{"id":1024,"date":"2017-02-19T10:30:10","date_gmt":"2017-02-19T15:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/admin.patheos.com\/blogs\/thenakedjesus\/?p=1024"},"modified":"2017-02-19T00:00:26","modified_gmt":"2017-02-19T05:00:26","slug":"we-are-called-to-resist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thenakedjesus\/2017\/02\/we-are-called-to-resist\/","title":{"rendered":"We Are Called to Resist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

\"Use
Use as you desire<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Resistance is learning to dance with the Divine
\nResistance isn\u2019t against the teachings of the Divine.
\nResistance isn\u2019t an \u201canti<\/em>\u201d thing.
\nResistance is being open to the voice of the Divine.
\nResistance is being empathic to the pains of others.<\/p>\n

While those in power may see it as anti<\/em>, those exercising their right to resist don\u2019t see it that way. Resist, in all it\u2019s glory, is a verb; a call to action. One of the definition for resist<\/em> is, \u2018struggle against someone or something<\/em>.\u2019 While the noun, resistance<\/em>, is defined as, \u2018the refusal to accept or comply with something; the attempt to prevent something by action or argument<\/em>.\u2019 Resistance is standing behind what you believe is right; what you believe the Divine desires from you. The origin of the word come from the late Middle English; from French r\u00e9sistance<\/em>, from late Latin resistentia<\/em>, from the verb resistere<\/em> \u2018hold back.\u2019 Many church leaders say we\u2019re not to resist those in authority, because they believe God placed all authority over us. For example,\u00a0Robert Deffinbaugh, at Community Bible Chapel in Richardson, Texas<\/a>, said, \u201cWhether the government be totalitarian or democratic, the Christian\u2019s obligation to submit to it is the same.\u201d <\/em>But I wonder. One of the key realities of our faith journey is to resist the culture, resist doing harming others, resist following the status quo, resist what we see as wrong, resist those seeking to harm others for their own gain.<\/p>\n

When people use those scriptures, they often leave out an important part. They quote, \u2018Be a good citizen. All governments are under God.<\/em>\u2019 But they leave out the part that says, \u2018Insofar as there is peace and order, it\u2019s God\u2019s order.\u2019<\/em> What if there is no peace? What if there is no order?<\/p>\n

Was Jesus resisting authority when he questioned the Pharisees?
\nWas Jesus resisting authority when he over turned the tables in the temple?
\nWas John the Baptist resisting authority when he publicly scolded King Herod for his infidelity?
\nWas Peter, and the other Apostles, resisting authority when they refused to stop preaching?
\nWas Paul resisting authority when he refused to abandon his missionary work?
\nWas Luther resisting authority when he started the Protestant Reformation?
\nWas Martian Luther King resisting authority when he marched for equal rights?
\nWere the those who founded the United States resisting authority during the Revolutionary War?<\/p>\n

Resistance has a long, and Divine, history among the faithful. Some great voices from the past, the prophets, the apostles, and the authors of the Collective Narrative (including the writer of Romans Chapter 13) <\/em>understood that human authority \u2013 even civil authority \u2013 is limited. The idea of resistance is not found in the idea that we must remain silent when we see authorities doing what is contrary to the heart of the Devine.<\/p>\n

In Paul\u2019s letter to the Romans, he writes:<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it\u2019s going to blaze hot and high, God\u2019s fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what\u2019s coming to you\u2014Real Life<\/em> for those who work on God\u2019s side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!\u201d <\/em>[Romans 2:5-8]<\/p>\n

The key things for me, are:<\/strong>
\nWe must advocate for what we believe is right in the eyes of the Divine
\nThat there will be a time when our faith is tested, and we must resist giving into the status quo
\nThat Real Life starts when we stand for those ideals we hold to be right in the eyes of the Divine
\nThat not resisting is the path of least resistance<\/p>\n

Notice that Paul is talking about resisting ideas, the culture, the harm silence causes; the harm caused by ideas that remove the human factor in favor of profit, political gain, and marginalizing the marginalized. Resistance is not disobedience, it is in fact what we are called to do when authority moves from the path of the Divine, and into the path of personal gain. Still, people will say [usually those who the resistance is against], \u2018we are not judge another people<\/em>,\u2019 and, as I said before, I agree \u2013 but again, in our resistance we are not judging the person, we are judging the idea; we are judging whether something does, or doesn\u2019t, following the Teachings of the Divine. We are resisting what we see as being harmful to others, those we are told to care for. We see resistance as a way of keeping focused on the teachings of the Divine.<\/p>\n

Resistance is never futile.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Was John the Baptist resisting authority when he publicly scolded King Herod for his infidelity?
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