Luke 12:51-53

[stevevw]

Luke 12:51-53
Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
https://www.bible.com/bible/100/LUK.12.51-53.NASB1995


I was think about this verse and how it is playing out today. I would love it that all my family will be saved. My son has come to Christ but my daughter is caught up in the world though a beautiful young women and is a good potential wife and mother as she is engaged. I try to set the example in Christ but they know me better than anyone lol.

But I find with family and friends that the more you try to be like Christ it seems the more this divides people. The more those who are not in CHrist will react or see you as different and even can provoke a reaction as though a threat or trying to be too good. As though you are trying to show them up.

I think this has been a developing cultural shift in recent years as social norms have predominated which creates a stark contrast between Christianity and secular norms. I know this is happening on social media which basically you could say is a big family in a sense. But people can be vicious even towards friends and acquaintances.

It use to be I think when the social norms were more in tune with God and the bible and even during the cultural revolutions primarily western nations God fearing. Or at least respectful of the majority who believed in God. But as time has gone by and God has been removed from the public square and social norms its less tolerated.

Families are dividing along political and belief lines. Friend and family are being cancelled due to their beliefs. Its become more personal. But I really think its spiritual. Its a fundemental spiritual battle. As the world sinks more into anti God and Christ its getting conflicted about Christ as the truth. Because Christs truth cuts deepest when the lies grow. Christ light shines brightest when the darkness grows.

So I think we are moving into a time when we will see both bold Christians who will stand with Christ even if that means losing friend and family while at the same time see a rising up of hate for Christ as His truth is magnified in the world.

I think this is a natural development as to how things have been going and I can se the trend continuing and becoming more conflicting. I guess all Christians can do is keep doing the same and don't give up or in even when the going gets tough. Thats when Christ works the best.

 

[timothyu]

There have always been those of the Kingdom (not to be confused with religion) and those of the world. Today with all the human chaos and fighting over rights instead of responsibility to each other, those of the Kingdom are either mocked or seen as threats. Not for their physical actions of servitude to both sides, but for what they represent.. a saner thinking.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

There have always been those of the Kingdom (not to be confused with religion) and those of the world. Today with all the human chaos and fighting over rights instead of responsibility to each other, those of the Kingdom are either mocked or seen as threats. Not for their physical actions of servitude to both sides, but for what they represent.. a saner thinking.

I think you are on to something. If you have in mind all sorts of personal biases masquerading with a "Christian" religion label.
We can have two "Christians" with extremely different practical applications of what that means and they can still both be wrong.

 

[stevevw]

There have always been those of the Kingdom (not to be confused with religion) and those of the world. Today with all the human chaos and fighting over rights instead of responsibility to each other, those of the Kingdom are either mocked or seen as threats. Not for their physical actions of servitude to both sides, but for what they represent.. a saner thinking.

Yes I think the has always been the world and Christs church or as you say the Kingdom of God on earth in a spiritual sense. Living within Gods kingdom has a different ruler and king who requires a different way of living that is not of the world. That in itself puts Christians under a different authority which will clash with the worlds authority.

In fact being subject to something greater that self is part of the conflict with the world in that at least in western worldly beliefs the self is subject to no one. Thats a trigger for many to be made subject and obedient as the belief is that self is god.

This is a natural progression of rejecting a higher power in God because we were created to have dominion over Gods creation and without God people will then turn to themselves as the next higher being that is god over all else.

In fact without humility and the acknowledgement that we are unworthy sinners the opposite will happen and people will be prideful and all that goes with it. Just as Paul mentions in Roman 1:29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips. Which is what we see with the culture wars.

Paul was talking about his time and in some ways we are seeing a reflection of this. Christianity came to a time like now where God was not central in the public square. He was known but relegated to a fringe religion to the Greco-Roman world. Society was pagan and dominated by idol worship and all sorts of gods that represented 'self' to satisfy human desires.

From the cross Christianity grew and became the religion of the Roman Empire. Which is basically the west. THough the church and Gods representation has changed and had conflicts we pretty well remained under God up until the mid 20th century. Then God was gradually relegated to the sidelines.

Therefore I think we are coming back to a time like the early church that is once again immersed in a world of paganism and anti God and Christ. If this is the case then this will continue to get worse for Christians like the early church.

I think we will see persecution even to death of Christians. It may not be an obvious pagan killing a Christian. But something rationalised as a threat to safety or status of the worlds power.