CASTROISM - THE POLITICAL, SOCIAL, AND REVOLUTIONARY THEORIES AND POLICIES ADVOCATED BY FIDEL CASTRO.
Oh, how Castro has been a thorn in our side for years. Because of his dictatorship we have been on the verge of war, and are currently fighting to avoid being overwhelmed by the refugees trying to flee Cuba for the US. All of this because one man wants everything done his way. Of course, that could never happen in the church, could it? How many congregations have been split, choked, smothered, stunted in growth, and even killed because someone wanted things done their way?
There are no doubt many congregations, some with elders and some without, which suffer under a form of Castroism. This type of dictatorship is certainly nothing new. John spoke of a man in this position in 3 John 1:9 “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.” Diotrephes was obviously a very intimidating man to be able to control the others in the church to such an extent that he would not even receive one of the apostles. He had apparently taken the place of Christ in this particular congregation and John let it be known that the arrogance shown would not go unpunished. Diotrephes should have known that Christ is the only one to have preeminence in the church; (Col 1:17-18) “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. {18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” And we should know the same today.
The reason these individuals are able to succeed in the first place is because there is no one to withstand them. Many times they will bring in their whole family to support them in their power grab. Unfortunately, we often let it go. John said it was something that could not continue. (3 John 1:10) “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.” The situation was backwards here as it is in many places today. The one who should be cast out of the church is the one who desires to be like Castro.
It is never an easy thing to “... put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” (1 Cor 5:13), but there are many things in Christianity that are not easy. We cannot shy away from doing what is right just because it is harder than doing what is wrong or doing nothing. Don’t be like Diotrephes and don’t let the church come under the power of one like him.
Oh, how Castro has been a thorn in our side for years. Because of his dictatorship we have been on the verge of war, and are currently fighting to avoid being overwhelmed by the refugees trying to flee Cuba for the US. All of this because one man wants everything done his way. Of course, that could never happen in the church, could it? How many congregations have been split, choked, smothered, stunted in growth, and even killed because someone wanted things done their way?
There are no doubt many congregations, some with elders and some without, which suffer under a form of Castroism. This type of dictatorship is certainly nothing new. John spoke of a man in this position in 3 John 1:9 “I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not.” Diotrephes was obviously a very intimidating man to be able to control the others in the church to such an extent that he would not even receive one of the apostles. He had apparently taken the place of Christ in this particular congregation and John let it be known that the arrogance shown would not go unpunished. Diotrephes should have known that Christ is the only one to have preeminence in the church; (Col 1:17-18) “And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. {18} And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.” And we should know the same today.
The reason these individuals are able to succeed in the first place is because there is no one to withstand them. Many times they will bring in their whole family to support them in their power grab. Unfortunately, we often let it go. John said it was something that could not continue. (3 John 1:10) “Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.” The situation was backwards here as it is in many places today. The one who should be cast out of the church is the one who desires to be like Castro.
It is never an easy thing to “... put away from among yourselves that wicked person.” (1 Cor 5:13), but there are many things in Christianity that are not easy. We cannot shy away from doing what is right just because it is harder than doing what is wrong or doing nothing. Don’t be like Diotrephes and don’t let the church come under the power of one like him.
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