The choosing up sides by Americans concerning Health Care reform, has been pretty interesting to watch. Somewhat disturbing at times but interesting..
But what has been of greater interest to me is the same sharp division, on the same issue, which has occurred within the Church.
Is there perhaps an underlying meaning in that the Church in America is just as sharply divided on this issue? I think there is.
Christian Post: Faith-Based Campaign to Give Final Push on Health Reform
quote..
Tens of thousands of people of faith will flood the offices of members of Congress with calls urging them to support health care reform next week.
Groups will send hundreds of thousands of e-mails to their networks in an effort to get people to participate in a nationwide call-in to their representative on Tuesday. TV ads will also air in key media markets in six states urging people to call their members of Congress. The ads will air in Colorado, Missouri, Louisiana, Arizona, Indiana, and North Dakota.
Then on Wednesday, local clergy, people of faith and advocates from communities across the country will convene in Washington for a lobby day with Congress as well as a Capitol Hill rally.
“This isn’t a political issue, it is a deeply theological issue, a biblical issue, and a moral issue,” said Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners, at the launch of the campaign last month. Since the campaign’s launch in August, television ads supporting health care reform have aired and local prayer rallies and events have taken place across the country.
Charisma: No Sale on Health Care
quote..
Conservative Christian leaders remained unconvinced that President Obama’s health reform plan will not include abortion or mark a government takeover of health care.
In his speech Wednesday night before Congress, President Obama renewed his calls to revamp the nation’s health care system to ensure that all Americans are covered. He also insisted the proposed reform plan would not fund abortion, create death panels to decide whether the elderly lived or died, insure illegal immigrants or constitute a government takeover of health care.
Several conservative Christian leaders, however, said the president was being disingenuous, arguing that the Capps Amendments, passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed, allows abortion coverage in the public health plan.
“A house divided against itself cannot stand…I do not expect the house to fall — but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.” (Abraham Lincoln, The House Divided Speech- June 16, 1858)
Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: Matthew 12:25
"If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord's will but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumption, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not saved. Do not suppose that the Gospel is magnified or God glorified by going to the worldlings and telling them that they may be saved at this moment by simply accepting Christ as their Savior, while they are wedded to their idols, and their hearts are still in love with sin. If I do so I tell them a lie, pervert the Gospel , insult Christ, and turn the grace of God into lasciviousness."
You quote Matthew 12:25 and my pastor-teacher brain immediately feels the pushback from both sides, “Okay, well those who support/oppose Health care reform are clearly not Christians and need to repent and join the right side.”
All which starts the epic spiral downwards.
Which makes me think even further: what if, and I am throwing this out just for fun’s sake, what if it was the will, sovereignty, might and power of God to shut down the American church and the American kingdom?
Daniel 4:34-35
At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever,
for his dominion is an everlasting dominion,
and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;
all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven
and among the inhabitants of the earth;
and none can stay his hand
or say to him, “What have you done?”
If Nebuchadnezzar could recognize this, how we Americans could not?
Joe, i don’t believe there is a right side. Only personal opinions.
What has amazed me is that certain fractions within the Church believe there is a ‘correct’ side. There’s! LOL
Whichever one they’ve lined up with…
Joe
that is a fun question.
Here’s mine: “….When did the Church become “American”?
Here’s another Daniel verse to put that question on:::>
Dan 2:44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever,
I pray that the health care reform bill does not pass. I do not want the government to rule how my health care is handled. My health is between me and my doctor.
Connie, my prayer is there is some type of reform, for all those who now don’t have a doctor. But i can understand your thoughts about not wanting anything to come between you and your doctor. Thank the Lord sister, you have a physician or have been blessed with the means to seek one out.
That’s a true blessing…
The church should have no position on health care. I cannot see anything in the New Testament that commands the church to do anything but serve, worship and praise God according to how the scriptures command us.
I don’t think it should either. Not in an activism way.
We all as members of the Church can have opinions on the issue, discuss and even seek God about it; but when its taken further, by voices within the Church promoting one side or the other of the issue, it becomes political–as is evident today.
But, this seems to be the norm for the Church today…splitting up and taking sides on cultural and political issues.
It use to be theological issues which divided the Church.
You know P.J….I think we should really refocus here. I see alot of Christians becoming very involved in the political sector…worried about this or that…angry about different things. Shouldn’t we rather be about the Master’s business? Shouldn’t we encourage one another to fulfill the Great Commission? Why are we hung up in policies and the such?
Has government now become our God that we should rally around it? No. It is not our God. Government is part of this world’s system and I can assure you that it will continue to worsen.
We are in the last days, people – what do you expect? To have some type of utopia? Are we afraid of the persecution we are told to expect?
“But I have my rights!” you proclaim. What is more important to you? To have a kingdom here or to look for one to come? IT’S NOT ABOUT YOUR COMFORT!!!! It is about Jesus and making disciples…and suffering for His Name’s sake.
Wake up Christians, get a backbone and stand for His name and not the name of our country.
Well said and truthfully spoken.
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