On this edition of the podcast Gene and Jonathan discuss some practical applications of Two Kingdom Theology.
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Another good show. I'm really enjoying this new podcast!
ReplyDeleteI do have one question: How would the two kingdoms model apply to interfaith collaboration? One example might be a Christian group joining with a Muslim group in staging a pro-life rally. Another might be a governor's prayer breakfast that includes prayers from many different faiths. My concern is where we as believers should draw the line between exercising liberty and indirectly lending our approval to those who stand in direct opposition to the God of the Bible.
What are your thoughts?
Sometime, Gene, I'd like it if you could elaborate on a comment you made. You made a comment that there is no such thing as a Christian business. Could you tell us what that means in more specific terms?
ReplyDeleteAlso, considering the real-life scenario you posed about an employee doing drugs, shouldn't you and/or wouldn't you be under some legal obligation to fire the employee at least? That is a law of the kingdom of man after all.
Anyways, I like this show the best so far. I've listened to the others in this series so far, and I like it so far. Keep it up!
I love the podcast so far, and think the Kingdom notion is all but lost in modern evangelicalism. I do think you try too hard to suggest Christians can have separate roles in each kingdom. I see the kingdoms as unique, but we are citizens of one and ambassadors in the other, and while we have to honor the laws as an ambassador would, maintaining dual citizenship is tough.
ReplyDeleteConsider the following response from Steve Gregg on the subject from The Narrow Path...
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Hi Ben,
It is clear that not all dealings with unbelievers are inappropriate, for then, as Paul told the Corinthians in his First Epistle, "you would need to go out of the world" (5:10).
Yet there is a degree of partnership with unbelievers that becomes inadvisable and even wrong. To be "yoked together" suggests serving alongside another in a compulsory partnership. An ox cannot release itself from the yoke on its neck, and it is therefore trapped in a situation requiring it to work alongside another animal. They are partners. Because of the nature ot the yoke, the stronger animal must compensate for the weakness of the other, and the slower animal will retard the progress of the other.
In the Old Testament law, the Jews were forbidden to plow with an ox and an ass together (Deut.22:10). The ox was a clean animal, and the ass an unclean one. It was not appropriate to yoke together the clean with the unclean. This is no doubt the concept Paul had in mind when giviing instructions about not being unqually yoked with an unbeliever (2 Cor.6:14).
Any situation that binds you long-term in an inescapable partnership might be viewed as a "yoke." Marriage is obviously an example of this kind of thing. So would be a business partnership or a joint management situation where the integrity of the enterprise (and of your testimony) might be compromised by the actions of an unprincipled partner. It would especially be wrong to involve unbelievers in any service that was viewed as service to the Lord, and every activity of a Christian could conceivably fall under that rubric (1 Cor.10:31).
Some short-term business associations might not be viewed as this kind of a yoke, if there is a possibility of the believer disentangling himself when/if objectionable policies begin to be adopted. I don't think it is a violation of Paul's teaching either to be employed by a non-Christian (assuming you can quit when you wish), nor, of course, where the arrangement is involuntarily forced upon him (as with slaves, for example). In any employment, you must be sensitive to the fact that the public perception of the company you work for may impugn the testimony of anyone working for that company.
In the context of 2 Corinthians, I think Paul is warning the believers in the Corinthian church not to compromise with or serve alongside the false teachers who were opposing Paul's apostleship. If this is his primary concern, he may only be intending to apply the principle to church life and church work, but I would feel safer applying it to every field of activity myself.
_________________
In Jesus,
Steve
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,522637,00.html
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if the "Two Kingdom" adherents, can help these people above in San Diego in some way, or are they in error?
Mark