LES BIENFAITS DE LA COMPARAISON
Jean 4 :43-54 ; 2 Corinthiens 10 :12, 17
Quand j’étais étudiant de 3e cycle à Aix-en-Provence il y a 25 ans, j’ai écris un mémoire du nom à peu près, « la redistribution de la richesse en France. » En tant qu’un homme du pays d’Orient lointain j’ai été très intéressé à l’époque au système de comment redistribuer la richesse. Puis j’ai essayé de trouver la possibilité pour l’appliquer dans mon pays oriental. Autrement, j’ai fait l’étude de ce qu’on appelle l’économie comparée. Dans tous les domaines de recherche, il y a ce genre d’étude comparée. C’est quelque chose d’inévitable, car les hommes vivent dans des différents environnement sur le planète. Aujourd’hui, on parle beaucoup de la globalisation. On dit aussi de la famille ou du village planétaire. Si on prend l’avion, dans une demi journée, on peut aller à l’autre bout du monde. Victoire peut aller en Corée, le pays de ses parents dans à peine 10 heures, alors qu’autrefois, on prenait 3 ou 4 mois, car on prenait le bateau, et le bateau va évidemment beaucoup plus lentement que l’avion.
En tout cas, ce que je vais dire, n’est pas la vitesse des moyens de transport, mais l’étude comparée. Pourquoi fait-on l’étude comparée : l’économie comparée, la jurisprudence (l’ensemble des décisions d’un tribunal) comparée, la littérature comparée, etc. En un mot, si je résume, c’est pour s’enrichir en apprenant l’autre culture.
Très récemment – comme je suis économiste de formation, je continue un peu plus ce domaine – un journaliste de Time a écrit un article concernant le capitalisme de libre échange. Je vous explique ce mot paraissant difficile. C’est très intéressant. Les mots libre échange remontent à un très savant homme dans le domaine d’économie : Adam Smith. Dans un pays, il y a 2 femmes fabriquant 5 vêtements par jour avec 10 kg de fil de coton. Mais imaginez si à cause de diverses raisons, tels que l’homme sont très rare, une femme coûte très chère dans ce pays, alors si le chef de l’usine va chercher dans un autre pays où la population est abondante, donc la femme coûte moins chère, il arrive à fabriquer 7 vêtement avec 2 femmes résident à ce dernier pays et avec la même quantité de 10 kg de fil de coton. Voilà le dessein très simple de libre échange entre pays. Mais dans l’article que j’ai cité, 2 hommes dont l’un est appelé Bowyer et l’autre Chang ont écrit sur le même sujet, c’est-à-dire le capitalisme de libre échange. Le premier amène une conclusion très positive, en disant que malgré la tendance socialiste du gouvernement actuel, si on utilise ce mécanisme de libre échange, on peut faire beaucoup de richesse. Le 2e auteur dit tout au contraire, surtout cette tendance a laissé un effet très mal, par exemple achat des main-d’œuvre de femmes et hommes, même des enfants à moindre prix, comme nous pouvons facilement l’imaginer.
Si je retourne à mon mémoire, la redistribution de la richesse est un sujet très intéressant. Si on simplifie des choses, on prend de l’argent des gens riches et le donne aux gens pauvres, bien sûr pas comme le faisait Robin des bois, mais par une séries de mesures économiques. En France, les gens pauvres reçoivent ce qu’on appelle allocation du gouvernement dont la ressource est fournie par les riches. C’est une très bonne et souhaitable mesure pour la société. Mais dans le monde orient, il y a une mesure invisible de la redistribution, pour que tous vivent tranquillement : c’est l’entre-aide : les riches contribuent au manque matériel des pauvres. En France aussi ça existe, mais à degré faible, mais en orient, c’est plutôt une coutume. Les parent, les amis, les anciens élèves s’entre-aident par le réseau social, de façon très systématique, dira-t-on. C’est pourquoi quand vous allez aux pays d’Afrique, vous trouvez moins de mendiants qu’en France. En occurrence, au Cameroun, j’en trouvais presque personne. La redistribution de revenu a l’avantage, comme nous l’avons vu, mais elle a l’inconvénient, car celui qui donne a l’impression de l’avoir fait contre sa volonté et celui qui reçoit a la tendance d’être paresseux et dépendants.
Donc, la conclusion de mes propos, c’est qu’il est bien utile de faire la comparaison avec les autres pour voir l’avantage et l’inconvénient de ce que j’ai et dont et de ce dont je bénéficie. Si on ne fait pas la comparaison, il n’y a pas de problème pour vivre, mais soit qu’on pense que la propre situation est la meilleur ou qu’elle est tout au moins la seule solution.
Adam Smith cité là-haut, appelé père de l’économie moderne nomma la force motrice de l’économie, telle par exemple libre échange « main invisible ». Or, cette main invisible qui fait marcher toutes choses est Dieu. Dans toutes les comparaisons, à mon avis, il est très important de reconnaître que la force motrice ou originaire est Dieu. C’est la main de Dieu que fait tourner le monde composé de beaucoup de pays différents.
Avec cette attitude, au lieu de penser qu’one est meilleur, on a besoin d’apprendre les autres. C’est vrai que l’homme ne fait pas de comparaison pour uniquement apprendre des autres et être enrichis. Parfois, on la fait par une simple jalousie. En Corée, il y a le maxime qui dit que si un cousin achète un champs, on a mal au ventre. C’est à cause de la jalousie. C’est la nature humaine. Dans la situation d’un monde si concurrentiel, il est vraiment difficile d’être objectif dans la comparaison. Mais c’est un phénomène qui vient parce que nous vivons dans un monde déchu où il y a peu de ressource par rapport au nombre des hommes qui vivent dans la planète. Jean et Jacques étaient toujours dans la compétition avec Pierre, le premier officiel et soi-disant disciple de Jésus. Si je recite le journal Time, une fille de 2e gen de l’origine chinoise a amené son père à une cérémonie de décerner le prix de la fin d’année et cette fille était l’objet de 2e prix, alors son père devint furieux et dit à sa fille, « Jamais, tu me fera pas subir telle disgrâce comme celle-ci. » Selon un reportage sur la mère tigre, grâce à celle, le niveau de capacité de la lecture d’un enfant de Shanghai est 560 et celui de la math 600, alors que celui des enfants français est au dessous de 500 à la fois en lecture et en math.
