Tough Political and/or Economic Times: How Do You Respond?

 

 The world continues to be a confection of misery, adding more ingredients to its misery recipe by the day. Is there any hope for better economic and/or political atmospheres? How should people handle or react to tough political and/or economic times that transform into oppression? What is God's desire? What about the Constitution in reference to God's desire? Is there biblical significance? What is the main problem? Why are people the way they are?

Answers to these and more questions are elaborated in this piece.

The Table of Contents shows all the topics covered up to the last part. Ten parts are featured, and one can move to the next via the linked pages at the bottom left of this page. This page only covers Part 1 (the first, second, and third topics). 

Part 2 - Topics 4 & 5, Part 3 - Topic 6, Part 4 - Topic 7, Part 5 - Topics 8 & 9, Part 6 - Topics 10 & 11, Part 7 - Topics 12, 13, 14, & 15, Part 8 - Topic 16, Part 9 - Topics 17, 18, 19, & 20, and Part 10 - Topics 21, 22, 23, & 24.

Part 1

Proem

People have had enough of noxious political and/or economic practices deemed oppressive, and for this, some are dying for refusing to continue in the frustration the government is passing them through by marching in the streets (remember COVID-19?). But where is the refuge for humanity, especially those genuinely suffering from a lack of food, vestment, jobs, peace, etc., because of the fierce political and economic atmospheres created by the few in 'powerful' earthly positions? Could we resort to human powers or seek refuge in man/human efforts such as public protests? Jeremiah 17:5 says, indeed not! 

The pain of unfavorable political and/or economic atmospheres that become oppressive and the compulsion to acquire justice for the woes from such afflictions are ever rife when they happen. Any nation or individual who has, is, or will ever experience unfavorable political and/or economic conditions must find this topic pertinent and of an imperative nature, especially when neither a nation nor an individual can claim to not have, in any degree, experienced unconducive political and/or economic atmospheres after COVID 19. 

This period (COVID-19) was like the flagship of the extent to which governmental/political powers can be used against citizens in the modern world; hence, how to respond to harsh political and/or economic conditions, which have proved ubiquitous, is a concern in the back of many people's minds, particularly those experiencing them as we speak. 

God gives understanding, and everyone with this understanding is obligated (including institutions that purport to fear God) to share God's desire for everyone involved or affected (in short, the whole world) by political and/or economic scuffles, including those people deem to bear oppressive connotations like the current #RejectFinanceBill ruffle in Kenya. 

Any political and/or economic matter encompasses more than many think possible (including biblical significance), touching even those thinking it's frivolous or a non-issue. A refined focus will reveal where the burden is during political and/or economic wars and the Biblical (salvational) implications of the events surrounding it. There are snares to be exposed and misconceptions clarified. The mission of sharing truth is even more necessary when there is confusion in the land. 

Regardless of the diverse opinions, without assuming everyone knows God's desire regarding political and/or economic matters, the duty or obligation to anyone with God-given understanding remains unchanged, Ezekiel 33:6-9 (people are dying thinking their death is for a noble cause, others are complacent with homicides, lynchings, social media and one-on-one public altercations, dependence on human powers, utter focus on political and economic atmospheres, etc.).

Those who have the understanding in perilous times but opt to lay low in whatever way will answer for the blood of those who die in such struggles without complete understanding, Ezekiel 33:6-9. Such an understanding is to be disseminated in a fashion that keeps aloof from either the desire to change political and/or economic atmospheres for outward betterment or the mere outward address of wrong actions from all parties involved during such struggles. 

2. Missing The Aim in a Ferocious Battle: Where To Aim, Recurrent Problems, and Endless Vicious Cycles

War missiles are being targeted and fired at the wrong and most ineffective enemy/object (outward actions), precluding progress. The only profitable approach to selfish political and/or economic practices is a war waged against the sinful heart (the actual/real object and enemy), which concocts a compelling love for worldly pleasures and possessions, ultimately hurting others to satisfy self. 

We can frown at the visible manifestations of a sinful heart but not attempt to focus our efforts on these outward wrongs because if the person loves them (works of the wicked heart), they will still do them despite being outwardly censured; the only solution is for them to stop loving them, which is only through a new heart, which Christ alone can inculcate. 

There is a difference between (1) the love you may have for an act, i.e., gambling or drinking alcohol (both the action and the responsible or reckless love for it are wrong), or an object, i.e., money or food (the object is not wrong, only the reckless/extravagant love for the object is wrong) and (2) what you are doing or willing to do to acquire or do that thing, i.e., what you are doing or willing to do (actions such as lying, killing, stealing, etc.) to acquire food or money (objects) or gamble (action). Victory only comes from dealing with the former (1), which is either the responsible or reckless love for wrong actions and only the reckless/extravagant love for objects (despite them lacking moral connotations), not dealing with objects (i.e., money) or outward manifestations such as the very acts (i.e., gambling) or the acts being performed (i.e., lying) to achieve these acts (gambling) or acquire the objects (money). 

For example, suppose someone prudently/responsibly (prudent/responsible love for a right action is good, but prudent/responsible love for a wrong action, i.e., drinking or gambling is still wrong/evil) or extravagantly/recklessly loves (extravagant/reckless love is outrightly wrong in every case) gambling (a wrong/sinful act), and this compels them to lie (wrong/sinful act) so that they satisfy this love/desire. In that case, the solution for stopping gambling is to deal with the love (either responsible or reckless) for gambling that emanates from the sinful heart, not the gambling (mere outward manifestation). 

Once the person's love for gambling stops as a result of a changed heart, the gambling exercise (outward problem) will equally stop, and there will no longer be something compelling them to lie in this regard. This (new heart) creates a ripple effect that impacts all the sinful propensities, ultimately dealing with or eradicating the love for any other wrong deed, not just gambling, including lying, which only appeared to be triggered by the love for a particular wrong/sinful act (gambling), yet, in reality, was deeply cherished or equally loved independently as it helped achieve the loved/desired wrong/sinful act. If a means helps to smoothly achieve an end, it is cherished even without the end in view and can be equally used to achieve other ends if effective.

Concerns around political and/or economic matters such as the #RejectFinanceBill in Kenya and any other country do not reside only in the realm of selfish political and/or economic practices but permeate the morals and hearts of both the perpetrators and the opposing parties.

Even if protesters win the physical battles, this will be the furthest the victory goes, leaving inner problems (sinful heart) unattended, eventually creating a similar and endless vicious cycle of challenges that result from greed, selfishness, lies, evil thoughts, hatred, false accusations, etc.; manifestations of the sinful heart. The problem is that the excessive love for material possessions and worldly pleasures (manifestations of a sinful heart) are the deal breakers for any united front. Any youth, adult, or older adult unwilling to master their selfish motives and refrain from worldly lusts by acquiring a new heart from Christ will betray his counterparts in implicit and/or expressed actions when in positions of power. 

You may think of sin from more relatable terms such as selfishness, theft, deception, hatred, murder, tribalism, extortion, rivalry, usury, corruption, lying, dependence on human powers, theft, nepotism, abuses, looting, racism, etc.  

We may have a handful of revolutions made by people uniting to overthrow governments; however, the question remains: Did these new political powers fulfill all that was required of them to uphold justice in its entirety? Did concerns of unfaithfulness cease after the new regime seized power? 

Ponder this: if leaders come from the situations or from the people who physically or intellectually stand for justice in a specific matter, will there not be other problems, such as future needs for revolutions, if these prospective leaders who are now fighting against physical problems do not fight the inner problem which is the sinful heart that births selfish desires which will make them no different from those currently misusing power when they get it? However, when they loathe the sinful heart and acquire a new one from Christ, everything will change, and immediately, they will not even think of overthrowing any earthly government because they will have realized better things than struggling with earthly powers and a better government (The Heavenly Government). 

When people unite to overthrow any leadership or government because of selfish political and/or economic practices, similar problems and/or new ones of equal or greater magnitudes must find their way into the new government if the main issue—the sinful heart, not just its mere manifestations such as greed, brutality, corruption, obstinacy, etc., is not addressed. 

One may fight against a particular outward wrong deed such as extortion, which results in oppression, but if this fighter does not acquire a new heart from Christ, any other sins, no matter how far and unreachable they currently may appear, will be actuated when this individual ascends to power which is a repository for some of the heaviest and grievous temptations. Such a person will steer the same wheel ahead (extortion) because of the lack of willpower to resist, and even if they don't, their selfishness will blind them so that they only focus on improving themselves, ending up oppressing others in a different field that benefits them because the sinful heart is the constant factor that produces all other inward and outward wrong deeds. 

Think of all the police officers killing protesters and vice versa. Would they not refrain from doing so if they genuinely paid allegiance to a higher power? If God were the supreme authority, there would not be any need for demonstrations in the first place because those who are used to steer selfish interests would themselves be against selfishness, automatically leading them to refuse any endeavor that cultivates it. 

You see, the real enemy and battle is the sinful heart. With an unwavering pure heart (which Christ implants by faith in Him), nobody would accept to operate or be misused, be it the police, youth, those in governments, the military, etc. Unfortunately, not everyone will desire this new heart (loathe the sinful heart) and refrain from all inward and outward wrong deeds through it.  

3. The Great Snares Around Political and/or Economic Strifes

The overweening focus on the external enemy has led to many early deaths, depriving the deceased of the chance to conquer the real enemy within. Such are sad lessons written in blood that many may continue overlooking if not wrapped and conveyed correctly and precisely. Did it have to involve bloodshed? Was it God's desire, will, or way of handling the matter in the first place? Will God justify those who have died in physical fights against political and/or economic issues? Is not a man only justified to deliberately face death when he is standing firm against being forced to sin (immorality)?

God's desired profitable and beneficial approach for the afflicted and the afflicters in difficult times is the same (salvational): to feel remorse for all inward and outward wrongs committed in the lives of both, not just the focus on the currently conspicuous wrong from afflicters, to genuinely accept that the committed wrongs in the lives of both are evil/sin, to embrace the desire to refrain from these wrongs and to desire a new heart that Christ only can give, which will actualize the willingness to refrain from all inward and outward wrongs. Desiring a new heart is the equivalent of loathing the sinful heart, which causes all other problems, making it the primary concern. 

The great snare at play is that if you are deliberately dying for the 'right cause' (fighting for better political and/or economic atmospheres to discomfit the oppressive ones), then you are justified and secure. Yet the sad truth is that it is a hopeless loss of life. Those alive will regard the departed in such battles as warriors, but even this high regard has no effect on the state these 'warriors' died in. 

