So much going on in the world right now, isn’t there? It’s hard to know what’s true and what’s not, and how to make sense of it all.
Yet what a gift it is that in the midst of the noise and the constantly shifting standards, we can know the truth Himself. The one who never changes and is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
You can download the free printable here.
Also, even though it’s been super quiet around here lately, I’ve actually been busier than usual.
In the midst of order-filling and home-office-managing and kid-coordinating, I also got to help my husband finish his latest book, which we’re thrilled to finally have ready. The subject matter isn’t “light reading” for sure, but we hope that it will be a blessing for many.
Here’s a bit of what I shared recently and how this hits so close to home for me personally.
I was born into a religious commune.
It was the seventies and everyone in the group “had everything in common” just like the early Christians in the book of Acts. My parents, barely out of childhood themselves, were convinced, along with the rest of the members, that theirs was the only truly righteous way to live. No one should be allowed to keep their own money, property, or anything else really. It all went into the collective. For these hippie teenagers and young twenty-something believers, the true test of discipleship was whether one was wiling to give up everything for the “brethren,” including one’s right to own anything individually rather than corporately. You could say it was a very real experiment in socialism. Or communism. As you might imagine, it didn’t end well.
More than forty years later, my extended family, along with so many others, are still sorting through the physical and spiritual aftermath. Ideas really do have consequences. Far beyond what most of us realize.
Perhaps not surprisingly, there’s been a resurgence of late around this idea that Jesus Himself was a socialist.
In other words, what is being contended by a growing number of people goes something like this: “Jesus was a socialist. Therefore, every true Christian must change everything by becoming a socialist and doing their utmost to uphold and spread socialist ideals to everyone else. Why? Because this is the truly compassionate, loving, and Christlike way of life. And those who do not believe this are living in opposition to the real Jesus. In fact, they are not true Christians.”
But is this true? Are they right and everyone else wrong? Was Jesus Christ really a socialist? And what are the ramifications of such an idea, one way or another?
The world-altering potential of this claim—if it is true, or if it is false—is far greater than most people realize. This notion could be the most pivotal issue of our lifetime, not to mention all of history. Ultimately, what we believe about Jesus and socialism will determine a great deal of our future as individuals, the church, our countries, and beyond. In fact, it is already having, and will continue to have a profound impact on the world, as well as on you and me, whether we realize it or not.
Which is why I’m so grateful for a husband who is deeply rooted and grounded in God’s Word, and who is willing to spend countless hours researching and writing on this vital topic, in between counseling full-time and being a faithful husband and father.
His book Jesus Was A Socialist? (The Life or Death Truth Everyone Needs to Know About Jesus & Socialism) is now available on Amazon and our ministry website. Our prayer is that it will be helpful in sorting through this trending issue in a realistic, truthful, and biblical way.
And if you (like me for so many years) aren’t sure who the real Jesus is or what it means to truly know Him, this is a great place to start.
Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
-John 8:31-32
I just bought the book. Thank you. It sounds like an absolutely fascinating read and I’m looking forward to pulling it up on my Kindle.
thanks, Diana! praying it’s a blessing for you!
I rarely buy books, but I’m really looking forward to reading this one. Thanks to you and your husband for all you do.
Thank you for sharing your gifts! I’ve been struggling with the resurfacing of things from the past that I would have like to have left dead and buried. This scripture is exactly what I needed to hear today. Printing and putting it on the wall. Praying for abundant blessings for you and your husband and that the Truth will indeed set us all free.
so glad this truth spoke to your heart, Cerenity! And thank you for your prayers – we are so grateful for them.
oh dear Emily, this is beautiful. Thank you for sharing about your childhood. And your husband’s new book. God is awesome, so important to know His truth, in so many ways for our lives. I do love freedom! and the main Truth about Jesus has set me free, free indeed! love, Sandy
thank you so much for your kind, encouraging words, Sandy! Yes, the freedom that the Lord and His Word brings is so precious, isn’t it?!
Hey, thanks for this blog episode! I’ve been really convicted about this as well. The difference I see between socialism and the early Christian church, is that giving everything up for the common good was not a requirement. Jesus never pressures. He lets us know what He has going on and we can opt in, or out … dare I say it … we can even opt partially in, as I did for so long, and as I learn who He is, and trust/love Him more, then I will dare to opt all in!
thanks, Erna – yes voluntary sharing is very different than a forced system, which is never taught in God’s Word. The error in our group and others, including things being advocated for today, is that they are being presented as “biblical” and so people are deceived into thinking that if they are truly following Christ, they have to buy into this socialist/marxist way of thinking. Which is not only a false representation of Christianity, but also has far-reaching and deadly consequences.