Pretty deep there, today, Rob, but an enjoyable read. You’ve been doing a lot of reading during these hot days, and I appreciate your explanations. I’m older than you are, and I miss the days where we accepted the basic Christian tenets you discussed early on, and tried to live our best lives, as Christ wants. Then life got complicated, and opinionated, and political and disagreeable. Yet it’s really so simple. 10 Commandments. Love God. Love people.
We are told to discern right from wrong and that feels like judgement to some. We need to do that to minister to others, among others. We can’t know how to minister to someone if we lack that ability because we’d say the wrong thing or have inaccurate intentions.
Christians aren’t hard to spot…they seem more difficult to find… They love, the unlovable…They forgive, the unforgivable… They will believe what seems unbelievable… They will trust a God that seems untrustable…They will repent sins that seems un-repentable…They will be content with the unacceptable…They will give beyond what they should be giving… They will be humble though accomplishing the incredible… They will be satisfied even when feeling unsatisfied…They will profess being a child of the most high God, and do their best to act accordingly.
As for Trump, God made him – only he can explain him!
I believe that Trump is the best person for our country right now. That being said, he needs to learn humility and stop putting his ego first. I'm not sure if what he's doing is for us or to satisfy his enormous ego. I guess I'll take it either way (as opposed to the liberal point of view regarding transgenderism, indoctrination of our children in schools, etc.) . Like my dad used to say the lesser of two evils.
I appreciate your honesty and the fact that you’re willing to acknowledge concerns about President Trump’s humility and ego. I also understand that many Christians vote based on issues they believe are morally important.
Where I struggle is with describing one side as “the lesser of two evils” or implying that those who disagree are trying to "indoctrinate" children. As Christians, we’re called to speak the truth, but also to do so with grace, humility, and love. It’s possible to have strong convictions while recognizing that sincere people of faith can reach different conclusions about politics.
For me, the Sermon on the Mount is the clearest picture Jesus gave us of what a life shaped by God’s kingdom looks like—humility, mercy, peacemaking, loving our enemies, praying for those who persecute us, avoiding judgment of others, and caring more about the condition of our own hearts than winning political battles. Whenever I evaluate any political leader—or myself—those are the teachings I keep coming back to.
That’s why I think it’s important that our first allegiance be to Christ rather than to any political party or personality. None of our leaders fully reflect the values Jesus taught, so I believe we should hold them all to the same biblical standard while remembering that those who vote differently are still our neighbors, deserving of the same love and respect Christ calls us to show everyone.
Doesn’t being a Christian mean becoming a follower of Christ— trying to be Christlike by doing our best to follow his teachings and example — however impossible that might be? The whole concept of being born again SHOULD mean becoming a new and much better person. It’s much more than merely declaring you are saved because you believe Jesus is indeed the resurrected son of God. That is only the very beginning of the pilgrimage. Imagine the tremendous good Trump could do for this nation and the world if he truly would be born again! That’s what all those Christians who support him should be praying for…as well as all those Christians who do not support him. He needs a conversion TO faith. Like the thief on the cross, it’s never too late. I know many Christians stress good works alone won’t get you into heaven. (In Trump’s case, what good works???) But isn’t there a fine line between good works and knowing a person is a Christian by their fruits?
Truth. Christians are not a monolith. There are many different Jesus’s out there. A short list would include, Judge Not Jesus, Prosperity Jesus, Theology Lite Jesus, (He doesn’t care what you believe), Non Evangelizing Jesus, and Activist Jesus. There are many others. This is a long way of saying that many today believe Truth is permeable. Pilate asked what is Truth? Do we conform ourselves to His answer, or do we go our own way?
Pretty deep there, today, Rob, but an enjoyable read. You’ve been doing a lot of reading during these hot days, and I appreciate your explanations. I’m older than you are, and I miss the days where we accepted the basic Christian tenets you discussed early on, and tried to live our best lives, as Christ wants. Then life got complicated, and opinionated, and political and disagreeable. Yet it’s really so simple. 10 Commandments. Love God. Love people.
Love this
I believe in every person should not judge another person, only one person has the right to judge someone else. That being God!
We are told to discern right from wrong and that feels like judgement to some. We need to do that to minister to others, among others. We can’t know how to minister to someone if we lack that ability because we’d say the wrong thing or have inaccurate intentions.
Christians aren’t hard to spot…they seem more difficult to find… They love, the unlovable…They forgive, the unforgivable… They will believe what seems unbelievable… They will trust a God that seems untrustable…They will repent sins that seems un-repentable…They will be content with the unacceptable…They will give beyond what they should be giving… They will be humble though accomplishing the incredible… They will be satisfied even when feeling unsatisfied…They will profess being a child of the most high God, and do their best to act accordingly.
As for Trump, God made him – only he can explain him!
My thoughts go to Saul of Tarsus whom God appointed as Paul
Oh how his life changed on that road to Damascus
I believe that Trump is the best person for our country right now. That being said, he needs to learn humility and stop putting his ego first. I'm not sure if what he's doing is for us or to satisfy his enormous ego. I guess I'll take it either way (as opposed to the liberal point of view regarding transgenderism, indoctrination of our children in schools, etc.) . Like my dad used to say the lesser of two evils.
I appreciate your honesty and the fact that you’re willing to acknowledge concerns about President Trump’s humility and ego. I also understand that many Christians vote based on issues they believe are morally important.
Where I struggle is with describing one side as “the lesser of two evils” or implying that those who disagree are trying to "indoctrinate" children. As Christians, we’re called to speak the truth, but also to do so with grace, humility, and love. It’s possible to have strong convictions while recognizing that sincere people of faith can reach different conclusions about politics.
For me, the Sermon on the Mount is the clearest picture Jesus gave us of what a life shaped by God’s kingdom looks like—humility, mercy, peacemaking, loving our enemies, praying for those who persecute us, avoiding judgment of others, and caring more about the condition of our own hearts than winning political battles. Whenever I evaluate any political leader—or myself—those are the teachings I keep coming back to.
That’s why I think it’s important that our first allegiance be to Christ rather than to any political party or personality. None of our leaders fully reflect the values Jesus taught, so I believe we should hold them all to the same biblical standard while remembering that those who vote differently are still our neighbors, deserving of the same love and respect Christ calls us to show everyone.
Doesn’t being a Christian mean becoming a follower of Christ— trying to be Christlike by doing our best to follow his teachings and example — however impossible that might be? The whole concept of being born again SHOULD mean becoming a new and much better person. It’s much more than merely declaring you are saved because you believe Jesus is indeed the resurrected son of God. That is only the very beginning of the pilgrimage. Imagine the tremendous good Trump could do for this nation and the world if he truly would be born again! That’s what all those Christians who support him should be praying for…as well as all those Christians who do not support him. He needs a conversion TO faith. Like the thief on the cross, it’s never too late. I know many Christians stress good works alone won’t get you into heaven. (In Trump’s case, what good works???) But isn’t there a fine line between good works and knowing a person is a Christian by their fruits?
Truth. Christians are not a monolith. There are many different Jesus’s out there. A short list would include, Judge Not Jesus, Prosperity Jesus, Theology Lite Jesus, (He doesn’t care what you believe), Non Evangelizing Jesus, and Activist Jesus. There are many others. This is a long way of saying that many today believe Truth is permeable. Pilate asked what is Truth? Do we conform ourselves to His answer, or do we go our own way?