When men have intentionally put their physical powers above total dependence on God and consciously departed from the weightier matters required of them (seeking the transformation of the sinful heart), any deaths from such endeavors are hopeless deaths, a most painful and tragic reality. 

When people stubbornly resolve to physically counter political and/or economic issues without ironing out the issue of the sinful heart (yields the bad habits in diverse aspects of life) even after knowing that God desires a different profitable approach to difficult times for the afflicted and afflicters, this struggle becomes a contest between two parties that have unresolved moral/spiritual issues. Such a contest only allows those who have excelled in physical strength (i.e., firearms and other weapons) or even intellectual strength to win since God is excluded from such engagements. 

Anyone who wins or loses in physical contests after knowing God's profitable desire for them has acquired a reward of their own far from God's plan, rendering everything futile. Any resulting deaths from both sides will have occurred on precarious spiritual battlegrounds. 

When two parties that have deeply disregarded God in one way or the other contend, since their actions have shown that they depend on their human power, they are sadly left to themselves (Jeremiah 17:5). This is the great snare that many during unfavorable political and/or economic situations fall victim, causing the double tragedy. How painful that you may doubly lose when you die on such a precarious battlefield. 

If the individual's heart is not renewed, the battle for outward problems is lost before it begins. The enemy (Satan, using our sinful hearts) tricks us into thinking we can outwardly solve an outwardly manifested problem from an inward problem (the Sinful heart), knowing very well that if we continue clinging to what puts us in vulnerable and compromising situations (the sinful heart), if we die while outwardly trying to address the outward problem, we have lost eternal life, and even if we physically win, there will still be war—an unchanged sinful heart. 

Look at how the Israelites won the battle against oppression; they never had to physically protest against Pharaoh. We say times have changed? Total trust in God never changes with a change of time. The outcome might not be the same as in times past for diverse reasons, including fulfillment of scripture (from the sinful aspect), but total trust in God without any human power involved is just as required in equal and absolute magnitudes as when God created the first intellectual being with free will.

Part 2

4. God's Influence/Assistance/Involvement In The Salvational Process

Because of God's mercies and love, He desires everyone to be saved from sin (a sinful heart together with its manifestations) and this sinful world. As a result, He dwells by His Spirit in every human being's heart/mind without discrimination, bestowing each the ability to know right is good and wrong is evil. 

1. First Gift/Step/Influence

The knowledge to discern right from wrong is from God (1 Kings 3:9), and to know wrong is equally from God by His law in the heart (Romans 3:20). Hence, a sinful heart does not mean the lack of this ability (knowing right and wrong) because it is a gift from God Himself to everyone, not from the sinful heart. 

2. Second Gift/Step/Influence

After such knowledge (right and wrong), God advances to implant the inclination/desire/need in every human being's heart to choose right and refrain from inward and outward wrongs/sins, despite having a sinful heart from which nothing good such as choosing right or refraining from sin, let alone desiring to refrain from it, can emanate. However, because no human being has the power to refrain from sin, God proceeds to the next step, which provides a solution to the sinful heart. 

3. Third Gift/Step/Influence

After the inclination to choose right and refrain from inward and outward sins, which the individual cannot do by themselves, Romans 8:7, God continues to incline the individual to desire a new heart (the only way to choose right and refrain from inward and outward sins) that hates all these sins (inward and outward), including their source (the sinful heart), only yielding pure inclinations. This means that the desire for a new heart that lacks any sinful propensities is the equivalent of loathing the wicked heart, which is the fountain of all sinful propensities and can never desire to refrain from any sin, let alone practically refrain from sin.

4. Fourth Gift/Step/Influence

After the desire for a new heart, which one acquires by faith in Christ (righteousness by faith), involving perpetual acceptance (choice) of God's inclinations, allowing (choice) God to implement these inclinations, and believing He can eradicate sin, the sinful heart is changed. Conversely, if someone lacks the desire for a new heart and faith in God, they will ignore these Godly inclinations and instead choose wrong inclinations from the sinful heart and implement them by inward and outward wrong deeds. 

However, the long-suffering God, who placed conscience in every human being's mind, proceeds to give remorse after every inward wrong or inward wrong and outwardly manifested wrong deed. The guilt/remorse one feels after any wrongdoing can never come from the sinful heart. This is another gift from God. 

Unfortunately, most people overlook, disregard, and fail to accept the second gift (desire to refrain from sin), assuming and subduing the desires to refrain from inward and outward sins because they think the last gift (remorse) covers the second gift. These people forget that without refraining from sin (through God's help by changing the sinful heart), sin will always be committed despite feeling remorse for the committed sin. Remorse is necessary, but not enough to refrain from sin (changed heart) if one does not desire to. 

Suppose only Christ can help us refrain from sin through the new heart. In that case, we should desire to refrain from sin not only after committing inward and outward sins (seeking Christ's help afterward) but before we inwardly or outwardly sin, increasing our chances of forever refraining from sin (always depending on Christ's help before sinning to avoid sinning, not after sinning). 

Without God, these four gifts/steps/influences cease to exist. The antidote for the real/main problem (the sinful heart) is to accept God's gift/influence in the first, second, and third steps, but if by any chance we fall/mismanage the third step (everyone has) where the real problem and solution is, we can genuinely repent, 1 John 2:1, by accepting the fourth, and then the first and second steps and we will be forgiven, and then get back to the third step again and accept it for a solution to the sinful heart:

1. Accept what is wrong to be evil/sin and what is righteous to be good/righteousness from God's guidance, Isaiah 5:20-21.

2. Accept/embrace the influence or inclination to choose right and the desire to refrain from inward and outward wrongs, which create a loop of the last step if this second gift is not accepted.

3. Accept the desire for a transformed heart that lacks sinful propensities, the new heart, Ezekiel 36:26. This desire cannot be accepted without loathing the wicked heart, which yields all the sinful propensities. The pure inclinations/desires from the new heart become permanent once they are perpetually accepted, and then God helps their implementation; God helps both to will (pure inclinations/desires) and to do (implementation of these pure inclinations/desires). The choice of/choosing the implementation of these pure inclinations/desires lies between willing and doing, which is the individual's work. 

4. Accept the remorse from God after committing inward and outward sins without disregarding or assuming this remorse to continue in wrongdoing, 2 Corinthians 7:9-11. This would be wishing to do wrong or continue in inward and outward sins without feeling remorse/guilt. After remorse, one must truly repent and repeat the first (accepting the wrong committed is evil/sin, not just feeling inward remorse and adamantly insisting on being right), second (desiring to refrain from sin), and third step (desiring a new heart and accepting it). Any indolence toward handling this step leads many to hope/desire/expect the removal of temptations so that they don't sin, a far cry from what God requires in the battle against sin. 

These influences only continue/further the salvational process after one's acquiescence; without this, the influences gradually dwindle, losing their power, not because they are weak, but because they only influence/are effective based on how much/how far inward they are accepted. As is in Matthew 21:28-30, the prompting to do good comes from/is God's role, accepting to do it comes from/is man's role, and additionally, doing it must involve God's assistance.

 

No other step except the third step, in which the sinful heart resides, determines the existence of all other steps, including the third step itself, making the sinful heart the focal point. The burden must be to direct everyone to embrace all these steps/influences, which ultimately must lead to the principal/real problem (the sinful heart) and the need for its transformation—it is the wicked heart that concocts all other issues that people are externally struggling with. 

One cannot desire the transformation/change/conversion/renewal of something they love or cherish; hence, everywhere (in the previous and following sections), the sinful heart and/or the desire for its transformation/change/conversion/renewal is mentioned in this piece, it always! Always! Tacitly covers/encompasses the first, second, and fourth steps/influences, then emphasizes the main problem (the sinful heart) in the third step. 

5. Scripture Fulfills (From a Sinful Aspect)

People must know that it is their choice to either participate in positively or negatively fulfilling scripture. The truth that scripture must fulfill does not annul the unwavering obligation to address the need for a change of heart because anyone can choose to be saved, but those who refuse and cling to worldly pleasures and human power will participate in negatively fulfilling scripture. The knowledge that others will remain in sin does not warrant the cessation of discussing the dangers of sin from the main problem (the sinful heart) so that no one has an excuse for lacking such knowledge.  

As people's hearts grow colder by the day, Matthew 24:12 (fulfillment of scripture), there lacks a need to focus on outward conditions such as unfavorable economic and/or political atmospheres as they are mere manifestations of the cold heart and such outward conditions will only worsen because an unchanged heart only worsens, yielding wrong actions that cannot be addressed externally. If the unchanged heart is addressed externally, there may only be a fleeting cessation of that particular sin (i.e., murder), which will ultimately resume later as other sins continue. This is because what is cherished will ultimately be performed; hence, it is only adequate to address the inner love for sin (sinful heart), not merely the outward sinful actions. 

In Matthew 26:54, Jesus mentions that in difficult times when others like Judas seem to only care about their selfish interests, similar to the Chief priests, elders, scribes, and Pharisees who sought His life to satisfy their sinful desires, a more significant event is continuously developing, which is the fulfillment of scripture. 

It is evident from 2 Timothy 3:13 that the world will only worsen, and people will only grow selfish by the day and become lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. If you see this happening, scripture is fulfilling. As individuals become more greedy, proud, selfish, unholy, unthankful, covetous, insensitive, and blasphemous in the last days, 2 Timothy 3, the economic and political atmospheres must worsen because selfishness only creates strife and serves the interests of a few, leaving many to suffer.

Contemplate this: Putting aside unalienable rights conferred to both the majority and minority without prejudice, the ideologies of the majority in the government will always define its political and economic operations. And what do you think, based on the ubiquitous and ever-increasing selfishness, greed, and the love for power and material possessions, who will form the majority of any government (fulfillment of scripture from a sinful aspect)? Yes, those who don't care about principles or others' welfare but their own. 

There is an extremely remote possibility for someone who keeps far from any compromise to secure a political seat in the government while contending with other candidates. Anyone with a concerned heart (pure heart) that cares about Godly principles and others' well-being will never go the extra mile to kill, lie, or steal just to seize a governmental position, allowing many who secure political seats to be those who have broken principles and moved heaven and earth to remain at the top of the long list of candidates. How else will they rule if not in the manner after which they ascended to power (greed, selfishness, murder, insincerity, etc.)? 

