AboutJohn of AllFaith (Pastor John) Expertise I will be happy to discuss all aspects of Christianity, biblical doctrine, prophecies, etc. The Bible offers a wealth of information to us! So if you are wondering what the Bible has to say about any topic drop me a note.
I have experience with several different denominations. If you wish to know what a specific group teaches be sure and specify that. If you want my personal views specify that as well as my take on some of these things is a bit different. Most questions will be answered from a basic Baptist perspective unless you specify differently.
Also visit a few of my questions and answers at my Questions Answered site
A Statement to Students about Plagiarism any why I answer questions:
Plagiarism is a crime.
Plagiarism can end careers, lead to expulsion from school, the loss of financial aid, and can even result in fines and imprisonment in some cases. Its not worth it!
Despite this a small percentage of those who ask questions at AllExperts, Yahoo Answers etc. copy and paste our answers as their own, often without giving credit. This is plagiarism. Its not worth it!
We all know that one can google a homework question and in many cases find an easy response, but so can your teachers! Many teachers are aware that some students do this and catch their cheating students.
To read more about this go to the following link. Its a conversation between one such teacher from a respectable institution of learning and me: where she writes: ...I have had over 20 students copy your work in the past 3 months...
Understand that if you plagiarize you are cheating your instructors, your answerer, your fellow students, everyone who respects you... and ultimately yourself. Its just not worth it!
Please use our answers to help in your research, not to replace it.
Learn, don't cheat.
Experience I have a lot of ministry experience in this area and would be happy to help people rightly divide the Word of Truth. I am also a good resource on the Bible and Homosexuality: God loves us all!
Education/Credentials Three Christian ordinations (Baptist, Calvary Chapel and from an independent Church I co-founded)
MA Religious Studies
Others
Question QUESTION: I have recently studied the passage of Luke chapter 4, 'The Spirit of the Lord' and am intrigued to know how this passage relates to Justice and Reconciliation.
Any ideas you have would be greatly appreciated, thank you very much for your time.
ANSWER: Hi Nina,
This is a fairly long chapter that shares a LOT of important information. If there are specific verses you are wondering about you might want to write back including them.
Basically in this chapter Lucifer temps Y'shua (Jesus) to betray the kingdom of God for worldly gain. As he exemplifies, those of us who seek to follow Y'shua are to consider ourselves citizens of the Kingdom of God and to view this world as though we are ambassadors.
Historically this has been viewed in various ways.
Some believe that we are guests here and should not take an active part in worldly events. Such people often do not vote or otherwise seek to alter the course of the planet beyond encouraging others to become citizens of God's kingdom (i.e. to be "saved"). They seek to live quiet, unobtrusive godly lives. Such people cite verses like 'Be in the world not of it' and 'Render unto Caesar the things that are his and God the things that are His.'
Others focus on the idea of being 'God's hands and feet in this world'. Such people often vote and otherwise involve themselves hoping to make the world a better place. Such people cite verses like 'in that you have done it unto the least of these my brothers you have done it unto me' etc. They believe the Church is in the world to act as a sort of spiritual leaven.
BOTH basic views have merit in my opinion.
Yet I'd say that active participation is preferable in humility as God's servants. In this chapter reference is made to the lessons learned from scripture. Consider this one:
Genesis 12
1 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a land that I will show thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
This promise of course was made to and about the Jews however notice God's intention for them: "...and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." The Church was 'grafted onto' the Tree of Israel (Romans 11) to assist in their service and so we also are meant to bless the world.
Where this blessing leads to involvement in justice and reconciliation issues it is appropriate to our service. By His spirit the Lord leads those who seek His will.
Maranatha,
~ John of AllFaith
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi, thank you very much for your reply but could I possibly ask one more thing?
I was particularly looking at verses 18-21
'The Spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, recovery of sight for the blind and proclaim the year of God's favor. Today, this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.'
I was wondering if you'd be willing to share with my your thoughts on how these verses relate to Justice and Reconciliation?