Mais si nous sommes chrétiens, nous ne devons pas rester comme les gens jaloux ou égoïstes, mais être prêts à recevoir l’enseignement sur les autres. Même si un autre nous paraît être peu compétent, et peu capable, il a toujours du côté positif duquel nous pouvons apprendre quelque chose. Car la main invisible de Dieu est dans chaque coins du monde et aussi dans la personne de chaque homme. En se complétant les uns les autres, le chrétien grandit et devient de plus en plus mature.
Avant d’aborder le texte biblique, en ce qui concerne la comparaison, je pense qu’il sera judicieux de réfléchir sur la religion. Est-ce qu’il sera possible de faire la comparaison entre les religions ? Sans qu’il me paraisse nécessaire de comparer toutes les religions, il me paraît utile de faire une petite comparaison entre le catholicisme et le protestantisme, car nous vivons dans un pays de confession catholique.
Si je fais une comparaison entre ces 2 professions je trouve qu’il y a une autre sorte de main invisible de Dieu. Comme je vous ai exposé dans le message précédent, le catholicisme, ainsi que de certaines mouvances protestantes, met l’accent sur le libre arbitre de l’homme. C’est-à-dire que l’homme peut faire quelque chose de bon de lui-même. Il faut donc faire bien valoir cette volonté humaine pour qu’en utilisant ce bon côté, Dieu accomplisse en même temps son œuvre. La mesure de la redistribution des revenus dont j’ai mentionné au début peut être ainsi interprété comme la volonté de l’homme bon peur la justice. C’est l’aspect de l’humanisme.
En tout cas, dans le catholicisme, le libre arbitre de l’homme est reconnu comme résiduel malgré la chute de l’homme. Mais ce libre arbitre est, quand il est ressorti et effréné, risque de devenir un agent dangereux. D’où la nécessité de mettre quelque mors à lui. Le catholicisme reconnaît cette faiblesse de l’homme, donc établit une grande série de mors à sa volonté. La hiérarchie dans la magistère dans cette religion nous paraît être excessive. Mais pour Dieu qui aiment ces chrétiens aussi, il n’y avait pas d’autre solution, car l’homme est, malgré l’hypothèse de son libre arbitre valable toujours, un être déchu et sa bonne volonté est vraiment rare.
Maintenant voyons le protestantisme. Le credo de cette religion est la croyance individuelle, plutôt que la maîtrise hiérarchique et systématique, car Jésus a rendu chaque fidèle comme un être libre. Cette profession part de cette foi que l’homme est foncièrement coupable, car sa nature est fondamentalement déformée lors de sa chute. D’où l’homme peut être sauvé par la grâce seule. Comme la déchéance de l’homme est totale, le salut qui est arrivé par la foi en Christ est aussi total. Chaque chrétien est entièrement et gratuitement racheté par le sang de Jésus-Christ et maintenant il est devenu un être complètement libre. Cette profession nous paraît être une religion meilleure et plus parfaite que d’autre religion, car elle libère un homme entièrement. Mais notre attention est demandé, car si le privilège et le droit sont plus grands, une responsabilités plus grande s’ensuit aussi. Vraiment le don gratuit du sang de Jésus est inimaginable, si bien que le pécheur condamné à la perpétuité est sauvé et a pu désormais entrer dans le royaume de Dieu, seulement par la foi, sans que Dieu exige de moindre acte bon de sa part.
Donc, comment utiliser cette liberté totale donnée par Jésus dont le sang coulait sur la croix si abondamment est une question de première importance et elle doit pénétrer le tréfonds du cœur d’un protestant. Quelle vie vis-je après être gracié jusqu’à ce degré ? Autant le privilège est grand, autant l’abus soulèvera la colère de Dieu plus grande. La magistère contraingnante des catholiques est un garde fou sécurisant en quelque sorte pour eux. Mais dans le champs de liberté totale des protestants, chacun est responsable de ses actions. D’où leur extrême prudence leur est demandée.
La parole de l’étude de cette semaine de notre église était Jean 4 dernière partie concernant l’officier royal. En l’étudiant, vous aurez compris peut-être que par la foi en la parole de Dieu, le fils de l’officier mourant revit. C’est un fait fantastique. Mais durant cette épisode, nous avons rencontré plusieurs types de foi dont la comparaison nous donne quelque inspiration. D’abord, les gens de Nazareth pour qui Jésus avait prophétisé, en disant, « un prophète n’est pas honoré dans sa propre patrie. » Jésus, fils de Joseph, charpentier, fut rejeté par les gens de son propre village. Ceux-ci ont été blessé du fait qu’un fils de charpentier qui a été élevé avec eux de faire l’œuvre de salut et obtenir le renom du pays. Ils se comparaient sans cesse ce soi-disant serviteur de Dieu et le rejetaient. Voilà le premier type de chrétien que Paul avait nommé dans 1 Cor homme naturel. Ils ne sont pas né encore, et n’ont rien à voir avec l’Esprit de Dieu. Ils ne sont pas enseignés par Dieu à cause de leur dureté de cœur et le jugement humain en eux. Il y en a malheureusement beaucoup de ce gens dans la chrétienté. Ils sont jaloux, leur fierté blessée, ils jugent.