From a sinful aspect, the scripture must be fulfilled in the sense that times will only worsen, and in such times, attention should never be drawn to the outward betterment of political and/or economic atmospheres (this will never be acquired in this sinful world) but to inward betterment from a renewed heart (this can be acquired here).

We must know how to respond to unfavorable or selfish political and/or economic practices and how to interact with those who find it hard to cope. Understanding that tough political and/or economic times are conditions we may never externally extricate ourselves from is as necessary and imperative as is expedient. 

The sooner we learn that political and/or economic situations will only worsen, the sooner we can internally separate ourselves from tough political and/or economic times and share in the inner peace, joy, love, comfort, protection, understanding, resilience, and hope that only come from God, never from external conditions or measures. People's response should never be to physically counter political issues and/or economic struggles but to let God manage the situation.

Never should anyone depend on their futile human powers (Jeremiah 17:5 because of verse 9) to fight against unfavorable or selfish political and/or economic practices or any other outward wrong, but instead focus only on the conversion of the sinful heart from whence all these wrong deeds flow by accepting a new one that will only yield good deeds and let God handle the rest. 

God always takes care of His people (everyone), especially when despite the hardships created by selfishness, drunkenness in earthly and human powers, and the love for sensual pleasures (the devil's influences, which people through their sinful hearts gladly and credulously indulge), they remain unchanged by depending on and setting eyes on Him always. 

Even when every human around refuses to be used as God's instrument of help, He will always! Always! Directly attend to His people's woes using His angels and hide them in His bosom; a most beautiful message. God will provide for, sustain, cheer, protect, comfort, etc., His people, if they only but totally trust in Him, even when not knowing things as basic as their next meal.

 Part 3

6. Sin and The Sinful Heart (The Big Problem Overlooked)

6.1 Man on Earth

The human heart/mind is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; nothing good can come from it—Jeremiah 17:9 and Matthew 7:18. The corrupt tree is the sinful heart, and the evil fruits are the outwardly manifested wrong actions so that wrong actions (outward manifestations) only show us who people are (sinful heart), not that wrong actions (outward manifestations) make people who they are (sinful heart). The evil fruit does not make the tree corrupt; it is the corrupt tree that produces every evil fruit. 

Addressing a particular outward wrong action, such as theft (which has already been committed in the mind long before the visible act is manifest), does nothing to change the sinful heart; it only pauses that particular wrong outward action, waiting to resume it at a later and more favorable time, as other sins, such as hatred, which is internally committed in thought and externally revealed by actions or just internally committed in thought, continue. 

We can scowl the visible outward wrong actions but not attempt to address them in their isolated external forms/presence without connecting them to the source (the sinful heart) while placing all weight on the source (sinful heart) and its transformation. Any sheer external attempts (attacking mere outward actions) to address the sinful heart are sleeveless.

Addressing the manifestations of a sinful heart and addressing the sinful heart with a burden for its change/transformation are two things apart. Only from the latter are we justified to or accurately discuss/address the former, bestowing such endeavors a salvational value and significance. The reverse will only leave us condemning government operations, people, and their actions without getting anywhere with genuine conviction and conversion of hearts. May God help us understand these things. 

We are not sinners because we sin, but we sin because we are sinners. Let me say that again with much elaboration—We are not sinners/sinful/sinful people (sinful heart, inward state) because we sin (evil outward actions and wrong thoughts and motives), but we sin (evil outward actions and wrong thoughts and motives) because we are sinners/sinful/sinful people (sinful heart, inward state). 

Evil outward actions and evil inner thoughts don't make (manufacture/create/introduce) the sinful heart as it already exists, and also don't make (render) the person sinful as the heart is already sinful; it is the sinful heart that makes (manufactures/creates/introduces) evil actions (outward evil deeds and wrong thoughts) and the sinful heart that makes (renders) a person sinful so that a person is not sinful because of evil outward actions and evil inner thoughts, but because the heart is sinful. 

This means that for human beings born purely of flesh, sin (action) is sin (state/condition) because of a sinful heart, not the mere manifestations of such a heart evidenced by evil deeds like arrogance, extortion, oppression, etc., so that even without the outward manifestations of a sinful heart or inward sins such as evil thoughts, there is still sin (state/condition). 

This same principle applies to righteousness—We are not righteous/righteous people (Christ's new heart) because we do right (outward right actions and right thoughts), but we do righteousness (outward righteous actions and righteous thoughts) because we are righteous (Christ's new heart). This is why the thief on the cross will be in heaven even without time to manifest the outwardly visible works of a changed heart. We cannot speak about his thoughts deeply, but he believed in Christ as the only way to salvation and manifested the desire to become a new person (a change of who he was). 

There is a distinction between 'right' and righteous/righteousness. The righteous heart only does righteous external actions (good actions from pure motives and thoughts), not mere 'good' or 'right' external actions that a sinful heart can devise from wrong motives and thoughts, i.e., giving donations with selfish interests of manipulating the recipients, making the 'good' or 'right' external actions detestable to God (filthy rags). More on 'right' actions is in the God's Will and Constitutional Rights section.  

Also, the first sentence of the third paragraph in this section means that a child who has not yet attained the age to choose for themselves will still need a change of the sinful heart that is not created by evil actions; it is the heart that creates/gives birth to these evil actions, and we were naturally born with it, a nature we inherited from our first parent Adam after He sinned. The Faith of both believing parents may cover the child who dies before the age of independent choice-making, as Exodus 12:12-13 intimates. 

The blood of the slaughtered lamb to be applied on the doorposts symbolized the blood of the Son of God (Christ) who died for our sins, and just as the faith of the parents through accepting to apply the blood on the doorposts saved the firstborn of the Israelites, the faith (accepting Christ and His saving death) of even believing parents covers them and the child who dies before the deciding age, saving them from destruction as the firstborns of the Israelites were spared by the destroying angel. However, God knows the case of the children of even or uneven unbelieving parents and why it is not explicitly revealed in scripture. As such, silence is golden. 

6.2 Christ on Earth in Connection to Man on Earth

Since Christ is the second Adam 1 Corinthians 15:45, in addition to other reasons (some discussed here), He must have come into the world in a perfect state, similar to the way Adam came into the world, created perfect and with free will just as Christ had free will but always chose the Father, that's the difference from Adam who sinned, and Christ could not inherit the sinful nature (sinful heart) of the fallen Adam, He was different in this regard. 

Christ is the only exception of a human born without a sinful heart (remember He was conceived of the Spirit of God) even before He could consciously make moral choices as that would have been an imperfect sacrifice because it would mean Christ was a sinner/sinful/sinful person/had sinful tendencies from the wicked heart even before He could make conscious moral choices for Himself. 

As human beings, we inherit Adam's nature after he sinned/fell, not before; this is our difference with Christ, who was conceived of the Spirit, showing that He came in the perfect form as Adam entered the world before he decided to sin. 

Christ (the humanity side) inherited all things in man that can be applied to God, such as thinking, joy, sadness, physical form, etc., and all things in man that can only be related to man and not God, such as physical pain, temptation, death, etc., except the inheritance of the sinful heart/carnal mind that can only be applied to man and not God. This shows that Christ came to show/illustrate how human beings can live a perfect life if they fully allow God through His Spirit to dwell in them without ever interfering with His guidance and also how the things that affect the flesh, such as death, temptations, pain (emotional, physical, mental), etc., cannot change a perfect and pure mind (mind of Christ; the divine mind). 

Man can interfere with God's pure inclinations by using free will not to choose these perfect desires that God would help implement. However, as the new heart is fully accepted and its beauty beheld, man will retain his free will but never use it to choose against the pure, perfect, and holy inclinations. 

John 14:30 gives a twofold message: (1) the devil, who is the author of iniquity, had nothing in Him (sinful heart) even before He reached the age to make conscious moral choices, and (2) Christ never chose to sin so the devil had nothing in Him in the sense that Christ was sinful by choosing to sin (He never chose sin).

Part 4

7. Christ's Approach To Political (Earthly Systems or Governments) and Human Struggles (Economic, Mental, Physical, Emotional, and Spiritual Anguish)

7.1 Christ's Approach To Earthly Systems and Their Governance

Christ came for a more noble mission than setting up earthly governments and/or uplifting human powers (Jeremiah 17:5). It is for this reason and many others that He could not fall for the temptation of Satan to acquire earthly powers or possessions. He came to save humanity from their sinful nature by creating a perfect life (His life) that He would give to anyone to live (implanting His nature/heart/mind/character/life/Himself), not attack outward sinful actions that are mere manifestations of a sinful heart. 

Attention to the operations of earthly systems to create a new, stronger/more substantial, and better one (civil reforms) was not Christ's concern but drawing attention to the Heavenly Kingdom. He was not focused on what people and governments through people outwardly did but on changing the sinful heart of man; a change of the heart may not influence earthly systems to increase their chances of saving man from sin, but the individual will change, which is the only worthwhile victory.

Christ never addressed the outward (mere manifestations of the inner sinful heart) without emphasizing the inward (the primary and weightier matter, which yields every lousy action, including selfish political and/or economic practices). This means that condemning government operations, outward selfish political and/or economic practices, or even individuals based on their outward abusive actions using bitter words, physical protests, etc., is addressing the outward without the inward, similar to washing the outside of a cup and leaving the inside dirty, Matthew 23:25, which lacks any salvational value. 

Christ kept far from such endeavors (attacks on outward deeds without addressing the sinful heart and its renewal) as they were destitute of the weightier matters, and so should we. However, He was concerned about everyone's spiritual state and salvation: His actions and/or words whenever He interacted with those in Authority (Zacchaeus, Nicodemus, The rich young ruler, etc.) who may have been blinded by power and material possession, Religious leaders (Scribes and Pharisees), and the struggling citizens, were designed to melt the sinful heart (inward) that needed the implanting of His nature; He only proclaimed how people's outward wrong deeds such as selfish political and/or economic practices or hypocrisy (outward) were mere manifestations of a sinful heart.  

7.1.1 The Worldly Governments' Fallibility Compared To The Heavenly Government's Infallibility

Christ understood the fallibility of current worldly systems/governments/powers/authorities that even in their best performance without abusing its citizens, their structure and composition could not address the sinful heart (inner problem) by apprehending its deceitfulness, let alone transforming it. Worldly governments apply laws that do little to address the motive or wrongdoing. These governments neither account for wrong thoughts nor motives behind actions that appear 'good' yet are only pretensions or stratagems for future wrongdoing. The best they can do is use people's outward actions and try, with little success, to determine what the motives behind such actions would be. 

