Ron Paul and Political Paradigms

I read a short positive article on Ron Paul I wanted to share. Click on the title "Ron Paul and Political Paradigms" to be linked to the article.

I've been teaching/facilitating the teen class on Wednesday nights for several months now. We originally started going through the book of Acts. I believe the book of Acts is about the restoration of Israel. Israel was restored when, for starters, the risen Jesus became the eternal king/Messiah of the offspring of David (2 Samuel 7). However, though Israel was essentially restored at that point through the ascension and enthronement of Jesus the King/Messiah, the Apostles asked him, "Master, are you going to restore the kingdom to Israel now? Is this the time?" What did Jesus say? He had already taught them about the kingdom in a forty-day seminar, hadn't he? Most of the people he came across in the book of Acts already understood the kingdom before he had even come along.

However, I've often heard it taught that those foolish Apostles misunderstood the nature of God's Kingdom. "It's a spiritual, not a political, kingdom . . . (blah, blah, blah)."

But Jesus didn't ridicule the Apostles for a misunderstanding this time. They understood that there had been the effective anointment of the true king of Israel and the world. They only wondered when the regime change would begin to transform Israel and the world. Hence their question's emphasis on time. And hence Jesus' answer's emphasis on time and the Father's will. He told them, "You don't get to know the time. Timing is the Father's business. What you'll get is the Holy Spirit. And when the Holy Spirit comes on you, you'll be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the world."

It is correct that God's Kingdom is spiritual, for the Holy Spirit initiates the regime change rather than some human-contrived political establishment. However, the Kingdom is a political realm. It is an eternal, political Kingdom already verified thru the King's resurrection. His power has already been demonstrated in the new Israel, in us, thru the Holy Spirit. Israel can now truly be a light to the ends of the world, not simply because they are scattered, but because God has appointed Jesus as Messiah by raising him from the dead. The Kingdom is being restored to this day, and until the King returns, each time we bow our allegiance to Jesus, the God-approved King.

In our teens class, we imagined that each of us was a national ruler. Some would be Presidents, others Prime Ministers, others Warlords, and still others Kings and Queens of Kingdoms. (I was Emperor of the Welsh Empire.) We imagined the first ten lines of our inaugural address in order to prepare for the inaugural address of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Then, we listened to Jesus' sermon on the plain where a congregation gathered around him both to hear him and to be cured of their ailments. Those disturbed by evil spirits were healed. Everyone was trying to touch him--so much energy surging from him, so many people healed! Then he spoke: . . .

I would encourage you to read the first ten lines of Jesus' inaugural address starting in Luke 6:19.