Before, the church there was fellowship, evangelism, and when the COVID vaccine 19 came where the majority of the church agreed to comply with the government commands to close the church. Some religious churches were more concerned about the buildings closing than the people getting their spiritual means met. When Jesus was chased out of the synagogue, he started preaching at the mountain. (So, gathering is fulfilled). When the COVID 19 came and they told ministers to not open, my pastor told people to sit out in open space and preached like a crusade. If you worry about building being closed than people being fed the purpose is defeated.
- Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit 31 Then He went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and was teaching them on the Sabbaths. 32 And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word was with authority. 33 Now in the synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean demon. – Luke 4: 31 – 34
- Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. Matthew 10: 1
We see hear Jesus had Authority over anything that was not clean as he was. Over unclean spirits.
We see this Authority given back to Man at first (not power, he returns power to govern self-back to man when he died).
Paul further states “He assures them that he’s not ashamed of the authority the Lord gave him to build them up, not tear them down. Paul warns against those who commend themselves and measure themselves by one another, labelling such behavior as lacking understanding.” – 2 Corinthians 10:7-12
So most, time when we see authority we see cleanliness next. Romans 13 talks about authority and submission to government, then Romans 14 talks about what make us weak and strong from the standpoint of what we eat i.e. what we consider clean or unclean. Romans 14: 14.
Acts 10:13-17 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.” 15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has [ a] cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times.
Daniel 1:8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your[c] food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
So, things that are unclean can be food, people or things that are presumptuous from our culture, traditions or laws. The main thing is that anything your faith does not carry then do not pick it up. SIMPLE.
So, when a government, may tell people to take COVID and some people may not have faith to take the vaccine; taking them will make them weak in faith and may cause them to stumble. So, why take it when you fear? After all perfect love casts out fear, when Daniel had resolved eating the king’s meat would defile him, the officials had compassion on him. Compassion is a form or expression of Love in Kindness. Again, a rule of law came from the king (Authority) told them to eat food from the kings table, but Daniel taught it would defile him (Unclean).
So, this is my judgement according to, 2 Corinthians 9 vs 3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don’t we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas[a]? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who lack the right to not work for a living?
11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
So here we see Paul demanding for his right to get paid for preaching, but because demanding his right will hinder the gospel or cause others to stumble; he doesn’t insist on it. 1 Corinthians 9 vs 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink the milk? 8 Do I say this merely on human authority? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing?
So, I am more concerned about individual rights than church rights. I am more concerned about the freedom in Christ being preserved in the gospel, than the merger with government house. Church came from Fellowship and fellowship from discipleship, but it is the people that make up the church that makes Christianity what it is.
Scepter (Authority), Law giver (God) and his gift with tranquility comes with obedience of his people through Yeshua.
Songs
The Authority Jesus had was he came as a man to take back the authority Adam lost, by receiving a judgement that was unjust, so he could be condemned to hades (underground); where demons were to make a show of them, to get back the keys of life and death to restore man from death back to LIFE in Christ; to put in chains demons. Thats, how far Jesus’s love goes for us is, he stripped himself of his authority and power to RESTORE US back to God. Now he stands as an intercessor i.e. both as God and man making intercession to give life to us (a lost and dying world). He bore death through crucifixion for all who want to come to him. No one cometh to the father except through me. John 14: 6
Sometimes, when we have not sacrificed something for God, we may never understand his love.