Obedience is a result of peace and order-a primary recipe of unity. Law abiding citizens equal to harmony, and peace, and order. Conversely, dissidents result to society of chaos and disarray. People and government have thrived through the ages setting ideal guidelines that form laws, which govern and protect the land and its inhabitants. The same holds true now.
The holy scriptures were the first forms of governing bylaws that were put into practice, even way before it has been written. Laws are the result of man’s quest for what is right and fair, which made men hold these principles sacred. Hence, spirituality evolves in the goodness that is being felt rendered in a given system that is functioning properly.
The sole purpose of this chapter’s prelude, is to rekindle in mind, heart, and soul the substance we benefit from the law that men enjoyed before, and how we continue, even today, to take pleasure in them. I take pride in the Lord God for making it possible for men to survive and reach more and more understanding of humanity’s ways evolving for a better tomorrow--everyday.
Branches of government, church leaders or those who invest in authority, also, the family members who would soon become husband and wives value the practice of guidelines of good living. From smallest unit of society, parents of families, to the macro-governance of responsibility--heads of churches and nations--embrace the practice of organization through edicts that are set within them.
The following are again, ways, to express my desire to straighten certain laws which would bring all people to the final frontier towards everlasting peace, enduring happiness, and sustainable respect with regard to diversity of religion and race across all the earth.
Below are highlights of Holy Scriptures’ accounts, which I find detrimental and curtailing to man‘s ultimate goal of happiness. I have allotted this chapter exclusively for the discussion of the laws of the Holy Scriptures, since the subject is sensitive and needs careful understanding and attentio, like any law being passed, ratified, and vetoed. The subtlety is as insidiously adverse, if not addressed. It is self-possessed-heartily embraced and religiously practiced. And if not arbitrated or straightened out certain laws shall continue to cause pervasive conflict.
This chapter wishes to bring forth a crystal clear understanding of laws found in the holy scriptures for the purpose of qualifying what is relevant, helpful, encouraging, and sustainable for that needed positive growth people to achieve our goal in the direction of perpetuity. As I mentioned earlier on the account of Cain, the characteristic of any legitimate government is universal and sovereign. A matter I could never overemphasize. Guidelines and policies in maintaining peace and order for a safe and productive environment, shall always remain a vital influence to the human race.
Unlike animals, humans have souls and a spirit higher than any living creature on earth. We caucus, we ponder, we try to understand, we resolve pressing issues. We have grown to enjoy cultivating procedures for a more livable system, resulting to convenience and prosperity in life. We practice doleful countenance with graces we receive. May it be through trade and industry, international relations, peace accord, and down to the micro unit of society-members of our family. We thrive.
Unlike animals, humans have souls and a spirit higher than any living creature on earth. We caucus, we ponder, we try to understand, we resolve pressing issues. We have grown to enjoy cultivating procedures for a more livable system, resulting to convenience and prosperity in life. We practice doleful countenance with graces we receive. May it be through trade and industry, international relations, peace accord, and down to the micro unit of society-members of our family. We thrive.
We do not, as a general rule, pulsate in radical violence so just to meet our needs, contrary to what animals’ instincts are known to be. For all religions that cling to the Old Testament, the Torah, and the New Testament, the following shall make us think twice of Christ’s advocacies of the law of the prophets that are pertinent to correct life itself. In the book of Mathew, Christ teaches about the law, which is about the Old Testament in nature. Although He is said to be the Christ of the New Testament according to most Christians, He nonetheless speak strongly about the Law.
Here, Jesus clearly points that He is not abolishing the law http://bible.cc/matthew/5-17.htm (Mathew 5:17). Therefore, He likewise advances and upholds the law and the prophets. However, in the same book and chapter, He said, “unless your righteousness surpass that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven http://bible.cc/matthew/5-20.htm (Mathew 5:20).” Here, Jesus gave us the volition to liberate ourselves more for righteousness. Freedom and wisdom to see inapplicable and obsolete principles, which may have been put into, law. Certain social guidelines and technological standards before which may just do more harm than good in this present age. I am pertaining to the law on unclean food to eat http://niv.scripturetext.com/leviticus/11-10.htm (Leviticus 11:10-12) http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Bible/Leviticus11.html.
Looking back during the Dark Ages people have thought of the see as a long stretch of deep water where at the horizon awaits a steep fall with dragons and beasts ready to devour mariners. How much more in the time of Christ, where people have not yet conceived sea-worthy crafts for fishing. Elders may have horrific experience with ferocious man-eating fish (as they may have called it), otherwise known as sharks!
Just like any other law of today, they may be subject to a veto, amendment or ratification. We, as well as people of old, may have contemporary pressing issues to have arrived at a ruling. In their case, they may have lost precious lives from these “fishes” with no scales and have also extended the prohibition on fishes to similar creatures having the same physical attributes, by way of physical associations. Thus, fishes with no scales were not to eaten. It was like a case of avoiding to eat their own comrades, whom they lost at sea when they abstain eating sharks, that they knew who eat humans. Along the way, I shall explain why it is so important, in practical terms, to adhere to the law of clean and unclean food. It is absolutely pertinent, that Christ Himself said that he came to fulfill the law.
