Some self-described Christians think that we could "fix" the Church by bending it to every social norm of the age, but any attempt to do that is hinged upon the denial of truth, and erodes the foundation of the faith.
As an older Christian it is so very sad to see how church and world are going. The United States Constitution should not be changed. The framers of the document took time and prayer when writing it to benefit them at the time and the future. Since the 60's and on, people only care about themselves and how it "makes them feel". Which is so wrong in so many ways! Sarah it is so refreshing to hear a young person like yourself take a stand for what is right. I also know that God is in control!1
As usual Sarah, you are right on track with a lucid, accurate and powerful message. You are gifted and a treasure. These faux “believers” will side against the truth on every critical subject from abortion to transgender agendas and also to the freedoms and Constitutional liberties endowed to us by our Creator. Many are waking up. We have those who stand up for truth like Archbishop Vigano and Father Altman. Keep the Faith and keep being who you are. We are not alone and many are not only disgusted but are getting involved and fighting back.
I love your statement about how you shudder at a church that would adapt to the darkness of the times it inhabits. That's a really clear way to think about it.
Excellent Sarah, you have a real writing talent. I'm quite sure that you already know, the state offering 5013c3 status to the churches preyed on the potential human weaknesses of the clergy to compromise their powers of influence and messages of truth. Sadly, so much for the concept of the separation of church and state.
What you shudder about is exactly what is going on with the Roman Catholic Church. With the false pope who like a vacuum sucks in all the traits of a society that deems sin acceptable. While the true Pope has been set aside, put in house arrest by the masonic Cardinals, Bishops who prefer to follow the agenda of the new world order. Traditional Catholicism has figured out the imposter, though the powers that are governing the Roman Catholic Church are in a cancel culture mode. They cancel priests, consecrated men and women that know better. The critical biography by Henry Sire in The Dictator Pope is a clue of how the left bulldozes its way into our culture and respects not God and his laws.
You will recall Christ's parable likening the kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed that was planted and then became a great tree with outstretched branches. The parable tells us that the gospel begins in relative obscurity but then extends to the entire world. One interesting statement that Christ makes is that birds take refuge in the tree's shelter. This symbol has more than one interpretation, and that is appropriate for a parable. But the symbol of "birds" taking shelter in a tree that grew from a tiny seed echoes another parable--the parable of the sewer. He was casting seeds to plant in his field, but some seeds fell upon hard ground, and these were devoured by birds. In this parable, birds refer to the demonic that snatches the message of the gospel from hardened hearts lest it would take root. In this case, the symbol of birds is not a positive sign.
But in the parable of the mustard seed, that symbol reappears after the seed had been intentionally planted in a field. Now the seed grew into a great tree, and now the birds take shelter under its branches. In my view, this also suggests the demonic. The birds ate up the exposed seeds on hard ground to prevent the gospel from entering hearts, now in the growing tree when the gospel has given life to human hearts they take refuge in the church to do damage.
That may seem startling interpretation, but Christ is describing what the Church would be like through history. It did grow throughout the world, but as it did, as we know from Paul's epistles, false teachers did arise to spread heresy in the first century. In fact, as Christ describes the growth of the tree, the fantastic spread of its growth suggests problems. Inspired by the demonic, false teachers take refuge in the tree, just as the tares grow up alongside the wheat in another parable. Consequently, though the tree, itself, is blessed, just as that field of wheat contaminated by tares is blessed, the Church will be blessed but will still endure heresies and false teachers. They will pretend to part of us, but their presence is demonic. In fact, the Church, as your article indicates, endures these things to this very day.
I believe in God Almighty and that the words in the Holy Bible were spoken by God and Jesus. I believe that the Constitution is man's best efforts to 'modernize' the Bible.
When people say things like "my truth", I think of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
As an older Christian it is so very sad to see how church and world are going. The United States Constitution should not be changed. The framers of the document took time and prayer when writing it to benefit them at the time and the future. Since the 60's and on, people only care about themselves and how it "makes them feel". Which is so wrong in so many ways! Sarah it is so refreshing to hear a young person like yourself take a stand for what is right. I also know that God is in control!1
As usual Sarah, you are right on track with a lucid, accurate and powerful message. You are gifted and a treasure. These faux “believers” will side against the truth on every critical subject from abortion to transgender agendas and also to the freedoms and Constitutional liberties endowed to us by our Creator. Many are waking up. We have those who stand up for truth like Archbishop Vigano and Father Altman. Keep the Faith and keep being who you are. We are not alone and many are not only disgusted but are getting involved and fighting back.
I love your statement about how you shudder at a church that would adapt to the darkness of the times it inhabits. That's a really clear way to think about it.
Knowing you are here - sharing with us - Gives me a bit of Comfort & Hope. Thank You!
Excellent Sarah, you have a real writing talent. I'm quite sure that you already know, the state offering 5013c3 status to the churches preyed on the potential human weaknesses of the clergy to compromise their powers of influence and messages of truth. Sadly, so much for the concept of the separation of church and state.
What you shudder about is exactly what is going on with the Roman Catholic Church. With the false pope who like a vacuum sucks in all the traits of a society that deems sin acceptable. While the true Pope has been set aside, put in house arrest by the masonic Cardinals, Bishops who prefer to follow the agenda of the new world order. Traditional Catholicism has figured out the imposter, though the powers that are governing the Roman Catholic Church are in a cancel culture mode. They cancel priests, consecrated men and women that know better. The critical biography by Henry Sire in The Dictator Pope is a clue of how the left bulldozes its way into our culture and respects not God and his laws.
You will recall Christ's parable likening the kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed that was planted and then became a great tree with outstretched branches. The parable tells us that the gospel begins in relative obscurity but then extends to the entire world. One interesting statement that Christ makes is that birds take refuge in the tree's shelter. This symbol has more than one interpretation, and that is appropriate for a parable. But the symbol of "birds" taking shelter in a tree that grew from a tiny seed echoes another parable--the parable of the sewer. He was casting seeds to plant in his field, but some seeds fell upon hard ground, and these were devoured by birds. In this parable, birds refer to the demonic that snatches the message of the gospel from hardened hearts lest it would take root. In this case, the symbol of birds is not a positive sign.
But in the parable of the mustard seed, that symbol reappears after the seed had been intentionally planted in a field. Now the seed grew into a great tree, and now the birds take shelter under its branches. In my view, this also suggests the demonic. The birds ate up the exposed seeds on hard ground to prevent the gospel from entering hearts, now in the growing tree when the gospel has given life to human hearts they take refuge in the church to do damage.
That may seem startling interpretation, but Christ is describing what the Church would be like through history. It did grow throughout the world, but as it did, as we know from Paul's epistles, false teachers did arise to spread heresy in the first century. In fact, as Christ describes the growth of the tree, the fantastic spread of its growth suggests problems. Inspired by the demonic, false teachers take refuge in the tree, just as the tares grow up alongside the wheat in another parable. Consequently, though the tree, itself, is blessed, just as that field of wheat contaminated by tares is blessed, the Church will be blessed but will still endure heresies and false teachers. They will pretend to part of us, but their presence is demonic. In fact, the Church, as your article indicates, endures these things to this very day.
I believe in God Almighty and that the words in the Holy Bible were spoken by God and Jesus. I believe that the Constitution is man's best efforts to 'modernize' the Bible.
You never cease to surprise Sarah, or to impress.
Well done.
Michael1964
Amen. And that is why I joined the Catholic Church 12 years ago.
When people say things like "my truth", I think of Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”
Surrender! Such a French notion... :^)
typo alert; para.6, "ought be"