12/16/2023 0 Comments Raphael warnock legacy racial tyrannyWhen I heard Warnock speak about representing the “little people,” I knew he was taking a dig at his opponent. In short, he sounded nothing like Jim Clyburn, Maxine Waters, and other black politicians who wear their racial grievances on their sleeves. Though his politics are probably the same as those of the Squad, he seemed soft-spoken and almost self-deprecating. Despite these (for me) negatives, I liked Warnock’s demeanor the few times I had heard him interviewed. Whereas Loeffler generally voted with President Donald Trump and is considered a reliable Republican vote, Warnock is a far leftist black minister, who is in full agreement with the left wing of the Democratic Party. As a non-leftist I am anxious to see the Georgia Senate seats now up for grabs stay with the incumbent Republicans, and I regard the prospect of a Democratic-controlled Senate with horror.īut until Sunday night I knew little about either of these two candidates, except for a few widely available facts. Senate seat from Georgia with the runoff election scheduled for Jan. Kelly Loeffler and the Reverend Raphael Warnock, who are running against each other for a U.S. Water is a symbol of the cleansing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. This conversation was beautifully reimagined in the TV series “The Chosen” when Nicodemus is confused that Jesus did not come to deliver the Jews from Roman tyranny. In that scene, Jesus simply states that He came to save man from spiritual death, basically “quickening” us as we were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). When a person is quickened or made alive through the Spirit of Christ, he or she will not harbor hatred, racism and prejudice in their hearts. All of our good works, while noble in nature, cannot transform the heart.On the evening of Dec. Jesus was deeply concerned about the poor and the oppressed as Luke 4:18 shows, but careful study of Scripture reveals that His main purpose in coming was to eradicate sin. One of the best illustrations of this is found in John 3 when Jesus meets with Nicodemus, an esteemed Pharisee. In answering Nicodemus’ questions, Jesus tells him that a man cannot see the Kingdom of God unless he is born of water and of the Spirit. More: Opinion: This Easter, reflect on what you thirst or crave for in lifeĪnother point that I want to make regarding works is how deeds are framed in the current social justice movement in which many black churches have taken a lead. Warnock preached about the struggle of racial oppression, inequality and inequity leading up to MLK Day in January. While the challenges faced by those in poverty and those marginalized in our communities have always been at the core of the battleground for civil rights, churches must be careful not to let their efforts against injustice overshadow the life-transformative power of the gospel. Now, do not confuse this with James 2:20, which states that “faith without works is dead.” This text explains that faith produces works, and the following verses point out that believers are “justified” or “proven” by works, but only faith in God results in being imputed with righteousness. Thus works, while good, are not good enough to save us. The Bible also warns against pride that can settle in our sinful nature from doing good works in Ephesians 2:8-9, stating that we are saved by grace through faith, not of ourselves, and “not of works, lest any man should boast.” The backlash was instant for Warnock, the senior pastor of the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta and the first African American to represent Georgia in the Senate. The tweet was quickly deleted, and a member of Warnock’s office said the message was posted by staff but not approved. Yet, discussion has been ongoing regarding what it truly means to be a follower of Christ and factions within the faith. The fact that such divisions have placed Christians into man-made political classifications of conservative, moderate and progressive is troubling because the church is supposed to be united in the truth of the gospel, as Philippians 3:16 instructs believers to “walk by the same rule,” with “rule” meaning canon or standard. Whether you are Christian or not, through a commitment to helping others we are able to save ourselves.” Warnock, D-Ga., received some heavy criticism for a tweet from his account that stated, “The meaning of Easter is more transcendent than the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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