Planted by Water

Having made my point about the general way in which the Kingdom influences society, I have been challenged about what happens when it comes to the ethcial values that determine social policy and legislation in a society. Particularly, Doug rightly points out that it is not a question of whether morality will be imposed, but whose morality will be imposed. If I argue that the Church will ultimately be the biggest influence in the world, won’t that mean that Christian laws will be adopted (if only because Christians in a democratic society will vote them in!)?

I will respond first of all with a few questions of my own. Although it will be obvious which way I am inclining in my thoughts, I put them in the form of questions firstly because I want to encourage reflection and discussion (and am genuinely interested in people’s responses) and secondly becasue I am still thinking these things through and have not come to a settled position.

1. Is there really a fixed body of Christian laws to adopt anyway? (this is if I rule out the use of the Mosaic Law for a civil code - which I am doing so for the sake of argument!)
2. Is there anywhere in the NT when you find Christians lobbying the state or the civil authorities to adopt ‘Christian laws?’
3. Is it not possible that God would simply want us to be good citizens, along with many people who are not Christians, and to encourage the adoption of general principles to do with justice, good order, compassion etc. which in fact we would share with many people?
4. In fact, because of common grace and natural law, should we not expect to find common ground with many people and has it possibly been the overly confrontational and hostile approaches, perhaps especially in the US, that have made people react against Christians and what they think are Christian values?
5. Where people do oppose us, and where distorted worldviews and ungodly values do influence law-making, is it possible that in some of the political responses to this that Christians engage in, actually crosses the boundaries into fighting with ‘the weapons of this world?’
6. Would a better response not be to wage war in the heavenlies to demolish strongholds, through prayer; to state clearly, though not confrontationally, a better way; to exemplify God’s better way in the community of the church so that people see what works; and to engage in honest, open and irenic debate with those who differ from us without assuming that they are our deadly enemies?

There are many other questions which spring to mind, but that’ll do for now.

When discussing the influence of the Kingdom, mnay people have asked questions about affecting political decisions, law-making, soical policy and social ethics. These things are very important and specifically the question that Doug Hon raises about whose moral values affect public policy and legislation. I will address these matters in future postings.

But I also want to say that for me much of the influence of the Kingdom in the world - the sowing of seed in the field of the world, the spreading of the yeast throughout the whole dough - is not directly about such things. I think of the young student I spoke to yesterday when I spoke at the Local University’s Christian Union. He has a vision to be an ifluence for the Kingdom in the world of advertising. Another spoke about his study of journalism. I have spoken to others over the years about being a Kingdom influence in the various worlds of music, the media and the arts, architecture etc. I think of a recent conversation with James Aubrey about his engagement with creative writing and literary critical theory (that seedbed of postmodernism!!). No area or activity of life in the world need be surrendered to the enemy. I get thrilled hearing about people who are seeds of the Kingdom sown in the various fields of this world. Influencing the world is not just about ethcial issues or politics or legislation; it is about sowing the seeds of the life, grace, wisdom, creativity, power, joy, goodness etc. of the Kingdom wherever we go. And doing so with confidence and grace and not with defensiveness or agressiveness, or religious judgementalism. I know there will be confrontation at times, but our whole approach should be positive, confident and life-affirming in whatever area of life God has sown us into. That’s got to be a starting point for influencing our world!

The Lloyd family are back from a relaxing and refreshing holiday, and raring to go. Weather was great (especially for April) and pool and jacuzzi did just the job! My wife also did some time on the rowing machine in the on-site gym - but hey! - I was on holiday!!

Thanks to those who left some thought-provoking comments while I was away. I am still wanting to pursue with anyone who is interested this whole idea of influencing and transforming the world as Kingdom-people. While thinking about it on holiday I felt that I wanted to say something before I launch into what I hope will be a conversation with fellow-bloggers rather than a monologue of my ideas.

I have called my blog ‘Planted By Water’ because I believe that our personal and corporate growth depends on us having our roots deep into God, into a dynamic and sustained relationship through Jesus by meditation on his Word and dependence on his Spirit. As I set out when I first began the blog there is a Kingdom tree that will fill the earth, but its roots are in the depth and quality of our faith-relationship with God. If we try to influence the world or even speak out on the issues of our world without these roots, we will be hollow and empty voices, or simply echoes of other people’s ideas. But if we are getting our roots down deep in God, we must believe that this is not just for our own personal fulfilment or for charismatic experiences in church meetings, but so that we can have a truly real, spiritual and tangible impact on our world.