Ask yourself this: Can earthly governments or legal systems condemn or convict someone for lying about 'petty' things such as the learning institution they prefer or the food they love if there is no ongoing case? This is another reason Christ never attempted to address such a system as if to make it better, yet even in its best state, it could not save humanity from sin, let alone determine whether the person has sinned or not. 

Christ was focused on an impeccable and infallible Heavenly Government that meticulously accounts for every motive, thought, and action: an entirely just and frightfully accurate Government that searches every infinitesimal attribute of the inner man. Any attempts to influence a worldly system, such as governments, to operate in a specific way would imply that such a system played a crucial role in salvation.

 

To avoid alluding that earthly governments were necessary for salvation, Christ never focused on government operations or outward selfish political and/or economic practices, as that would only handle one problem, elevating it above other diverse issues that result from a sinful nature. He would not dare go down this path. Instead, He focused on addressing the real issue, which is a change of heart that would address all other problems. 

7.2 Christ's Approach To Human Struggles

Christ wanted to change the hearts of individuals not just for them to prosper outwardly since external things are fleeting, but for a new heart; even if someone dies today, the same changed heart/mind will be restored after the resurrection when Christ comes again the second time, and the individual will live forever. Also, Christ was more focused on the sinful heart and its transformation above people's financial conditions or outward betterment because a changed heart would be in harmony with God, who provides and sustains even when economic conditions are unbearable. 

Any form of oppression, be it externally from earthly powers or internally from the enslaving sinful pleasures of the wicked heart, saddened Christ. He sympathized with those who lived under the selfish political and/or economic practices during His time, even when He equally experienced that pain, and addressed their physical woes by (praying, feeding multitudes, healing), emotional woes by (praying, teaching, healing), mental woes by (praying, teaching, healing), and finally spiritual woes (sinful heart), which is the heaviest of all, by praying, teaching, healing (forgiveness), and renewing (implanting of His nature). 

Similarly, we must attend to the mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually wounded from any worldly struggle in various platforms (church, work, home, the internet space, etc.) by praying, directing people to Christ, and sharing truth, including words of hope and God's desire and other resources such as food, finances, clothes, etc., as Christ did.

Part 5

8. Addressing Government Operations, Selfish Political and/or Economic Practices, and Perpetrators

Suppose the motive was not to act and/or speak in ways that would melt the sinful heart and make it yearn for a new heart that will not indulge in any wrong deeds, not just oppressive ones. In that case, one cannot address the government's operations, outward selfish political and/or economic practices, and perpetrators and then later manage to tune this approach to fit addressing a sinful heart and the desire for Christ to change it. 

Also, one cannot attack the government's operations, outward selfish political and/or economic practices, and perpetrators without being a victim of esteeming external measures above the weightier matters (a change of the sinful heart). Public or physical demonstrations do exactly this: they regard external measures as supreme in transforming the sinful heart to refrain from all internal and external sins (the weightier matter/main problem), which Christ alone can do. 

Take over taxation, for example; if one addresses the government, the individuals who approved exorbitant taxes, or over taxation itself without any burden on the source of such actions (sinful heart), this endeavor is far from addressing the sinful heart; it is a mere attack against the government, outward selfish political and/or economic practices, and perpetrators without minding whether the individuals involved desist from other wrongdoings aside from overtaxing citizens.

 

A mere external focus would mean that if the parties in question refrain from overtaxing citizens but continue in other sins/wrongdoings, such as disobeying their parents or intoxicating their bodies with drugs like alcohol, people will not be concerned since they will argue such actions don't affect the nation. This means that when attacking governments, selfish political and/or economic practices, or perpetrators, the focus is not to direct the perpetrators from every wrongdoing but to make them stop a specific wrong that hurts others, preaching the gospel of outward betterment and that people's sinful states don't matter provided they don't affect others, which is greatly opposed to God's desire. 

One can change what they are doing at the moment, but not their character, resulting in the same problem in the long run. 

People forget that bad habits are interconnected; a person who does not mind intoxicating themselves or disregards principles in matters like contentment, respect, and humility will have impaired judgment and willfully indulge in selfish desires such as theft, extortion, lying, etc., without a second thought. From this, we cannot say that only selfish political and/or economic practices that sum up to oppression matter, as this is only one piece connected to other numerous pieces (bad habits) that form the bigger picture, all emanating from a sinful heart (the main problem). 

An outward attack on selfish political and/or economic practices or any other outward wrong can never resolve the inner problem (the sinful heart). This means that the only solution is to genuinely become concerned with the transformation of the sinful heart that only Christ can do and, by God's help, melt it through our words and/or actions, creating a yearning/desire for a new heart (after remorse for sin, accepting bad is evil, and desiring to refrain from sin) that in addition to current wrongs such as over taxation, will never desire to do any other wrong. 

We should share the truth with individuals to accept Christ's initiated remorse for all inward and outward sins, accept that wrong actions committed are evil/sin as God says, embrace God's given desire to refrain from all inward and outward sins, and ultimately have a changed heart, not just stopping/refraining from selfish political and/or economic practices. Anything else would be focusing on outward conditions that have no impact on renewing the sinful heart (inward) from whence every bad attribute flows. 

The same way one would share the salvation message with an individual without attaching governmental significance to the message, but heavenly significance and plainly talking about a change of heart is the same way perpetrators from the government should be treated. Doing this shows the focus is not on correcting the system but on leading people to God. 

9. Faith-Based Organizations On Political and/or Oppressive Concerns

9.1 Are They Involved

Is it accurate to say that a Faith-based organization deeply rooted in the Bible has nothing to do with individual choices during economic and/or political concerns? Is there any part of a human's life involving choice where God is not to be involved? Is not the Faith-based organization obligated to uplift God and direct people to Him whenever they make individual choices? This means that these organizations always have something to do with people's choices in regard to God's desire, especially in nationwide concerns. 

Shouldn't those well versed in truth and their Faith-based organizations know God's desire regarding political and/or economic matters as to say they cannot tell people what God's desire is? Doesn't God have a way He would want His people to address political and/or economic concerns? Does what people choose, especially when it significantly involves God's will, only concern the members of that faith and the organization in general during favorable times when there are no nationwide issues or even when there are? These and more questions of a similar nature must ring in the mind so that the focus remains on succoring people always through communicating God's desire.  

9.2 Heaven's Desired Response from a Faith-Based Organization

A Faith-based organization's leaders must be circumspect when addressing political and/or economic matters to avoid appearing concerned about influencing government operations, as this would send the message that alleviating political and/or economic atmospheres is valuable for a better communion with God, which is far from the truth.

 

Similar to Christ's approach on political and/or economic issues during His time, individuals and their Faith-based organizations must not attempt to address government operations, perpetrators, or selfish political and/or economic practices as this is an outward focus that Christ never engaged in without His burden being the transformation of the sinful heart not mere manifestations of it. 

Unfortunately, many Faith-based organizations are only concerned with outward actions with no address or mention of a renewal of the sinful heart (actual problem). Many of these organizations would be satisfied if the individuals or governments in question resolved the specific concern without evidently worrying or genuinely getting concerned with the crux of the matter, which is the sinful heart and its transformation, including the mention of the profound elements regarding it and its solution (Christ) not just the specific outward concern. 

The solution is to touch the sinful heart of man and evoke a yearning for its change, which is only possible first by a changed heart from Christ. This means that the religious organization should only be worried about the transformation of the sinful hearts of those involved in selfish political and/or economic endeavors in addition to adjuring its members to earnestly seek renewed hearts from Christ that will send heavenly influences to these individuals, melting their hearts, and just like Zacchaeus', making them yearn to do good and by extension yearn to acquire a heart (new heart from Christ) that will enable them to do good.

A Faith-based organization must equally be dedicated to attending to the physical, mental, spiritual, and emotional woes of those struggling with political and/or economic matters, just as Christ did, for this is true religion. Since salvation should be the aim, never should the faith-based organization target a better economic or political atmosphere by sending messages hinting that better practices from the government and its members are necessary for a better interaction with God or others' salvation when they are not. 

Is there any compelling reason to dwell on something without salvational value or significance, such as to be worried about it to the extent of wanting to influence its cause? Would this not be a mere focus on outward peace, prosperity, comfort, and betterment, which are transitory? 

If a Faith-based organization shows the desire for good governance and mere outward 'good' deeds, then the focus is misplaced; scripture in 2 Timothy 3:13 shows that evil men shall wax worse, which includes the governments they run, especially when selfishness and greed are their gods. This means that addressing the manifestations of what will only wax worse is a futile and obstinate outward course that tries to countervail the fulfillment of scripture. However, the burden on people's change of heart, even when scripture is fulfilling, remains steadfast so that none should say the watchman never sounded the cry, Ezekiel 33:2-5. 

For such reasons, more than ever, the end time is a time to focus on the source of sinful actions (sinful heart) if we would effectively share the truth. This time should also be used to remind people how easy it is to wax worse during the end times, not mere concern about outward sinful actions such as selfish/inappropriate/inconsiderate governance that only reveals the inside (the sinful heart). The burden must be on people's change of heart, not merely refraining from outward evil deeds, as this would only be procrastinating the sinful heart problem when there is no time.

There should be a separation between church and state, but this in no wise eradicates the obligation Faith-based organizations and their members have on individuals with political and/or economic concerns, including those in the government with a burden on the renewal of the sinful heart not just a change from selfish political and/or economic practices that will afford outward relief. The Faith-based organization should keep aloof from discussing their view of/how the government should operate or conduct specific procedures but remain concerned about the spiritual status of individuals in every sector. The line may appear thin, but a precise look will make it macroscopic. 

A Faith-based organization and its members must feel obligated to direct people to God by addressing the sinful heart and its transformation, not harmful political and/or economic practices (external measures) to try and alleviate outward suffering. Physical pain can be relieved by directly attending to the injured, but condemning the outward acts that led to the injury without mentioning the need for a renewed heart and emphasizing that such acts are mere manifestations of a sinful heart so that the sinful heart is the problem, only puts a pause to harmful actions, which resume in no time.

The diversity of choices or opinions among members should not prevent a Faith-based organization from stating God's desire for everyone. The organization may not be bent on compelling its members to choose a particular path; however, it always remains obligated to present the will of God for everyone at all times to the members. 

How God's will is applied may vary, but His will remains constant. For example, if it is God's will for His people to attend to the oppressed, this includes everyone. However, based on individual endowment, some may share finances and others food to attend to physical suffering, while others may share Godly advice (the word) to attend to emotional and spiritual anguish. 

