Introduction
In any society, religion is extremely influential and reflects the understanding of spiritual entities by the individuals in the community. As society grows, various aspects of religion connect people with how they can relate and the role dominion plays in their lives. For example, various religions have different views concerning politics, leadership, norms, and many more. This paper focuses on aspects of dispensationalism, creation and evolution, homosexuality, the pentecostal movement’s legitimacy, Christianity, Islamic religion, and the church.
Women in Church, Politics, and Society
As society transforms, the role women play in Church, politics, and society also changes since new expectations and directions are provided. In Church, women played different roles determined by their role in the traditional days. In the New Testament, women should learn in silence with subjection and not have authority over man as Adam was created before Eve (Bible: New International Version 1 Timothy 2.11-15). This scripture shows that women have less power and control in Church compared to men. This has been transformed in some churches in contemporary society, where women are not allowed to hold high positions than men. The case can be compared to cultural life where women are allowed to hold high positions in political seats, and they can have the same power as men depending on their level of education. In this regard, it shows that church life moves slower compared to cultural life.
The discussion of the role women play in the Church, politics, and society is always arguable since people are not on the same page with the opinions offered by others. For example, in Church, women have different responsibilities in the congregation, directed by the Scripture’s teaching, which dictates what they should do. The Church can use unity as a unifying factor in the congregation to understand the commitment of Christ and his Word to his Church in relation to allowing women to play an essential role in the Church (John 17.20-23). Many discussions are connected to a society where women’s roles are defined by what they can do to help men. These roles have changed in some societies where women can also provide for their families if they have the capacity to do work, get employed or even hustle in various professions.
In contemporary society, women are allowed to participate in politics and rule over society in various aspects. In most democratic countries, women are allowed to compete for political seats with men and have the chance to direct other people and add economic value to the community. This idea was supported by the archetype of the Catholic Church, which was a stronghold for women’s chronicles, memoirs, publishing diaries, and writings. Consequently, women learned that society could hear them out, and they had activists who pushed for their rights and wanted them to be equal to men in society. Such knowledge shows that churches are eliminating societal structures that limited women’s rights in the past to have a community where females can participate in politics to create a difference and enhance development.
Politics According to the Bible
There should be a good connection between politics and religion for a country to get ruled effectively. The government is responsible for choosing which religion is the country’s dominion. Thus, the Church can be separated from the government depending on its place in decision-making. In the Bible, Christians are expected to respect the government and support them in what they are doing (Romans 13). Therefore, Christians should not disrespect their leaders no matter how they treat them. If the government leaders do not treat the members of the Church well, they should not focus on that since the Bible says that the struggle for the believers is not on flesh and blood, but the emphasis is on God his Kingdom’s work (Ephesians 6.12). It shows that Christians will enjoy their citizenship in heaven, where there will be no matters concerning politics and leadership.
Since the Church can be excluded from political decision-making, it does not mean that they should participate in culture and improve society. The respect that Christians have towards the word of God directs them to respect the authority by following what the political leaders are leading them to do. For example, they should pay taxes just like ordinary citizens from other religions and should not be bothered by what the money will do. This instance depicts that Christians are ready to show love to the members of the authority as they care for their life after the second coming of Christ. In the end, the nation will have leaders who follow what the laws of the Lord say about leading other people.
Dispensationalism
Dispensationalism defines the principles and beliefs that direct Christians in their lives. The foundational dispensationalism beliefs show some of the aspects Christians believe in with regard to the Biblical promises, progressive revelation in mind, and the doctrine of Eschatology. Various arguments concerning the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament indicate how Christians have different interpretations of the Bible. According to Paul, when a person reads the Bible, they get an understanding of the mystery of Christ (Ephesians 3.4). In 1 Corinthians 10.1-11, the believers are directed on how they should live and how they should not. From this, it shows that both the Old and New Testament have a role in ensuring that believers understand the word of God, which allows them to know what they are supposed to do to have eternal life. Such ideas from the Old and New Testaments support the foundational dispensationalism of Biblical promises.
The stories in the Old Testament are connected to the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, which makes people consider it irrelevant in the Bible. However, the Old Testament has various teachings essential to the people in society. For example, Psalm 23.1 states that “The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing.” This means that if a person depends on God, they are guaranteed to have better lives where they do not lack. The theological system of dispensationalism is essential in indicating how both the Old and New Testaments are involved in directing people in the right direction. Every reading in the Bible has a meaning which can help Christians in their lives to know what they should do and what they are supposed to avoid.
Creation and Evolution
Christians and scientists always have arguments concerning the creation done by God since the believers may disagree with what the scientists say about creation and vice versa. The Scripture highlights that God is the creator of everything in the world, and all that He created was due to his likeness. Thus, this shows that the Bible focuses on the theological aspect of the Scripture that indicates God brought everything into existence using his powers. In contrast, according to the theory of evolution, the Bible does not support the account of creation well since there are instances that indicate God used science to create some things. For example, the reason behind the creation of fish or birds is not explained in Genesis, and from this, the scientists believe that Genesis does not support the philosophy of naturalism, yet it is evident that God applied it during creation.
