Spiritual Maturity Training Weekend 2 – Session 5 Core Doctrines and Church Life

HOW SHOULD KINGDOM PEOPLE APPROACH WORLDLY POLITICS

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3 20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ Philippians 3 1. The early Christians believed that they had become a New Humanity

15 Perhaps the reason he was separated from you for a little while was that you might have him back forever— 16 no longer as a slave, but better than a slave, as a dear brother. Philemon 1 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God 2 Corinthians They Changed the World through Different Means

6 If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people? 2 Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church? 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother takes another to court— and this in front of unbelievers! 1 Corinthians 6

15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. 16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: [a] The old has gone, the new is here!a 2 Corinthians 5 3. They Brought Individuals into the New Creation

9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. 11 But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister [c] but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such peoplec 1 Corinthians 5 4. Christians Focused on the New Creation People

In us, all ardor in the pursuit of glory and honor is dead. So we have no pressing inducement to take part in your[politics]. Nor is there anything more entirely foreign to us than affairs of state. Tertullian c. 195 AD Early Christians and Politics

Tertullian would go on to make the point that Christians could only partake in politics if they could somehow manage to take no part in supporting or participating in things like: - Supporting other religions - Taking part in holidays of other religions - Makes no public support of other religions or pagan festivals - Does not participate in any activity or judgment that might cost someone their life - Does not condemn anyone to punishment - Does not put anyone in prison or subject them to torture - Does not connect themselves in any way with any position that would stand opposed to the purposes of God and his Kingdom Tertullian c. 195 AD Early Christians and Politics

Celsus [a pagan] also urges us to “take office in the government of the country, if that is necessary for the maintenance of the laws and the support of religion.” However, we recognize in each state the existence of another national organization that was founded by the Word of God. And we exhort those who are mighty in word and of blameless life to rule over churches... It is not for the purpose of escaping public duties that Christians decline public offices. Rather, it is so they may reserve themselves for a more divine and necessary service in the church of God—for the salvation of men. Origen c. 248 AD Early Christians and Politics

WHO THEN IS MY BROTHER?

Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:1-2

There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day—John 12 :48 For the word of God is alive and active... it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart—Hebrews 4:12 There is a Judge

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3 Galatians 3:26-29

Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 1 John 2:6

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were... And do not grumble as some of them did—and were killed by he destroying angel. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall. 1 Corinthians 10:1-12