Puis vient le 2e type de chrétien, ce sont les gens que Paul appelle homme charnel. Quand Jésus arriva en Galilée, beaucoup de Galiléens vinrent à lui et l’accueillirent, parce qu’ils avaient vu les miracles que Jésus avait fait quand ils étaient à Jérusalem. Jésus se rendit Cana où il avait fait le premier miracle de l’eau changé en vin. Les gens vinrent voir un nouveau spectacle à ce village, ce bel image de miracle de fin vin. L’officier en était un. Jésus leur reprocha en disant, « Si vous ne voyez des miracles et des prodiges, vous en croirez donc point. » Leur foi est superstitieuse, ayant une vague espérance. A cause de cette foi, ils n’entrent jamais dans un vrai monde de foi. Ils se fâchent, quand on leur parle de la foi, car cette sorte de foi n’existe pas dans leur dictionnaire et ce sujet les blesse. Ils sont sentimentaux et leur émotion varie comme la condition météorologique. Il n’y avait que la reproche que cette terre improductive se renverse et change en bonne terre, ce que Jésus avait fait.
Alors, enfin l’officier se repentit et malgré la même requête de descendre guérir son fils avant que celui-ci meure, sa disposition de cœur fut changée. Maintenant, il accepta la réalité de la mort de son fils. Mais il crut en même temps en la puissance de la parole de Jésus purement. Il entra dans le monde de la vraie foi. Jésus bénit sa repentance et accorde la guérison de son fils. Cet officier repenti est le 3e et dernier type du chrétien, que Paul appelle dans le même de 1 Cor homme spirituel.
Si la comparaison de ces 3 types du chrétien est valeureuse, la comparaison de l’état d’avant Jésus avec celui d’après de Jésus de l’officier est aussi très significative. L’officier est venu avec son problème urgent de la maladie de son fils, mais comme des autres Galiléens ordinaires qui cherchaient des miracles. Mais Jésus ne put rien faire, tant qu’il cherchait un signe miraculeux seulement. A la reproche sur sa foi en miracles par Jésus, le père s’est sincèrement repenti, ce qui changea toute la donne. Désormais, ce récipient qui auparavant troué sans contenir aucune bénédiction en vint à recevoir et contenir d’abondantes bénédictions divines qui tombent du ciel. Le service habituel de l’église, la recherche de récompenses ou la récomfort sentimentale sont des exemples de la foi en les miracles, et ils restent souvent infructueux. Nous devons venir purement et simplement en croyant en la parole de Dieu, que ce soit au culte, ou au pain quotidien matinal. L’officier royal crut en la parole, « va, ton fils vit » sans le voir. C’est une foi merveilleuse qui croit seulement. Cet aide de Jésus par la repentance était utile, car sinon l’officier aurait tout oublié la grâce de la guérison de son fils. Mais comme il crut en la parole de Dieu, il sut remercier Dieu même après la guérison de son fils. C’est l’avantage que donne l’aide à la repentance.
Dans le texte d’aujourd’hui de 2 Corinthiens 10, nous rencontrons les gens qui aiment la comparaison, mais qui la font de façon fautive. Dans l’église de Corinthe infilitrèrent les gens de Judée, qui disaient la fausse doctrine concernant la circoncision sans laquelle on ne peut être sauvé. On ne sait qu’ils étaient au début les brebis de Paul ou simplement les personnes extérieures. En tout cas, ils se comparaient avec l’apôtre et prétendaient qu’ils étaient spéciaux et qu’ils étaient quelqu’un. mais Paul dit qu’ils se comparent en fait à eux-mêmes pour s’élever. Il dit, « Nous n’osons pas nous égaler ou nous comparer à quelques-uns de ceux qui se recommandent eux-mêmes. Mais, en se mesurant à leur propre mesure et en se comparant à eux-mêmes, ils manquent l’intelligence. » Socrate disait, « connaît toi toi-même. » Jean Calvin dit que l’homme connaîtra lui-même après avoir connu qui Dieu est. L’homme déchu est assez myope qu’il n’a pas de capacité de connaître lui-même tout seul. L’homme se comparant avec Dieu, en vient à reconnaître combien il est misérable et impure. En comparant avec les autres, il peut en venir parfois à comprendre qui et comment il est. J’ai dis que la comparaison provoque souvent la jalousie. Cependant, nous avons à nous comparer avec les autres, de façon juste bien sûr. De nos jours où l’internet s’est bien dévoloppé, nous pouvons facilement comprendre avec les autres. Nous pouvons consulter ce qui se passe au pays outre atlantique et savoir ce qui se passe dans les pays émergeants d’Asie. Nous pouvons voir ce qui se passe dans un pays qui il y a 30 ans était submergé dans l’idôlatrie, mais maintenant béni par Dieu, en sorte que un tier de sa population devint chrétiens. C’était par la force de prière matinale, par la supplication communautaire adressé à Dieu pour sauver la nation. Il y a trop de choses que nous négligeons à cause de notre fermeture. Mais si nous ouvrons nos cœurs, nous pouvons trouver beaucoup de matière à réflexion. C’est par le moyen de comparaison juste que nous pouvons y arriver.
Paul conclue cette partie en disant, « Que celui qui se glorifie, se glorifie dans le Seigneur. » C’est vrai, les gens passent beaucoup de temps pour se glorifier. La plupart de leurs sujets de conversations est concernant comment se vanter leurs mérites. Certains se vantent de l’excellence des résultats de l’école « primaire ». Pendant longtemps j’étais comme ça, car j’étais fier de ce que j’ai fréquenté une école primaire très renommé dans mon quartier. Mais malheureusement, en France, personne ne m’a reconnu. Donc, en arrivant en France, j’ai l’impression que je suis arrivé à une île sans homme. Merci maintenant que Dieu a fait de moi un homme qui se vante un peu du Seigneur, non de moi-même. Vraiment, certains se vantent de leur position, de leur famille de pur sang et des résultats scolaires de leurs enfants, leur comptes bancaires garnis, même les belles ligne et sillouette, etc. Si les sujets sont épuisés, ils vont trouver les anciens générations, puis disent que mon arrière arrière grand père était quelqu’un de très important. Mais qui le reconnaîtra.
