I agree that we have an obligation to work for social justice, definitely. That's rooted primarily in the repeated injunctions found throughout Scripture, regardless of what kind of eschatology I have. I also believe in total depravity--which is not to say that I believe we're evil and utterly suffused with sin, because I don't think that's biblical; but it does mean that all aspects of our lives are touched by sin and that we cannot lift ourselves out of it.
So, for one, I think that God's redeeming action in Christ has to be prior to everything else. That's why, in part, preaching the "personal salvation" part of the gospel is important (and also part of what Jesus told us to do--baptizing and making disciples of all nations--in addition to, and in concert with, serving the "least" among us). As we, individually and as the Church, grow to walk more and more in tune with his Holy Spirit, the more we will desire to build up his Kingdom. But, back to that "total depravity" thing, I know that our efforts in this life will often fail and fall short, tainted by our failures to live for one another and for God. By his grace we'll succeed in creating little building-blocks of the Kingdom, too, but I don't believe we'll establish it in any ultimate way. (Here I could get into how I don't exactly believe in "Progress," but I'm not sure how helpful it'd be.) That's actually where a premillennial view can be a comfort. We can't despair or wallow in our sinfulness, because we KNOW God will be victorious over all the powers of sin and death in the end! That doesn't exempt us from living as Kingdom-like as we can in the meantime. Kingdom-living is always a fruit of genuine discipleship.
The Kingship of Christ is a very precious image to me because it does bespeak a world in which all relationships are rightly ordered. I'm not saying that the language CWM uses is without merit, only that I think traditional language often has similar aims. I've seen great examples of critical engagement with traditional language in order to more deeply affirm it, and also been terribly frustrated by instances of throwing the baby out with the bathwater in attempts to be inclusive. I guess that's why I am sometimes knee-jerky about these things. :)
Sorry if I ended up preaching--I'm sort of working out my thoughts as I type.
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Date: 2009-01-28 11:37 pm (UTC)So, for one, I think that God's redeeming action in Christ has to be prior to everything else. That's why, in part, preaching the "personal salvation" part of the gospel is important (and also part of what Jesus told us to do--baptizing and making disciples of all nations--in addition to, and in concert with, serving the "least" among us). As we, individually and as the Church, grow to walk more and more in tune with his Holy Spirit, the more we will desire to build up his Kingdom. But, back to that "total depravity" thing, I know that our efforts in this life will often fail and fall short, tainted by our failures to live for one another and for God. By his grace we'll succeed in creating little building-blocks of the Kingdom, too, but I don't believe we'll establish it in any ultimate way. (Here I could get into how I don't exactly believe in "Progress," but I'm not sure how helpful it'd be.) That's actually where a premillennial view can be a comfort. We can't despair or wallow in our sinfulness, because we KNOW God will be victorious over all the powers of sin and death in the end! That doesn't exempt us from living as Kingdom-like as we can in the meantime. Kingdom-living is always a fruit of genuine discipleship.
The Kingship of Christ is a very precious image to me because it does bespeak a world in which all relationships are rightly ordered. I'm not saying that the language CWM uses is without merit, only that I think traditional language often has similar aims. I've seen great examples of critical engagement with traditional language in order to more deeply affirm it, and also been terribly frustrated by instances of throwing the baby out with the bathwater in attempts to be inclusive. I guess that's why I am sometimes knee-jerky about these things. :)
Sorry if I ended up preaching--I'm sort of working out my thoughts as I type.