Faith
This is a word that is tossed around a lot lately.
Have faith! Be faithful.
or
You gotta have faith (thanks George Michael)
Growing up I learned that faith is like believing in the wind. You can't see it but you just know it's there. I learned faith is what makes God real. I learned that without faith I won't go to heaven.
As I was reading Jesus for President, I discovered a new term of faith. Faith as it was used before Jesus was a 'term for trust in, allegiance to and hope in the Pax Romana. It had much to do with loyalty.' (Fides or loyalty). After Jesus it was a hope in but also allegiance to Jesus.
This is new for me. Faith redefined. I not only have to have faith in God but I have to hold an allegiance to him as well? However this is what James was getting at in 1.2 when he notes, 'you know you're under pressure, your faith-life (allegiance not wind) is forced into the open and shows its true colors.'
In 2.18 he says, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
So it just got real for me. I mean it's been 'real' before but now that I hold an allegiance in God and not just see him as wind, I gained responsibility.
I leave you with some questions.
1. What do you think about this idea of pledging allegiance?
2. I know that we have a connotation of saluting the American flag while we give our Faith (allegiance) to this country, but what would happen if we quit putting the flag first?
3. What would happen if we quit getting pissed those kids in school who don't stand for the 'pledge of faith' and started to think about the words that spew from our mouths?
4. What would happen if we quit worrying about the stupid phrase "under God" in the pledge and started pledging to serve "under God?"
Answer me!
also check out the pledge to the Bible and Christian Flag and tell me what you think
http://www.christianhomeschoolers.com/christian_pledges.html
2 comments:
1. Pledging allegiance I'm down with it. Both to God and to the flag/country. First to God, my allegiance to Him is eternal, as is my Faith to Him. I also pledge allegiance to the flag and or country, however I believe that is more temporary, in two ways. First in the way that, well lets face it, I'm going to die, but also in the way that there may be a time where I loose faith (little f I'll get to that in a sec) in the country, and or government, mainly government. I have Faith in God, with a big F. For me this means a Faith that knows no boundaries, a Faith that is tested time and time again, yet still remains, throughout my whole life and past it. My faith in the government is also tested many times over, however often it fails me, God does not. I would say I have faith in people, in the country, however I do not have faith in our government. I do not trust our government, whether Democrat or Republican, I do not trust it, it is there to serve itself these days, not the people. I do have faith in people however, because I would like to think that there are more good people in the world than bad, and that we can count on one another in the nitty gritty. So little f faith is a temporary faith, more of a hope I would say, a hope or faith, or combination of the two, that would think that we can come together and work for one another. So I pledge Allegiance to God, my undying never failing Allegiance (although I may fail, but thats why Christ sacrificed himself for us, so my Allegiance will reman, as will God's promise to forgive me). And I pledge my allegiance to this country, more its people than its government, I pledge to serve my fellow man with that allegiance, not my government which I will no longer be loyal to if it does not serve the people as it should, all people, of all races, genders, incomes, and backgrounds, EQUALLY, when that stops, I will stop giving my allegiance to the government. I may still pledge allegiance to my flag, and it is mine, the flag represents more to me than the government it represents the people, as this country was meant to be, a country for the people, not a select people but all people. I personally think we need to move back to that melting pot mentality, where we all meld together in a healthy way, learning from one another, and in the end we all realize we are the same human beings.
2. As Christians we shouldn't put the flag first, Christ is first in my life, if my government asked me to denounce Him or be killed, well I need a box thats about 6 feet 5 inches long, for you to bury me in. It's that simple. While the Bible says we are to give respect and follow those placed in authority above us, I think that may be taken out of context sometimes, and also, if those authorities are not following, or are blatantly against Christ, I would definitely have some big issues with that. For that reason among many others, Christ is first. I tend to think as the government, as kind of a false prophet many times, and well we were warned about false prophets, while the government might not be spewing false theology, it often spews a social theology that is directed at the people that is often false, from false hope to blatant lies.
3. Kids who don't stand up for the pledge, its is somewhat disrespectful, considering that the country's founding ideals give that kid the right to sit in the desk, somewhat oxymoronic, and yes I will say it, in many other places around the world, if you don't stand, don't plan on standing again, ever. But like our faith, our country is based on free will. I do not have to follow Christ, much as that kid does not have to stand up for the pledge.
4. Well the country was not founded by Christians, but deists, so take the "under God" with a grain of salt, I believe it is there more as an ooooOOoooo God's gonna get me type idea. If it gives someone meaning or conviction by saying the words, so be it, hell thrown in Yahweh or Allah if that toots your horn. We should serve the Lord, more than our country, we should sever others around us, in our country, and in the world, and by doing so serve the Lord.
My thoughts, take them for what they are worth.
Good post,man. I hate going to church on July 4th anymore. There is just too many songs about our country and not enough about God.
About what is American and Un-American, I think that in saying someone is un-American because they do not do things the way we want them to is just as un-American. Our freedoms were created out of disdain for any person (e.g. King George, whoever) that tries to inhibit our own personal freedoms. That means that while I do stand and recite the pledge, I do not think that everyone should have to do it. This does not give me the right to do whatever I please. I still have to abide by common law. Rather it means that, by definition, an American is someone who challenges the status quo out of moral compunction. An American does not have disdain for law or morality or country, but rather champions it by challenging it. We have lost this in America.
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