before the sewage you live in. I wish you would be true! True to me or true to them. To me you say the right words, but they hold your life.
You say to me, "Who are these gods? We have not seen them, nor have we worshipped any but You. You, O Lord, are our Father. We serve no other but You." I do not know which is worse, the false praise you give me or the self-deception you cover yourself with like a shroud. Do you not see? Do you not understand? Can I even call you children? For you hold my word so lightly.
On Friday you send your children to school to be taught by the ungodly. They are being raised to hate me and my ways, but you have no time to reconcile that. Instead, you must rush off to your work in which you maneuver petty positions, strive to be recognized and inflate your ego. Should you reach a blessed state of lowliness, you writhe and squirm and manipulate until your self-interest has been achieved. You work and strive to please the ungodly, not actually loving them with words that bring them face to face with me, but patting them like a fierce wolf who might turn on you and steal your reward.
And what is your reward? Friday night, you receive your reward for leaving me behind for a third of your day, five days a week— money. Oh, it seems so little to you, yet with it you move mountains. You think of it as sustenance, yet it is the good, the evil, the power, the glory, the whole of your life. It is the medium of choice. I have told you to live an exchange of love, but your love can only be defined in an account book (and how poor your love is even there!).
You take your medium of livelihood and run immediately to the Industry of Perpetual Greed and give them your hard-earned coin. They call it yours, so it says on their screens, but as they hold it in their coffers, they fondle and manipulate it, causing it to bear children. With those children this Industry rules the world, giving or denying permission to build or plant or live or die all over the world. And the profit from their duties they use to glorify themselves, allowing them to live in palaces dedicated to greed. These and those who live like them are your heroes, your imitatables.
When you arrive home you have a feast. Such a feast is no dishonor, but to feast every night? You pay servants to cook up a meal to your taste and you bask in your comfort, unless that night you deem it necessary to badger the servants with your petty complaints. You have achieved your society's goal-- you are king of your domain, completely in control: strong, powerful and unhappy.
After your feast you click on one of the many manifestations of a lust-machine. Such machines have as their only purpose to incite you to obtain. They have at their disposal such words and pictures to assist you to determine that you have not enough. After one hour, you cry "this!" After two, you cry "that!" After three you demand, "more and more!" The lust in your heart is exercised and becomes increasingly larger and larger-- nothing will stop you now. You must have and you will.
Saturday you rise with a gleam in your eye, ready to gather that which is not yours. You climb into your vehicle that allows you to obtain huge amounts of comforts and possessions at unbelievable speed. You dart around the city, avoiding the needy as much as possible, gathering the more and more and more you have lusted. More toys, more comforts, more and more delicious food, more knowledge, more man-made joys, and more trinkets. You are comforted. Your lust to spend has been sated in an orgasmic buying orgy and you yourself are bigger. You have grown larger, absorbing more into your kingdom.
On Sunday you walk in, obese and bloated, with your whole kingdom behind you, with you, in your mind. You sit down on the padded pew and sing half-heartedly: "Lord, I love you. You are the center of my life." You thank me for all I have given you and ask for blessings on your boated, swelling kingdom.
Don't you understand my anger? Do you know my reason for wrath? You unfaithful whore! I have called you to Me yet who do you serve? You serve Greed, you serve Comfort, you serve Ego, you serve Lust. Your petty needs and comforts are destroying the world! You serve yourselves so readily and yet claim to follow the way of love and sacrifice!
Yes, I have given you much. So much, you cannot comprehend. Yet you abuse my gifts. I give to all, some more, some less. To the ungodly I give much and I expect them to abuse it. But to you— my children! How can you act as a heathen!
I gave you children to teach my ways through word and deed.
I gave you trials that you may rejoice in your lowliness.
I gave you people to draw them to me.
I gave you money above your sustenance to provide for the needy around the world.
I gave you feasts to provide for the hungry and the lonely.
I gave you time to serve me through love, attention and sacrifice for the poor.
I gave you a vehicle to rush the hurting to the hospital, the suffering to those who will help.
I gave you a mind to consider how to love.
I gave you a heart to be renewed to me.
I gave you my word to listen to and obey.
I gave you a Sunday to gather together, to encourage each other to love and good deeds.
I gave you all this and so much, much more. How long will you be ungrateful? How long will you refuse my righteousness? Oh, I long to give you the full blessings of my love. I need you to step out and plead me for my love. As I pour out my love to you, so you will be filled with love, longing to love others as I have loved you. You will desire to be below all, so as to serve them better. You will pray for me to do great works for them that my name would be sanctified. You will have compassion that knows no limits, peace that endures loss and joy that grows in suffering.