Or, pour le chrétien, il y a une comparaison primordiale à effectuer, c’est de comparer sa vie avant Jésus et celle après Jésus. Un jour dans l’autocar que j’ai pris avec d’autres serviteurs aux Etats-Unis, un serviteur a proposé que chaque voyageur interpréte un chant non celui de AD mais BC, c’est-à-dire before Christ. Puis tous les voyageurs chantaient un chant qu’il aimait chanter avant qu’ils rencontrent Jésus. Nous devons avoir l’assez grande sagesse de pouvoir comparer notre vie ancienne et notre nouvelle vie. Ce n’est pas la peine de ruminer tout le temps le malheureux passé, mais l’important c’est que nous n’oublions pas notre vie du passé sans Dieu qui était malheureuse et misérable. Si nous procédons à ceci, nous pouvons arriver certainement à notre insu glorifier le Seigneur. Car nous savons que ce n’est pas à cause de nos forces que nous sommes changés et sauvés, mais par l’unique grâce de Dieu que nous le sommes. Qu’étiez-vous, avant que Jésus vous rende visite ? Mais comment suis-je changé maintenant ? Il nous aidera aussi si nous imaginons ce à quoi je serais conduit si je n’avait pas rencontré Jésus. Je ne sais pas tout, mais si je n’avais pas rencontré Jésus, je serai certainement un malade mental, car j’ai beaucoup souffert à cause de la déprime régulier venant de la conscence de culpabilité autrefois. Je serait devenu peut-être un alcoolique. Mais par la puissance de la croix de Jésus, il m’a sauvé et m’a fait son serviteur. Gloire à Dieu.
Aujourd’hui nous avons appris les bienfaits de la comparaison. Quand nous faisons la juste comparaison avec les autres, nous pouvons récolté beaucoup de bonnes choses. Nous pouvons imiter les bons exemples qui se trouvent chez les autres et pourquoi pas obtenir les mêmes exploits qu’eux. Nous arriverons à abandonner les mauvaise habitudes qui se sont fixés en nous depuis longtemps. Si nous comparons, nous risquons de sentir l’infériorité. Mais peu importe. Nous lutterons pour humilier nous-mêmes pour en extraire les leçons exquises. La maxime française dit, « c’est une grenouille dans le bénitier » pour indiquer la personne qui ne connaît que son monde. Que nous ne soyons pas manqué de l’intelligence, en pensant que nous sommes toujours meilleurs, les français ne parlent que le français disent souvent les gens du peuple étranger. Nous devons être assez humbles pour apprendre des autres par le biais des bonnes comparaisons. Alléluia !
BENEFITS OF THE COMPARISON
John 4 :43-54, 2 Corinthians 10: 12, 17
When I was a student of 3rd cycle in Aix-en-Provence 25 years ago, I wrote a master thesis about the title, "redistribution of wealth in France." As a man of the land of Far East I was very interested at the time in the system of how to redistribute wealth. Then I tried to find the possibility to apply it in my oriental country. In other words, I have been studying what is called comparative economics. In all areas of research, there is this kind of comparative study. This is something inevitable, because men live in different environments on the planet. Today, there is much talk of globalization. They also say the family or the global village. If you fly, in a half day, you can go to the other side of the world. Victoire may go to Korea, the country of his parents in just 10 hours, whereas before it took 3 or 4 months since we took the boat and the boat is obviously much slower than aeroplane.
Anyway, what I will say, is not the speed of transport, but the comparative study. Why is the comparative study: comparative economics, comparative jurisprudence (all decisions of a court), comparative Literature, etc.. In a word, if I summarize, it is to enrich themselves by learning from other culture.
Very recently - as I have a background of an economist, I continue a little longer this area - a reporter of Time wrote an article about free trade capitalism. Let me explain this seemingly difficult word. It’s very interesting. The words free trade back to a very learned man in the field of economics: Adam Smith. In a country, there are 2 women making 5 garments per day with 10 kg of cotton yarn. But imagine if, because of various reasons, such as humans are very rare, a woman is very dear in this country, so if the head of the plant will look in another country where the population is abundant, so the woman costs less, it happens to make 7 clothes with 2 women resident in that country and with the same amount of 10 kg of cotton yarn. That is the simple picture of free trade between countries. But in the article that I quoted, 2 men, one of which is called Bowyer and another Chang write on the same subject, that is to say, capitalism of free trade. The first leads to a conclusion very positive, saying that despite the tendency of the Socialist government, if we use this mechanism of free trade, we can do a lot of wealth. The second author said on the contrary, especially this trend has left a very bad example by purchasing labor of women and men, even children with lower prices, until it was a slavery, as we can easily imagine.
If I return to my thesis, the redistribution of wealth is a very interesting subject. If we simplify things, it takes money from the rich and give to the poor people, of course not like Robin Hood did it, but by a series of economic measures. In France, poor people receive what is called allocation from government for which the resource is provided by the rich. This is very good and desirable measure for society. But in the eastern world, there is a invisible measure of redistribution, so that all live quietly. It is the mutual aid, the rich help the poor’s material lack. In France it exists, but at low level, but in the East, it is rather a custom. The parents, friends, alumni help each other by the social network, a very systematic way, they say. That's why when you go to Africa, you find fewer beggars than in France. In occasion, in Cameroon, I found almost no beggar. Redistribution of income has the advantage, as we have seen, but it has the disadvantage, for he who gives have the impression of having done so against his will and the poor who receive has the tendency to be lazy and dependent.
