The Thirst for Freedom

A friend just wrote a comment over at my Blogcatalog Group called “Christian Worldview.”

I thought it was interesting so I’d like to summarize his thoughts and then write my response.

Essentially he said that we need to “toss out the Religious Right and the Moral Majority” and be “authentic and radical” Christians like in the first century church.

Here is my response:

Hello!

Thanks for participating in the discussion.

These are the questions that come into my mind when I read your thoughts:

1) What does it mean practically to be out “in the streets?” What does that look like? And what does one do when they get there?

2) Why would you “toss out” the “religious right” and the “moral majority?” I’m not sure what you mean by that. These groups of people primarily consist of ordinary Christian Americans. To “toss” them sounds more like the language of the Anti-Christian Secularist Humanist Left. I reviewed your blog a bit, and I don’t think you are a part of the Secular Humanist Left.

Remember, it is the “religious right” that brings us World Vision, Huge Missions Movements, Tons of Money for relief work and Mission work around the world, Restoration Work in the area of Family, Marriage, and Child Rearing, etc. There is also a great educational movement, especially through homeschooling.

There are a lot of people that are often labeled “religious right” who are out there “in the streets” making a very real and significant difference. I wonder how many homeless shelters are run by the “religious right.” Then there are ministries like Teen Challenge, etc.

Be careful not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

I find myself to be a bit of an “anti-pharisaical” and “anti-religious” person myself. I certainly don’t fit in with the main stream of American Christian Culture. (How many times have I scanned right past the Christian Radio Stations?) But I want to recognize what is good as well, and not join the Crazy Nero types that are currently standing against the Church with hate and vitriol.

Well… There’s my thoughts on that.

I just wrote a comment on a post that said “What is your favorite book of the OT and NT.”

This is what I wrote:

My favorite book in the Old Testament is Genesis because it introduces foundational ideas of a Biblical Christian Worldview.

Moses gave this book to Israel right before they crossed the Jordan after watching their parents perish in the wilderness because of unbelief. Their parents had been slaves in Egypt and had not known their God. So God gave Israel a book about their beginnings to be the foundation of a new Worldview that was entering into the earth. It is the beginning of God’s redemptive story!

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Ephesians is my favorite book in the New Testament. I like it because I need it so desperately to remember who I am in Christ.

Whenever I am having one of those doubtful days, I can read Ephesians and remember what God has done and who He has made me to be: “Created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life!”