living faithfully now class session 3 © john stevenson, 2008

Living Faithfully NowLiving Faithfully Now

Class Session 3

© John Stevenson, 2008

Class ObjectivesClass Objectives• To consider the past history of the church

to observe the different stances taken toward culture by Christians

• To reflect upon the commands of the Bible for Christians with regard to culture – and the priorities or tensions which result

What does a review of church What does a review of church history have to do with “living history have to do with “living

faithfully now?”faithfully now?”

1 Corinthians 10:1-41 Corinthians 10:1-4 For I do not want you to be

unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 and all ate the same spiritual food; 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual rock which followed them; and the rock was Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:5-61 Corinthians 10:5-6 Nevertheless, with most of them

God was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in the wilderness. 6 Now these things happened as examples for us, so that we would not crave evil things as they also craved.

1 Corinthians 10:7-101 Corinthians 10:7-10 And do not be idolaters, as some

of them were; as it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and stood up to play." 8 Nor let us act immorally, as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in one day. 9 Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the serpents. 10 Nor grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

1 Corinthians 10:111 Corinthians 10:11Now these things happened to

them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between

Rome & East1517 Reformation

Church

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between


Church

Compared to the early church, is it harder, easier,

or about the same for us to be Christians in our world today?

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between


Church

Conversionist Church

Church

God’s Realm

World

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between


Church

Transforming Church

Church

World

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between


Church

When the world recognizes the

church as a part of society, should

Christians withdraw for the sake of purity or

take advantage of the situation and

attempt to influence the

culture?

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between


Church

Accommodation Church

World

Church

Early Church33

312 Roman Church

1054 Schism between


Church

Transforming Church

Church

World


Church

God’s Realm

World

Which Model describes your Church?Which Model describes your Church?


Church

God’s Realm

World

Antithesis Church

World Church

God’s Realm

Transforming Church

Church

World


World

Church

Which model makes the most sense to you?Which model makes the most sense to you?


Church

God’s Realm

World

Antithesis Church

World Church

God’s Realm

Transforming Church

Church

World


World

Church

The PriesthoodThe Priesthood

The hierarchical priesthood

The priesthood of all believers

How does How does the principle the principle

of the of the priesthood priesthood

relate to relate to your life?your life?

The AnabaptistsThe Anabaptists

• Separation from the prevailing culture

• Paralleled by the Essenes in the first centuryAntithesis Church

World Church

God’s Realm

Should Christians be involved Should Christians be involved in politics?in politics?

Will engagement in politics necessarily result in a trade-off or

some degree of compromise?

Are movements

like the Religious

Right similar to or different

from the medieval papacy?

What is the relationship between

the Great Commission and the Cultural Mandate?

Great CommissionGreat CommissionAnd Jesus came up and

spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Cultural MandateCultural MandateGod blessed them; and God

said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28).

Cultural Mandate

The mandate to rule the world as the

representatives of God

Great Commission

The commission to go into all the world and

make disciples

Commands a fruitful multiplication

Commands a fruitful multiplication

Based upon a delegated authority conferred to

those made in the image of God

Based upon a delegated authority to those who are joined to Christ to

whom has been given all authority

Bringing the rule of Christ to the entire world

Primarily through making disciples of the

nations

We fulfill the cultural

mandate today

Richard NiebuhrRichard Niebuhr

• Christ against culture

• Christ of culture

• Christ above culture

• Christ transforming culture

• Christ and culture in paradox (a tension between the two)

Professor at Yale1955

The Five Solas of the Reformation

• Sola scriptura ("by Scripture alone")

• Sola fide ("by faith alone")

• Sola gratia ("by grace alone")

• Solus Christus ("Christ alone")

• Soli Deo gloria ("glory to God alone")

Christians and the Authority of Christians and the Authority of the Biblethe Bible

Roman Catholic View: The Church is over the Bible

Reformed View: Sola Scriptura

How are these manifested in today’s churches?How are these manifested in today’s churches?


Church

God’s Realm

World

Antithesis Church

World Church

God’s Realm

Transforming Church

Church

World


World

Church

A little thing is a little thing, but A little thing is a little thing, but faithfulness in a little thing is a faithfulness in a little thing is a

big thing.big thing.―― Hudson Taylor

living faithfully now class session 3 © john stevenson, 2008

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