So, the conclusion of my remarks is that it is useful to compare with others to see the advantage and disadvantage of what I have and where and what I enjoy. If we do not compare, there is no problem for life, but we can think whether we think the situation is the best clean or we think at least it is the only solution.
Adam Smith quoted up there, called the father of modern economics named the driving force of the economy, such as free trade "invisible hand". However, this invisible hand that powers everything is God. In all comparisons, in my opinion, it is very important to recognize that the driving force is God. It is the hand of God that makes go the world composed of many different countries.
With this attitude, instead of thinking we're better, we need to learn from others. It is true that man does not compare to only learn from others and be enriched. Sometimes it is done by simple jealousy. In Korea, there is the maxim that if a cousin bought a field, it gives a stomach ache. It is because of jealousy. It's human nature. In the situation of a world so competitive, it is really difficult to be objective in the comparison. But it is a phenomenon just because we live in a fallen world where there are few resources compared to the number of men who live on the planet. John and James were still in the competition with Peter, the first official and self-styled disciple of Jesus. If I recite the Time magazine, a daughter of 2nd gen origin of the Chinese brought his father in a ceremony to award the prize of the season and this girl was the subject of the second prize, and his father was furious and said to his daughter, "Never, you will have me suffer such disgrace as this one. » According to a report on the mother tiger, thanks to that, the level of reading ability of a child in Shanghai is 560 and that of math 600, while the French children is below 500 in both reading and math.
But if we are Christians, we must not remain as people jealous or selfish, but be prepared to receive instruction from others. Even if another seems to be somewhat few responsible and not very capable, he always has a positive side from whom we can learn something. It’s because the invisible hand of God is in every corner of the world and also in the person of every man. By complementing each other, the Christian grows and becomes more and more mature.
Before turning to the biblical text in terms of comparison, I think it will be wise to reflect on religion. Is it be possible to make comparisons between religions? Without it seems for me necessary to compare all religions, it seems useful to make a small comparison between Catholicism and Protestantism, because we live in a country of Catholics.
If I make a comparison between these two professions I think there is another kind of invisible hand of God. As I have explained in the previous message, Catholicism, and certain Protestant mouvements emphasis on free will of man. That is to say that man can make something good of himself. So one must bring out human will, so that by using this good side, God may at the same time work. The measurement of income redistribution which I mentioned at the beginning can be interpreted as the will of the good man for the justice. This is the aspect of humanism.
In any case, in Catholicism, the free will of man is known as residual despite the fall of man. But this free will is, when it came out and frantic, risks becoming a dangerous agent. Hence the need for some bit to him. Catholicism recognizes this weakness of man, then makes a great set of bits to his will. The hierarchy in the magisterium in this religion seems to be excessive. But for God who love those Christians too, there was no alternative, because man is, despite the assumption of free will still be valid, a fallen being and his good will is really rare.
Now see Protestantism. The creed of this religion is the individual belief, rather than hierarchical and systematic control, because Jesus has made every believer as a free being. This profession depart from this faith that man is inherently guilty because his nature is fundamentally distorted after his fall. Hence a man can be saved by grace alone. Since the fall of man is total, the salvation that came through faith in Christ also is total. Every Christian is completely free and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and now he has become completely free. This profession seems to be a religion better and more perfect than any other religion, because it frees a man entirely. But our attention is demanded for if the privilege and the right are larger, a greater responsibility follows. Truly the gift of Jesus' blood is unimaginable, so the sinner condemned to life is saved and could now enter into the kingdom of God by faith alone, without any good act God demands on his part.
So, how to use this total freedom given by Jesus, whose blood flowed so abundantly on the cross is a major issue and it must penetrate the depths of the heart of a Protestant. How do I live life after being pardoned to that extent? As the privilege is great, the abuse will raise more the wrath of God. The restrictive Magisterium of the Catholic is a safeguard somehow reassuring to them. But in the fields of total freedom of Protestants, everyone is responsible for his actions. Hence their extreme caution is requested for them.
The word of the study this week from our church was John 4 last part concerning royal officer. As you study, you would understand perhaps only by faith in the word of God, the son of the officer was saved from dying. It is an absolutely fantastic. But during this episode, we met with several types of faith whose comparison gives us some inspiration. First, the people of Nazareth for whom Jesus had prophesied, saying, "A prophet is not honored in her own homeland. "Jesus son of Joseph, a carpenter, was rejected by the people of his own village. They were injured because a carpenter's son who grew up with them did the work of salvation and get the reputation of the country. They are constantly comparing them with the so-called servant of God and rejected him. This is the first type of Christian that Paul was named in 1 Cor natural man. They are not born yet, and have nothing to do with God's Spirit. They are not taught by God because of their hardness of heart and the human judgments in them. There are unfortunately a lot of such people in Christendom. They are jealous, their pride hurt, and they juge.
Then comes the second type of Christian, these are the people that Paul calls carnal man. When Jesus came into Galilee, many came to him and Galileans welcomed him because they saw the miracles that Jesus did when they were in Jerusalem. Jesus went to Cana where he had the first miracle of changing water into wine. People came to see a new show in this village, this beautiful picture of fine wine miracle. The officer was one of them. Jesus rebuked them saying, "If you don’t see signs and wonders, you believe not therefore." Their faith is superstitious, having a vague hope. Because of this faith, they never come in a world of true faith. They get angry when they speak of faith, because this kind of faith does not exist in their dictionary, and this subject hurts them. They are sentimental and emotion changes as the weather condition. That is only the reproof that can reverse the unproductive land and change it in good soil, what Jesus did.
So the officer finally repented and despite the same request of coming down to his son and heal him before he dies, his heart was changed and available. Now, he accepted the reality of the death of his son. But he believed at the same time the power of the word of Jesus purely. He entered the world of true faith. Jesus blesses his repentance and grant healing of his son. This repented officer is the third and final type of Christian, who Paul calls in the same passage of 1 Cor spiritual man.