Pray to me. Ask me for this gift of my love. Ask not in passing, nor in public, nor lightly. Rather in your closet, in your heart, in your soul of souls, plead and beg, cajole and rail, continue on and on. And I will hear. And I will respond. I will put justice in your heart. I will fill you with my Spirit. And you will see a transformation as you have never seen before. You will be a new creature— not just in word, but in every deed. You will be my son.
My idolatrous children! After diligently studying my word, you still pursue other gods! I have pleaded with you, commanded you, clung to your feet like a forsaken woman yet still you would not come back to me! Oh, faithless generation! You weep and wail during your lip service to me, but your true worship gets handed to your gods, your false images.
How I have longed to pour righteousness upon you, to adorn you with purity and love. I have wanted to exalt your humility and strengthen your weakness. But you refused. You turned to me and said, "I love you, I love you O God." And then immediately you turned back and groveled before the sewage you live in. I wish you would be true! True to me or true to them. To me you say the right words, but they hold your life.
You say to me, "Who are these gods? We have not seen them, nor have we worshipped any but You. You, O Lord, are our Father. We serve no other but You." I do not know which is worse, the false praise you give me or the self-deception you cover yourself with like a shroud. Do you not see? Do you not understand? Can I even call you children? For you hold my word so lightly.
On Friday you send your children to school to be taught by the ungodly. They are being raised to hate me and my ways, but you have no time to reconcile that. Instead, you must rush off to your work in which you maneuver petty positions, strive to be recognized and inflate your ego. Should you reach a blessed state of lowliness, you writhe and squirm and manipulate until your self-interest has been achieved. You work and strive to please the ungodly, not actually loving them with words that bring them face to face with me, but patting them like a fierce wolf who might turn on you and steal your reward.
And what is your reward? Friday night, you receive your reward for leaving me behind for a third of your day, five days a week— money. Oh, it seems so little to you, yet with it you move mountains. You think of it as sustenance, yet it is the good, the evil, the power, the glory, the whole of your life. It is the medium of choice. I have told you to live an exchange of love, but your love can only be defined in an account book (and how poor your love is even there!).
You take your medium of livelihood and run immediately to the Industry of Perpetual Greed and give them your hard-earned coin. They call it yours, so it says on their screens, but as they hold it in their coffers, they fondle and manipulate it, causing it to bear children. With those children this Industry rules the world, giving or denying permission to build or plant or live or die all over the world. And the profit from their duties they use to glorify themselves, allowing them to live in palaces dedicated to greed. These and those who live like them are your heroes, your imitatables.
When you arrive home you have a feast. Such a feast is no dishonor, but to feast every night? You pay servants to cook up a meal to your taste and you bask in your comfort, unless that night you deem it necessary to badger the servants with your petty complaints. You have achieved your society's goal-- you are king of your domain, completely in control: strong, powerful and unhappy.
After your feast you click on one of the many manifestations of a lust-machine. Such machines have as their only purpose to incite you to obtain. They have at their disposal such words and pictures to assist you to determine that you have not enough. After one hour, you cry "this!" After two, you cry "that!" After three you demand, "more and more!" The lust in your heart is exercised and becomes increasingly larger and larger-- nothing will stop you now. You must have and you will.
Saturday you rise with a gleam in your eye, ready to gather that which is not yours. You climb into your vehicle that allows you to obtain huge amounts of comforts and possessions at unbelievable speed. You dart around the city, avoiding the needy as much as possible, gathering the more and more and more you have lusted. More toys, more comforts, more and more delicious food, more knowledge, more man-made joys, and more trinkets. You are comforted. Your lust to spend has been sated in an orgasmic buying orgy and you yourself are bigger. You have grown larger, absorbing more into your kingdom.
On Sunday you walk in, obese and bloated, with your whole kingdom behind you, with you, in your mind. You sit down on the padded pew and sing half-heartedly: "Lord, I love you. You are the center of my life." You thank me for all I have given you and ask for blessings on your boated, swelling kingdom.
Don't you understand my anger? Do you know my reason for wrath? You unfaithful whore! I have called you to Me yet who do you serve? You serve Greed, you serve Comfort, you serve Ego, you serve Lust. Your petty needs and comforts are destroying the world! You serve yourselves so readily and yet claim to follow the way of love and sacrifice!
