Monday, February 02, 2009

A Theology of the City

At Coram Deo (my local church community) we are in the middle of a series called "A Theology of the City". This week we are studying how the 'church' today is the visible expression of the invisible. Just as the city of Jerusalem was the visible place where God was present, the church is the place (people) where God resides. Check out these passages and notes from the sermon:

1 Peter 2:9 (light)
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

2 Corinthians 6:16 (temple)
What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Luke 17:21 (kingdom)
nor will they say, 'Look, here it is!' or 'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you."


The church in America creates isolation by creating a parallel world (Christian subculture) so that we can be “safe” from the culture. This often leads to moralistic religion.

The church in America also creates syncretism because Christians functionally live like the world. There is very little distinction morally between Christians and non-Christians. This often leads to irrelevant spirituality because there is not personal transformation. There is very little distinction morally between Christians and non-Christians.

What happened? We quit preaching the gospel. The gospel calls all people to repent (Christians and non Christians), which would keep us from isolationism and moralism. The gospel also provides the power to change and transform us, which would keep us from syncretism and irrelevance.

I am in the midst of a biblical reading plan that takes me through the bible 'chronologically' in one year. I am in the book of Judges and studying about the continual struggle that the people of Isreal (God's choosen people) have with following God, even though they experience his power and authority, at every turn. I was reminded how I fall into the same error by seeking God for deliverence through repentence, rather than having the motive of a heart that desires 'true' service of him. Read the following of an example of this:

Judges 10:10-16
10And the people of Israel cried out to the LORD, saying, "We have sinned against you, because we have forsaken our God and have served the Baals." 11And the LORD said to the people of Israel, "Did I not save you from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? 12The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites and the Maonites oppressed you, and you cried out to me, and I saved you out of their hand. 13Yet you have forsaken me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. 14Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress." 15And the people of Israel said to the LORD, "We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you. Only please deliver us this day." 16So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the LORD, and he became impatient over the misery of Israel.

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