East nor West

While it is easy to discuss whether east or west is broken down in Christ the completeness of what is meant by 'east' and 'west' is another thing. Rather than polarize as to one interpretation or the other, the most favorable position is 'all': the lines of separation in Christ are broken down between east and west geographically: it does not matter what land or region one is from. Likewise, cultures and philosophies and politics from one extreme to the other are no longer the first thought in Christ, as long as His holy doctrine is not contradicted. Whether physical or figurative, the great differences between people are broken down.


We have already seen this removal of the partition between people, or the "Great Tolerance" in our discussions of differences between male and female [gender], Jew nor Greek [race and religion], bond or free [condition] and others, but now we see, that as long as His Word is paramount and forefront, our differences as human beings are unessential to God. Before, it was mentioned that this Blood-Bought Tolerance does not erase differences into some naive ecumenism or one-world one-human-race easy 'all-join-hands' philosophy which is in reality, unaccomplishable. Rather, the removal of the partition between East and West does not mean every philosophical and cultural tenet must be tolerated and accepted by all, but that those things posited as east and west add to the uniqueness of the individual coming to Christ, to the uniqueness of the way Christ is viewed [at least in part, for Christ is genuine and singular], and like gender, race, culture and condition add to the glory of God's unique creation.



What are we grafted into, when we come to Christ, or Messiah? We are grafted into the vine of Israel, given adoption as sons and children of the promises, prophecies, the Word, the Messiah, and Canaan, the New Jerusalem and Eternal Life in Heaven. Here is a remarkable statement: When we accept Christ, we become Jews. That will no doubt astound most traditional Christians who have never been taught this, but it is the vine of true Israel we are grafted into.
[Romans 9-11]


One has to be careful when stating that, because it is at once both central and critical to living in Messiah, and it is also the source of aberrant doctrine, and some will use it to displace the Jews of History, while others will tend toward going back to religion instead of relationship. In the Messianic movement I have seen this: some seek 'being Jewish' more than they seek their Messiah, or Christ, and some even shudder if you use the Greek or hellenized 'Jesus Christ' instead of Y'shua Ha' Meschiach'. The second is certainly more accurate, but if you love Him, you will find there is no name He is called by which will offend.



Returning though to the issue of East and West, in the days when Jesus walked in Israel, teaching and embodying the Word of God, many from tradition have a mental picture that it was all Jewish, and that Gentiles or citizens of other nations were not often encountered. While this was somewhat true in the more rural regions, around Jerusalem and Bethany where much of his teaching and later 'passion' took place, Jesus and His disciples encountered many persons from different nations. Simon of Cyrene was from North Africa, the soldiers so frequently mentioned were from Italy and Rome, and Greeks are mentioned frequently. During the holiday seasons of the Feasts, merchants would come to Jerusalem and other larger cities bringing spices, foods, merchandise and animals to sell, and on the day of Pentecost 16 nations are represented as having heard the Gospel in their own language. Most likely on the day when the crowds called for Jesus to be crucified, they would have included the merchandisers of Passover as well. No doubt they also called for the death of the Messiah, who would not be bought or sold.

When East and West collide in the House of God, it is a delight if walking and viewing it IN the MIND OF CHRIST, but it can be a disaster if the congregation is not knit together in and by the Holy Spirit. Persons from differing locations and cultures have different ways of treating their children: some view love and spoiling the same, some view discipline and abuse the same. When putting on the MIND OF CHRIST, the differences lessen because the Word of God and the commandments become paramount: the authority of the Word in how to raise our children or treat a spouse greatly lessens differences though there may be some left within the bounds of the Word. The Word and the act of Christ on the Cross, permanently rent the vail between man and God. Golgotha also did away with the divisive prejudices of where people are from, what color they are or what background they come to Christ with. Though our Churches are very different, a Christian from Bangkok should be able to comfortably fit into worship of a true Christian Church in Europe or America. [note 1]

Our differences in food and ways of celebration, in the arts and so forth as long as they are pure and innocent in and by the Word are not causes of division, but reasons to rejoice and joy in one another; in coming to understand the intricate and complex beauty which God has woven into human society: it is a new tolerance based upon self-less-ness [see "Self-less-ness"-this blog, Oct 30th,2005]

Differences Which Do Matter

There are however differences which do matter, and these have all to do with philosophy and religion. While no one religion owns the Christ of Heaven, there is Christ's doctrine, and the World's doctrine, or His teaching vs the World's. The mind of Christ is not the mind of the secular world and while many try to draw lines of demarcation between religion and the world, the correct demarcation is between the way of Jesus Christ and the way of the world. 'Religion' is used in the vernacular to refer to any systematic way of worshipping or dealing with God.
A formal definition follows:

"any specific system of belief and worship, often involving a code of ethics and a philosophy." This definition would exclude religions that do not engage in worship. It implies that there are two important components to religion:

	one's belief and worship in a deity or deities
	one's ethical behavior towards other persons Websters New World Dictionary, Third College Edition 1990

Religions of the world do not at all meet in unison in Christ. This is because many stand opposed to His mind and heart and teachings. All religions contrary to popular opinion, do not share the same God. Some have multiple gods, some pagan spirits which inhabit creation, some have gods based upon Greek and Roman archetypes of Zeus of a white bearded man sitting on Mt. Olympas throwing thunderbolts, some are of Nordic mythology and legend and some worship idols. None of these systems arrive at the one God of Heaven who called himself "I Am", and who alone claims to be the one God who exists with no others. Christians are often criticized because they claim "one way" to God, but what they are saying is that God has presented Himself to man as ONE [in Judaism, the Echad], that He presented Himself first in His Creation, and in the Breath of God which speaks and creates and governs, and then in the Written Word, then in the Incarnation or manifestation of God in the Flesh, Jesus Christ.
He is present in the indwelling and work of the Holy Spirit and Shekinah Glory,
and will be present again. We have no problem if we are told that there is one answer to an addition problem: we would think it odd for people to make up or follow their own answers. If an isolated village had one road leading to it, and we instead chose every other road arguing that some roads are better, some cleaner, some prettier, and others much broader and easier, we could travel freely but never arrive at the village. The idea here is not prejudice or condemnation or a lack of tolerance for other roads, only the blood bought wisdom of knowing which road travels to the eternal destination we desire: peace, joy and bliss in the presence of the One who bought it for us.

MORE TO FOLLOW.....
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NOTES
1 An unfortunate characteristic though of many Western churches as opposed to Churches in what were formerly called 'Third World' is that Christians from oppressive dictatorships or cultures in which practicing Christianity is either criminal or persecuted, is that American Churches have become very materialistic and less dedicated, but that is hardly the fault of Christ, but of our own choosing.