I think of some of the my biblical heroes who influenced their world - like Joseph and Daniel - and I am most struck by how deeply rooted they were in their relatioinship with God (even and perhaps especially when the going got tough!) I think of the prophets who had something to say only because they had stood in the council chambers of God. I think of a man like Enoch who ‘walked with God’ and who, as a result, saw and prophesied about the Day of Judgement and Resurrection, way back in the beginnings of history. And I find in my heart a desire to be a man like that and not just another prattling pundit on world issues, or another Christian getting on his high-horse about how bad society is! My friends, lets have something to say because of what we have seen - a Kingdom that is not of this world - and this can only come as we walk with God. Let’s stay deeply rooted in our relationship with God through Christ.

In his book, The Community of the King, Howard Snyder uses an image that has stayed with me - he says of salvation that our personal relationship with Christ is at the centre, but that nothing less than world transformation lies at its circumference. I want to explore the boundaries of where the Kingdom impacts and influences our world, but I believe we can only do this by being centred in our relationship with God. That is why I hope and pray that this blog does two main things - it encourages and helps people, through meditation on the Bible and reference to devotional reading, to deepen their relationship with God, to stay planted by water; and then - through observation, reflection, comment and dialogue - to begin to explore how we can begin to see the Kingdom transforming our world in real, practical ways. I just wanted to restate that before we get into further discussion about the issues involved in influencing and changing our world. At all times and in everything, readers and fellow-bloggers, let’s stay planted by water! Without that, we’ve got nothing to say!

Apologies for my absence but I am taking the family away on holiday tomorrow and there was quite a lot of stuff to get done ahead of leaving. We are off to the Llyn peninsula (pictured) for a week in a rather nice caravan at a renovated farm with swimming pool etc. Looking forward to a great opportunity to relax, spend time with the family, swim, sleep and read (not all at the same time!!) If you like the sound of it and would like a relaxing holiday in a beautiful part of North Wales near the Snowdonia National Park, see here

I will be back blogging on Monday 24th April and I am rather excited by the blogging conversation I have been having with Peter Paine (see here). Like many of my readers, I am sure, I believe that the Kingdom of God is meant to influence and transform our world. Apologies to my theonomist friends, but I think the whole thing of trying to do this by applying the Mosaic Law directly (moral or civil) is misguided and a non-starter. I am convinced that insights into how we influence society lie not with an understanding of the Law, but with an understanding of the Kingdom - particularly its spiritual nature and its progressive realisation. So when I get back I am hoping to start a conversation about that. I would love it if readers could raise questions and make suggestions.

We believe in the restoration of all things. We believe in God’s glory filling the earth. And that the Church is the agency for the advance of the Kingdom. As well as preaching about that in generalities, let’s start thinking about how that happens in particulars. How far should we expect society to change before Jesus’ coming and in what ways? Should we and, if so, how can we, influence social policy and legislation? How do we deal with being a minority in a democratic society? Should we and can we impose our views? How do we handle the difference between influence and imposition? How do we handle it when Christians disagree about political, social and ethical matters? And many more questions? I am really looking forward to getting into this when I get back from ny holiday - I hope others are up for it!

I am afraid I have run out of time for a posting today as I have used up my allocation of blogging time responding to two excellent comments made by Doug and Peter in response to my posting on ‘The Law and All That.’ Why not take a look at that discussion. It is great to be considering how we might influence the world without getting bogged down in Mosaic Law!!

Skimming through some old notes today, I came across a quote that my friend Andrew Cursham gave me last time I was down at our College in Cardiff. It is from Dresden James and is so relevant to the times we live in:

When a well-packaged web of lies has been sold gradually to the masses over generations, the truth will seem utterly preposterous and its speaker a raving lunatic.

Ironically, it reminded me of one I had read some years ago, from George Orwell:

We have now sunk to a depth at which the restatement of the obvious is the first duty of intelligent men