Comments on: Caltrops on the Road to Glory http://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/05/caltrops-on-the-road-to-glory.html Looking for the 1st century Church in 21st century America Tue, 22 May 2012 03:53:34 +0000 hourly 1 By: David Rigginshttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/05/caltrops-on-the-road-to-glory.html#comment-27128 David Riggins Wed, 30 May 2007 12:32:46 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/05/caltrops-on-the-road-to-glory.html#comment-27128 Sorry, that should be: "The reason we are increasingly <em>irrelevant</em> is that there is no visible difference between the Body of Christ and the rest of the world." Sorry, that should be: “The reason we are increasingly irrelevant is that there is no visible difference between the Body of Christ and the rest of the world.”

]]> By: David Rigginshttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/05/caltrops-on-the-road-to-glory.html#comment-27127 David Riggins Wed, 30 May 2007 12:30:47 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/05/caltrops-on-the-road-to-glory.html#comment-27127 1 Thes 5:22 in the King James says "Abstain from all appearance of evil." In the NIV it's watered down to say "Avoid every kind of evil." One of the issues the Church today is dealing with is relevance. The reason we are increasingly relevant is that there is no visible difference between the Body of Christ and the rest of the world. That we even have to think about whether hormone stuffed high-school kids should have a coed sleep-over is an indication of how out of sync Christians are with thier namesake. Do we not even understand the nature of sin? Do we not understand how we are being watched by non-believers for indications of life? We should praise God when we are singled out for mockery, because it at least shows that we are seen to be different! My answer to that mother would be to sit down first and read James 1:5 to herself, and then pray for wisdom and understanding. Then she should sit down with her daughter and go through James 1:13-16, and ponder the concept that <em>ideas</em> have consequences. 1 Thes 5:22 in the King James says “Abstain from all appearance of evil.” In the NIV it’s watered down to say “Avoid every kind of evil.” One of the issues the Church today is dealing with is relevance. The reason we are increasingly relevant is that there is no visible difference between the Body of Christ and the rest of the world. That we even have to think about whether hormone stuffed high-school kids should have a coed sleep-over is an indication of how out of sync Christians are with thier namesake. Do we not even understand the nature of sin? Do we not understand how we are being watched by non-believers for indications of life? We should praise God when we are singled out for mockery, because it at least shows that we are seen to be different!

My answer to that mother would be to sit down first and read James 1:5 to herself, and then pray for wisdom and understanding. Then she should sit down with her daughter and go through James 1:13-16, and ponder the concept that ideas have consequences.

]]> By: David Rigginshttp://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/05/caltrops-on-the-road-to-glory.html#comment-27126 David Riggins Wed, 30 May 2007 12:09:06 +0000 http://ceruleansanctum.com/2007/05/caltrops-on-the-road-to-glory.html#comment-27126 Why tell someone who does not believe that they are sinning? They have no basis of comparison. Of course they are sinning! But to them, it is merely acting naturally. Paul told the church in Corinth not to judge outsiders (nonbelievers), because that was up to God. The job of the church is to love outsiders into belief. A part of that love is keeping fellow believers straight. "Are we not to judge one another?" asks Paul. It is that internal maintanence that keeps the body of Christ distinguishable from the culture at large. As it is, the church tends to chastise the world for acting naturally, that is, sinfully, but at the same time, overlooking sin inside the body, where it is not natural. The result is a world culture that sees the church as irrelevant, and rightly so. Why tell someone who does not believe that they are sinning? They have no basis of comparison. Of course they are sinning! But to them, it is merely acting naturally. Paul told the church in Corinth not to judge outsiders (nonbelievers), because that was up to God. The job of the church is to love outsiders into belief. A part of that love is keeping fellow believers straight. “Are we not to judge one another?” asks Paul.

It is that internal maintanence that keeps the body of Christ distinguishable from the culture at large. As it is, the church tends to chastise the world for acting naturally, that is, sinfully, but at the same time, overlooking sin inside the body, where it is not natural. The result is a world culture that sees the church as irrelevant, and rightly so.

]]>