Due to their brevity, my comments in yesterday’s blog on ‘Bikini Baristas’ fell short of adequately addressing the many-faceted issue. It is not easy to find the balance between our calling to be salt & light in a sinful world while conveying Jesus’ heart of compassion. This has been brought to our attention (quite painfully) by the current case before the Supreme Court: "Snyder v. Phelps." Rev. Phelps and his church hold what-can-only-be-called 'mean-spirited' protests at funerals of soldiers for no other reason than their tie to the military where homosexuals are allowed to serve (the soldiers whose funerals have been protested were not gay), with signs that read “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.”
Following is an excerpt from an article by John MacArthur on How Christians ought to live in a pagan society.
The church will really change society for the better only when individual believers make their chief concern their own spiritual maturity, which means living in a way that honors God's commands and glorifies His name. Such a concern inherently includes a firm grasp on Scripture and an understanding that its primary mandate to us is to know Christ and proclaim His gospel. A godly attitude coupled with godly living makes the saving message of the gospel credible to the unsaved. If we claim to be saved but still convey proud, unloving attitudes toward the lost, our preaching and teaching—no matter how doctrinally orthodox or politically savvy and persuasive—will be ignored or rejected.
Showing posts with label salt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label salt. Show all posts
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Do You Have Enough Salt in Your Diet?
Have you been reading all the news articles about the health risk of too much salt? In short, Americans eat too much of it. It's called the silent killer!
Spiritually speaking, American Christians are not getting enough “salt” in their diets. The “seeker sensitive” movement—that began in the 80’s—unintentionally ‘dumbed down’ the average church’s teaching to themes of how to live a better life, have a good marriage, how to raise your children, etc. None of these is wrong, and certainly not heretical. But the church needs a revival of the Word: expository teaching of sound doctrine—more salt, not less.
Giving birth to a new ecclesiastical movement (the “Emerging” church) is a perception that the Church has lost its impact on a disaffected world. Their objective is to be “missional”—seeking new ways to be the salt of the earth. Unfortunately, some of these “emerging” churches have rejected sound doctrine along with stale methodologies. But perhaps they are right about this one thing: the Church is losing its saltiness.
What can you and I do about this problem. Make sure your spiritual diet is full of salt! Too little of it will silently kill you! Center your life, your thoughts, and your decisions around the Word of God: Be salty.
Spiritually speaking, American Christians are not getting enough “salt” in their diets. The “seeker sensitive” movement—that began in the 80’s—unintentionally ‘dumbed down’ the average church’s teaching to themes of how to live a better life, have a good marriage, how to raise your children, etc. None of these is wrong, and certainly not heretical. But the church needs a revival of the Word: expository teaching of sound doctrine—more salt, not less.
Giving birth to a new ecclesiastical movement (the “Emerging” church) is a perception that the Church has lost its impact on a disaffected world. Their objective is to be “missional”—seeking new ways to be the salt of the earth. Unfortunately, some of these “emerging” churches have rejected sound doctrine along with stale methodologies. But perhaps they are right about this one thing: the Church is losing its saltiness.
What can you and I do about this problem. Make sure your spiritual diet is full of salt! Too little of it will silently kill you! Center your life, your thoughts, and your decisions around the Word of God: Be salty.
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