Hopey Changey? Christian Attitude Toward the President…

Recently, I have heard many people bash Obama over his first seven months in office… yes, only seven months. I recall 2001… President Bush after his first year in office, after September 11 and our response, had wonderful approval ratings and almost the full support of Congress… yet only seven years later… yes, seven years, he had one of the lowest approval ratings of any world leader of all time.

I expect everyday educated citizens to express either pleasure or displeasure over the policies and actions of a Presidential Administration, even those who claim to be strong Christians and believers, however, I am disturbed by a trend. President Bush, even though the economy was dying, the war in Iraq was nearly a disaster – and still going on, etc etc etc, was continually praised by conservative Christian leaders. Likewise, these same group of people continually bash virtually everything that President Obama does. Why? It is simple, President Bush is a Republican who is generally considered to be conservative. By contrast, President Obama is the opposite. Ironically, however, they both claim to be Christians – one from a “conservative” point of view, the other from a “liberal” point of view.

Now granted, I do not expect everyone to agree on everything, and like most Christians, I am against Abortion and Homosexual Marriage – though I am not against civil unions. Granted, policies are shaped by party ideology, and we should expect, when the same party controls the Executive and the Legislative that there will be little compromise, yet, we should also know that the political climate changes and typically goes in waves.

That said, to me, scripturally, Christians, and especially those in authority positions – i.e. pastors, deacons, priests, bishops, theologians, etc etc, instead of making fun of slogans, or comparing Obama to Hitler and Stalin (search for Rick Joyner’s report on HR3200, the Health Reform Bill), they should, yes, informa there parishioners of their Christian duty, and yes, they should be concerned, but, like I said, instead of making a name for themselves, they should put themselves in their “closet” and pray, pray for the President, the Congress, the Supreme Court, their governors, state governments, local governments, etc. Being critical is one thing… as long as those being critical are not making fun of the leadership, as long as the criticism is informed and accurate, as long as the criticism does not promote fear (but prayer, blessing and love). If it does not do these things, then those of us who do criticize, either openly or in private, do so in sin. Prophets in the Old Testament, the ultimate social critic, yes spoke against those in authority, but did so by the direct word of God – not in sarcasm, not haughtily – but humbly and in fear, the urged the leadership to repent, the told the leadership the truth that God had given them – not their own opinions but God’s Will, and they prayed and fasted for those in authority. Sadly though, it appears the exact opposite is happening today.

JZ Holloway

What I Believe…

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and Earth, of all things visible and invisible…

God the Father, First Person of the Trinity, or Godhead, is the Creator and Author of all things. This includes all things living as well as that which is unliving. All matter, whether visible – either through naked vision, or through instruments; all matter invisible, to include any viable scientific theory, or theological mystery, was and is created, authored, and willed by God the Father. He is Almighty in all things, neither created nor able to be destroyed. He transcends all human thought, logic, philosophy or theology.

… And in one Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, the only begotten, born of the Father before all ages…

Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father and the Second Person of the Trinity. Born of God the Father, not created, as is mankind. Christ existed with and in the Father before the foundations of the world, before time itself existed, for time only exists within physical and astronomical parameters – Christ, as with the Father, transcends space, time, and human understanding.

… Light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, of one substance with the Father, through Whom all things were made…

Christ is light, the only light. He is truly God and is of God (the Godhead), again, born of God, not created as was mankind. He exists as one with the Father, again, transcendent of all things able to be known by man – the same existence as the Father. Christ is the Word, the Logos as St. John the Apostle says – the spoken Word by which all things were made in the beginning of time as mankind knows it. Beyond this, He is creation, for the Word, the Logos itself is creation, all creation is bound within the Logos, thus all creation is bound in Christ.

… Who for us men and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and Mary the Virgin, and became man…

Christ, due to the Fall of Man, came to earth, from His Heavenly Throne, by the Will of the Father and by His own Free Will, so that all the world may be saved. This denies the doctrine of the Predestination of just the Saints, but points to the entire world being predestined to hear and have the ability to receive, as well as reject, salvation through Jesus Christ. He was born of a Virgin named Mary, through the power of the Holy Spirit – the Third Person of the Godhead. This insures Jesus Christ continues to contain the substance of the Father, as well as having the substance of mankind, thus becoming the “second Adam,” thus enabling mankind to have the ability to receive the Grace of God and salvation.

