Christianity and Society: Part 2

 

Welcome back to my blog. Last time we began exploring the benefits of Christianity to society. We discussed the extensive list of how Christianity helps societies both now and in past centuries. Christianity is not only good for society, but it is also better than anything the world has to offer. This week let's explore the negative drawbacks of secular society.

 

What do those opposed to Christian society offer?

 

Secular society offers a godless, globalist government to replace the living God and Christ. Secular society desires to create a world with the following characteristics:

 

• Promotes people and institutions that destroy Christianity in the culture through the media, the educational establishment, Hollywood, select political parties, the American Civil Liberties Union, Southern Poverty Law Center, and Planned Parenthood. Destroying Christianity clears society of burdensome obstructions for its own rule.

 

• Consequently, Christians must be alert as it may become against the law to speak about Christianity or against government principles as in many countries of the world today. Even in Europe or Canada, a person can be jailed for criticizing the government’s selected favorite groups.

 

• To cause the government to become the replacement god.

 

• Even as unbelievers scoff at weak Christians for needing to depend on God, they themselves, in great faith, seek a powerful global government to be their god in the hopes of having their desires met.

 

• To develop a secularist, socialist, statist government that operates in a dark world of suppression, preventing people from meeting their dreams and goals, finding love, raising their children as they deem appropriate, as well as expressing their thoughts and ideas.

 

• Each person, instead of being embraced by their family, their community or church is tethered directly to the state for employment, a place to live, family and education.

 

• Extreme examples at the end of the statist totalitarian process are North Korea, Cuba, and Venezuela, where the people are reduced to entities of no financial or intrinsic worth and have nothing.

 

• A more realistic, near-term example is modern Europe, which is a model for the globalist and statist state in the US. In much of Europe, the government:

 

• Actively suppresses individual thought, including Christianity and freedom of speech.

 

• Control education so that our young people will be raised to believe and statist in socialist values.

 

• Actively minimizes individual achievement through high taxes so individualism, savings, entrepreneurship and professional advancement are difficult. Job creation comes through the government or large government supported industry.

 

• Consequently, people seek to blend in, not to attract attention in their jobs or by their opinions and often avoid marrying and having children. They accept what the government offers and says, even in the face of grave dangers to society, such as rampant Islamization, crime, and illegal migration.

 

Don’t fall for the statist religion! Now is the time to stand and express the things we have and how good they are. How can we do this simply?

 

Realize that you are right and should not be shy about your faith. God’s victory is at the end of the world, and the ultimate war has been won! But until that final victory, we face battles that can be lost. Historically, there are places where Christianity all but disappeared in name or practice due to despotic regimes. Don’t let that happen where you live! Stand up and pray in faith for what is right and good for your future and your children. 

 

For more on this important topic, please visit our site devoted to the benefits of Christianity under the section “Society Benefits’ at Bible Benefits.

 

Thanks again for joining me today I will look for you next time.

 

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

 

Email – info@teleiosresearch.com

Website – http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer – This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

Christianity and Society: Part 1

 

Benefit to the individuals composing the population

 

Welcome back to my blog. I do appreciate you visiting. In recent blogs we have been exploring the exciting topic of how biblical truth enhances personal wellbeing. However, Christianity offers advantages not only to the individual, but to society as a whole. This has been an understudied and unappreciated benefit of Christianity to the world especially where it has been implemented in what became first world countries.

 

Academics who hate Christ want to dismiss Christianity frequently based on humanism, the inquisition, and the crusades. However, the overwhelming evidence is that there exists a general benefit to society of Christianity based: on economics, relief for the poor, education, medical care and freedoms. Christianity has had a profound impact on society throughout history, offering numerous benefits. Let’s explore Christianity’s benefit to whole populations and associated Teleios research.

 

Christianity and society

 

Bible based Christianity and society 

 

We 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. Biblically based Christianity promotes an organized society, based in the individual that encourages Christians to:

• Work and provide for their family (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12)
• Obey the government and pay their taxes (Romans 13:1-7)
• Maintain a good reputation in their work (1 Timothy 3:7)
• Be non-violent (1 Timothy 3:2)
• Raise responsible children (1 Timothy 3:4-5),
• Be honest (Ephesians 5:9)
• Do good to all men (Galatians 6:10)

Biblical Christianity’s effect on society 

 

These biblical exhortations to individual Christians work then to profit society on two broad levels: first, at the governmental level; and second, in the local and national societal levels.

• Local communities and governments – These institutions typically benefit from biblical Christianity working at the individual and church levels because they promote a community and organizations that help each other, assist the poor, benefit the general wellbeing of the community, and support the local government.
• Federal government – The national government benefits from a society based in biblical Christianity because the Bible promotes honest, hardworking individuals who minimize the need for government action to maintain order. Christianity helps build a population of individuals with strong character to serve in the bureaucracy, work hard to progress the economy, be responsible for family and friends, serve in the armed forces and bureaucracy and promote order in society.

