Pilgrims in Babylon
November 16, 2010
In the very helpful book, Selling Out the Church: The Dangers of Church Marketing, authors Philip Kenneson and James Street remind us, “If the Church’s mission is to announce the erupting reign of God, and to do so by being sign, foretaste, and herald of that kingdom, then it will not be able to do that if it expunges all its oddness in the name of building bridges to unbelievers” (145). Jason Stellman makes the same point in his book, Dual Citizens: Worship and Life Between the Already and the Not Yet, “The one luxury the church does not have is to apologize for her archaic, idiosyncratic, otherworldly, and countercultural characteristics and attempt to dilute her saltiness (wherein her true worth and beauty lie)” (38).
The overwhelming biblical witness is that we are pilgrims in Babylon (John 18:36; 1 Peter 2:9-11). That is, we belong ultimately to another king, another kingdom, another city, another home. Therefore, if nothing is odd or foreign or strange or new or counter-cultural within our lives or our churches, then how can we possibly point lost souls to God’s kingdom (which is truly odd, foreign, strange, new, and counter-cultural when compared to the world’s kingdoms)? As Jesus reminds us, we are not of this world (John 17:14-16), we therefore don’t look like the world when we gather for worship and when we live our lives as pilgrims.
In the midst of all of our striving to be relevant, perhaps we need to learn anew a lesson from some of the earliest Christians. According to one account from the late second century, the early Christian’s relevance, apologetic, and cultural influence was grounded primarily in his odd, foreign, strange, new, and counter-cultural way of life. After calling Christians a “new race of men,” the ancient text of The Epistle to Diognetus highlights the “remarkable and admittedly unusual character of their own citizenship.”
For Christians are not distinguished from the rest of humanity by country, language, or custom. For nowhere do they live in cities of their own, nor do they speak some unusual dialect, nor do they practice an eccentric life-style. This teaching of theirs has not been discovered by the thought and reflection of ingenious men, nor do they promote any human doctrine, as some do. But while they live in both Greek and barbarian cities, as each one’s lot was cast, and follow the local customs in dress and food and other aspects of life, at the same time they demonstrate the remarkable and admittedly unusual character of their own citizenship. They live in their own countries, but only as aliens; they participate in everything as citizens, and endure everything as foreigners. Every foreign country is their fatherland, and every fatherland is foreign. They marry like everyone else, and have children, but they do not expose their offspring. They share their food but not their wives. They are “in the flesh,” but they do not live “according to the flesh.” They live on earth, but their citizenship is in heaven. They obey the established laws; indeed in their private lives they transcend the laws. They love everyone, and by everyone they are persecuted. They are unknown, yet they are condemned; they are put to death, yet they are brought to life. They are poor, yet they make many rich; they are in need of everything, yet they abound in everything. They are dishonored, yet they are glorified in their dishonor; they are slandered, yet they are vindicated. They are cursed, yet they bless; they are insulted, yet they offer respect. When they do good, they are punished as evildoers; when they are punished, they rejoice as though brought to life. By the Jews they are assaulted as foreigners, and by the Greeks they are persecuted, yet those who hate them are unable to give a reason for their hostility (quoted from The Apostolic Fathers, 2nd edition, p. 299).
Of the many things that stand out in this early defense of Christianity, perhaps the most significant is the apparent comfort these first Christians had at being foreigners and aliens, even in their own countries. They knew they were pilgrims in Babylon. Their lives showed it. Their witness was strengthened by it. They were not hip and relevant, they did not have a seat at the cultural table of their day, nor were they fashionable and respected. But they were faithful. They loved their God and their neighbor. And as strange as this new race of men was to the world, they continued to grow and thrive under the blessings of God.
The Church, the State, and Proposition 8
August 11, 2010
One of the great questions for the Church in our day is how we are to handle questions of Christianity and politics. Last Sunday morning we sought to apply God’s wisdom to the political discussion surrounding Proposition 8 and the debate over same-sex marriage. We saw, of course, that God’s wisdom stands opposed to the world’s wisdom, and we recognized that even our own wisdom on this issue can stand against God’s wisdom if we are not seeking to thoroughly submit our minds to God’s Word. Thus, we must have a prophetic voice in our culture, speaking God’s Word boldly and openly, but we must be humble prophets, careful to reject all hints of our own wisdom that stand in contrast to God’s Word. So, in the case of Proposition 8, we acknowledge the sinful nature of same-sex marriage (per 1 Cor. 6:9; 1 Tim. 1:10), but we also acknowledge God’s hand in giving men and women over to their sin. As Paul writes, “Since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done” (Rom. 1:28). Perhaps here it is best for our own “prophetic” voice to stand in silent awe of God’s unsearchable wisdom as he removes barriers and gives sinners over to their sin.