… He was also crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried..

Jesus Christ was killed, under the authority of the world, Rome, represented by Pontius Pilate, Governor of the Province of Judea, through the manipulation of the corrupt Jewish leaders of the time. Christ suffered – beaten, scourged, tortured. Christ died, and then was buried. This cements the humanity of Christ.

… And He rose again on the third day, according to the scriptures…

On the third day after His death, Jesus Christ rose from the dead, thus fulfilling the scriptures contained in the Hebrew Scriptures. This affirms his divinity, as well as the salvation power for which Christ came to give to all of mankind.

… And He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father…

Jesus Christ rose into heaven, again, affirming His divinity, and He sits at the right hand of God the Father, affirming his Lordship and Kingship over all. This resounds with the scripture calling Christ the “Prince of Peace.”

… And He will come again with glory, to judge the living and the dead, and of His kingdom there will be no end…

At the time of the Father’s choosing, Christ will once again, physically, return to earth. His purpose is not to “rapture” the faithful, but to judge all, both those who are living on the earth, as well as those who are dead, both those who have and do believe, and those who do not. At this moment, the heavenly kingdom will be completed on earth, denoting the vision of St. John the Apostle of a New Jerusalem – a kingdom of peace – descending to earth. This kingdom cannot be defeated as all previous earthly kingdoms have been, but is eternal and will last for all eternity.

… And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father (and the Son), who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, Who spoke through the prophets…

The Holy Spirit, as mentioned above, is the Third Person of the Trinity. He is the Giver of Life, by the Will of the Father, and through the Word – Logos – which is the Son. Without the Holy Spirit, there is no life. A picture of this is Ezekiel in the Valley of Dry Bones. The Father Willed the bones to come together and be alive, Ezekiel prophesied to the bones to come together – i.e. spoke the Word (Logos – the Son), and then breathed life into them – i.e. The Holy Spirit. He, along with the Father and the Son, as One God, is, and is to be, worshipped and glorified. The Holy Spirit is the Person who brings the Word to those who the Father wishes to speak.

… In one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church…

The Church is One, the Church is Holy, the Church is Universal, the Church is Apostolic. The Church is built on the foundation of the apostles – St. Peter being the rock – and the prophets – the Word of God. The Church is to cover the entire world and is to be united through the teachings of thr apostles and by Christ being Her Head. The Church is made holy through the administration of the Sacraments – most notably Baptism and the Eucharist, but also including Holy Matrimony, Unction (annointing with oil), Holy Orders (deacons, priests, and bishops), Confirmation (the inferring of the Holy Spirit), and Confession (both through private confession to a priest and reconciliation with those sinned against and with those who have sinned against you).

… I profess one baptism for the remission of sins…

Only belief and the following of Christ brings salvation. No other belief system, creed, or initiation brings salvation, only death.

…I expect the resurrection of the dead; and the life of the world to come…

When Christ comes to judge both the living and the dead, the dead will be raised to be judged. Once judgement is complete, the kingdom of God will be completed and perfected in both heaven and earth, and the life to come with that is eternal.

… Amen.

So be it.

JZ Holloway

Update…

Hello everyone, just wanted to give an update on whats going on with me. For awhile, I might not be able to get any posts up, though I am still working on about three right now.

Sometime this week, I will be moving from Athens, GA. First, I will head home to Thomaston, GA, then spend a few days in Selma, AL. On Aug. 11 or 12 I will be heading up to North Carolina to be with Ruthanne and her family for a family reunion on her mother’s side. Then once that is completed, I will follow them back up to Rhode Island and be living there. Katherine, mine and Ruthanne’s daughter, is due on Oct. 2, and we appreciate everyone’s prayers and support.

Lastly, before I leave for Rhode Island, I do hope to get at least on of the articles I have been working on, or at least the first part of it, so we will see.

God Bless,

JZH

New Book – “Apologies & Treatises” 2nd Edition Now Available

My latest book, “Apologies & Treatises: Populist Christianity” 2nd Edition is now available.

This book covers a wide range of questions concerning Christianity, including Predestination, Condemnation Theology, Good (and God) and Evil, and Sin. The new edition not only corrects typographical errors, but also includes new material. The new material covers everything from Politics to Islam.

Apologies and Treatises: Populist Christianity, 2nd edition can be found at Amazon.com.