If the comparison of these three types of Christians are brave, comparing the state of officer before Jesus with the state after Jesus is also very significant. The officer came with his urgent problem of the illness of his son, but like other ordinary Galileans who were looking for miracles. But Jesus could not do anything until he was looking for a miraculous sign only. At the reproof on his faith in miracles by Jesus, the father has sincerely repented, which changed the whole situation. Now, the vessel that previously was pierced and couldn’t contain any blessing came to receive and contain abundant blessings falling from the sky. The regular service of the church, looking for rewards or sentimental récomfort are examples of faith in miracles, and they often remain fruitless. We have to come simply by believing in the word of God, whether in worship or daily bread morning devotion. The royal officer believed in the word, "go, your son lives" without seeing it. It is a wonderful faith that believes only. The help of Jesus through repentance was useful, because otherwise the officer would forget all of the grace of healing of his son. But as he believed in the word of God, he thanked God even after the healing of his son. That's the advantage that help to repentance gives.
John 4 :43-54, 2 Corinthians 10: 12, 17
When I was a student of 3rd cycle in Aix-en-Provence 25 years ago, I wrote a master thesis about the title, "redistribution of wealth in France." As a man of the land of Far East I was very interested at the time in the system of how to redistribute wealth. Then I tried to find the possibility to apply it in my oriental country. In other words, I have been studying what is called comparative economics. In all areas of research, there is this kind of comparative study. This is something inevitable, because men live in different environments on the planet. Today, there is much talk of globalization. They also say the family or the global village. If you fly, in a half day, you can go to the other side of the world. Victoire may go to Korea, the country of his parents in just 10 hours, whereas before it took 3 or 4 months since we took the boat and the boat is obviously much slower than aeroplane.
Anyway, what I will say, is not the speed of transport, but the comparative study. Why is the comparative study: comparative economics, comparative jurisprudence (all decisions of a court), comparative Literature, etc.. In a word, if I summarize, it is to enrich themselves by learning from other culture.
Very recently - as I have a background of an economist, I continue a little longer this area - a reporter of Time wrote an article about free trade capitalism. Let me explain this seemingly difficult word. It’s very interesting. The words free trade back to a very learned man in the field of economics: Adam Smith. In a country, there are 2 women making 5 garments per day with 10 kg of cotton yarn. But imagine if, because of various reasons, such as humans are very rare, a woman is very dear in this country, so if the head of the plant will look in another country where the population is abundant, so the woman costs less, it happens to make 7 clothes with 2 women resident in that country and with the same amount of 10 kg of cotton yarn. That is the simple picture of free trade between countries. But in the article that I quoted, 2 men, one of which is called Bowyer and another Chang write on the same subject, that is to say, capitalism of free trade. The first leads to a conclusion very positive, saying that despite the tendency of the Socialist government, if we use this mechanism of free trade, we can do a lot of wealth. The second author said on the contrary, especially this trend has left a very bad example by purchasing labor of women and men, even children with lower prices, until it was a slavery, as we can easily imagine.
If I return to my thesis, the redistribution of wealth is a very interesting subject. If we simplify things, it takes money from the rich and give to the poor people, of course not like Robin Hood did it, but by a series of economic measures. In France, poor people receive what is called allocation from government for which the resource is provided by the rich. This is very good and desirable measure for society. But in the eastern world, there is a invisible measure of redistribution, so that all live quietly. It is the mutual aid, the rich help the poor’s material lack. In France it exists, but at low level, but in the East, it is rather a custom. The parents, friends, alumni help each other by the social network, a very systematic way, they say. That's why when you go to Africa, you find fewer beggars than in France. In occasion, in Cameroon, I found almost no beggar. Redistribution of income has the advantage, as we have seen, but it has the disadvantage, for he who gives have the impression of having done so against his will and the poor who receive has the tendency to be lazy and dependent.
So, the conclusion of my remarks is that it is useful to compare with others to see the advantage and disadvantage of what I have and where and what I enjoy. If we do not compare, there is no problem for life, but we can think whether we think the situation is the best clean or we think at least it is the only solution.
Adam Smith quoted up there, called the father of modern economics named the driving force of the economy, such as free trade "invisible hand". However, this invisible hand that powers everything is God. In all comparisons, in my opinion, it is very important to recognize that the driving force is God. It is the hand of God that makes go the world composed of many different countries.
With this attitude, instead of thinking we're better, we need to learn from others. It is true that man does not compare to only learn from others and be enriched. Sometimes it is done by simple jealousy. In Korea, there is the maxim that if a cousin bought a field, it gives a stomach ache. It is because of jealousy. It's human nature. In the situation of a world so competitive, it is really difficult to be objective in the comparison. But it is a phenomenon just because we live in a fallen world where there are few resources compared to the number of men who live on the planet. John and James were still in the competition with Peter, the first official and self-styled disciple of Jesus. If I recite the Time magazine, a daughter of 2nd gen origin of the Chinese brought his father in a ceremony to award the prize of the season and this girl was the subject of the second prize, and his father was furious and said to his daughter, "Never, you will have me suffer such disgrace as this one. » According to a report on the mother tiger, thanks to that, the level of reading ability of a child in Shanghai is 560 and that of math 600, while the French children is below 500 in both reading and math.
But if we are Christians, we must not remain as people jealous or selfish, but be prepared to receive instruction from others. Even if another seems to be somewhat few responsible and not very capable, he always has a positive side from whom we can learn something. It’s because the invisible hand of God is in every corner of the world and also in the person of every man. By complementing each other, the Christian grows and becomes more and more mature.
Before turning to the biblical text in terms of comparison, I think it will be wise to reflect on religion. Is it be possible to make comparisons between religions? Without it seems for me necessary to compare all religions, it seems useful to make a small comparison between Catholicism and Protestantism, because we live in a country of Catholics.