Of course, the greater political question remains, how does Christ’s Church relate to the everyday political activities of our world? What does it look like for the Church generally to live by God’s wisdom, and reject the world’s wisdom, when it comes to the political sphere? On these questions we benefit greatly from Edmund Clowney’s powerful exposition on the nature and role of the church in this world. Applying God’s wisdom from biblical passages such as Mark 12:13-17; Titus 3:1; Romans 13:1-6, Clowney writes:
Since democracy gives its citizens a voice in government, Christians have the responsibility of their privilege to participate. There is every reason for the general office of the church (‘laity’) to consult together on political issues. So, too, the special officers of the church must provide biblical guidance and wisdom to assist in Christian analysis of political questions. The church has a prophetic role to perceive and expose ethical questions that underlie political issues. Where God has spoken in condemning sin… the church cannot be silent….Yet Christian involvement in political life does not cancel out the spiritual form of Christ’s kingdom. Calling the state to righteousness does not mean calling it to promote the gospel with political power or to usher in the last judgment with the sword. Christians are not free to form an exclusively Christian political party that seeks to exercise power in the name of Christ. That would identify Christ’s cause with one of the kingdoms of this world. Political action on the part of Christians must always be undertaken in concert with others who seek the same immediate objectives. Such objectives, promoting life, liberty and the restraint of violence, are the proper goals of civil government. They are not the goals of faith and holiness that Christ appointed for his kingdom….The patriotism is misguided that sees the United States or the United Kingdom as a Christian nation composed of God’s elect and entitled to his favor and blessing. Such a claim is patently false, and illegitimate even as an ideal. Christ’s kingdom is not typical and preparatory, like the kingdom of Israel; it is realized and ultimate. All that is less than loving God with heart, soul, strength and mind, and one’s neighbor as one’s self, is totally excluded by the new law of love. That is why the ultimate enforcement of Christ’s law must be brought about, not by political power, but by his own judgment at his appearing, and by the total transformation that will make his bride spotless for the wedding feast of glory….
We not only may, but must co-operate with other citizens when we seek to use the levers of political power. We do so, not as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, but of an earthly nation. Christians may not band together in the name of Christ to use the political weapons of the world to fight the spiritual battle of the kingdom. There is a love of divine benevolence that sends rain on the just and unjust, and there is a duty for Christians citizens to show that love to others. Yet the line must be drawn between the ministry of mercy that is part of the mission of the church, and the reach for political power that would destroy the church by politicizing it (selected passages from The Church, Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 1995, pp. 192-197).
If there are blessings to be had through the judicial ruling on Proposition 8, it may be that the chief blessing for Christ’s Church is the profound reminder that Christ’s kingdom is most definitely not “of this world” (John 18:36). Through this ruling a more clear line between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world has been drawn, and although we lament any judicial ruling or political action in support of same-sex marriage, we do not despair. We belong ultimately to a greater kingdom, a kingdom that will one day triumph over all others. If today we feel a little less at home in this world we should at least thank God for the reminder that this world is not our home.
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself (Philippians 3:18-21).
Waiting with you for Jesus,
Pastor Aaron
Ordinary Means Podcast: Interview with Jason Stellman
March 6, 2010
The latest “Ordinary Means” podcast is up – and this month it is a great interview with Jason Stellman, author of “Dual Citizens: Worship and Life Between the Already and Not Yet.”
Listen to the interview here.
How a Two Kingdom Theology Can Help You Drive a Bus
August 25, 2009
On August 19, 2009 the Des Moine Register carried a story about a city bus driver who refused to drive her bus because it carried a pro-atheist advertisement. According the article, the bus driver’s husband said, “to me, it’s kind of wrong to deny a person of their job because they have a belief.”
And it is precisely here where a solid biblical understanding of two-kingdom theology can help.
I appreciate the Christian commitment of the bus-driver and her sincere desire to do what she believe right. However, it seems to me that she did the wrong thing. Here’s why…
To begin, Jesus himself makes it very clear that it is God’s will for Christians to remain in this world. Specifically, in his high priestly prayer Jesus prays, not that God would take Christians out of the world, but that he would simply protect them from the evil one (John 17:15). Practically, this means that God has called Christians to live in a broken world that is infiltrated with sin and the influence of the evil one, and the challenge for the Christian (thus Jesus’ prayer) is to live a sanctified life in this world in testimony to the truths of the Gospel.
For our sake, what is important in Jesus’ prayer is the significance of this calling to remain in the world. Since we’ve not been taken out of the world this means that our normal expectation of life is daily encounters with corruption, sin, and evil as we live in the world. All people, even Christians, ride buses with racy, anti-Christian, or otherwise sinful advertisements – and as Christians we do this precisely because we are called by our Lord to live in the world.
Jesus makes the point most clearly when he was asked, “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” (Luke 20:22). The debate would have been, “Can a faithful believer really give money in support of such a corrupt, sinful, blasphemous government?” Jesus answer? “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25). In other words, understand that you live as a citizen of two kingdoms, and you have distinct responsibilities within each. As a citizen of the world, you’ve got to pay taxes, even if the money goes to a corrupt government. And, as a city employee, you’ve got to drive that bus, even if the advertisements on it are corrupt. In fact, a strong argument could be made that to not drive that bus is the true sin – failing to do your job well, failing to serve your fellow man who needs to get to work on time.
Thoughts on a Christian World View
February 11, 2009
I came across the following posts at the Heidelblog; a blog run by Dr. R. Scott Clark, professor of Church History and Historical Theology at Westminster Seminary California. Often Christians talk of a distinctly Christian World and Life View (CWLV) as attempting to discover or propagate a distinctly Christian view or method of something. For example, farming. Is there a distinctly Christian way to farm? Dr. Clark answers with a resounding ‘No.’ Before dismissing him, read his posts and reasoning through the following links. I’m sure you will find this challenging as well as thought-provoking. I did. Part 1 is here. Part 2 is here. Part 3 is here.
Martin Luther on Two-Kingdoms
October 17, 2008
Good stuff from this month’s Modern Reformation magazine:
God has ordained the two governments: the spiritual, which by the Holy Spirit under Christ makes Christians and pious people; and the secular, which restrains the unchristian and wicked so that they are obligated to keep the peace outwardly…. The laws of worldly government extend no farther than to life and property and what is external upon earth. For over the soul God can and will let no one rule but himself. Therefore, where temporal power presumes to prescribe laws for the soul, it encroaches upon God’s government and only misleads and destroys souls. We desire to make this so clear that every one shall grasp it, and that the princes and bishops may see what fools they are when they seek to coerce the people with their laws and commandments into believing one thing or another.
Martin Luther