We hear this word all too frequently.
It is a most convenient word, however few realise its true meaning.
Radicalisation is the word to which I am referring.
We hear on our news bulletins on a regular basis of young men, and women, being ‘radicalised’, and many gloss over its current significance.
What can be done about this?
Some may even wonder if anything at all can be done about it, and they have good cause to think that way.
We are experiencing the most challenging days of our lifetimes. Many are unaware of the severity of the circumstances. This is being written at a time when many horrendous violent and surprising attacks are happening all over our world.
Now, this is a good word and it has a very positive meaning as well as a negative and tragic significance with tragic consequences.
True genuine radicalisation arises in Luke’s Gospel, inpix where John the Baptist is preparing the way for the coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Saviour and Lord.
John the Baptist or more accurately translated, John the plunger, because that is what he did, speaks in his courageous preaching and Holy Spirit inspired teaching that the axe was being laid at the root. If we had translated that word instead of simply transliterating the Greek ‘Baptizo’ we could have prevented much unnecessary misunderstanding and division within the Church of Jesus Christ. That is a different root question and problem which needs a separate and specific article!
The significance of that word “radical” emerges from the Latin and Greek, for the root, from which we have the word rhizome. bocoranadminriki
Radicalisation means that the root is going to be affected, and biblically that means sin is going to be dealt with, and only Jesus Christ can deal with sin. More sites visit here:-https://www.splitacdubai.com/ https://kjro.fr/ florbiz.com https://optoki.com/ https://www.coingraph.news
Only God can forgive sin, and that involves the shedding of blood.
We are reminded of all this as we approach another Passover, when we recall how Jesus Christ, our Passover Lamb, was crucified, shedding His blood to wash away sin.
The contemporary usage of ‘radicalised’ might better be called poisoned, duped, or deceived. It is to counter these heart breaking consequences that we need the truth and light of the Word of God as we have it in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.
Fearlessly, John preached that it is axing time.
John is referring to the quality of the root, and if there is no fruit that tree should be axed. That is radical.
As John prepared for Jesus to walk onto the world’s stage, he taught that he was not interested if you can trace your ancestry back to Abraham.
What matters is righteousness, not race, nor ritual.
It is not just the lopping off of a few branches. It is much more serious and much more radical.
This is positive, encouraging, edifying radicalisation, which God floods with mercy, love, grace and peace.
One can choose or not choose.
And, by not choosing, one makes a choice!
Sandy Shaw is Pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship, Chaplain at Inverness Prison, and Nairn Academy, and serves on The Children’s Panel in Scotland, and has travelled extensively over these past years teaching, speaking, in America, Canada, South Africa, Australia, making 12 visits to Israel conducting Tours and Pilgrimages, and most recently in Uganda and Kenya, ministering at Pastors and Leaders Seminars, in the poor areas surrounding Kampala, Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu.
