Teleios

@TeleiosResearch

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Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Christianity at the societal level

Welcome back to my blog! We are exploring together how the Bible can help you live a more contented, purposeful life!

I proposed last week that Christianity profits society on two broad levels: first, at the governmental level; and second, at the societal level. We discussed the first of these points, that a Biblical lifestyle, when adhered to among the population, promotes good government. This week we examine the influence of biblical Christianity at the local and national societal levels.

The Bible and Christianity promote a healthy society in at least four ways:

Order

The Bible emphasizes an organized society wherein each of us are responsible to government officials (Romans 13:1-7), our workplace bosses or clients, our position within the family structure (Colossians 3:1-4:2) and the leaders of our church (Hebrews 13:7). All of us are ultimately responsible to God for our behavior.

Order is an important Biblical design for our lives. Historically, the Gospel was brought forth in the Roman Empire. The Romans, while ruthless and despotic, maintained order internally which promoted peace and community works such as roads and a postal service. These advantages helped with the dissemination of Christianity.

Order still is needed in today’s society to allow for courtesies, helps and the spread of the Gospel. Such attributes exist only with difficulty in anarchy when citizens are trying to simply survive and fend off injustices and violence.

Doing good

The Bible tells us to do good to all men both within the church and society generally (Galatians 6:10). Such good works might include helping the poor, community cultural improvements, job creation and scientific discoveries.

Personal responsibility

The Bible teaches that we are to be responsible for our immediate family and ourselves, so we and our families do not burden society and so provide a good example of the church to our communities. We also are to work hard for our employers or clients for the glory of God (II Thessalonians 3:14, Colossians 3:17).

Respect for the individual

Christianity is most unusual among religions and political philosophies in emphasizing the importance of the individual. This stress allows us personal freedom to live by faith (Romans 14:24). Further, it teaches us to have careful regard for one another in how we speak and act, emphasizing a love (Greek: agape) that keeps the needs of the other person in view, bearing one another's burdens, having compassion and kindness towards one another (Galatians 6:2, Romans 12:9-16).

So how do these four factors help our local communities? If each of us is responsible for ourselves and our families, working hard for employers and clients, helping individuals and institutions in our community, all in a loving manner, we can build a gracious and supportive atmosphere where each of us can succeed. Further, as individuals find success and give back to their community we will create jobs, innovative new products and medical breakthroughs. For those who struggle within the church and community, in an attitude of respectful helpfulness, we can assist these people so they also may succeed.

In contrast, when individuals are dependent on the government they may develop an expectation of largesse built upon other people's work. Such government dependence, not based in work, does not promote a gracious giving community, and help improve the individual’s progression to financial independence or personal responsibility, or bring forth institutions or discoveries that help benefit society.

Each of us should be committed to teaching those younger than ourselves these truths, not only to teach the Gospel but to pass on what God’s word explains about creating a healthy, orderly, prosperous and caring society.

Thank you for visiting my blog today. I'm honored that you take time to read this post.

WC Stewart

@TeleiosResearch

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Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Christianity at the governmental level

Welcome back to my blog! We are exploring together what the Bible says about personal wellbeing. In other words, how can the Bible assist you in living a more contented, purposeful life?

I concluded last week’s blog with the thought that personal service benefits not just the individual serving, but the community as well; and this assistance promotes a courteous culture which allows all to pursue their best!

How Christianity influences society remains a controversial topic. I propose that Christianity profits society on two broad levels; first, at the governmental level, and second, in the local and national societal levels. This week we will examine the influence of biblical Christianity at the governmental level.

I emphasize the term ‘biblical Christianity,’ as opposed to the organized hierarchical Church, because the two have different goals and are based on a different set of beliefs. The former establishes its basis for decision making in the Bible and seeks to follow its precepts while the latter is grounded in certain man made distortions of the Bible.

In fact, the hierarchical church seeks to follow humanistic principles. Certainly it has performed many important functions historically, including especially in the Middle Ages such as:

· The maintenance of important historical documents for future generations

· Provision of an organized government and society in many localities

· The promotion of education and healthcare

· Secure living arrangements and employment for both men and women

· Community defense arrangements

However, the hierarchical church has departured from biblical Christianity from the late Middle Ages onward. It promoted unhealthy societal trends such as war, oppression, corruption and totalitarianism based in political opportunism, wealth and power. Its forceful influence was from a top-down perspective.

In contrast, biblically based Christianity promotes an organized society, based in the individual, where each person is encouraged to work and provide for their family (II Thessalonians 3:10-12), and to obey the government and pays their taxes (Romans 13:1-7). Further, each one of us should desire to maintain a good reputation in their work, be non-violent, raise responsible children (I Timothy 3:1-7), be honest (Ephesians 5:9) and do good to all men (Galatians 6:10). We will discuss these characteristics next week but suffice it to say in this blog these characteristics, on an individual level, should promote a societal atmosphere which allows for good and honest government.

Although to my knowledge no good academic, prospective, well-controlled study proves or disproves these points, the best evidence of my thesis is an analysis of world history and current society. It is those countries which historically have adhered most closely to biblical Christianity (Northern Europe, the UK and the countries derived from its original colonies) that generally are the most successful economically, enjoy functional non-corrupt government, live in free, organized and efficient societies, promote science and innovation, and fight for justice for those who cannot defend themselves or who are impoverished both inside and outside their own country.

Further, government benefits from a society based in biblical Christianity because it promotes honest, hardworking individuals who minimize the need for government action to maintain order as well as provide a population with individuals of strong character to serve in the armed forces and administration.

The Bible promotes healthy wellbeing not only for the individual, but also encourages healthy government and government societal interactions as well!

Thank you for joining me today. Come again next week as we discuss the Bible's benefit to local and national societies. I welcome your comments and questions.

WC Stewart

@TeleiosResearch

Response policy

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Service with a smile!

Welcome back to my blog! We are exploring together what the Bible says about personal wellbeing. Otherwise, how can the Bible assist you living a more contented purposeful life?

Last week we began a fascinating discussion of using our Biblically enhanced wellbeing to help other people. We first emphasized that our speech should not be used to satisfy primarily our own emotions or purposes, but to meet the needs of others. That takes some work!

However, to serve God we should turn our thoughts away from ourselves, as we are able, and reach out to others, not only using gracious speech, but our actions as well. Amazingly, the service we provide to others further enhances not only our knowledge of God, but our own wellbeing as well (Colossians 1:10). In a survey Teleios performed recently at Grace Community Church in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, pastored by Dr. Rod MacIlvaine, we found among over 300 attendees that those who were involved in church or community service demonstrated greater personal wellbeing.¹

Why would this be? We do not know for certain, but we could speculate the following:

Those who serve other people have the satisfaction of knowing they are meeting the desires of God;
Their own problems are put into proper perspective not only by perceiving the suffering of other people but also by ordering their own priorities under God’s;
By serving they will focus less on their own troubles perhaps reducing the emotional burden of these problems.

Of course, the benefit of serving others is not limited to the person giving but also to the individuals or communities receiving the help. The benefit of service has been little studied in the medical literature, to our knowledge, however, we believe that assistance to communities and giving to individuals promotes a gracious and courteous culture which allows all to pursue their best.

Consider too that a generous local community helps people to remove their dependence on state subsistence which requires taxpayer funding and limits local community action and individual care for one another. Such dependence on a distant government may result potentially in a cold and self-focused community.

Thank you for joining me today. I welcome your comments and questions.

WC Stewart