Advice from Apostles

Advice from Apostles

The apostle Peter writes,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.’ 
                                                                                  1 Peter 2:9-12.
Dear Christian, do you follow the words of the apostle Peter?
Do you live such good lives among the pagan that “though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”?
I am a firm believer that Christians should not be demonstrating in the streets unless our, or some other groups freedoms are being taken away.
Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,
“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.”
         Tony Campolo
Protesting against people we disagree with or against laws that give equal rights to other groups we disagree with is wrong.
Neither Jesus or the apostles ever spoke out against Rome and it’s laws however abhorrent they were.
Admittedly they spoke against the religious leaders of their day. But they were Jews who had the right to speak against improper practices within Judaism.
In the same way we as Christians have the right to speak out against improper practices within Christianity.
The apostle Paul states,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 
                                                                                                     1 Corinthians 5:12,13
The writer of Hebrews gives us words that we who claim to be Christians must obey when he says,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 
           Hebrews 12:14.
For me holiness is living a life dedicated to God and Christ. Living a life of Love for God, one’s neighbour, and even for one’s enemies. Of reaching out in the name of Jesus to reach the lost of this world no matter who they are.
Are you?
Please think about it.