P
peeonme
Guest
Romans 3:28King James Version (KJV)
28 Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.
James 2:15 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
While the belief is that anyone is justified outside of the law of Moses solely by faith in the finished work of Christ upon the cross, it is also believed and taught that this faith must be exhibited by doing what Christ would have done.
Nowhere have I ever found a Church that believes complacency is acceptable.
As for the doctrines that you mention acting as perhaps an opiate that seduces the masses into a place of accepting social injustice, I would suggest that it is the dumbing down of the masses (which is not by any accident) combined with a 24/7 propaganda campaign
combined with a "bread and circuses" mentality that has so far kept the people from reacting to the blatant denial of human rights and the obvious disenfranchisement of the working man.
However, I believe that we digress, forgiveness being the subject that has launched us upon this dialog, when again looking to the Bible
(allow me this folly) two portions of scripture to me are relevant to the issue,
First, Matthew 5:23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift
this teaches restitution on the part of the offender, the ball is in his court to pay back, make right and seek reconciliation with the one that he has wronged.
Matt.5:43 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.
44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
We are told not to bear malice against our offenders, rather to love them and pray for them.
Matt.5:38 Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.
In short, don't try to get even.
How to treat those who have wronged us:
Matt. 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
God does not put us out as door mats, I don't see any "forget and forgive here."
How many time do we go through the above process? (verses. 15-17)
Matt.18:21 Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?
22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.
So, it's not as simple as turn the cheek, forget and forgive etc.
God, imo, gave us a memory, it teaches us not to touch hot things, hopefully one lesson is enough, if we as a child incurred pain by touching the stove, it would be silly to have the capacity to erase the pain, forget the experience and get burned even worse the next time, so it is with people, life's lessons are not to be forgotten, nations should learn not to listen to crazy fools that want to rid a country of those whom the crazy fool paints as an enemy.
We should learn not to be put in a place where we get beaten up by those who would exploit us.