The “new heaven and the new earth" rides strong and hard on this law. Especially now that the Iron Scepter is about a few chapters away and it is as pertinent and sensitive as how we want Satan's Doom. But let me hold my horses for a while, until I get to the “Doom of Satan!” Let’s just first concentrate on the “Law for All Times."
Below are my insights highlight laws I find in the Holy Scriptures that need a closer look. Concepts advancing the cause of, and beneficial to humanity-peace, order, and harmony.
Tithes/Taxation: The law on tithing is a classic example of how universal-the need for money is, that even the church demands/requests it-as well as every form of government around the world. Money, money, money is the way of the world. This is why Christ said that this He is not of this world http://bible.cc/john/18-36.htm (John 18:36). Money causes people to worry day in and day out, and Christ Himself encourages, if not, demands men not to worry. The consequences brought about by money in life operate in direct contradiction of how Christ wants us not to worry http://bible.cc/matthew/6-25.htm (Mathew 6:25), since with money most people suffer in struggling and worrying over how they could get them in order to live.
Tithe, liken to tax is a certain percentage taken away from peoples’ income which goes to the government. Tithes on the other hand is the same way, but voluntary nowadays. Don’t we use “tax” with the word, taxing, when we express difficulty, tiring, and exhausting situations?
We as people, who work to the best of our abilities in whatever occupation we have, already is an offering in itself-our intelligence, effort, and the time we put in to businesses, industries, or whatever calling in life, we are called to occupy. This is already more than enough an offering as we, our flesh and blood, our time--we give as an input to everything we contribute to society.
The reason why I brought this up is because of the continuing statement I would like to stress on a new flow of operating procedures in world commerce in general-for companies, industries and businesses which governments and churches (we the people ourselves) would completely benefit from. A kind of life wherein work itself, with love http://bible.cc/matthew/22-39.htm (Mathew 22:39; Romans 13:9) http://bible.cc/romans/13-9.htm, a sense of responsibility to, and care for others, would propel the motive of people in all aspects of business--instead of money http://bible.cc/matthew/6-24.htm (Mathew 6:24).
Knowing that the line of job one does is component of the whole business, where other business, also, with manpower in them also depend from. A cycle of inter-dependability for goods and services which provide businesses and livelihood for both the worker and the industry. We would discuss more thorough on this subject in subsequent discussions.
I liken money to idolatry in some respect because money snatches us away from our own spirituality. You may ask Why, and even question yourselves how you treat money. Well, money has been equated with people by way of how much we can and can't acquire. This simple truth applies to ALL.
We alone should, and must be equated among ourselves-how the other means for the other person, and not how much worth (in terms of money) they have in order to be able to help or freely help. We are the most precious beings on the face of the earth and not money Of course, you can agree with me on that. But let us face it. Without money, we see men blindly walk from each other in search of money for livelihood. Let me copy/paste a discussion we have in an earlier chapter:
How could anyone buy anything if he/she does not have money? How can a nation survive if they’re drought stricken-where natural resources are scarce. Since education or acquiring needed skills is a commodity one must buy, insufficient technical know-how has an outright ripple effect, from inadequate industrial capabilities to basic medical and societal basic necessities. Therefore, mediocrity in both trade and manpower for global marketing always equals to poverty and deprivation. How can a nation be classified as “world-class” if certain standards are about nil? Not to say standards or criteria is wrong, but what is, is that limiting and selfish method borne from money. If they can not sell-they can not live. This is a saddening fact people experience for the longest time in all fronts of human interaction and industry-"Sword, Division, and Not Peace,"Chapter III.
No matter how noble, pious, and intelligent you are, you are always under the mercy of money-sad to say but it is from which one could live and survive. May it be activities and endeavors in household, business, church, and government-money has been inevitable-viciously infecting the fiber of humanity.
In the book of Mathew 17:24-27 shows how Christ emphasized the adverse proliferation of money throughout society and government http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+17%3A24-27&version=NIV. Christ symbolically highlights that whosoever money is collected, it is gleaned from everybody, every time, no matter who you are-the taxation of money is boundless and certain. We know that in Christ era, in order for a person to know if another is a follower of Christ, while standing face to face, one has to draw inconspicuously, a curving line on ground dirt forming a half fish, and if the other is also a follower, that other person would complete drawing the line to form the figure of a fish http://christianity.about.com/od/symbolspictures/ig/Christian-Symbols-Glossary/Christian-Fish.htm. The symbol of fish has always been an insignia of men, in general, used by Christians. Hence, equating men with fish.
Clean and Unclean Food: Most of us don’t know the relevance of this law which often times overlooked and ignored by twisted justification. I do not advocate this law just for the sake of effecting a law on peoples’ lives without any practical and/or spiritual significance.
