More Citations:The Golden Rule

 

Living by the Golden Rule Means Rejecting the Spiritual Ivory Tower

Their were more content that were incorporated in my "Golden Rule" sermon that were left out because I felt that by the time of delivery, they weren't that relevant. As a result, this article is meant to expand on the content that was left out. Compared to my previous citations articles covering the last sermon, this is the only post, thus being much shorter.

As mentioned in the Golden Rule sermon, many who become self-righteous often construct their own spiritual ivory tower to look down upon others. For those living in there towers, the Christian walk is often defined by catch sayings that often trivializes Christianity and often make use of empty blanket statements and vague generalizations that often conform to fallacies that are often embraced as fact. 

Those that incorporate such statements often fail to provide specific examples, thus making the claim a blanket statement, hence the definition. Those living in their tower often reinforce their beliefs using sensationalist click-bait found on Facebook on a regular basis, and not anything that’s Biblically based. Information that’s true to them because it conforms to their worldview, catering to their perceived stereotypes and boogeymen, and supporting whatever conspiracy theory that they embrace.

Unfortunately, those that have constructed their spiritual ivory towers have exactly done this. Many will have no sympathy or understanding for those suffering; just a narrow, face-value examination as seen from that tower.

Many feel that just quoting scripture alone guarantees their ticket to Heaven. The type that are quick to shoot Bible verses, but yet don’t put the meaning behind those verses into action. I have referenced plenty of scripture in the previous sermon. However, I concede that just referencing these scriptures and others won’t guarantee my seat in Heaven. We shouldn’t pretend that scripture alone can get us into Heaven. Anyone idiot can quote scripture. Quoting scripture doesn’t make people “more Christian”. It’s living by the meaning of those scriptures and keeping it in our hearts that’s important.

We must not also get into the mindset that just having a Bible by itself can get us into Heaven either. The Bible by itself won’t get us into Heaven. Jesus is what provides the Salvation. By itself, the Bible is simply a book. The Bible only has value when we put the words in it in our hearts. The text only has meaning when we understand the ideas behind it. We treat the book as meaningless text when we simply treat it as a simple cure-all. We misuse the Bible when we only acknowledge its existence when it convenient for us to do so, using it not to enhance our spiritual walk, but to reinforce our personal worldview.

Several dismiss the Bible when they simply throw it around as the one-stop solution without taking into consideration of a person's suffering. Many Christians that project the Bible as that one-stop solution often doesn’t take God’s word serious (their's more to spirituality than the Bible itself), but then got upset when others don’t. The Golden rule applies in this realm too. If we have little commitment to God’s word and its meaning, only embracing it when it’s convenient for us to do, then can you expect others to have that same commitment as well?

Many people living in their ivory towers who never took God’s law seriously will scream at the top of their lungs when they don’t see the 10 Commandments featured at the county courthouse. 

Asking these questions in a rhetorical fashion, were the towns that had them Heavenly utopias when these tablets were featured there? Did people inscribe God’s law in their hearts while these tablets were featured in prominent position? Were these cities and the country crime free paradises free from stealing, murder, hate, and various other vices? These acts were still committed in a relative timescale throughout history, so why are people upset now about their removal? The Golden Rule applies here too. Those that didn’t keep God’s law in their hearts now have the nerve to blame others for not doing the same when they didn’t do it themselves? Many who failed in their ministry, instead of acknowledging that they had shortcomings, opted to just blame secularism instead. I guess it's easier to blame something else? 

By not showing concern until now, does that imply that those spiritual leaders felt that spreading God’s word wasn’t a priority until now? Otherwise does that imply that Jesus’s teachings weren’t that important to them in the first place?

Are those in the crowd genuinely concerned about the spiritual well-being of people, or are they just upset about a perceived loss for quote “Team God” as if it was a football game, forgetting what Christianity was about in the first place?  A person’s Christian identity isn’t defined by a WWJD arm bands or someone wearing a “Team Jesus” t-shirt, but defined by whether one keeps the teachings of Jesus in their hearts. Outward appearances are meaningless if one doesn't keep Jesus's teachings in their hearts.

The fact is that these spiritual needs have always been there, and there have always been the duty for Christians to go and reach out to those in need. Jesus demands this from us. He also demands us to embrace those suffering with open-arms and in a loving manner. The pursuit is a real one that needs to be embraced and encouraged. It’s a noble pursuit that should be embraced for those that pursue that relationship with God through Jesus. 

