Monday, February 25, 2008

No Escaping It

All culture is religious, and the only question to consider is whether it is faithfully religious or idolatrously religious. It has been said that "all culture is religion externalized," but even this helpful insight can be interpreted in too weak a fashion. All culture is religion. Turning Henry Van Til’s insight around, we should say that all religion is culture internalized. So the question is not whether our culture has a god, but rather which god it has. The question is not whether we will impose morality, but rather which morality it will be. The question is not whether we will restrict blasphemy, but rather which blasphemy. ~ Doug Wilson

Currently the god of America, (and his\her worshippers,) says it's blasphemy to speak of Creation instead of Evolution, to say that sodomy is sin, (especially in California, where the terms "dad" & "mom" have been outlawed) that abortion is murder and that the science behind global warming is hot air. And it's all the Church's fault.

(Mat 5:13) "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

Modern American Christianity is plagued by an overly individualistic outlook, by entertainment instead of worship on Sunday morning, by the notion that religion is exclusively a matter of the heart, by a belief that religion is private, and by an insistence that religion must be chosen (else it is an act of tyranny). Yes it is vital that we go after the hearts of men, but as Abraham Kuyper said, "there is not one square inch of this universe to which Jesus does not make the claim, 'Mine!'"

A.A. Hodge, Professor of Systematic Theology at Princeton Seminary in the latter part of the 19th century, made the case that the Kingdom of God on earth is without borders:

“but aims at absolute universality, and extends its supreme reign over every department of human life. The implications of such a view are obvious: It follows that it is the duty of every loyal subject to endeavor to bring all human society, social and political, as well as ecclesiastical, into obedience to its law of righteousness."

He continues,

“It is our duty, as far as lies in our power, immediately to organize human society and all its institutions and organs upon a distinctively Christian basis. Indifference or impartiality here between the law of the Kingdom and the law of the world, or of its prince, the devil, is utter treason to the King of Righteousness. The Bible, the great state book of the Kingdom, explicitly lays down principles which, when candidly applied, will regulate the action of every human being in all relations.”

"There can be no compromise. Jesus The King said, with regard to all descriptions of moral agents in all spheres of activity, “He that is not with me is against me.” If the national life in general is organized upon non-Christian, non-Biblical principles, (and let's face it folks, the reason that it's not in the national life, is that it's not in the church,) the churches which are embraced within the universal assimilating power of that nation will not long be able to preserve their integrity. Compromise is impossible. Conflict is inevitable. Neutrality is inconceivable. Escape from the battle is treason! In other words, if we don’t contend for a Christian culture, we will eventually cease to be Christians!" ~ Monte Wilson

But it must start with & within the Church.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

"by the notion that religion is exclusively a matter of the heart, by a belief that religion is private, and by an insistence that religion must be chosen (else it is an act of tyranny). Yes it is vital that we go after the hearts of men, but as Abraham Kuyper said, "there is not one square inch of this universe to which Jesus does not make the claim, 'Mine!'"

It is the fanatical part of American worship that has become the norm now. It has resulted in lawlessness when Religion is exclusively the matter of heart.

The Reformers did recognize that Religion was a matter of the heart as Charles Hodge says which compliments Kuyper, "...the Reformers taught that religion is a matter of the heart, that a man’s acceptance with God does not depend on his membership in any external society, on obedience to its officers, and
on sedulous observance of its rites and ordinances; but on the regeneration of his heart, and his
personal faith in the Son of God, manifesting itself in a holy life.(Systematics Vol 1 page 80, Hedrickson addition).

Seems like people go one way or another. Either in self individualism or ruled over by church officers interpretations like in the middle ages or now in some of the charismatic churches. Where the buck stops with the pastor's interpretation instead of Sola Scriptura.