 

The importance of the historical hierarchal church 

 

This form of the church generally is grounded in certain man-made institutions that often distort or add to the Bible. Nonetheless, the hierarchical church has performed many important functions historically, especially in the Middle Ages when the governments themselves were often weak:

• The maintenance of important historical documents for future generations

• Provision of an organized government and society

• The promotion of education, elderly care, and healthcare

• Secure living arrangements and employment for both men and women

• Organization of community defense arrangements

• Providing for societal order that allowed for families providing for themselves in honest labor and ultimately the expansion of commerce

However, the hierarchical church’s departure from biblical Christianity from the late Middle Ages onward, helped cause, in combination with increasingly despotic humanistic kings, several unhealthy societal trends such as war, oppression, corruption and totalitarianism based in political opportunism, wealth and power. Its forceful influence was from a non-biblical top-down perspective.

 

OK, let's stop there for today. Christianity has provided numerous benefits to society over the centuries. These contributions have helped shape societies in various positive ways. 

Next time let's explore what our response should be as Christians of these benefits that our religion provides to society. That is the key question as Christians often are reticent to speak up and defend their religion versus a government and educational institutions that dislike and mock us. Ultimately, we will explore some of the research that Teleios has performed showing the benefits of Christianity in society. The results are striking! 

 

For more on this important topic, please visit our site devoted to the benefits of Christianity under the section “Society Benefits’ at Bible Benefits.

 

Thanks again for joining me today I will look for you next time. 

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email - info@teleiosresearch.com

Website - http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

 

 

 

Why do you feel guilty?

 

Welcome back to my blog. I'm glad you're here. Today, we discuss an important issue among Christians: guilt. Christians often feel guilt for many reasons:

1. Many Christians focus on their sins and moral shortcomings. This heightened awareness can lead to feelings of guilt when they perceive they have done something wrong.
2. Christians strive to live according to the teachings of Jesus and the Bible. When they fall short of these standards, they may feel guilty as a natural response to their desire to be more Christ-like.
3. The Christian community and its teachings often stress the importance of acknowledging and repenting for sins. This cultural aspect can reinforce feelings of guilt when individuals believe they have not lived up to these expectations.

 

We have considered in prior blogs that the first step to improved biblically based wellbeing is acceptance by faith of Christ’s forgiveness for our misdeeds by his death and resurrection. Then we evaluated the importance of understanding that our salvation is secure!

 

So then, why do Christians feel guilty? This appears to be a common emotion in our society and almost certainly reduces wellbeing. The exact incidence of guilt is unknown in the general population or in the church, but anecdotally this author can attest that guilt is seen in almost all young people, even if they have grown up in the church and consider themselves Christians.

 

Recently Teleios surveyed a group of attendees of a conservative Bible teaching church to determine their levels of guilt and underlying reasons. In total 70% said they felt guilty. Look below at the results! Who knew? Table 1 shows potential reasons for guilt and additional effects for those expressing feeling of guilt. Learn more at https://teleiosresearch.com/the-influence-of-guilt-on-wellbeing/.

To summarize these findings, among 70% of churchgoers in a strong evangelical church who admit to guilt, it appears to occur at three basic different levels:

• Unbelieving Individuals – These respondents have not understood the complete saving grace provided by Christ’s death, accessed by faith alone.
• Spiritually Insecure Individual – These believers have failed to understand that they are secure in their salvation and cannot become unsaved.
• Disturbed Relationship with God – This group appears to be the most common. They understand they are saved and secure but still believe they must work to satisfy God for His acceptance on a day to day basis.

 

Teleios also performed a survey on the University of Georgia campus and found that approximately 70% of evangelical Christians felt guilty although fortunately the level of guilt was mild and did not appear to affect their overall wellbeing. Learn more at https://teleiosresearch.com/religious-social-influences-wellbeing-college-students/.

 

So, what is the cure for guilt?

 

The Bible makes no provision for guilt for a believer. Search the epistles and see if you can find it!

 

The Bible indicates that we have free access to Christ, our great high priest, to help us with every need at any time! We can approach God with courage, unimpeded and unafraid (Hebrews 2:17-18; Hebrews 4:14-16).

 

The Bible tells us that Christ died once for all our wrongdoings. For anyone who does not believe they have been forgiven, there is no alternative provision for their sin (Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 10:12-18).

 

Therefore, the solution to misdeeds for the Christian is to not ask for forgiveness but to acknowledge God’s merciful forgiveness that has already been granted (Colossians 1:14; Ephesians 1:7), recognize His acceptance and our access (Hebrews 10:19-22) and to become obedient, moving forward and maturing in the faith (Galatians 3:1; Galatians 5:7; Romans 6:16-23; Hebrews 5:11-6:1).

