Chapter 15
This chapter stipulates and highlights the beauty and the strength and triumph of God relative to the powers of the world. Firstly it outlines the magnificence and authority of God as the creator, whose works and vision for the human race was perfect, but instead the human beings faulted in their living styles and behaviors. In principle, we are the children of God, who happen to have the spirit of God living within us, thus there a functional relationship between our lives and the spirit of God. It is an elaborate article on the way in which the Christians can find true purpose and live in the way in which God intended for them to live in. Conversely, the article records that true disciples of Jesus Christ must resist the temptations, (the spiritual and physical) of the world so as to live in the way that is truly pleasant to God.
Subsequently, it seeks to explain the origin of the Jesus Christ as a son and true or real descendant from God while juxtaposing the concept that He was a biological son of God. For instance, Paul in many references called Jesus as the son of God, not because he was a biological son, but rather because the ancestral lineage that he had with David and the pronouncement by the Holy Spirit to that effect. The above is specifically detailed in the four chapter of the gospel that touches on the baptism of Christ and the subsequent pronunciation by the spirit of God.
It is important and imperative to note and mention that the life of Jesus Christ was a representation to the human life on how to live in the human life. In most instances, Jesus spent time in solitude and prayer always seeking the connection to God. This logic, argument and line of thought is used to show that the Christians could avoid any violent reprisals or struggle but rather seek an intimate connection and help from God. This came at a time when the people expected that Christ would form a political dynasty on earth and instead, he advised them that He would form an alternative kingdom or rulership. In this rulership the sick would healed the hungry would be fed. And in brief, the system of the kingdom that God would create would not comply with the powers and systems of the world. Subsequently, the kingdom and the dynasty that Jesus wanted to form would include the women, children, outcasts, poor, the marginalized, the sick or all the human rejects.
In the above essay and article by extension, the message of Christ was that he would embrace the poor and all the socially rejected people in his kingdom. It was so because that kingdom would not be of the world or comply with the systems of this world. Thus, the structures of power that have been created by the people of the world, have no bearing, value or weight meaning relative to the kingdom that Jesus Christ promised he would form (Borg, 9). This was difficult for the public to hear because the conventions and systems of human beings are attached to power and wealth. On the contrary, he argued and taught the people of the universe to store their wealth up in the heavens and detach their thoughts from worldly pleasures and riches.
Chapter 16
This chapter speaks of the hope that the Christians can have and the peace they can enjoy in a world that is better to the people. The scriptures in this context contemplate that Jesus Christ put forth to the believers that a life of joy and fulfillment is within and in the midst of the Christians themselves. He was specific as to highlight that Christians themselves through their faith in Him because He had overcome and conquered the earth to the extent that death was no longer powerful over Him or the people. Thus, the Christians ought to have the faith and joy because the savior already overcomes the world and the reign of evil, earthly authorities or organizations have no power over the Christians.
In this chapter, the overriding message is that the society especially the human race can take solace and hope in the fact that Christ overcame death and all the earthly systems and organizations. Thus, the fact that Christ promised a life of the better future and hoped in the future implies that the faithful ought to build their hope on that premise.
Chapter 17
The war on by the United States of America against Iraq did touch the lives of very many people who did not see the need or the value of the war relative to their Christian faith and religion. One particular example of this was a fourteen year old Ava Lowery who did was not able to reconcile or harmonize the founding principles taught to her by her mother to the war that her government waged against Iraq. As a result, she helped form a peace website with peace messages some of which the children were singing songs claiming the love of Jesus to them and their lives. Some of the images were contradictory and disturbing since they showed wounded Iraq children who suffered damages injuries during the United States of America war on it.
During this time and period, there was a need and urge by the church and the whole Christian and church leadership to offer an alternative voice to the society as one of courage and peace. For instance, the First United Methodist Church in Tacoma, resolved to offer counseling services to military personnel who questioned the aim of the United States who questioned the need of the incursion to Iraq. Thus, the people of the church were in retrospect and all fairness questioning the possibilities of the Christians. Mostly those in the military if they would devote their life, time and self-sacrifice as they usually do during times of war. It is to say that the non-direct action or the non-violence approach of seeking for change and difference in the society may not always be fruitful. It was the reason as to why the people such as Martin Luther Jr King and others devoted their lives march-ins and direct action because the non-direct action would in most instances bear little tangible results. However, the non-direct action and resistance or movement has a greater chance of reaching a greater pool of people. In a similar breadth and line of thought, it is imperative for the Christians of this day and age to take up an active role in the non-violent resistance with the aim of ending unnecessary violence and bloodshed.
In retrospect and principle, there is an urgent need and urge for the Church of Jesus Christ to be involved in preaching peace through spreading the message of justice, hope and truth in the world today. Preaching is the most elaborate and critical form of a non-violent resistance so that the people of the world would reject the powers of the devil and the principalities of powers. Thus, the church ought not to fail in its primary role and mandate in challenging the common contemporary attitudes and behaviors which may at times be uncomfortable and difficult. Nonetheless, it is the basic duty of the church to bear the story of Jesus Christ with the same values that He taught and posted the church to observe.
In the above chapter, the primary message in the essay is for the church to take up its high moral ground and position to preach the word of Jesus Christ regardless of the current attitudes and powers. For instance, the message of peace and preaching’s against violence such as oppositions to wars and inhuman treatment that the victims of wars are, usually, subjected to unfairly.
Works Cited
Borg, Marcus J. Meeting Jesus again for the first time. HarperCollins, 2009.