God's will for His people when addressing political and/or economic matters is to focus on a change of the sinful heart by directing people to Christ, the only solution, which can be done through words, songs, and/or actions in diverse platforms (work, church, home, internet space, etc.); the will is the same, but conducted in different Godly ways in various places. Also, attending to the afflicted in such times is God's will equally to be done in diverse Godly ways.

Part 6

10. What About Perpetrators/Afflicters/Oppressors?

Being against oppression or any other harassment only because of the pain and the particular wrong the oppressors are committing without bleeding for or truly being pained by the sinful heart (the source) that yields all other evil actions, not just the specific one causing pain, could be precarious because it is this that leads to vengeance. However, pain from oppression or any other harassment mingled with a genuine desire for perpetrators to have a change of heart (acquire a new heart) that will only yield good deeds in all areas, not just refraining from afflicting others, should be the response to oppression or any other harassment.

 

God's faithful people who are oppressed should be concerned by the sinful state/heart of oppressors, not just outward deeds, because if they don't have a change of heart, the reward for their actions in the last days is much severe, in orders of magnitude greater than the pain these oppressors are currently causing others, which means that instead of protesting against oppressors, people should intercede for them and pray to God as Christ did for His oppressors. 

Just like the actions and words of Christ, which came from a pure heart, melted the sinful heart of Zacchaeus, making it desire a renewal which includes loathing the sinful heart and yearning to do good for others such as the poor, people must loathe their sinful hearts (equivalent to desiring a new heart) and allow Christ to change them so that they may yield good words and actions that have the power to equally melt other people's hearts, including the oppressors' hearts and make them desire Christ who is the only one able to convert the heart to do all good deeds. 

Oppressive times are very delicate because the overwhelming emotions and pain might justify wrong acts such as hurting or even killing the oppressors. Look at Zacchaeus (a name currently used to address the Kenyan president for his exorbitant taxes), the tax collector, for example; what made him restore to people what he had taken by false accusation was not people holding protests outside his home, but by Christ dining with him. Only God can change the heart of man; external battles without addressing the real problem (sinful heart and its need for conversion) will only create a chain of issues repeated (oppression, envy, selfishness, greediness, etc.). 

11. Message To Perpetrators/Afflicters/Oppressors and Those Needing Salvation (From The Thief On The Cross' Perspective)

11.1 Message To Perpetrators/Afflicters/Oppressors

There is never a state so fraught with danger as opposing God from whom all life flows and on whom all life depends by doing the equivalent of attempting to prick the apple of His eye (repeated sin and particularly afflicting His human creation in whatever way), you may cease to exist! However, God is merciful and long-suffering, and as it may seem that one is prospering in such parlous practices, the line between God’s wrath and patience can be crossed!

Once perpetrators understand the importance of embracing remorse for all their wrong actions, agreeing that the wrongs/sins they have committed are evil, and accepting Christ's implanted desire to refrain from all sin (inward sins and their outward manifestations or inward sins without outward manifestations), they must create the urgency to genuinely seek Christ to be changed from who they are, live a Christlike life, and secure infinite treasures in heaven.

What is the use of allowing the compelling love for the trivial transitory gains on earth, such as human power, sensual pleasures, and material possessions, to preclude one from obtaining invaluable immortal gains such as peace, love, joy, understanding, contentment, wisdom, Godly protection, etc., that can all be acquired here on earth provided one is in harmony with God? 

Is there anything more precious than having God's ear according to His will (one who is not limited by physical reality)? What about eternal life from Him? Harmony with God is priceless; there is nothing to fear—but being against Him is a state fraught with danger because: 

(1) the devil who never gives for free and enslaves as opposed to God who liberates becomes your puppeteer, and since God's protection and will, which He cannot force, has been entirely denied and abhorred by uplifting the devil through dependence on human power and infernal wisdom, the devil becomes free to control by threats such as ending the life in a hopeless state, which he can, if someone does not fulfill his selfish desires and yet adamantly refuses to turn to God. Genuinely turning to God must be for the right reasons, not just the mere evasion of harm. 

(2) despite God being merciful and long-suffering, when the time is ripe, and when men, after repeated biddings, remain unbent, crossing the line between His patience and wrath, the consequences are unbearable! 

However, the caring, considerate, and instantaneous God is always only a good motive away after listening to Him and desiring His help, and even without uttering any word, He comes to the aid to free anyone bound by the evil one. Also, a changed heart will prevent one from ever entering God's wrath and forever abiding in His love and protection. 

11.2 Perpetrators/Afflicters/Oppressors Needing Salvation (From The Thief On The Cross' Perspective)

Christ's life moved the thief on the cross Luke 23:40-42 and His perfect character before and even during His persecution in so much as to say Christ did nothing to deserve or receive crucifixion. This impact led the thief to yearn to be saved from who he was (His sinful heart/self), not just stop outward wrong deeds, because they were dying, so outward deeds had no bearing on this case. 

Only someone who knows they have a chance to continue living may be mistaken to solely focus on refraining from mere outward wrong deeds without understanding that refraining from such outward wrong deeds without the renewal of the sinful heart, which renews everything, including the motive, is futile. 

However, if someone who knows they have no more room to live talks about salvation, their focus is no longer on the outward wrong deeds which they have no time to change (the person knows they are dying, like the thief on the cross), but their focus is on the sinful heart (encompassing inner deeds such as cherishing certain sins without necessarily revealing them) whose change is not dependent on time to practice the outward good deeds from the new heart, but just the time for that change to happen before death (believing in Christ, including remorse for any internal and external conscious sins committed and embracing His implanted desire in the heart to refrain from all manner of sin and making that desire one's desire—choice). 

A change of heart is not dependent on good and pure outward deeds, but good and pure outward deeds depend on the change of heart. 

If the thief had focused on changing his outward deeds, he would not have bothered to engage with Christ because he would never get that chance to practice his outward deeds (he was dying). His interaction with Christ and his request came from a more profound desire (a change of who he was, the sinful heart), not that of outward deeds (wrong focus). When the heart changes, it forms outward good deeds.

 

The change of the inner sinful heart could be achieved on the cross by being remorseful for all sins/wrongs committed (inward sins and their outward manifestations/inward sins without outward manifestations) and inwardly accepting wrong/sin is evil—positive responses to the biddings in the heart, and accepting Christ's implanted desire to refrain from all such sins and others even without outward deeds confirming such acceptance. 

Salvation is not dependent on/granted based on outwardly seen deeds; otherwise, the thief on the cross would not have bothered to request salvation as this chance wasn't available to him. However, such a chance is available to us (those living without any hindrance to showing outward deeds from the heart). This reference is just to show where the real issue lies. 

If Christ knew that a person's outward deeds are the weightier matter so that, from this point, they bear salvational value or significance, He would not have granted salvation to the thief on the cross because the thief never had a chance to practice/manifest the outward deeds, emphasizing the weightier matter is the transformation of the heart, which implements Christ's implanted desire to refrain from all sin after this desire is accepted/owned. This is where all burden should be so that outward deeds are just manifestations of the work that has already taken place in the heart, including refraining from sin or stopping sin and the outward good deeds that follow. 

The solution is not outward battles waged against outward deeds but inner change after embracing remorse for wrong actions committed, agreeing that the wrongs/sins committed are evil, and accepting Christ's implanted desire to refrain from all sin, which is only achieved through Christ's heart in us. The thief may not have totally or even fairly comprehended this, but his statements clearly showed that he embraced remorse for all his wrong actions, agreed that the wrongs/sins he committed were evil, accepted Christ's implanted desire to refrain from all sins (inward sins and their outward manifestations/inward sins without outward manifestations), and desired a change beyond outward deeds into a change of who he was (the sinful heart), which only manifested through his actions; outward deeds were not the focus, who he was, was his focus.

Part 7

12. Does The End Justify The Means?

When men insist that they must accomplish a particular end, they will go deep into wrong acts, such as justifying the means (theft, war, homicides) to achieve an end they think will benefit them, only to discover that without addressing the only enemy/problem (sinful heart) there is no different outcome to expect. If a multitude kills an oppressor, they will return to their homes, satisfied that they have seized justice. But is this true? Does the end justify the means? Is the blood of that person not on all their hands? When this happens, people will have lost the battle even before it begins. Unfortunately, people from numerous places always welcome such scenarios in similar instances. 

The concept of the end justifying the means is another snare that many fall into; they commit fully to a particular end without any focus on the morality of the means used, thinking they are justified because of the 'good' end, the wrong means is purported to achieve, but when they die while carrying out the incorrect means, there remains no hope for them. Look at Christ's response to Peter's act of chopping off the soldier's ear. Christ returned it to show that it is not a physical fight of physically subduing others to overcome. To Christ, the means and the end must be pure to claim a perfect and pure victory. 

13. Physical Protests

Physically protesting to express dissatisfaction is a precarious path contrary to God's desire for a people supposed to totally depend on Him and focus on the weightier matter, which is turning away from their evil ways by acquiring a new heart. It is from such endeavors that people fall victim to trusting in human power, justifying the means by the end, and falling into the snare of dying hopelessly in needless battlegrounds. God may protect you from harm at the moment (sending His Angels) or by you doing His will (staying indoors or going to an appointed place) and evading any harm planned for you elsewhere. 

With physical protests, we cannot be justified to expect the former (protection at the moment), while God provided the latter (protection by doing His will). While God may still render protection at the moment because He is always merciful, the consequences of not following His will from both contending parties will still be felt, some leading to death. The injuries that two parties who did not listen to God's guidance inflict on each other during a physical struggle serve as the consequences of not doing the will of God. Unfortunately, some incur fatal injuries with consequences like death, never to recover again.

14. God and Human Power On Selfish Political and/or Economic Practices

Those who insist on physical force against selfish political and/or economic practices as the only solution (human power) brand dependence on God's will through much prayer as ineffective and a longing for the conversion of the sinful heart as a frivolous pursuit. God is more inclined to intervene when, despite the urge for vengeance, people listen to Him and choose not to indulge as they address the weightier matters, including loathing the sinful heart and seeking refuge from God alone. 

God is more irritated when, even after His children's hearts bleed and plead on behalf of those conducting selfish political and/or economic practices, these individuals refuse to yield and continue in the selfish practices that hurt others. What may result from this is a more powerful force than all protests there have ever been would have combined. The unleashing of this force is soon to come when the cup of God's wrath is full, and all who clung to their sinful hearts and all its pernicious influences, including being unruffled by the pain they caused others, will partake of it. This day will be unbearable. 

