Читать книгу Seeking a Revival Culture - Allen M. Baker - Страница 6

. . . to the saints who are at Ephesus, and who are faithful in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 1:1

Panem et circences, bread and circuses. This phrase was coined by the Roman satirical writer Juvenal to describe the ethos of Roman life in the first century A.D. Rome then had a population of one and one-half million and was the greatest city in the world, replete with prosperity beyond comprehension. The people had plenty to eat, and they were addicted to entertainment and the craze of sport. The Roman coliseum was only slightly smaller than the modern day Los Angeles Coliseum. The Circus Maximus sat over three hundred thousand sports enthusiasts. Nero wore his robes of opulence only once, and then discarded them. Caligula, who had a favorite horse he wanted to make a Senator, shod his horse in gold shoes. The pagan worship of Isis and Diana was rampant throughout the empire, and in Rome people worshipped the goddess of a thousand names, Cybele.4

Are we really much different today? I remember the Contract with America in the 1994 Congressional and Senatorial elections, sweeping a majority of Republicans into both the House and the Senate, and many Christians were ecstatic, thinking this event would turn the tide of godlessness in our culture. Did it? I remember not being impressed by the results of the election because what drove the voting was money, economics. The Republicans were not interested in social or ethical issues. People get serious about voting certain people out of office when it hits their check book and stock portfolios, but social issues rarely cause the same upheaval in the political process.

Indeed, as the Fifth Dimension once sang, we are now in the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. The Age of Pisces (the fish, the ancient symbol for Christianity) has given way to Aquarius, the sign of paganism. The evangelical church in America is in big trouble. We simply are not growing, and haven’t been since Time magazine declared 1976 the “Year of the Evangelical.”

What are we to do? First, I suggest you read prayerfully Peter Jones’ book Capturing the Pagan Mind5, and work to apply Pauline theology to our culture, to confront our culture with the truth of God as it is in Jesus. Paul’s Roman culture was very similar to ours. Why then should we not use his approach to ministry? The very foundation of this approach must be a firmly held conviction of the sovereignty of God, that man is not sovereign, that man does not call the shots, that God is in heaven and does as He pleases. Why is this concept important? Well, if we believe man has something left deep in the core of his being that causes him to seek God, then we will use whatever means possible to win him, and to convince him. As recent history shows, we fall into all manner of folly including drama, cheesy worship services, and psychotherapeutic preaching. Really now, where has this approach gotten us? Are we transforming our culture? Or are we merely encouraging people to continue in their self-absorption and worldliness?

Second, it means that we must be clear on who we are. Paul says three things about us in Ephesians 1:1 that are absolutely essential. First, we must understand experientially that we are saints, second that we are called to faithfulness, and third that we are in Christ Jesus. You have been set apart by God through His grace. A radical transformation has occurred in you if you are a believer. Everything about you has changed. You are not your own. You belong body and soul to your blessed Savior Christ Jesus who redeemed you by His blood. You have a new heart, which now hates sin and loves righteousness. You needed a heart transplant, and Jesus was the donor. He gave you His heart. Never forget it; believe it; live it out daily. To be faithful means that you believe certain things about God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, yourself, the nature of the world, and eternity. It means you embrace, contend for, and defend this Biblical truth without compromise in a neo-pagan world. It means you put away childish things, that you are done with lesser things. It means you purpose to live in obedience to the commands of God’s word. And you are in Christ Jesus, which means you are in a vital, organic, and mystical union with Jesus. He is the vine, and we are the branches. Apart from Him we can do nothing, but attached to Him we can and will bring forth much fruit. You must obey God in all things, including loving Him with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself. You must love your wife or submit to your husband or train children in godly living. You must rejoice with those who rejoice and weep for those who weep. You must, but you cannot. You cannot love God and your fellow man or carry out any other command from God. You consequently thirst for righteousness, being like a tree planted by a stream of water that yields its fruit in its season. Abide in Jesus by faith. This is your only hope.

We attack our neo-pagan world by first and foremost holding onto the sovereignty of God and our identity in Jesus. Thus you should never be given to despair, anxiety, or hopelessness about the world or the state of the church. We must begin here. Change your thinking Christian, and let it grip you. Let it take possession of your heart.

4. Jones, Capturing the Pagan Mind, 6ff.

5. Ibid.