Yes, I have given you much. So much, you cannot comprehend. Yet you abuse my gifts. I give to all, some more, some less. To the ungodly I give much and I expect them to abuse it. But to you— my children! How can you act as a heathen!
I gave you children to teach my ways through word and deed.
I gave you trials that you may rejoice in your lowliness.
I gave you people to draw them to me.
I gave you money above your sustenance to provide for the needy around the world.
I gave you feasts to provide for the hungry and the lonely.
I gave you time to serve me through love, attention and sacrifice for the poor.
I gave you a vehicle to rush the hurting to the hospital, the suffering to those who will help.
I gave you a mind to consider how to love.
I gave you a heart to be renewed to me.
I gave you my word to listen to and obey.
I gave you a Sunday to gather together, to encourage each other to love and good deeds.
I gave you all this and so much, much more. How long will you be ungrateful? How long will you refuse my righteousness? Oh, I long to give you the full blessings of my love. I need you to step out and plead me for my love. As I pour out my love to you, so you will be filled with love, longing to love others as I have loved you. You will desire to be below all, so as to serve them better. You will pray for me to do great works for them that my name would be sanctified. You will have compassion that knows no limits, peace that endures loss and joy that grows in suffering.
Pray to me. Ask me for this gift of my love. Ask not in passing, nor in public, nor lightly. Rather in your closet, in your heart, in your soul of souls, plead and beg, cajole and rail, continue on and on. And I will hear. And I will respond. I will put justice in your heart. I will fill you with my Spirit. And you will see a transformation as you have never seen before. You will be a new creature— not just in word, but in every deed. You will be my son.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Political Involvement-- Like Jesus!
The followers of Jesus follow Jesus as their political ruler (i.e., Lord), and the Kingdom of God as their nation. That doesn’t mean that we aren’t involved in the nations we are born in and live in. We are deeply concerned about them, and we recognize that our current welfare is tied to the welfare of the nation we live in. We want peace in our nation, and we want everyone around us to have well-being. This means that we are involved politically. Some of us, by our convictions in following Jesus, do not get involved in partisan politics, or even vote. This doesn’t mean, however, that we are passive. Rather, because we follow the way of Jesus, and that way is the way of political involvement.
Jesus was very involved in politics. He was so involved that the political rulers of his nation—the Sanhedrin of the Jewish nation—determined that he had to be killed. But Jesus never voted, nor did he gather up people to depose the existing rulers. Nor did he participate in making himself well-liked so that he would be declared ruler, nor did he gather an army together to take over the land he called his own. Yet he was very involved—he called himself the King and spoke of his kingdom deposing the evil rulers. In the same way Jesus was politically involved, so his followers are—to this very day.
Political Context: The Unheard Underdogs
Before we discuss the ways Jesus was (and we should be) politically involved, we need to understand the context of Jesus and of Jesus’ followers in the political world. Jesus came from a backwater of Israel, where no one of political significance hailed from. He proposed an unpopular, idealistic platform. He also gathered around him as his party a group of ne’er-do-wells, whom no one with any clout paid attention to. Jesus spoke for those who would never be listened to, and proposed changes that would bring the lowest of people to rule over the highest. Finally, his political strategy for victory was to be persecuted, and so win the favor of only one person—God himself. Although this political context was extremely unorthodox, it worked for him.
Over the centuries the true followers of Jesus obeyed the same context and followed the same political strategy. They were unknowns, representing the weak and helpless, with only God on their side. They had idealistic platforms—the same as Jesus’, actually—and remained unpopular to the majority of people. Nevertheless, they were significant enough to be persecuted by political leaders and to be hated. And in this way, they created political change. Some of the communities who enacted this strategy are known today—the Waldensians, the Franciscans, the Anabaptists, the American Civil Rights Movement. Their strategy was direct and effective—without voting, partisan politics or military might.
How can it be done?
How can such a strategy succeed? How can the unheard of nobodies, even with a charismatic leader, make political change? They follow the method of Jesus’ political involvement, as follows:
Kingdom teaching
Jesus began his ministry with this statement: "The kingdom of God is near—repent and believe in this message" (Mark 1:15) In saying this, Jesus was proclaiming to all current rulers and authorities, "A new nation is about ready to invade. The current rulers have been declared inadequate, and a new rule will start." This upset the rulers, but it also gave hope to the people that the oppression they were suffering under was about to end. And Jesus was offering this new, just, rule to anyone who repented from their injustice and believed in him. Even so, political change is right at the door—for whoever depends on God to believe in Jesus and to do righteousness.