It is essential to note that if we let God guide us in difficult times, He would never lead us to protest against selfish political and/or economic practices physically. Instead, He would require us to be sorrowful for any sinful heart, such as those of the selfish perpetrators, and desire its change, including our own, and tend to our fellows with whom we are hurting. 

People should turn to God, especially regarding political and/or economic issues, when perpetrators think they have power over the 'weak' so that God may show He can sustain His people regardless of the times. However, people fail to benefit from this by insisting on their strength in physically addressing selfish political and/or economic practices. Without dependence on God, many people will fall into the snare that will leave them bare. 

 

God cares, and He only requests that people completely trust Him by abandoning their futile powers and efforts to fight inward and outward discomfort. Once they do this, He is inclined and even obligated, as the creator, sustainer, and sole provider, to sustain, protect, and give peace, comfort, resilience, and understanding, making any external hardships bearable because He has taken control over every faculty that man has delivered to Him. 

15. Prayer, God's Will, and Constitutional Rights

15.1 Prayer and God's Will

Prayer is only as effective as when accompanied by receptiveness to God's will. Suppose you pray for money or food, then ignore God's desire/guidance in doing nearby community work of unclogging a blocked drainage system, an act that God had planned to use in moving an involved party to give you money (answer to your prayer). In that case, you will not have acquired what you had prayed for, not because God did not provide it but because you did not accompany prayer by listening to God's guidance and doing His will, thinking your prayer wasn't answered. 

Suppose we pray for God's help but insist on our human efforts, such as conducting physical demonstrations, that do not reflect God's will because they depend on human powers (Jeremiah 17:5) and put more weight on external measures. In that case, we may deprive ourselves of the peace, protection, understanding, sustenance, comfort, joy, and close connection with God that comes with doing His will, even in difficult times. 

15.2 God's Will and Constitutional Rights

It is vital to distinguish God's will from constitutional rights or provisions. Constitutional provisions may go against God's will, so never should we justify a specific act only because it is accepted in the Constitution before crosschecking with God. The compass/guide of all actions and activities is inherent in God, and it is this that defines whether other things are right or wrong, not any other edict such as constitutional provisions. If a constitutional provision checks with God, hurray! Do it; if not, keep far from it. 

God does not only want people to be right but righteous. The constitution may allow you to picket against injustice, but if God detests that endeavor as it is salvationally jejune and entirely dependent on human power (Jeremiah 17:5), but would like you to point people to the need for a renewal of the sinful heart while attending to their mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual concerns or anguish, continuing in such an endeavor may be constitutionally right, but Godly wrong. 

Take these examples: the constitution allows (everyone has this right) divorce (for many reasons) and remarriage of different divorced people, which is against God's will, Matthew 5:31-32. The constitution on the free exercise clause of the First Amendment allows (everyone has this right) the establishment of a religion and free exercise thereof, a direct opposite to the first commandment Exodus 20:3 (thou shalt have no other gods before me). Any religion apart from the one worshiping the one true God in heaven is against God's will, but the Constitution allows it, and anyone who erects a different religion from God's appointed manner of worship would be constitutionally right. 

In such and numerous other examples, constitutional rights or provisions may go against the will of God; hence, they can never be followed if they don't align with God's will. God's desire transcends every earthly statute. 

Exercising the constitutional right to express discontent may in itself not be wrong, but when doing this is impossible without turning away from the main focus (conversion of the sinful heart), primarily because of the diverse interests involved, including the mere need to alleviate physical difficulties without remorse for sins committed, desire to refrain from sin, and a deep desire for a new heart, it deviates from God's desired response in such times. 

We cannot pursue a course when there are weightier matters at hand. This is why Christ never confronted the government. The burden has never been to try and change how governments operate, despite God requiring good governance from those in authority, but on changing their sinful hearts and the hearts of all people.

Part 8

16. Biblical Examples of The Burden When Addressing Spiritual, Economic, and Political Concerns

16.1 The Rich Young Ruler

Christ's encounter with the rich young ruler is an excellent example depicting how only a change of heart can withstand any test. After the rich young ruler claimed that he had kept all the commandments Christ mentioned, he inquired what he lacked, according to the account in Matthew 19, and Christ, according to the accounts in Mark 10 and Luke 18, explicitly stated that what he lacked is the ability to give away his possessions. This means that the rich young ruler would never be perfect (wording from the account in Matthew) if he only performed outward deeds without a change of the sinful heart because, in situations that unsettle, trouble, or shake the heart to its core, the unchanged sinful heart will yield its true nature, selfishness. 

It is impossible to solve the sin problem from the outward, regardless of the number of 'good' deeds you perform, and such deeds are never counted as good deeds by God but as filthy rags because they are just a veil over the true nature of a sinful heart, which is selfishness. Matthew 12:33-35 confirms that the problem is the unconverted sinful heart, and verses 36 and 37 show that the manifestations of this unconverted sinful heart are only used to verify and/or declare judgment.

16.2 Zacchaeus

Interestingly, the story of Zacchaeus, which gives us more lessons regarding Christ's focus on the conversion of the sinful heart and not mere manifestations of that sinful heart, comes in the next chapter, immediately after the account of the rich young ruler in Luke 18. More interestingly, even without being asked, as the rich young ruler was, being equally wealthy and in a powerful position, Zacchaeus willingly gives half of his goods to the poor in addition to restoring fourfold to those he oppressed financially/economically. 

The story in the previous chapter 18 about the rich young ruler features the disciples marveling at how hard it is for a rich man to be saved and wondered who could be saved, but Christ said that those things that are impossible with men are possible with God. Immediately in the next chapter, Zacchaeus' story confirms Christ's words that the things impossible with men, such as changing man's heart, are possible with God. Right before their eyes, it was revealed how a rich man can enter the kingdom of God through God's grace (a change of heart). 

Zacchaeus was chief among the publicans (tax collectors), a profession rightly known for exacting more than what was appointed. However, Zacchaeus' heart was moved by the stories he had heard about Christ. As John The Baptist in Luke 3:13 told the publicans who came to be baptized, Zacchaeus was convicted that his practice was wrong (extortion) and longed to meet Christ because what he had heard about Him gave Him hope that he can as well be forgiven and experience the joy of a reformed life. After all, one of Christ's disciples (Matthew) was a tax collector. 

When Jesus went to Zacchaeus' home, in addition to the beautiful messages he had heard about Christ, showing concern and love and abiding with him in his house were sufficient to melt Zacchaeus' heart until he declared to restore four-fold anything he had taken from any man by false accusation. Even those in authority who are overtaxing their citizens can have a change of heart if directed to Christ. 

Christ never discussed overt taxation or extortion (outward actions) with Zacchaeus, but His kind and loving actions and words melted the sinful heart (inward state) so that Zacchaeus yearned to be a different person (new heart) and refrain from all wrong deeds including selfishness, not just extortion because he not only restored to those from whom he had unjustly taken but gave to the poor (an indication of selflessness, kindness, love, generosity, compassion, etc.). Christ addressed the inside of the cup, and the outward became clean. This is why all attention is only on Christ, who can clean the inward. Such cannot be achieved by addressing or starting from the outward, as the inside will remain dirty, but the inward will equally clean the outward. 

Also, this story clearly shows how Christ was concerned about the salvation of those in positions of authority because, with a willing and open heart, everyone can have a change of heart when they meet Christ. Any unuttered desire to know Christ will speak to Christ's heart and He will attend to it. There were no protests or physical demonstrations against Zacchaeus, but after meeting Christ, his heart melted, and he even went the extra mile to restore those he had oppressed fourfold, showing that after accepting Christ's bidding in the heart, the transformation process began immediately. 

16.3 Nicodemus

As discussed in John 3, Nicodemus was a ruler of the Jews. However, without addressing outward actions, Christ directly spoke to him about an inner birth (the ultimate solution) to be acquired through the Holy Spirit and water (a symbol of being born of the Spirit). This is another case showing Christ's burden when interacting with authority figures. 

Christ's burden was never on the outward actions of governments and those in them but on their sinful hearts, which required a new birth of the Holy Spirit. Christ's baptism was a token of what should be of a man who has acquired a changed heart and has time to live. Christ had this heart; it was not that He required a new heart; it was an example. 

16.4 Peter

Christ's response to Peter chopping off the ear of the high priest's servant in Matthew 26:52-54 gives a twofold message to the oppressed/afflicted and oppressors/afflicters. Here, Malchus (the high priest's servant whose ear was smitten) is oppressed/afflicted, and Christ tells Peter (the oppressor at the time/the oppressed before he drew his sword) that all that take/use the sword shall perish with the sword so that in as much as outward oppressive actions from oppressors were never His object in saving man, they saddened Him. 

Also, the message can be to the oppressed (Peter before he drew his sword) that if they feel oppressed and physically fight against their oppressors using the sword or any other human power, they will perish with the same human instruments they used/trusted in (Jeremiah 17:5).

On the other hand, Christ is the oppressed, and the great multitude that approached Him with swords and staves were the oppressors. His response was not to start a war to wrest justice, for He told Peter, who went that direction, that God is not unable to send legions of angels to protect Him, but that it was not the way to address oppression, especially when it was fulfilling scripture. 

Similar to Peter's case, when people are undergoing oppression, they must understand that God is not unable to send legions of angels to protect them against oppression or even stop it instantaneously, but a more significant event is forming, which is the fulfillment of scripture, as mentioned in verse 54 of Matthew. For this reason, people's response should never be to counter oppression physically but to let God manage the situation. 

16.5 Those In Pain

Christ equally addressed the need for the conversion of the sinful heart when interacting with the oppressed, including those with physical infirmities. If Christ's response to diseases (something people may not have acquired by choice) was to direct people to the sinful heart and the need for its transformation, how much more issues like selfish political and/or economic practices and other evil actions (things people do by choice). 

Comparing Matthew 9:2 (one sick of the palsy) and John 5:14 (when Jesus in the temple met the man He had earlier healed), Christ addressed sin, showing that the problem behind every suffering is sin (including those we consciously and unconsciously commit, and the general adverse effects of sin inherited after Adam sinned). 

If sin causes suffering (both from the adverse effects of Adam's sin affecting humanity and individual choices), is not dealing with what cultivates/grows/entertains it, and harbors/attracts its pernicious effects/consequences (the sinful heart) the permanent solution, rather than addressing suffering or sin itself (mere consequences of the main problem)? Similarly, if a wicked heart is what makes people selfish so as to oppress others, is not dealing with the sinful heart by focusing on its conversion as the permanent solution rather than addressing selfish political and/or economic practices viewed as oppression? 