I'd like to thank you for your previous reply, though, it was of great use to me.
Answer Hi,
I'm always happy to discuss these issues with interested folks.
Yes, this is a reference to Isaiah 61:
1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn....
The context of this section of Prophet Isaiah is the coming of Messiah and the establishment of his earthly Kingdom. As we discussed before, Lucifer offered the Master a false kingdom, but he rejected it. Later in this chapter Y'shua discusses God's Kingdom and how it will eventually be realized.
By citing this section Y'shua was reminding Israel that God will turn away from those without faith, those whose deeds are evil etc. (59:1-) and will bless those who do righteousness and who seek His kingdom (a common theme of the Masters). The day is coming, he reminds them, when Zion (Jerusalem) will be fully redeemed and the Kingdom will be established (60:1- Zec 8:23 etc). But would it come in their generation? Would they embrace it? It was their choice. At Luke 4:21 Y'shua offered it to them.
"This day" he tells them, God is calling every Jew in Israel to repentance and to embrace the Kingdom (61:1-). Y'shua tells them directly that their generation was the one Isaiah and others were pointing to and that he was the leader they were speaking of.
This section of Isaiah contains several topics but essentially I believe Y'shua is reminding and reprimanding the leaders of Israel that they had lost sight of what is truth and that they needed to return to the God of Israel with all their hearts and obedience. If they did, he would usher in the Kingdom and reconcile them with HaShem (the God of Israel) and through them all the world.
In verse 21 (Luke 4) Y'shua states directly that if they would receive the words of the prophets he was prepared to fulfill his role as Moshiach (Messiah) and bring in the kingdom. 'The Kingdom of God is at hand.'
However he continues in the following verses to acknowledge that they will not accept his testimony and so the Kingdom would not yet be established. Israel would not yet be redeemed because they would reject his testimony and work.
This angered his hearers to no end! How dare he claim to be Moshiach! How dare he tell them that because of their unbelief the Kingdom would not be established and that he, because of them, would not establish it! This must have sounded like an unforgivable insult and affront to the leaders of the people!
Judaism is a very family/people structured religion. What the Master was saying in effect was that by rejecting me (him) you are not only rejecting the God of Israel for yourselves but for your descendants as well! One can scarcely imagine a more damnable charge to a First Century Jew!
As a result they cast him our of the shul and some even tried to kill him.
But God with Y'shua and his time was not yet. He would be killed by the Gentiles.
Understand that Judaism and Christianity are very different religions. Whereas Christians tend to think in terms of personal salvation and redemption, Judaism thinks more in terms of group and national salvation and the good of the Jewish people at large.
According to the Hebrew Scriptures Moshiach (Messiah) does not come as a "personal savior" but as national liberator. He was telling them he would not redeem them.
By citing Prophet Isaiah in this way the Master was foretelling that rather than the kingdom being established, "the Times of the Gentiles" would continue and even intensify! Later Y'shua explains that not only would the Kingdom not be established at that time (as Daniel had foretold in chapter 9 of his book), but that the Jewish people would be cast out of Zion until the End of Days when the Kingdom would finally be established (this is why the events of 1948 and 1967 are so important). The Master explains this more clearly later. For instance:
Luke 21:24 ... And they [the Jews] shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations [i.e. the Diaspora]: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
This took place in 70 CE when Zion was sacked by the Romans and even today the Diaspora continues as less than half the Jews have returned to Israel thus far.
In what we call the First Century AD the world sat at a major turning point (as it does today for the first generation since then). Had Y'shua been accepted the Kingdom of God would have been established then. Since he was rejected the Kingdom would not be established for another 2000 years or so.
Until the Kingdom is established the "curse" will remain on the earth. Individuals will find forgiveness but true and global reconciliation will not happen until Moshiach sits on the Throne of David in Jerusalem. That will not happen for at least seven more years.
Feel free to write back.
Hope this is helpful,
~ John of AllFaith