Call to Personal Transformation
Jesus enacted his political change, not by creating a huge social movement, but by dealing with people one by one, calling them to a moral transformation by the power of God. Jesus called people to freedom and well-being, not by the salvations of the world—economics, authority or human laws—but salvation by the power of God (Zechariah 4:6). Jesus said that those who followed him would not only have lives pleasing to God, but also pleasing to themselves—they would have righteousness, peace and joy, all handed to them by God (John 16:20; Romans 14:17). Thus, those who follow Jesus could all truly say, "I am better off than before I followed Jesus."
Speaking against injustice
Jesus made it clear that the rulers of his age were oppressors of the needy, and opponents to those who do good. He pointed out again and again how their laws did nothing but support their personal interests, and cause difficulties for the poor and lowly (Matthew 22-23). This speech did little by itself—the rulers did not listen to Jesus and change their ways, rather it entrenched them in doing their evil. But it displayed them before the people and before God as evildoers, unwilling to change before the word of God.
Prayer
Most people think of prayer as a religious act, but it is actually the most powerful political weapon that exists. God is the king of the universe, and the Bible says every ruler gains authority or loses authority on his say-so (Daniel 5:21). God is very involved in human politics, and those who can have God listen to them have the greatest political power on earth—greater than any vote, or army. Through prayer, rulers can be set aside, nations can be thwarted and political powers can be overthrown—all by the power of God.
Righteous suffering
The difficult question is: who does God listen to? Does he listen to presidents and prime ministers, or popes and cardinals? Not at all—rather he listens to the lowly who obey his commands. Those who are truly submitted to God and who chose to depend on him, although they have other options available to them—they are the ones God listens to (Matthew 11:25; I Corinthians 1:26-31). Those whom God listens to especially are those who suffer for the sake of following him—he will make changes more readily for them than anyone (Luke 6:22-23; Revelation 6:9-11). And so Jesus—and his true followers—will accept the way of suffering and death in order to make the world a better place for the lowly in God.
Healing and Exorcism
Again, most people understand healings and exorcisms by the power of God to be in the realm of religious power. However, in the ancient world, those who had power over spirits were seen to be politically powerful. For this reason, Jesus’ enemies tried to discredit him (Matthew 12:22-24). You see if Jesus had authority in the spirit realm, that meant that he deserved authority in the earthly realm and would gain it, eventually. Even so, today, as the followers of Jesus heal the physically and mentally ill by the authority of Jesus, it shows that Jesus has greater power than doctors and psychiatrists, and that the whole basis of the health care system is shown to be wrong. That is a powerful political statement—and one that is demonstrated, not just spoken about.
Community example
Finally, Jesus established a community as an alternative nation. Jesus created communities of the lowly, with leaders who seek humility instead of power, with a law of love displayed to all, with people doing good to their enemies instead of perpetuating hatred and everyone giving to the needy in their midst (Acts 2:42-47). He did this for two reasons—first of all, it would show the nations of the world how much better a society ruled by Jesus is than by the powers of the world. But also, he established the communities to take over leadership of the world when his kingdom arrived. When the power of God takes over the world, the lowly people of Jesus, living in peace and benefit to everyone, will take over leadership, while the corrupt rulers of the world are thrown out, forever. (Matthew 5:3-10; Luke 6:24-26)
Use Your Political Clout—
Be Like Jesus!
Jesus was very involved in politics. He was so involved that the political rulers of his nation—the Sanhedrin of the Jewish nation—determined that he had to be killed. But Jesus never voted, nor did he gather up people to depose the existing rulers. Nor did he participate in making himself well-liked so that he would be declared ruler, nor did he gather an army together to take over the land he called his own. Yet he was very involved—he called himself the King and spoke of his kingdom deposing the evil rulers. In the same way Jesus was politically involved, so his followers are—to this very day.
Political Context: The Unheard Underdogs
Before we discuss the ways Jesus was (and we should be) politically involved, we need to understand the context of Jesus and of Jesus’ followers in the political world. Jesus came from a backwater of Israel, where no one of political significance hailed from. He proposed an unpopular, idealistic platform. He also gathered around him as his party a group of ne’er-do-wells, whom no one with any clout paid attention to. Jesus spoke for those who would never be listened to, and proposed changes that would bring the lowest of people to rule over the highest. Finally, his political strategy for victory was to be persecuted, and so win the favor of only one person—God himself. Although this political context was extremely unorthodox, it worked for him.