In the contemporary world, creativity has directed people to innovate new things which could not be introduced in traditional times. According to Genesis, God had the power and will to create something in his likeness, but the scientific means or process of creating things is not explained. From this, scientists have the right to demand an explanation of various things that occur. Besides, if Christians accept that creation can be linked with naturalism, there can be an understanding of what some creations mean. The disagreement between theology and naturalism hinders the understanding of creation and what science can do in the modern world. Unequivocally, there should be an in-depth understanding of what theology says about the earth and creation and if it can be connected to scientific beliefs.
Homosexuality from a Christian Viewpoint
The issue of homosexuality has raised concerns in the contemporary world since there is no better understanding of how the case should be handled. In the Bible, homosexuality is classified as a sinful act in that a man should lie down with other males. Particularly, lying down with another man is considered an abomination (Leviticus 18.22). From this, it shows that the Bible does not support the act of homosexuality since it is a sin. On the other hand, the Bible says we should not be judges of other people’s actions, for we are sinners (Matthew 7.1-5). It can be challenging when trying to classify homosexuality as the most significant sin since some of the scriptures are unclear about homosexuality. Since people cannot judge others’ acts, Christians are not obliged to say that Christ will punish homosexuals poorly. Generally, the debates on allowing homosexuality to be part of us are still on until God comes for the second time as people will understand the rightful deeds concerning the sexuality of a person.
The idea of sexual orientation has sparked discussions since, in ancient times, homosexuality was experienced. It was not condemned that much, making it difficult to compare the phenomenon to the context of Christianity. Although the Bible has multiple opinions concerning homosexuality, there are different expectations from homosexual members. For example, they expect the church to love them unconditionally without bias since the likeness of God creates us. The church should show such members the appropriate direction regarding their sexuality and what the scripture says about homosexuality.
Pentecostal Movement’s Legitimacy
Pentecostal Movement Legitimacy focuses on the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the direct personal experience of God. The name Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, an event commemorating the Holy Spirit’s descend on the followers of Christ and the act of speaking in tongues as defined in the Book of Acts (Acts 1.21-22). Pentecostalism allows a Christian to live a life that the Holy Spirit empowers. The empowerment can include speaking in tongues or the use of spiritual gifts like divine healing, indicating that speaking in tongues is asserted as the first manifestation of Holy Spirit baptism; thus, the gift can be bestowed by the Spirit today to allow the apostle to fill the needed qualifications in directing the followers of Christ. From this, it is evident that the apostles will have the spiritual power for service they acquired through the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Christianity and Islamic Religion
There are different discussions concerning Christianity and Muslims, as they seem to have various doctrines and beliefs. The deity of Christ classifies Jesus as one true God who was in human form. Thus, from the Bible, the characteristics of the deity of Jesus Christ are ascribed as immutable, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and eternal, which also represent the character of Yahweh. Jesus proved his deity through the resurrection of Lazarus, where He wanted to show the disciples that they could rise to a life of glory. In contrast, the revealed character of Allah is that He is Omnipotent, Fairness, Transcendence, Immanence, and Merciful. From this, it indicates that the beliefs of Islam describe the interpreted deity as Allah. Christians understand that God is who he is and He teaches Christians the crucial truths about community and relationships.
In Christian theology, the doctrine of grace defines the divine influence on people and the unmerited gift of divine favor applicable in saving sinners. They are the best biblical doctrines that an individual would come to embrace or know about Jesus Christ’s Gospel in His grace. In contrast, the Quran’s doctrine of grace is achievable by the individuals on earth and those who meet the Quran’s criteria. The five pillars that direct the doctrine of grace in Islam: are the core practices and beliefs of Islam, including the Profession of Faith, Prayer, Alms, Fasting, and Pilgrimage. The sacred texts for Christianity include the Christian Bible, and for Islam, we have The Hadiths and the Quran. In Christianity, the Bible can consist of additional books, for example, the one used by the Roman Catholic Church, which has extra books such as Maccabees.
The Church
The Church is an essential aspect of society where believers learn about different doctrines and more about the creator. The human body represents the Church, and whenever three or more people are gathered, it is classified as a holy place or a church where individuals with the same beliefs have gathered. The Church is characterized by Leadership, Worship, Spiritual family, Discipleship, and Evangelism, showing that people in the Church should be connected with the Holy Spirit. Additionally, everyone should boost each other’s faith by encouraging them to build their faith firmly. Generally, this shows that believers should share the good news of the Lord with others and encourage them to live spiritual life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, discussing aspects such as women in church politics, Bible consideration of politics, Dispensationalism, creation and evolution, and Homosexuality is essential. Such a discourse helps in learning what the current world is all about and connects it to the ancient world. Human society is changing, and values and traditions are transforming with it. Today, circumstances are very different from the historical and cultural context of the scripture creation period. For this reason, it is necessary to consider religious texts and the topics which they reveal through the prism of modern realities. Religion is essential for society’s development and many people’s well-being, but it needs to continue to adapt as social conditions transform.
Work Cited
The Bible: New International Version. Bible Gateway.