Kaisar Kurios and our need to be connected to the past

By Gman 4326

Reason: Dr. James White mentioned this over the weekend in Boulder Colorado

Topic: Kaisar Kurios and our need to be connected to the past

Our faith spans a near two thousand year period but how many of us know why we say Jesus is Lord? In order for the Roman Emperor to maintain his authority over a vast territory he needed the people to feel they were in charge over their lives the simplest solution was to have an inclusive society the  exception was with the Jews and so long as the keep themselves away from promulgating to Greco-Roman citizen and resident the civil magistrate left them alone. The early gentile converts were from the lower classes read Paul letter to Philemon. Here is what Dr. Sproul wrote on the subject:

"The loyalty oath required by Roman citizens to demonstrate their allegiance to the empire in general and to the emperor in particular was to say publicly, Kaisar Kurios, that is, Caesar is lord. In the first-century church, Christians bent over backward to be obedient to civil magistrates, including the oppressive measures of Caesar, and yet, when it came to making the public affirmation that Caesar is lord, Christians could not do so in good conscience. As a substitute for the phrase, Caesar is lord, the early Christians made their affirmation by saying, Jesus is Lord. To do that was to provoke the wrath of the Roman government, and in many cases, it cost the Christian his life. Therefore, people tended not to make that public affirmation unless they were moved by the Holy Spirit to do so. The simple creed, Jesus is Lord, or more full statements, such as the Apostles Creed give an outline of basic, essential teachings. The creeds summarize New Testament content."

~R.C. Sproul

A people of faith that has a strong connection with the past can overcome more recent trends the result is a people with enough patience to endure pebbles rippling across a stream of water.


Footnotes:
http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=24963&forum=36&1