tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post1077210410451393042..comments2024-03-10T10:40:32.319-07:00Comments on Pyromaniacs: Light in a Dark WorldPhil Johnsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00649092052031518426noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-80528433736662479122008-05-24T21:26:00.000-07:002008-05-24T21:26:00.000-07:00I will take action right now to proclaim the truth...I will take action right now to proclaim the truth.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-59823823978563524252008-05-18T14:51:00.000-07:002008-05-18T14:51:00.000-07:00Phil ---I liked this post with regard to what we (...Phil ---<BR/><BR/>I liked this post with regard to what we (as Christians individually and as the Church collectively) shouldn't be doing. But I found it vague in terms of what we should be doing. Since we, your readers, don't know (ahem) the cardinality of the set of posts in this series, I'm hoping you will be addressing it going forward.Jim Criglerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11437189788683651969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-61314640876972856012008-05-17T20:10:00.000-07:002008-05-17T20:10:00.000-07:00RC Sproul is on a good series right now his most r...RC Sproul is on a good series right now his most recent radio message on the Superiority of Christian Belief on how Justin Martyr defended the truth claims of Christianity to the emperor. Several points that Martyr made:<BR/><BR/>(1)Martyr argued to the emperor that spiritual kingdom is not of this world (not in an earthly sense) so Christians were not trying to overthrow emperor's seat of authority as the emperor of Rome.<BR/><BR/>(2)Christianity is not a threat to the state if the state is interested in piety, wisdom and righteousness. Christianity confers invaluable efforts to the state, in that Christians were the emperor's best allies in securing good order.<BR/><BR/>(3)Christians were models of civic obedience. They paid their taxes to those that the emperor appointed them to be paid to...Christians certainly worship God only, but in other matters Christians would gladly serve the emperor recognizing him as an emperor and a ruler of men, and praying along that with their imperial power they would be found to have a sound mind.<BR/><BR/>RC Sproul concludes his message with an embarrassing note. Martyr argued to the emperor as proof for the truth claims of Christianity he invited the scrutiny of the Roman Empire on the sexual behavior of Christians. He tells them to check the lives, marriages and behavior of Christians and that they would see something that is extraordinary. Sproul correctly admits, in my opinion, that that is a truth claim that cannot be made of the church in America today. If we ask the world to examine the behavior of professing evangelical Christians in America, it would be evidence against the truth claims of God.CRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01912897040503058967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-12444492775371394642008-05-17T17:54:00.000-07:002008-05-17T17:54:00.000-07:00Phil,Well said. The reason for us as Christians t...Phil,<BR/>Well said. The reason for us as Christians to do good works is not to display our own righteousness, but to glorify God to others. In order to do that, we must not insist on having our own way and forcing our beliefs on others, which we know is impossible. But with Holy Spirit power, we can display uncommon good will to all men. God helpl us to be salt and light.jeffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03607371903891883498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-62374378943498536012008-05-17T17:18:00.000-07:002008-05-17T17:18:00.000-07:00If we give up (or cover up) what makes us distinct...<I>If we give up (or cover up) what makes us distinctive, we lose our savor and forfeit our only real influence.</I><BR/><BR/>Phil, the implications and applications of that statement of principle are huge. From attempts at political influence, to approaches to ministry, to contextualization of the Gospel. Why does the world see us as different? Because we ARE different. And if we seek to not be different, then we seek to be something we are not. We lose our saltiness and dim our light.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-59787321948807699962008-05-17T04:51:00.000-07:002008-05-17T04:51:00.000-07:00Phil --I read this post and agreed with everything...Phil --<BR/><BR/>I read this post and agreed with everything its says in parts and pieces, but there were two perspectives in it that I'd like to see if you have any comments on.<BR/><BR/><B><I>The Free Grace perspective</I></B><BR/><BR/>From their perspective, they could look at this and say that you have tangled discipleship to Christ up into a kind of moral work, so grace is no longer free.<BR/><BR/>I know what I would say to that, but I'd love to see what you would say to that.<BR/><BR/><B><I>The Emerg*** perspective</I></B><BR/><BR/>(BTW, I think it was you who coined the "emerg***" euphemism for them, and I love it)<BR/><BR/>From their perspective, I think they would say, "this is really what we've been saying all along. Being a Christian doesn't mean joining the Republican party, and it does mean being something in this world which is harder than living in suburbia."