16.6 Outward Sinful Actions

Christ's response to the hypocritical actions of scribes and Pharisees clearly shows that His concern was not only outward but entirely inward, which characterized the outward. 

Specifically, in Matthew 23:25 and 26, Christ gives the solution to all the problematic behaviors, such as hypocrisy and oppression seen outwardly. He does not say the solution lies in merely refraining from outward actions (cleaning the outside of the cup) but by a changed heart (cleaning the inside of the cup), a work that He alone can wreak. 

Christ addresses the outward actions of the Pharisees and scribes as the same thing with their hearts or in reference to/in connection to/by tying these outward actions to their sinful hearts (inseparable), not just isolated or independent actions because cleaning the inside of the cup will result in changed outward deeds. This should equally be our burden always.

Part 9

17. Finance Bills and Different Opinions

The current #RejectFinanceBill slogan in Kenya and any other nation's Finance Bill with exorbitant provisions may be treated as entirely political and/or economic, then afterward designated as either oppressive or not:

~ Treating the entire bill based on 'who' (instigators, supporters, dissenters, etc.) is political and, for some, bears oppressive connotations. 

~ Treating the entire bill based on 'what' (livelihood, extortion, assassinations, etc.) is an economic focus with a tint of oppression.

~ Treating the entire bill based on 'who' and 'what' is a blend of political and economic perspectives with a touch of oppression from the political and/or economic bit. 

18. God's Desired Response To Diverse Opinions (Finance Bills)

Many may fall into the last category of those who treat the entire finance bill based on 'who' and 'what' (a blend of political and economic perspectives with a touch of oppression from either the political and/or economic bit). However, an accurate classification of where one falls before proceeding to share the truth about God's desire for humanity regarding political and/or economic matters, which is to refrain from the mere outward focus on all these scenarios/matters (the political and/or economic matters) is necessary to avoid misplaced responses and increase effectiveness. 

For example, alleging that a person from a purely economic standpoint is focused on politics or the economy mingled with politics and vice versa is a misplaced thought, which would lead to addressing an entirely different problem from the person's concerns.  

19. The Treatment of Those Overly Invested In Approaches To Political and/or Economic Matters That are Against God's Will

19.1 Addressing Those Overly Invested In Political and/or Economic Matters

Anyone with sentiments from a political and/or economic standpoint must be carefully considered, not dismissed, regardless of whether or not they are too emotional or exacting about their stand; the loving, persevering, humble, polite, kind, considerate, and empathetic gospel never stops, even when remaining uncompromising. Anything else will only exacerbate the situation. Most people are genuinely hurting because of the "what" and/or "who," and we are obligated to attend to all parties and guide them on responding to selfish political and/or economic practices in a way that is not against God's will. 

We must wisely share the truth that Christ did not come to set up an earthly government to be concerned about its operations or create a new, stronger/more substantial, and better one but to draw attention to the Heavenly Kingdom.

19.2 Bluntness and Misusing the Phrase "Freedom of Choice" When There Are Threats To Leave The Faith Because of Feeling 'Betrayed'

Think of this: How would you respond or treat someone threatening to leave the faith because most of its members or the Faith-based organization's leaders have not shown support in a certain way the person sees fit (their opinion) regarding a political and/or economic matter?

Such scenarios happen for diverse reasons, including the lack of understanding of God's desire for His people in difficult times. The immediate response to such a person should never be short of directing them to Christ's desire after determining whether their opinion on the matter is from a political and/or economic standpoint. Because of constitutional rights, many have resorted to using the phrase "freedom of choice" to imply that everyone can choose how to respond to political and/or economic concerns without imposing their choices on others. 

Others would quickly mention that everyone can choose whether to stay in the faith or not and even say they were only churchgoers for the show if they left the faith. Even when most of the statements in such responses may be factual, they are far from God's character because God does not emphasize the right to choose without lovingly and patiently directing you back to the right path you may have strayed from. Additionally, such responses lack a crucial element: telling people what God desires in such situations and why He would want people to do His will. 

Framing responses without sharing God's desire and with blunt tones would mean that there is no love, patience, and care in addressing people's concerns in that faith. The same gentle and meek atmosphere created when winning souls should be the same when discussing challenging matters. 

Why would words like 'you have the freedom of choice' abound when addressing people expressing their frustrations as if they never knew they had this choice, yet when sharing their faith with these people, such words were avoided to seamlessly convey the message because explicitly saying 'you have freedom of choice' without any apparent necessity would be unnecessary clutter. Also, 'you have the freedom of choice' is always an unstated fact that is only stated when people have utterly refused to accept something, making its use superfluous when someone has not gotten to this point. 

Using the phrase 'you have the freedom to choose' when someone's case is not carefully considered to determine all factors at play is a limpid indication of lacking compassion. Instead, with meek tones, people should carefully clarify without assuming the person understands that leaving the faith for such reasons is not a wise option because it would be pivoting our devotion to God on people, yet God should be the center. In a Christlike manner, the person should be shown God's desired response to political and/or economic concerns.

Such frustrations may not come or even last if we respond to political and/or economic concerns viewed as oppression from our fellows by tending to their physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual woes through sharing Christ with them and discussing the weightier matters (the transformation of the sinful heart of man). Many undergo this conflict because those with some understanding keep to themselves and are not concerned about their struggles. Catering to people’s emotional, spiritual, and/or mental struggles during tough political and/or economic times involves sharing messages of hope, how God is equally touched by their pain, and what He would want them to do in such times. 

When people have political and/or economic worries, the atmosphere is always marred with pain and emotional heaviness. Things we think are normal to say during favorable times, such as 'everyone has the right to choose,' can be tremendously destructive, making people engage in risky and ineffective measures such as unruly physical protests. These people will also regard those insisting on their constitutional right of choice as enemies. Someone who cares about the other can never go down that route. 

We are guilty if we don't share God's requirements of people during tough political and/or economic times if they fall into the snare of using physical power to address these concerns. Think of someone dying in a protest, yet if you told them that without a change of the sinful heart of all members involved in the conflict, no suitable solution could be achieved, they would have ceased the pursuit. Is not the time when deaths are prevalent from physical battles the time we should be most concerned with sharing God's will and a change of the sinful heart to prevent people from dying hopelessly?

Everyone, indeed, has the right to choose how to approach any matter. However, if we use this right and choose to remain silent without tending to those around us by sharing God's will for them in such times, we have failed in our duty. Their blood will be required at our hand as watchmen, Ezekiel 33:6. We cannot assume that everyone knows God's requirements on how to address unfavorable political and/or economic conditions to render anyone headed in a different direction an outright opposer to the truth God has communicated. 

We are obligated to show people the dangers of particular approaches to tough political and/or economic situations. Hiding behind the 'freedom of choice' without sharing God's desired choice and assuming people know all about it would mean the truth should never be shared because we should always assume everyone knows it. The truth must first and always be shared considerately, and then people can decide later, even without explicitly stating they have the freedom to choose. 

We don't ask 'How many know the truth?' so that the number we get guides whether we will speak it or not; we speak the truth because regardless of the times it is spoken, it always impresses the mind differently and can be conveyed in very many beautiful ways. Insisting on saying everyone has the 'freedom of choice' without sharing the truth about what is to be chosen/God's desired choice since we never can be sure people know it, especially in political and/or economic matters, means there is no value attached to truth or succoring others, but merely the 'freedom of choice.' 

The emphasis on this Biblically and constitutionally supported truth, 'freedom of choice,' should be implicitly interwoven in our endeavors to share God's desire in times of political and/or economic worries, not explicitly stated, as that introduces needless clutter. Christ never always explicitly mentioned to His listeners their 'freedom of choice' because His speech was designed in a way to impress upon the mind that it has the 'freedom of choice,' leaving no further need to mention this explicitly. We can acquire this wisdom from Christ. 

Conferring 'free will' is God's way of expressing His love, which is apparent throughout the Bible without having to repeat this truth every time explicitly. Words like 'obey,' 'hearken,' 'listen,' 'do,' etc., are used to tacitly affirm 'freedom of choice,' not explicitly stating it as that almost always bears a negative connotation when it is unneeded, and mainly when God's requirement is not yet carefully and cautiously but firmly communicated.  

The different cases in which 'freedom of choice' is alluded to/mentioned explicitly in the Bible were when people mingled with truth for so long without making a unilateral choice, making its explicit mention necessary as a reminder that there is no middle ground. Even in such times, the profitable and salutary choice was mentioned (God). As humans, without direct instructions from God and/or prolonged interactions with the involved individuals, we cannot know when to explicitly mention 'freedom of choice' without being inappropriate, irrelevant, or insensitive.

Responses such as "everyone has a right to choose, and no one should impose their opinion on others" will do little to impart understanding. This alone may cause distress and more pain to an individual who might not understand that the burden of political and/or economic matters goes beyond the physical and addresses issues regarding the heart. Without this discernment, the impression will be that one values one's freedom of choice more than the woes of others. 

Those bent toward measures such as physical demonstrations may also conclude that one is hiding in the phrase 'freedom of choice' because they only fear going out in the streets, not that it is God's desire for people to refrain from such external measures. This makes concisely communicating God's desire in such times even more necessary since a lack thereof may misrepresent God. 

When you only declare the freedom of choice without acknowledging others' pain and emotional turmoil from warring with political and/or economic concerns, in addition to the struggle of apprehending why others are choosing a different path from their own, you are not far from someone who is passionless when others are struggling mentally, physically, spiritually, and emotionally. 

Many will be overwhelmed by the mental, emotional, physical, and/or spiritual anguish in trying to wade through political and/or economic matters that, to them, only an approach such as vengeance through public protests may be satisfactory. Since these people may view those complacent in participating in public protests as betrayers, it is crucial to delicately share God's desire for them in such difficult times, not to absolve oneself from the thought of betrayal, but to ensure God's desire is communicated. 

20. What Changes In Difficult Times, Such as When There are Political and/or Economic Concerns?

If, when times are normal, we can manage to carefully explain to others why we choose a particular path or truth, especially those affecting us as a community, why would this change during political and/or economic concerns? Does God cease to have a desire for His people during such times that need communication? Why would we keep to ourselves the reasons why we pursue a different path from others with heavy political and/or economic concerns, hiding behind statements like 'everyone has the freedom to choose' and leaving it at that, especially when sharing God's desire is salvational? 