If I make a comparison between these two professions I think there is another kind of invisible hand of God. As I have explained in the previous message, Catholicism, and certain Protestant mouvements emphasis on free will of man. That is to say that man can make something good of himself. So one must bring out human will, so that by using this good side, God may at the same time work. The measurement of income redistribution which I mentioned at the beginning can be interpreted as the will of the good man for the justice. This is the aspect of humanism.
In any case, in Catholicism, the free will of man is known as residual despite the fall of man. But this free will is, when it came out and frantic, risks becoming a dangerous agent. Hence the need for some bit to him. Catholicism recognizes this weakness of man, then makes a great set of bits to his will. The hierarchy in the magisterium in this religion seems to be excessive. But for God who love those Christians too, there was no alternative, because man is, despite the assumption of free will still be valid, a fallen being and his good will is really rare.
Now see Protestantism. The creed of this religion is the individual belief, rather than hierarchical and systematic control, because Jesus has made every believer as a free being. This profession depart from this faith that man is inherently guilty because his nature is fundamentally distorted after his fall. Hence a man can be saved by grace alone. Since the fall of man is total, the salvation that came through faith in Christ also is total. Every Christian is completely free and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ and now he has become completely free. This profession seems to be a religion better and more perfect than any other religion, because it frees a man entirely. But our attention is demanded for if the privilege and the right are larger, a greater responsibility follows. Truly the gift of Jesus' blood is unimaginable, so the sinner condemned to life is saved and could now enter into the kingdom of God by faith alone, without any good act God demands on his part.
So, how to use this total freedom given by Jesus, whose blood flowed so abundantly on the cross is a major issue and it must penetrate the depths of the heart of a Protestant. How do I live life after being pardoned to that extent? As the privilege is great, the abuse will raise more the wrath of God. The restrictive Magisterium of the Catholic is a safeguard somehow reassuring to them. But in the fields of total freedom of Protestants, everyone is responsible for his actions. Hence their extreme caution is requested for them.
The word of the study this week from our church was John 4 last part concerning royal officer. As you study, you would understand perhaps only by faith in the word of God, the son of the officer was saved from dying. It is an absolutely fantastic. But during this episode, we met with several types of faith whose comparison gives us some inspiration. First, the people of Nazareth for whom Jesus had prophesied, saying, "A prophet is not honored in her own homeland. "Jesus son of Joseph, a carpenter, was rejected by the people of his own village. They were injured because a carpenter's son who grew up with them did the work of salvation and get the reputation of the country. They are constantly comparing them with the so-called servant of God and rejected him. This is the first type of Christian that Paul was named in 1 Cor natural man. They are not born yet, and have nothing to do with God's Spirit. They are not taught by God because of their hardness of heart and the human judgments in them. There are unfortunately a lot of such people in Christendom. They are jealous, their pride hurt, and they juge.
Then comes the second type of Christian, these are the people that Paul calls carnal man. When Jesus came into Galilee, many came to him and Galileans welcomed him because they saw the miracles that Jesus did when they were in Jerusalem. Jesus went to Cana where he had the first miracle of changing water into wine. People came to see a new show in this village, this beautiful picture of fine wine miracle. The officer was one of them. Jesus rebuked them saying, "If you don’t see signs and wonders, you believe not therefore." Their faith is superstitious, having a vague hope. Because of this faith, they never come in a world of true faith. They get angry when they speak of faith, because this kind of faith does not exist in their dictionary, and this subject hurts them. They are sentimental and emotion changes as the weather condition. That is only the reproof that can reverse the unproductive land and change it in good soil, what Jesus did.
So the officer finally repented and despite the same request of coming down to his son and heal him before he dies, his heart was changed and available. Now, he accepted the reality of the death of his son. But he believed at the same time the power of the word of Jesus purely. He entered the world of true faith. Jesus blesses his repentance and grant healing of his son. This repented officer is the third and final type of Christian, who Paul calls in the same passage of 1 Cor spiritual man.
If the comparison of these three types of Christians are brave, comparing the state of officer before Jesus with the state after Jesus is also very significant. The officer came with his urgent problem of the illness of his son, but like other ordinary Galileans who were looking for miracles. But Jesus could not do anything until he was looking for a miraculous sign only. At the reproof on his faith in miracles by Jesus, the father has sincerely repented, which changed the whole situation. Now, the vessel that previously was pierced and couldn’t contain any blessing came to receive and contain abundant blessings falling from the sky. The regular service of the church, looking for rewards or sentimental récomfort are examples of faith in miracles, and they often remain fruitless. We have to come simply by believing in the word of God, whether in worship or daily bread morning devotion. The royal officer believed in the word, "go, your son lives" without seeing it. It is a wonderful faith that believes only. The help of Jesus through repentance was useful, because otherwise the officer would forget all of the grace of healing of his son. But as he believed in the word of God, he thanked God even after the healing of his son. That's the advantage that help to repentance gives.
Let’s specify a little more, because it is a very important part. This is the nascent faith. Really reproach, which is involved, we think he, with a rage of Jesus, has the effectiveness of changing the whole situation. Before, the officer came with the embarrassment of his son's illness, but after the barometer of embarrassment on business of living has dropped to zero degrees. Then he turned in a valiant soldier of God seeming to say: « My son would die, if necessary. » Moreover, he became a man of prayer. The first supplication of the father was described as descriptive, but the second supplication, the same query, in the form of dialogue, this brings in my view very important singifiction. Coming at the beginning, the father whispered or mumbled or asked nicely. But after, he cried with a clear intonation. It is as if a body lying at the bottom of basin rises to the surface. Here we learn what prayer is. Some say, why our pastor says always pray aloud. Prayer is personal and it is said inside. But this is not my way that I impose. But that's the way, I would say, of God. Jesus was not listening at the beginning even if the father begged him to come down and heal his son who was ready to die, said the father to himself. But when the father asked orally, or rather at a loud voice, Jesus listened. Appetite comes with eating the popular maxim says. I said, the heart takes the heat, praying aloud. Really the answer to this prayer of Jesus was immediate, instantaneous, even faster than the plane, faster than lightning, or it looks at the speed of light year zero, because the effect occurred at the ubiquist manner (that is to say, present everywhere at once).