The pursuit of Salvation is a vital one. This is more the reason to be invested in it. It’s the reason why the teachings of Jesus should be at the forefront and spread rapidly for those that seek it or are in need of it. The pursuit of Salvation should be because we love Jesus and what he has done for us. 

The Golden rule here is that if we cherish the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, then Jesus will cherish those that accept his love and gift of Salvation. If one wants to spread God’s word, it’s should be because of our love for Jesus and the appreciation of the sacrifice that he made for us, and not because those in the ivory tower feel that “times running out” because society isn’t conforming to their particular worldview. This is outreach for the pursuit of spiritual bragging rights and self-promotion instead of the glorification of God.

Why we need to uphold the Golden Rule

In many ways, the Golden Rule is a pillar of our Democracy as well. The only reason why Democracy works is that in order for our rights to be upheld, we have to uphold the civic rights of others. The Golden Rule demands this. The reason why is that if one is dismissive of the rights of others, than can you expect others to have sympathy for you in return?

The Golden Rule is something that has to be applied with everybody, and not just within the Christian context. On one hand, Christians aren’t called to conform to others. However, is a democratic, civic society, everybody is upheld to the same standards and equal among others. When injustices among others are committed, we are called to uphold the rights for those who had the injustices committed against them. This is regardless of the religious and/or political afflictions, or lack of. This is regardless of wrongdoings due to the person being targeted because their Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, that of the LBGTQ community, or an Atheist. The Golden Rule kicks in again. 

If we don’t uphold their civic rights, then are they going to uphold our rights in return? Is there any obligation too when we don’t represent and give back in return? We can’t expect red carpet treatment when we don’t show respect for others in return in a civic manner. If were dismissive of the struggles of others, then one can’t expect respect in return. 

Democracy calls on us to uphold each other’s rights for the general benefit of self, community and country, and universal religious and personal rights. One has to give if they are to receive. One can’t be apathetic to the rights of others, but then demand others to show respect in return.

In Regard To The Coronavirus

This message was delivered a few months ago, in November 2018, before the Coronavirus outbreak occurred. Despite that, the Golden Rule demands that we show courtesy to others from a health aspect as well. the Golden Rule calls on us to show due diligence to others. We respect our own health as well as that of others. If we show little regard to a person's well-being, their not going to return that courtesy. Their is no respect for the fellow man if we are dismissive of the virus, thus not taking precautions, and potentially spreading it to others because of our own ignorance. The Golden Rule revolves around respect and common courtesy, and If we are respectful to the well-being of others, than people will return it in kind.

At the very least, even if there is a Christian believes that Coronavirus is a absurd conspiracy theory or myth, they should still take precautions as showing respect and empathy to others who are concern. The Golden Rules calls on them to do so. A total disregard of the disease, not exercise caution, shows to regard or compassion for other people's health. It's important to respect people's personal spaces, especially now while taking community spread into account.

Conclusion

The pursuit of Salvation should be because we love Jesus and what he has done for us. The Golden rule here is that if we cherish the sacrifice that Jesus made for us, then Jesus will cherish those that accept his love and gift of Salvation. Many are in the need of Salvation. It’s never too late to spread the good news. Life is uncertain, so one must be on the constant move to seek Salvation. It’s a task that one shouldn’t put off for a later time. Their might not be a later chance down the road. With that mentioned, if one wants to spread God’s word, it’s should be because of our love for Jesus and the appreciation of the sacrifice that he made for us, and not because those in the ivory tower feel that “times running out” because society isn’t conforming to their personal social or political worldview, often based on biases and stereotypes and sensationalist click-bait that's embraced on impulse without research.

A task that can be squandered if one becomes a slave to routine and falls back into the bad habits of ignoring the Golden Rule, building that spiritual ivory tower, demanding red carpet treatment becomes one treats Christianity as a label than a way of life while throwing around empty catch phrases while still expecting results. For those that have been a slave to bad habits, the path to spirituality is breaking the routine.

The pursuit of Salvation is a vital one. This is more the reason to be invested in it. It’s the reason why the teachings of Jesus should be at the forefront and spread rapidly for those that seek it or are in need of it. We have that grand opportunity to embrace our spiritual walk. It’s a pursuit that we are all called to partake in because we love God. This is the first and foremost reason to undertake it.