If in Faith-based organizations, individuals would go the extra mile to explain the benefits and the need for people to follow God's desire since these truths bear life implications, why would these same individuals prefer silence regarding their choice, which is different from their fellows, now emphasizing that everyone is free to choose what they want. Could these also lack a knowledge of God's desire in such times? If they did, the default response would be to share, not silence. 

Why is it that when things are favorable, and only a few people's challenges come to our attention, we can confidently explain to those who might be overly invested in human efforts why God requires total trust in Him because He is the only one who can offer solutions, including peace and comfort, but do the exact opposite in nationwide concerns, evading such discussions by saying everyone has a constitutional right to choose? 

Once we understand how God would want people to handle political and/or economic concerns and the snares involved, whether or not they demand to know why we have adopted a different approach, we are always obligated to share the truth about God's desire for humanity in such times. Failure to share God's desire in a humble and precise fashion will allude to selfishness. It is challenging for anyone to follow a path if that path is not shared and if they don't understand why the other person is following it.

Part 10

21. Candor In Addressing The Sinful Heart Amidst Selfish Political and/or Economic Practices

Suppose we are genuinely concerned about truth and people doing right. In that case, we will never speak about one manifestation of the sinful heart, such as selfish political and/or economic practices, as the main problem without addressing the sinful heart in a way that shows actions like selfish political and/or economic practices are only manifestations of the wicked heart, which truly needs conversion. This will direct people to the need for a change of heart that will address all other wrong acts, not just selfish political and/or economic practices. We should not be worried whether these people's changes will improve our conditions as it is impossible to have such worries without focusing only on the outward (futile). 

People's change of heart should be our only worry, not the change plus the outcomes that benefit us (better economic or political atmospheres). This would be similar to refraining from a wrong deed or feeling remorse for that wrong deed only because of the unfavorable consequences that may follow (Judas was a victim), not because it is a sin coming from a sinful heart which you pain for/loathe and understand its need for conversion. 

Suppose one is yearning for a favorable outcome after stopping a wrong outward action from the sinful heart while another is afraid of an unfavorable outcome or is only pained by the adverse outcome from the harmful actions of the sinful heart. In that case, the focus for both has shifted from the sinful heart needing transformation and placed merely on what favors the person. This means that without these favorable outcomes, there would be no concern about the matter in question (i.e., selfish political and/or economic practices), showing that the source (sinful heart) of such problems is not the issue; only specific problems (adverse consequences, pain, etc.) are. The burden should always be the transformation of the sinful heart regardless of whether this benefits the individuals involved or not since God approves such a burden. 

The focus on the change of heart is keeping aloof from the futile emphasis on the outside of the cup, which cannot be clean if the inside is not (Truth from God that many overlook and, hence, fail to understand). The moment we address selfish political and/or economic practices with the aim or thought that a change in the perpetrators' behaviors will or should result in improved conditions (economic or political), we have lost focus on what matters and are instead trying to influence the operation of administrative powers (the system), which have no salvational value even at their best. 

If the focus is on sharing the saving message so that people can turn from their evil hearts and acquire new hearts from Christ, protests can never be a way to achieve this because they only address/fight the outward actions, not inwardly, where the problem is; hence, they will never be used.  

The same way people frown at injustices should be the same way people frown at all other wrong acts. God is not just displeased by selfish political and/or economic practices but by things such as covetousness that many may not view as serious, forgetting that these sins considered 'petty' are what culminate in actions that harm a vast population. 

Someone opposing selfish political and/or economic practices but is greedy and entertains lies is running a futile endeavor because if they become leaders, they will end up lying to amass wealth for themselves, resulting in the same problem (selfish political and/or economic practices) that people are trying to avoid. This means the solution to selfish political and/or economic practices is not from the outward but inward; any attack from the outward, such as attacking mere deeds without the sinful heart from whence all those deeds emanate, is building a house of cards, which we should have nothing to do with. 

22. God's Desired Impact On and Approach To Perpetrators In Selfish Political and/or Economic Practices

There were no physical protests or demonstrations against Zacchaeus (a chief publican who financially/economically oppressed people by exacting more than appointed), but after meeting Christ—one who looked at him with a compassionate glance that seemed to read the soul without discussing the outward wrong deeds but directly melting the sinful heart, Zacchaeus restored to those he had oppressed (economically/financially) fourfold. This is the same impact we must request of Christ on others. 

Even before Zacchaeus' encounter with Christ, Christ's good deeds and wonderful teachings had reached Zacchaeus and created a receptiveness to receive Him so that Christ was not compelled to discuss the outward deeds of the sinful heart verbally; instead, His lovingly impressing presence, in addition to the news of and His perfect life, melted Zacchaeus' heart, giving him the urge to do good. 

Christ's impact on Zacchaeus' life before and during His encounter with him equally represents our lives; our ongoing humble and considerate deeds and words that come from a changed heart, including before we are burdened with a specific issue that pops from the sinful heart (i.e., selfish economic and/or political practices), will create a receptiveness within those in governments and those around us to yearn for that new heart that can yield such beautiful deeds. 

It is almost impossible for others to be influenced by a heart that does not accept remorse for sin, does not acknowledge all wrongs as bad/sin (is selective), does not desire to refrain from sin, and does not desire a change. Unfortunately, many people who try to influence those in governmental positions to refrain from their inconsiderate practices are in this condition, yielding little to no results. This is why many will resort to physical violence as it is the only remaining option, an option destitute of God.

If our hearts are changed, we will be instruments through which the good deeds of a new heart are made manifest, and then people will long for that new heart, which Christ alone can impart after a person believes in Him (righteousness by faith), which involves perpetual acceptance of God's inclinations (choice), allowing God to implement these inclinations (choice), and believing He can eradicate sin (choice). 

The aim should only be to melt anyone's sinful heart with our tender but firm words and/or actions, which must spring from a changed heart to be effective so that people yearn for a similar heart, which only Christ implants (His heart), and refrain from the mere outward approaches such as attacking government operations and/or perpetrators using opprobrious language and/or physical protests.

If a sinful heart is what leads to selfish political and/or economic practices, is not dealing with that sinful heart, which only Christ can transform, the only permanent solution rather than merely addressing outward selfish political and/or economic practices? For these reasons, we must desist from focusing on people's outward sinful actions like selfish political and/or economic practices, but the wicked heart, whose change will ultimately influence such actions and other outward sins hidden from the public and inward sins concealed. 

23. Silence On Political and/or Economic Matters

Silence on political and/or economic matters is only warranted when avoiding attacks on sheer outward government operations, selfish political and/or economic practices, or perpetrators, which are utterly futile external measures. However, there is always an obligation to mention the need for a change of heart in perpetrators abusing power, as well as in individual sinful hearts and those experiencing mental, physical, emotional, and/or spiritual anguish. 

It is possible to be concerned only with transforming the sinful heart without placing weight on external actions, only mentioning them as mere manifestations of the real problem (the sinful heart). The overarching concern is the wicked heart and its transformation; this is where every attention is to be drawn, not mere manifestations of it evidenced by outward actions. 

When individually facing direct oppression, as Christ did during persecution, people's hearts must continue to bleed for and intercede for their oppressors. Speaking in such situations may only be appropriate if it is to melt the sinful heart, not attack the oppressor or oppression itself. When you look at Christ's case, He only spoke things of salvational significance when under any form of oppression, including physical oppression, not His pain or the actions of His oppressors. A sheer address to pain or the act that inflicts it would only come from the desire for the act to stop and, consequently, the pain, nothing beyond.

 

Silence on political and/or economic matters may be required when speaking could go against the genuine commitment to wanting perpetrators to be saved from sin rather than self-relief from the alleviation of suffering. This is fundamental so that even in nationwide economic hardships or political abuse, everyone under God's guidance will be genuinely concerned about the sinful condition of the perpetrators, not only worried about the pain from such severe conditions or the outward acts leading to these severe conditions. 

24. Conclusion

From all these, it is clear that people's only chance at living meaningful lives is fighting the enemy within, not without. 

As human beings, we may not, by mere outward show, discern a person's credibility or suitability for a role. This is why our hearts (minds, including interests) should be far from who occupies a position or selfish political and/or economic practices but closely knit to God through the acquisition of a new heart so that whether the person in authority rules well or not, we will still feel the need for them to have a change of heart. Also, without any indulgence in external measures because of totally trusting God, even when things worsen, we will still be in harmony with the one from whom resides all power. 

To be in harmony with God, the individual must loathe the sinful heart and, by faith, acquire Christ's new heart/mind/life, Ezekiel 36:26 and 27. It is necessary to understand that in every turbulence (political, economic, emotional, physical, mental, and/or spiritual), remaining firm in God is the only sound solution (not necessarily with an external improvement). 

When we are in harmony with God, we naturally attract His blessings Ezekiel 36:29 (protection, provision, peace, sustenance, comfort, etc.) because we have created a Godly atmosphere around us that is self-sufficient (God does not depend on anything to protect, provide, sustain, etc., except for the willing heart of man, which if changed, will always will God's will). Once we experience this intimate connection with God, we will loathe our past sinful acts, which emanated from the wicked heart, and continually be glad that we are entirely in the Lord, Ezekiel 36:31. 

Our only hope for a better life, with or without conducive political and/or economic atmospheres, is to focus on righteousness/moral uprightness (a changed heart) because when this happens, we will have paved the way for a superior power that is neither limited by political wrangles nor economic hardships when issuing sustenance, joy, protection, peace, and comfort. The battle is of principles, not politics or economy.

Even so, these three things we must do whenever there are heated political and/or economic matters or any other evil actions that harm others or are of serious concern:

1. Desist from focusing on people's outward sinful actions like selfish political and/or economic practices, and only endeavor to melt the sinful heart of anyone by our tender but firm words and/or actions, which must spring from a changed heart to be effective, so that people yearn for a similar heart, which only Christ implants (His heart/mind/spirit/life). 

2. Attend to those afflicted (mentally, emotionally, physically, and/or spiritually) by selfish political and/or economic practices in various platforms (church, work, home, the internet space, etc.) by praying, directing people to Christ, and sharing truth, including words of hope and God's desire and other resources such as food, finances, clothes, etc., as Christ did. 

3. Refrain from depending on futile human powers by mere outward approaches such as attacking government operations and/or perpetrators using opprobrious language and/or physical protests (Jeremiah 17:5). The mind must be completely ingrained with the understanding that God is the only refuge in all life situations.

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