Monday, September 1, 2008
The Role of the Church in a Pluralistic Society
The Church in a pluralistic, post modern society must maintain her exclusiveness theologically, yet socially inclusive so she can be the light of the world and salt of the earth she is called to be. The Church must not compromise her theological distinctiveness in order to witness or reach out to the lost lest she loses her saltiness, purpose, or redemptive effect upon the people of the world. What fellowship is there between light and darkness? There can be no compromise theologically. Yet she must be compassionate to reach out, but with a "conservative kind of compassion" to maintain her light and saltiness.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
11 comments:
Can you elaborate on the phrase 'conservative kind of compassion'? Also, give an example of this brand of compassion in action. Thanks!
We must reach out to the lost in compassion but our compassion must be brought under subjection to the Holy Spirit. In other words, we must do all things out of obedience according to God's wisdom and not just out of man's good intention. God's ways are higher than man's. Ultimately, it is the cross of Jesus that saved, not ours. So, by being conservative in our compassion means we must not forsake our stand for truth in order to reach out to those in darkness. We must stay within the perimeter of our safe zone or sure footing. Otherwise how can a blind man leads a blind man? Or both will fall into the pit and become casualties, though our intention is noble at first. Using means that compromise our theological distinctiveness, or truth in order to make the Gospel acceptable in man's term will dilute the substance or power of the Gospel to save. Like it or not, the message of the Gospel is confrontational. It dealt with the issue of sin, holiness, eternal damnation, man's inability to save himself, the need of a Savior, etc. Jews look for a sign. Greeks resort to human cleverness. Paul courageously preached Christ and Him crucified without fear of rejection. In other words, "Jesus loves you, and was crucified for all of you." A slap on their faces. But those who readily humble themselves will find this message is the power of God unto salvation.
How can the church be the salt and light to the world. Where in evidence the world is seemingly going to be worst and worst. And the church is getting harder in reaching out to them, please give your view... thanks.
you wrote, "The Church must not compromise her theological distinctiveness in order to witness or reach out to the lost lest she loses her saltiness, purpose, or redemptive effect upon the people of the world."
Can you explain in details on the theological compromise churches today lost?
Give also examples of how these compromises effected the effectiveness of the church and also how these compromises affected the gospel altogether.
You mentioned that "The Church must not compromise her theological distinctiveness", can you elaborate how the church in Malaysia can make its' mark of difference in this pluralistic society? How would you think the church should be like, examples?
Jerome, I think we just need to open our eyes wide to know that the world we lived in is getting darker and darker. Sins and wickedness of men are getting more and more rampant. On the other hand, time such as these are opportunities for the church to shine her light all the more, be it true that the darker the night, the brighter the light. You are right in saying that it is more difficult to reach the lost during these deceptive times filled with indulgence and self-centredness. On the other hand, I would say it is also true that it is easier to reach out to them because people who do not know the truth may be looking for answers to life's problems which are getting more and more worst. In times such as these we must not retreat before the darkness or hide our head in the sand. For light is greater than darkness, and truth is more powerful than deception. It is time for the church to not only preach the cross, but live the cross and demonstrate a lifestyle that is contrary to indulgence and self-centredness. Only then our preaching will have the power to bring conviction.
I,ve to understand what "conservative kind of Compassion means will be gratefull if you could elaborate more.I need to know under what catergory my compassion falls whether it is conservative or liberal.
Mike, I think the church to a certain degree, or at least the prevailing trend of the day has pressured the church to be more like the world and adopting it’s way in order to make the Gospel acceptable to them. If we do so, according to the words of Jesus, salt can lose it’s saltiness, or we can lose our effectiveness. We are not selling the Gospel like selling goods, or getting people only to make up the numbers. Our charge is to call people everywhere to repent, and help to set them free without getting ourselves entangled with the ways of the world. We are called to be in the world but not of it. In our class discussion, we have mentioned about the church joining the inter-faith movement that we may achieve peace and better understanding among us in our pluralistic society. The rule is that no one should claim that their faith is the only way to salvation. If we compromise this point then the people of the world will view Christianity as another religion. Jesus is no longer the only Way. Complying to this very point will short circuit the very purpose of our mission.
Freedie, I think to not compromise our theological distinctiveness is to preach the simple message of Christ and Him crucified. The message of a Savior God who died for the people in order to save them from sin may offend the people but it is the power of God to save. That is the only mean provided whereby men can be saved. We need not be unnecessarily offensive in our approach in bringing in the Gospel. We can be creative in our ways to convey the message (esp. through arts, drama, media, etc) without changing the substance of our message. Paul in the context of his time said he simply preach the simple message of Christ and Him crucified (which is our theological distinctiveness – no other religion claimed a deity Savior who died to save them), to a society no less pluralistic than ours (Jews and Gentiles) with total conviction (Jesus is the only Way) and without fear of rejection. It’s a simple message that says men needed mercy; and not mystical, or hard to understand. But it is offensive in that it highlights the inability of men to save themselves. Whether it is Jew or Gentile or whoever, man in general would not like to think of themselves as weak. Man likes to put confidence in the flesh (typified by the unbelieving Jew), and resort to their cleverness and reasoning (typified by the unbelieving Greeks). Paul came along to dismantle their prideful feel good belief system and preach the simple message that they can’t save themselves and therefore in need of grace. Paul preach the truth without apologize so to say. I think most of time the reason why (if we do, we may or may not) we water down the message of the Gospel is to make it look good in other people’s term because we were intimidated and fear their rejection. Paul said he is not ashamed of the message of the Gospel. He is not ashamed because he knew the power of the cross. He must have lived it in order to know its power in the first place. We can talk a lot, but what if we do not live the cross? (Theological distinctiveness must be exemplified by lifestyle) Will we be ashamed? I think so, because we won’t know the power of the cross if we don’t live it. There is no continual experiential and assurance of God’s love in our heart shed abroad by the Holy Spirit that cast out all fear. Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Anyone who is ashamed of me (intimidated)in this sinful and adulterous generation (pluralistic post-modern society), I will be ashamed of Him.”
Raymond, I have answered the question you post previously in response to Alwin's comment. He asked the same question. You can refer to the earlier part of the blog for my comment and read the whole thing context. Thank you.
Hi Andrew! We all agreed that the church mustn't lose the saltiness, light and not only preach about the cross but live the cross right.
But seemingly this is not happening in our churches in Malaysia as a whole, how can we tackle it and live out the role of the church in the fullest?
You mentioned about the church joining the inter-faith movement so that we may achieve peace and better understanding in our pluralistic society.Do you really think that it will work out in achieving what God want us to functioned as a church by joining the group or just another organization with a wider/different view in reaching goal that's more towards the interfaith movement which consist of other religions not of the same faith rather than the body of Christ?
Do you think certain issues that brought up into discussion and stand that has been make in the interfaith will contrast with the biblical teaching... if "Yes" how can we be part of it and still remain as light and salt to the world?
Post a Comment