<BR/><BR/>How would you react to the idea that your post here is perfectly compatible with Emerg*** views on the Christian faith and life?FX Turkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16798420127955373559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-52728980961979406062008-05-17T03:29:00.000-07:002008-05-17T03:29:00.000-07:00Amen.Amen.garretts5https://www.blogger.com/profile/15733824016021905623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-83080165418643505772008-05-16T16:50:00.000-07:002008-05-16T16:50:00.000-07:00Nice post, being salt and light is simply communi...Nice post, being salt and light is simply communicating, living, and putting on display God's truth, when you do this, you act as salt and light and achieve spiritually what salt and light do physically. Nothing but God's truth can do spiritually what salt and light do physically.<BR/><BR/>Would love to be on your blogroll.<BR/><BR/>http://chris-kratzer.blogspot.com<BR/><BR/>Blessings,<BR/>Chris KratzerThe Kratzershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15322545501967514795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-45003078787613143062008-05-16T16:48:00.000-07:002008-05-16T16:48:00.000-07:00Best post ever. EVER.Best post ever. EVER.Hadassahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17809388943561834992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-8552522941721639362008-05-16T14:18:00.000-07:002008-05-16T14:18:00.000-07:00AMEN PHIL !! A timely message to hear, especially ...AMEN PHIL !! <BR/>A timely message to hear, especially for those of us in a state like California! This post reminds me that the world will continue to go in its own direction downward until the last day, many people will indeed reject the light, some will come to it, and that WE are to remain faithful, humble, peaceful and loving amidst the darkness that surrounds us--as salt--until the day of our Lord.Chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01930864320573865515noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-16895528368241603392008-05-16T14:13:00.000-07:002008-05-16T14:13:00.000-07:00Being still a relatively new Christian, I think th...Being still a relatively new Christian, I think this is the first time I've read or heard a proper (and convicting) exegesis of these verses. There is a lot of food for thought here: a lot of treasure to be mined from one of the shortest passages in Scripture!Stefan Ewinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05530690016594029847noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-57944425665390178482008-05-16T14:03:00.000-07:002008-05-16T14:03:00.000-07:00AwesomeAwesomeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-18097019377541780242008-05-16T13:56:00.000-07:002008-05-16T13:56:00.000-07:00fantastic post...fantastic post...lawrencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02269079315500219992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-63136732876857592772008-05-16T13:15:00.000-07:002008-05-16T13:15:00.000-07:00So, in a practical sense, how do we act as salt an...So, in a practical sense, how do we act as salt and light relative to the specific issues with which we are all concerned (abortion, family, etc)? We make sure we are living out the qualities Jesus described in the Beatitudes. <BR/><BR/>John Piper has a good piece on how we then might influence American politics:<BR/><BR/>“I'm not thinking there should be another party, just truth. It seems that the Christian church should not--as a church--join partisan politics. Rather, we should be speaking prophetically to issues that relate to what Christ's will is. Then we should just let the chips fall as they may. If it sounds Republican or Democratic or Independent, so be it. <BR/><BR/>“Gather the issues together and meditate on them. Weigh them in the balances of the Bible. And then speak prophetically about them. That would probably do more for exalting Christ than it would for exalting any of the candidates, which is what we want to do anyway. <BR/><BR/>“Ultimately we want to communicate--even while engaging in politics--that politics are not the main issue on this earth. Knowing the Creator is the main issue, as well as being reconciled with him and glorifying him in all that we believe and say and do. That's what the church needs to constantly be calling people to.”<BR/><BR/>http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/AskPastorJohn/ByTopic/61/2431_How_can_Christians_have_a_positive_influence_on_American_politics/Tim Pauleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13543025564169944104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-79189436160385710452008-05-16T13:05:00.000-07:002008-05-16T13:05:00.000-07:00wonderful post, and exhortation. Encouraging too.J...wonderful post, and exhortation. Encouraging too.<BR/><BR/>Jesus also said, "You shall bear fruit, and your fruit shall remain."<BR/><BR/>We are the branch, and the fruit comes from the vine's being connected to us. We can't muster up fruit on our own, but it will appear as our branch abides in the vine.<BR/>And as out shining glorifies our Father, so our fruit glorifies Him as well.donsandshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03665794015011057098noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-79271917753321093172008-05-16T10:58:00.000-07:002008-05-16T10:58:00.000-07:00If I had to choose between being salt and embalmin...If I had to choose between being salt and embalming fluid, I believe I'll choose the salt, thank you. <BR/><BR/>I had a really good analogy to make here too, but I've been on a bit of a snark lately so I'd probably best not say it. I want to hold on to the edification of this post as long as possible, LOL.Solameaniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09869424956571944997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21212024.post-57129538810825113232008-05-16T10:24:00.000-07:002008-05-16T10:24:00.000-07:00Amen.Amen.Staci Eastinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01107996901556804274noreply@blogger.com