Over the centuries the true followers of Jesus obeyed the same context and followed the same political strategy. They were unknowns, representing the weak and helpless, with only God on their side. They had idealistic platforms—the same as Jesus’, actually—and remained unpopular to the majority of people. Nevertheless, they were significant enough to be persecuted by political leaders and to be hated. And in this way, they created political change. Some of the communities who enacted this strategy are known today—the Waldensians, the Franciscans, the Anabaptists, the American Civil Rights Movement. Their strategy was direct and effective—without voting, partisan politics or military might.
How can it be done?
How can such a strategy succeed? How can the unheard of nobodies, even with a charismatic leader, make political change? They follow the method of Jesus’ political involvement, as follows:
Kingdom teaching
Jesus began his ministry with this statement: "The kingdom of God is near—repent and believe in this message" (Mark 1:15) In saying this, Jesus was proclaiming to all current rulers and authorities, "A new nation is about ready to invade. The current rulers have been declared inadequate, and a new rule will start." This upset the rulers, but it also gave hope to the people that the oppression they were suffering under was about to end. And Jesus was offering this new, just, rule to anyone who repented from their injustice and believed in him. Even so, political change is right at the door—for whoever depends on God to believe in Jesus and to do righteousness.
Call to Personal Transformation
Jesus enacted his political change, not by creating a huge social movement, but by dealing with people one by one, calling them to a moral transformation by the power of God. Jesus called people to freedom and well-being, not by the salvations of the world—economics, authority or human laws—but salvation by the power of God (Zechariah 4:6). Jesus said that those who followed him would not only have lives pleasing to God, but also pleasing to themselves—they would have righteousness, peace and joy, all handed to them by God (John 16:20; Romans 14:17). Thus, those who follow Jesus could all truly say, "I am better off than before I followed Jesus."
Speaking against injustice
Jesus made it clear that the rulers of his age were oppressors of the needy, and opponents to those who do good. He pointed out again and again how their laws did nothing but support their personal interests, and cause difficulties for the poor and lowly (Matthew 22-23). This speech did little by itself—the rulers did not listen to Jesus and change their ways, rather it entrenched them in doing their evil. But it displayed them before the people and before God as evildoers, unwilling to change before the word of God.
Prayer
Most people think of prayer as a religious act, but it is actually the most powerful political weapon that exists. God is the king of the universe, and the Bible says every ruler gains authority or loses authority on his say-so (Daniel 5:21). God is very involved in human politics, and those who can have God listen to them have the greatest political power on earth—greater than any vote, or army. Through prayer, rulers can be set aside, nations can be thwarted and political powers can be overthrown—all by the power of God.
Righteous suffering
The difficult question is: who does God listen to? Does he listen to presidents and prime ministers, or popes and cardinals? Not at all—rather he listens to the lowly who obey his commands. Those who are truly submitted to God and who chose to depend on him, although they have other options available to them—they are the ones God listens to (Matthew 11:25; I Corinthians 1:26-31). Those whom God listens to especially are those who suffer for the sake of following him—he will make changes more readily for them than anyone (Luke 6:22-23; Revelation 6:9-11). And so Jesus—and his true followers—will accept the way of suffering and death in order to make the world a better place for the lowly in God.
Healing and Exorcism
Again, most people understand healings and exorcisms by the power of God to be in the realm of religious power. However, in the ancient world, those who had power over spirits were seen to be politically powerful. For this reason, Jesus’ enemies tried to discredit him (Matthew 12:22-24). You see if Jesus had authority in the spirit realm, that meant that he deserved authority in the earthly realm and would gain it, eventually. Even so, today, as the followers of Jesus heal the physically and mentally ill by the authority of Jesus, it shows that Jesus has greater power than doctors and psychiatrists, and that the whole basis of the health care system is shown to be wrong. That is a powerful political statement—and one that is demonstrated, not just spoken about.
Community example
Finally, Jesus established a community as an alternative nation. Jesus created communities of the lowly, with leaders who seek humility instead of power, with a law of love displayed to all, with people doing good to their enemies instead of perpetuating hatred and everyone giving to the needy in their midst (Acts 2:42-47). He did this for two reasons—first of all, it would show the nations of the world how much better a society ruled by Jesus is than by the powers of the world. But also, he established the communities to take over leadership of the world when his kingdom arrived. When the power of God takes over the world, the lowly people of Jesus, living in peace and benefit to everyone, will take over leadership, while the corrupt rulers of the world are thrown out, forever. (Matthew 5:3-10; Luke 6:24-26)
Use Your Political Clout—
Be Like Jesus!
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