Modern Christian Thinking

Christian Thinking

The so-called fourth industrial revolution is, just like the previous three, all about information, knowledge, understanding and even a bit of wisdom. That makes Christians very well suited seeing the Spirit that births and fills and enthuses us is the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and might, of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. The huge impact of thinking Christians can be seen in the page Influential Christians.

The reality of this is borne out by the observation about Daniel when he appeared before Nebuchadnezzar.

17. As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.18. Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar.19. Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king.20. And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.21. Thus Daniel continued until the first year of King Cyrus.

Daniel 1:17-21

Godliness profits in all things

It is clear that Christians have a tremendous advantage over unbelievers in the realms of knowledge understanding and work ethic (see Max Weber protestant, capitalist, north European work ethic). The obvious success and ascendancy of Europe and America in the 500 years since the reformation is stellar. Calling these nations Christian is a mistake, but acknowledging the influence and progress coming from a Christian worldview and the working of the Spirit is a matter of common sense observation. It is equally obvious that as Europe and America are deteriorating in their commitment to Christ they are slipping and losing the mandate that comes from the gospels’ inadvertent blessing. China, India and many oriental nations are growing in their commitment to Christ and accordingly they are visibly ascendant. (it is estimated that 20% of China attends Christian churches on Sunday and only 2% of England).

Christians have a very positive effect on their societies and communities and life and liberty as always been dramatically better where there are many Christians, but we must be careful to think that our mandate in Christ is to fix or improve this world.

So does that mean that we are to rule and reign in and over Babylon just yet? In the Bible, the world in rebellion against God is called, “Babylon”. Loosely that means Hollywood and Wall Street.

Jesus Kingdom and the world

Jesus made it exceedingly clear how His kingdom, relates to the Kingdoms of the World.

36. Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

John 18:36

Christ will rule over the physical world when He returns.

15. Then the seventh angel sounded: And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!”16. And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,17. saying:

“We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty,

The One who is and who was and who is to come,

Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.

18. The nations were angry, and Your wrath has come,

And the time of the dead, that they should be judged,

And that You should reward Your servants the prophets and the saints,

And those who fear Your name, small and great,

And should destroy those who destroy the earth.”

Revelation 11:15-18

Christians and the world’s Kingdoms

The initial injunction about the Kingdoms of this world is to be separate and to be spiritual and not get seduced by them.

8. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

Colossians 2:8

20. Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—21. “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,”22. which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men?23. These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

1. If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.2. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.3. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.4. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

Colossians 2:20-3:4

15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.

1 Timothy 1:15

7. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

1 Timothy 6:7

15. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.16. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.17. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

1 John 2:15-17

Although the power of God through salvation and of the Holy Spirit gives us spectacular advantages in many ways, we are never admonished to gain wealth, political power or take up arms in the natural world. The great feats of faith as exhibited in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11 and on the page about great Christians, is always still done without trying to gain political, economical, or sociological control of this world “as the church”. Individual Christians can and will succeed to high office in every realm but we must never see this as God’s Kingdom”.

Church and State

There has been some disagreement in Christianity about the matter of church and state. Do we keep them separate or try to merge them? Do we enforce the teachings of Jesus through political and economic domination or do we focus on preparing ourselves, as the church, for Christ’s return by dying to self and becoming like Jesus so that the Father is happy to give us power and glory like Jesus, to rule and reign over the nations in the next age?

There is some thinking in Christianity that argues we are supposed to dominate the secular world now, before Christ returns but none of that is born out of the teachings of Jesus or Paul and the Apostle at all, as mentioned above.

If that were the case then the need for a Christian, intellectual, response to the world’s challenges would be in a sense, military. We would want to understand so we can attack, defeat, invade and dominate secular society and economy.

Jesus did not do this

We do not see any of this kind of earthly dominionism in the ministry of Jesus or Paul. The focus in the Bible and the gospel is “Christ crucified” and us crucified in Him and raised from the dead in Him, by the glory of the Father. This primarily a work inside the individual Christian.

One of the main reasons that the Jews hated and killed Jesus was because He did not set up an immediate earthly “Kingdom” in their time. We must follow His example.

Our Kingdom, homeland, and hope is on the other side of the grave, when Christ returns. We do have full access to this Kingdom by the Spirit but the platform is inside ours souls and minds and bodies, not inside politics or economics, per se.

Please check this out in scripture by looking at how Jesus and Paul instructs us regarding the kingdoms of this world. We are in this world but not of it.

We will be hated and persecuted, not in charge, for now, and in fact are instructed to pay tax, submit the government and not make trouble, except when the law forces us to sin. Even then, we have no mandate to take up arms of any nature. Jesus will rule over the nations with a rod of iron, when he returns and he will certainly give great authority to us, but that comes later. Time prevents us from speaking about that much more here but suffice it say that we have no mandate from Jesus or the Apostles to try to rule and reign over secular society before Christ returns. It is necessary to understand that dominion over the secular world and ruling over anything other that yourself is only spoken of after Christ’s return. He will set up His Kingdom and reign over it Himself.

13. These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.14. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland.15. And truly if they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return.16. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.

Hebrews 11:13-16

Instructions to submit and comply

1. Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.2. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.3. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.4. For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil.5. Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake.6. For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing.7. Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.

Romans 13:1-7

Our impact is huge but indirect

The purpose of this writing is not to discourage Christians from impacting our societies, quite the opposite! We have much to offer this blind cruel world. Without us there would be drastically more darkness, cruelty, sickness and death.

So what do we do with our tremendous power, our ability to think with the mind of Christ, to pray, to believe, to receive guidance and instruction form God Himself and to influence and improve the fallen world around us? We partake as normal citizens but we subscribe, not only to the law of the land, but also the law of God.

Below a short list of Influential Christians

Positive Christian influence in science politics and life is so obvious that one is easily tempted into think that we do have mandate to fix society.

We will write many articles on these.