One of the errors we make within the church is that we think what matters is power. We count power by position, by giftedness, by leading. We want to take the podium. We want to be in te spotlight.
And it sounds so pious. We tell ourselves that we will do great things for God, that we will heal many, preach to many, and there will be the long-awaited revival and reform.
But God is not interested in power. He is interested in how we love each other.
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
(1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3 ESV)
Let us deal with some errors. God appoints our apostles. teachers and prophets. There are qualifications to be an elder. Most will not meet them. Most will not prophecy. And most cannot teach. This should be left to those called: qualifications matter not at all.
Look, I live in an academic town. My congregation has a few professors in it. Every third person has a PhD. And our pastor is a man who barely scraped through his degree so he could lead the church (he was a primary school teacher). Some of the people in the congregation lectured him at University.
Most of the people who can heal, or help, or administer, or translate… are in the pews. Be glad for the gifts you have and use them. But they do not qualify you as an elder or prophet, no more than the letters after your name.
Secondly, love is not virtue signalling. Virtue signalling is a form of boasting. Consider this — Vox Day took it from facebook, and one should not link to the Zuckerborg.
I take the train to school each day. Everyday I see these middle aged muslim men, and women are the minority (no surprise, since most immigrants are ofc men). On my way home, three men of Arabic origin sat on the opposite side of the table. During one full hour, they stared at me with a vicious smile on their lips, commenting on my appearance in Arabic (it really was quite obvious). Not even trying to hide the fact that they are taking photos of me. During one full hour. Here the responsibility kind of falls on me, since I could have moved or told them to stop. I looked away, I tried to hide my face and hug my friend to sort of shield myself from their gazes. I got shaky, almost started crying. I do realise that this is nothing compared to what the middle eastern woman endures, but you have to understand that I live in Sweden. I should not have to as little as to endure a second of this, we have gotten further than that. But I did, and I could not tell them to stop, I could not confront them. I could not tell the train attendant to replace my seat. Because I knew if I would, I would no longer be the victim.
Because we are now just regressive, going backwards, bending our necks to make sure no one gets offended. The victims of this is particularly women! But try telling a feminist this!
How can we love this young woman? what should that remnant who believe in Sweden do? Well, my initial reaction, which involves a baseball bat and an alley, though satisfying, would get me locked up as a hater and assaulter. Better, perhaps, is for the men of that church to stand around the women and pray for their country. Arms linked.
For voting out the twits who think virtue signalling is without cost takes time. THink of it as a walking bus for the train. For the train is fine. And there is no regulation on doing what is good, nor on our prayers.
And if the presidents and parliament think that this they can do, then we neer to remind them that GOd does not put up with mockery for more than a time. They will be one with the Soviet, the Cultural Revolution, the Baathist and the Hittite.
For the only loving thing you can do for your enemies is pray and proclaim. Pray that they hear the word of God, and the Spirit of God lives within them. And proclaim the gospel in your life. Using prayer barriers and words when necessary.
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