All of us know about the Last Supper, which the Christians highly commemorate in worship service/mass. Like any events where Christ was heavily documented, the Last Supper is one of the eventualities where all humans would end-we have our respective “last meals.”
If I may enjoin you to notice that in every area of living-activities we have on earth, in the sky, and under the sea, humans are governed by certain policies which we all know, that when we obey them, we know that we are far from harm’s way. All of them we submit to God but with eating (at least most of religious practices) Policies are set in order to protect us and the people around us. So much so in our obedience to God for a common good would make us feel much closer to God. What people do for the good certainly makes us more physically and spiritually sound.
I remember one time, I was even given a quote from the Holy Scripture which I find similar verses in the Torah and Koran which say: “For it is by grace that we are saved-not by works, so that no one can boast" http://bible.cc/genesis/12-6.htm (Ephesians 2:8) My childhood girlfriend first (Jing-Jing) mentioned this to me when she was sharing about salvation through Christ. From then on I was a bit sensitive regarding the subject on salvation-in a good way, of course. On the other hand salvation is faith in action or by doing what is right we are saved http://bible.cc/james/2-17.htm (James 2:17). It is more than deeds to have salvation because it is our faith in God that saves people. The latter may sound more convincing but nonetheless, in several arguments where I heard this kind of issue, the latter agreed on the former at some degree, for reasons that any good or right deed is faith in action. Thereby, salvation is doing what is right and fair because it pleases God\Allah\Yahweh\Jehovah.
The big question now is this: What if a person runs out of “deed” for him to convince himself that he is pleasing before God? When that time comes when we near our death bed, and the only thing we can do is supply the remaining life we have? This is the “Last Supper” of our lives. This is what you and I, and even the next person who would read this book may not know---that this is what all the churches have overlooked all along. The law on food delivers an enormous impact in the lives of men, literally-for three reasons: First, the casual dietary intake for dietary sustenance. Second, for the last “good deeds” we may ever do whereby knowing we still are faithful and acceptable before God-abiding by His decrees. Third, food intake is what we, as human beings are known to have in common. We eat, dine, and feast.
We are set high and apart from all other creatures and if we fail to regard and revere certain laws of the Holy Scriptures, we shall remain like any wild beast which do not care or are indiscriminate of what they eat. Without knowing later on, when that time comes, when we run out of deeds to showcase goodness, then, a compounded sense of lost of accomplishments and absolute uncertainty of what the future holds, would further the misery of our dying process.
This is what I tell you. As long as their is life--the mind still is functioning, a man still wishes or at least even convince himself that he is capable of tasks, even when he is already incapacitated. The life of a man tells him he is still a man-with mind body and soul. This fact is inseparable and undeniable. And how nice would it be if in our last days on earth, when our "last suppers" we know, that even our physical capacity is only to sustain life by eating-- we know we do what is right and good-we know we are still being holy and acceptable.
This is the most that I, and anyone of you, can do to give all people of the world, their assurance of their faith that they are obedient, acceptable, and holy children of God--that even when men were already incapacitated, or when and if death was a breath away--we still are faithful and true to our God. We can assure people that everything they have done is according to God’s will, which is why I can only amend the law on food in favor of the practice in abstaining from swine/pork, making other sea food creatures good for food to eat.
This is very important and can never be overemphasized. We need holiness to govern us in all respects of human undertakings/activities. We can not afford to have our “Last Suppers” being uncertain about whether we have lived a life pleasing to God or not. It would be very disturbing in such a time when the last thing we need is spiritual unrest.
Some may retort contradictions by way of using an event where Christ said that “it is not what comes inside that matters but what goes out from men http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2015:17-20&version=NIV (Mathew 15:17-20).” Here, you would see in the book of the holy bible that there is an open and close parenthesis saying: (by which, Christ declares all food is good to eat.)” To me, the translation insight placed in the parenthesis is so damaging. I have read too that parenthesis were used in the text to signify uncertainty of the translator. The uncertainty (due to the parenthesis) of people behind the translation or interpretation is immensely ruinous. Not to mention the only topic being discussed in this event and passage was-about washing of hands only. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2015:17-20&version=NIV (Mathew 15:20).
Imagine the incident over this issue, is when Christ, among others, were just in a casual activity-eating their meals, and was noticed not to have washed their hands. Christ then said that it really does not matter what comes inside. It does not mean that men could defy the law, and have place people in a damaging liberty to translate His comments on a law-defying manner. What happened here was that, the translators or men who have misquoted him failed to highlight and missed what Christ intends to point out, when He said about being mindful of what comes out.
All of you may not be aware that the law on food has an enormous impact in life itself for reasons being it is so casual. Food goes beyond mere satisfaction since it is sustenance of the body and life, that God has given us-- to be stewards of His creations. We may be unmindful of its sanctity but as we grow to see and feel our limitations-food intake shall be the only self-determinant of our salvation, as it is likewise a form of faith in action-Our very own respective, "Last Supper." http://niv.scripturetext.com/leviticus/26-3.htm (Leviticus 26:3-13)
No comments:
Post a Comment