 

What a healthy outlook! As a Christian we can know that we are forgiven, sure in our relationship with God through Christ, know we have a wonderful high priest to help us in our time of need, and when we commit a wrong, we are confident of our forgiveness. Guilt is not part of the biblical Christian life!

 

In summary, Christ’s forgiveness is meant to replace feelings of guilt. The core message of Christianity is that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross offers forgiveness for sins. This grace is a gift that believers can accept, which should alleviate guilt and lead to a sense of peace and freedom.

 

Thanks again for joining me. Please come again next time as we continue vital and interesting topics on the Christian life. 

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email - info@teleiosresearch.com

Website - http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.

 

 

Biblical Speech: Part 2

 

Welcome back to my blog. Today, we continue the discussion of biblically-based speech.

 

The Bible has much to say about our speech and the power of our words. The way we speak to each other is a critical aspect of godly living. Yet controlling our speech is quite difficult and rarely discussed. With biblical input and thinking, we will find it much easier to speak in a fashion that loves people and pleases God. However, biblical speech patterns do not come naturally. In the last blog we discussed how to think about speech and then considered specific ways to better communicate with others to build a strong relationship. 

 

Today let's talk about what not to say in trying to build good relationships by which we could spread the gospel or encourage others. At the end we will examine some Teleios research regarding how millennials think about speech. 

 

What not to say! Here are some speech habits to avoid:

• Don’t just talk about yourself. Ask questions to the other person to encourage them to speak which gives you a chance to listen and learn about them and their needs. 
• Do not interrupt except in rare circumstances when you really need to move the conversation forward.
• Do not criticize the person with whom you are speaking. If you must, and there’s no other option, then do so framed with commendation and appreciation for the person’s other attributes.
• Do not criticize or talk about people not in the conversation unless you have a specific compassionate goal in creating a plan to help that person. Do not say anything about someone you would not say to their face.
• Do not complain unless you’re making a specific plan of action to help resolve the issue surrounding the complaint.
• Watch that sense of humor, especially with people that you do not know who might take offense with your joking particularly in this very sensitive age. Never make somebody else, or a group, the object of a joke.
• Do not dominate the conversation. When somebody mentions something about themselves do not turn the conversation immediately back to yourself even if you want to provide your own related experience or opinion.
• Do not make points by telling long stories. Say your point succinctly and move on. Generally, use an example story only if you must clarify your point.
• Do not repeat your statements. Say your point once and stop, allowing the other person to speak. Dead air time is okay; you don’t have to fill up every moment with speech.
• Do not exaggerate.
• Do not make sweeping or specific judgments that you cannot defend.
• Do not claim credit for other people's work or ideas. Be happy for other people's success.  
• If someone has a good idea don't respond by saying ‘right’ or ‘I knew that ‘. In contrast, give them credit for the novel thinking and compliment them. 

 

Speaking in a biblical way to other people's needs will help you, not only with your relationships in a secular sense, but also to build bridges for the gospel and the opportunity for Christ to work in somebody's life.

 

Teleios Research

 

Teleios Research recently evaluated adolescents and millennials regarding their speech. The survey was promoted on the Christian Instagram accounts, InstaPray and GodsHolyScriptures. Of the 215 participants the majority were: female (52%), <30 years old (93%), from the United States (83%), and evangelical (68%).

 

The top 3 responses are listed below (Tables 1-5) and show a strong minority, at least on a list provided by a survey, are cognizant of the need to help others with speech and to discuss our great God with others.

In summary, biblical speech is key to a functioning, effective, loving body of Christ. That is not to say that we should talk all the time about godly things, encouraging others and expressing gratitude. However, we should endeavor to keep the environment in which we meet people controlled and generate enough profitable speech that the overall atmosphere is productive and biblically based, even if you’re discussing football and recipes at the same time.

 

Remember, our words have weight. They can heal or hurt, encourage or discourage. So, let’s choose wisely and speak life! 

 

Read more at https://teleiosresearch.com/our-christian-walk-biblical-speech/. 

 

Thank you for reading my blog, and join me again next time as we continue discussing the Christian life.

 

William C. Stewart, MD

 

Email - info@teleiosresearch.com

Website - http://teleiosresearch.com/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TeleiosResearch

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/TeleiosResearch

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/TeleiosVideos/

 

Disclaimer - This blog and its content are provided only as information and are intended for visitors 18 and older. No content on the website should be taken as advice or recommendation to any personal or institutional situation. The views expressed are those of the author alone and not necessarily either shared or endorsed by Teleios. Both the blog and the contents are subject to change at any time without notice. Although I endeavor to ensure that the blog and the content are current and accurate, it may contain errors. I do not represent that the blog or the content is current, accurate or complete, or appropriate for your specific requirements. I do not accept any liability from any person for the blog, the content or any other information (or the use of such information) I provide. I do not have a seminary degree, but I have trained myself in the scriptures to teach and provide this information. For any specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your own research into the scriptures.