This could be an anecdote, but I think, being important, it seems sound to say: If this way of prayer that is acceptable to the Lord, there is also the best time agreeable to the Lord. As the Rev. David Leggae said, "the fourth watch of the night between 3am and 6am, this is when the Lord, having stayed up all night by our bedside, gets up and prepares to leave, and he wants to communicate with us. This is when Moses ascended Mount Sinai to be fully enlightened by God's glory. This is the best time when we can meet God in bringing our prayer requests. If you come early morning to the center you have the delicious meals that your pastor had prepared all night sometimes blind. Otherwise you will wake in the morning and you metitate. Do you have study the problem? an idea or research topic? Do you have health problem? facial muscle problem? I know a very successful missionary in Guatemala, but once the French had this problem, but it has healed completely by the morning prayer. Do you have the problem of domestic scene? the problem of educating children? their health? Come the morning and pray to God as did the father officer. All conditions being fulfilled, God will not refuse you certainly. Believe in God if not believe me, as the French says usually. I can not help feeling a bit recently impression that you are few instances of the word of your pastor. It's sad. This is not an advantage for you.
This could be an anecdote, but I think, being important, it seems sound to say: If this way of prayer that is acceptable to the Lord, there is also the best time agreeable to the Lord. As the Rev. David Leggae said, "the fourth watch of the night between 3am and 6am, this is when the Lord, having stayed up all night by our bedside, gets up and prepares to leave, and he wants to communicate with us. This is when Moses ascended Mount Sinai to be fully enlightened by God's glory. This is the best time when we can meet God in bringing our prayer requests. If you come early morning to the center you have the delicious meals that your pastor had prepared all night sometimes blind. Otherwise you will wake in the morning and you metitate. Do you have study the problem? an idea or research topic? Do you have health problem? facial muscle problem? I know a very successful missionary in Guatemala, but once the French had this problem, but it has healed completely by the morning prayer. Do you have the problem of domestic scene? the problem of educating children? their health? Come the morning and pray to God as did the father officer. All conditions being fulfilled, God will not refuse you certainly. Believe in God if not believe me, as the French says usually. I can not help feeling a bit recently impression that you are few instances of the word of your pastor. It's sad. This is not an advantage for you.
In today's text from 2 Corinthians 10, we meet people who like the comparison, but do it in the flawed manner. In the Church of Corinth, there have filtrated people of Judea, who said the false doctrines about circumcision, without which we can not be saved. They compared themselves with the apostles and pretended they were someone. but Paul said they actually compare themselves to rise. He said, "Not that we venture to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another, and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding." Socrates said "know thyself." John Calvin says that man will know himself after experiencing who God is. Fallen man is rather shortsighted that he has no ability to know himself all alone. The man comparing himself with God, comes to recognize how much he is worthless and impure. Comparing with others, sometimes he can come to understand who and how he is. I said that comparison often leads to jealousy. However we need to compare ourselves with others. In our days when the internet is developped, we can easily compare with others. We can consult what’s happening in countries across the Atlantic and know what is happening in emerging asian countries. We can see what is happening in a country that was submerged in idolatry 30 years ago and now is blessed by God so that one third of his population become christians. In a word, by force of morning prayer, communatary supplication addressed to God. There are too many things that we overlook because of our narrowmindedness. But if we open our hearts, we can find a lot to discover. It is by way of just comparison that we can do it.
Paul concluded this section by saying, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord. » It’s true ; people spend much time to boast. Most of their topics of conversation is about how to advertise their merits. Some boast of the excellent results of primary school. I was like that for a long time because I was proud of what I attended renowned elementary school. But unfortunately, in France, nobody recognized me. So, arriving in France, I feel like I got to an island without a man. Thank you now that God has made me a man who boasts a little of the Lord, not myself. Really, some boast of their position, their families of pur blood and the school results of their children, their bank account with good provision, even nice line and sillouette, etc.. If subjects are exhausted, they go find the previous generations, saying that my grand grand grandfather was someone very important. But who will recognize.
But for the Christian, there is a paramount comparison to be made ; it is to compare his life before Jesus and after Jesus. One day on the bus that I took with other servants in the United States, a servant has proposed that each traveler interprets a song but not that of AD, but that of BC, that is to say before Christ. Then all the passengers sang a song he liked to sing before they meet Jesus. We must have enough wisdom to compare our old life and our new life. It's not worth mulling over unhappy past all the time, but the important thing is that we remember our past life without God which was unhappy and miserable. If we do this, without our knowing, we can certainly happen to glorify the Lord. For we know it is not because of our strengths that we are changed and saved, but by the only grace of God that we are. What were you before Jesus visited you? But how am I different now? It will also help us if we imagine what I would became if I had not met Jesus. I do not know everything, but if I had not met Jesus, I'll definitely be a mentally patient, for I have suffered from constant depression from the guilty conscence at past. Maybe I would become an alcoholic. But by the power of the cross of Jesus, he saved me and made me his servant. Glory to God!
Today we learned the benefits of comparison. When we do a fair comparison with others, we raised a lot of good things. We can imitate the good examples that are in others and why not get the same exploits as them. We get to drop the bad habits that we have set for a long time. If we compare, we are likely to feel inferior. But no matter. We will fight to humble ourselves in order to extract exquisite lessons. The French maxim says, "it is a frog in the holy water font » to indicate the person who knows only his world. May we be not without understanding, thinking that we are always better, the French speak only the French, says other people. We must be humble enough to learn from others through good comparisons. Hallelujah!
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