O Family Of God

"Why the hate, O family of God?"

JESUS IS Catholic. Jonathan Roumie who plays Jesus in “The Chosen” is a Jesus-believing Catholic, and God is pleased. More than pleased. Our Savior adores Actor Roumie’s integrity in playing the part and in representing Him in the world. How many have been born into God’s family as a result? How many healed of mental and physical disorders? Although some things have been mistakenly presented in the show, the heart of Jesus for people is clear on the screen.

Why the hate, O family of God? Why the criticism of the Catholic church? Here’s a man raised in it, a faithful member of it, who is representing the Savior well.

Stop picking at the seams. You’re catching fleas and they’re getting all over you.

The church is Catholic. Presbyterian. Assembly of God. Baptist. THE CHURCH is those who confessed Jesus as Lord, regardless of skin color, upbringing, incorrect beliefs. If they asked Jesus to live in their heart because He died for them and rose from the dead, then they are family. But “love one another,” our commandment, applies to every living human being – friend, family, or foe. People are not the enemy (Ephesians 6:17). We are to DO GOOD to those that hate us.

“But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you,” (Luke 6:27 KJV)

We are to keep silent when we don’t agree with men’s religious practices. We are to preach the Word of God as led by the Spirit of God and not led by our opinions and our feelings. There is always a way He can say the same thing. From Him, it will be anointed. From us, it is hate.

First John tells us to love our brother. I heard the word “brother” debated, as to its meaning, and could only think any need to define it created an excuse to exclude people from it. But, no, it includes every man and woman. It is not defined by denomination or salvation or idol worship. The apostle Paul addressed this in his letter to Rome, when to eat meat dedicated to idols and when not to eat it. He was not afraid to eat it but would not do so and it cause the other person to question it. In short, if they are not sure of your reason and it looks to them like you are participating in idol worship, then don’t eat it. But see, here, Jesus’ words to the Pharisees when the disciples picked and ate grain on the Sabbath. David, He said, ate the shewbread, bread inside the temple left solely for the priests, and God did not condemn him.

The fine line we walk, we walk in the Spirit, asking, “What would you have me say or do at this moment?”

My point is, to walk in love is to look like God, to sound like God, to act like God and people don’t wonder. Playing Jewish characters in “The Chosen” are men of many nationalities and denominations. From those around Him, Jesus chose uneducated fisherman, a religious zealot, a tax collector, and one who would betray Him. The majority of the New Testament was written by a Pharisee who’d murdered thousands before He turned toward Christ, and those listening to him were not Jews.

From Rome, who killed Christians, would come the largest faith – the Catholic church, and regardless of how it works and who leads it, and what Christian beliefs we hold, we are to pray for it, to uplift it before the Father, who can pour His Presence out upon it. For He never turns aside from anyone. He isn’t waiting for us to get all our beliefs in order and then He’ll speak. Instead, He is continually calling, a gentle, merciful God who loves all men. Who blesses everyone who will receive it, changing them for the better.

This should be our heart.

“To all in Rome who love God and have been healed from the infection of distrust, fear and selfishness, and have been transformed into loving, kind, gentle, humble people …” (Romans 1:7 Remedy)

Image by TyliJura at Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com