Friday, December 19, 2008

The High Cost of Being Cool

Mohler discusses the Rick Warren/Obama media storm as only Mohler can.

"It doesn't take much. We would all like to be considered cool. Cultural opposition is a tough challenge and bearing public hatred is a hard burden. Being cool means being considered mainstream, acceptable, and admirable. Believing that same-sex marriage is wrong is enough to turn "uncool" in an instant, at least in many circles."

"Rick Warren has just found himself in the midst of a whirlwind. We must pray that God will give him wisdom as he decides what to do -- and what to say -- as he stands in this whirlwind. But every evangelical Christian should watch this carefully, for the controversy over Rick Warren will not stop with the pastor from Saddleback. This whirlwind is coming for you and for your church. At some point, the cost of being "cool" will be the abandonment of biblical Christianity. We had better decide well in advance that this is a cost far too high to pay."

Recently my wife was referred to as a militant for a decision she had made. She is a militant not because of that decision, but because of her decision to attend and support a church that is unwilling to pay the high cost to be cool.

May we stand as Christian Brothers and Sisters to defend Biblical Christianity.

RC

The High Cost of Being (and Staying) Cool -- Rick Warren in a Whirlwind

Penn Jillette on Proseletyzing

Atheist Penn Jillette can teach us all about sharing the Gospel with others.



Hopefully this will persuade us all to make a greater effort to proseletyze.

RC

Courtesy of The Contemporary Calvinist.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

I recently read a great C.S. Lewis quote in Tim Keller’s book 'The Prodigal God.' You will find the quote in the chapter entitled the “The Feast of the Father.” In this chapter Keller is making the point that salvation is experiential, material, individual, and communal. The quote is used in the section of the chapter dealing with the communal aspects of salvation and is worth the price of the book alone. The quote can be found in Lewis’ book 'The Four Loves' in an essay entitled Friendship. In the lead up to the quote Keller states, “You can’t live the Christian life without a band of Christian friends, without a family of believers in which you find a place.”

Keller further sets up the quote by describing the situation underlying the quote:

“C.S. Lewis was part of a famous circle of friends called the Inklings, which included J.R.R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings, and also the author Charles Williams, who died unexpectedly.”

C.S. Lewis’ quote is a reflection on the results of the loss of his friend Charles Williams.

“In each of my friends there is something that only some other friend can fully bring out. By myself I am not large enough to call the whole man into activity; I want other lights than my own to show all his facets. Now that Charles is dead, I shall never again see Ronald’s [Tolkien’s] reaction to a specifically Charles joke. Far from having more of Ronald, having him “to myself” now that Charles is away, I have less of Ronald…In this, Friendship exhibits a glorious “nearness by resemblance” to heaven itself where the very multitude of the blessed (which no man can number) increases the fruition which each of us has of God. For every soul, seeing Him in her own way, doubtless communicates that unique vision to all the rest. That, says an old author, is why the Seraphim in Isaiah’s vision are crying “Holy, Holy, Holy” to one another (Isaiah 6:3). The more we thus share the Heavenly Bread between us, the more we shall have.”

Keller sums it up:

“Lewis is saying that it took a community to know an individual. How much more would this be true of Jesus Christ?”

May God use the internet community to reach those individuals who cannot or will not attend church to find a band of Christian brothers and sisters on the internet. Better yet may God help them find a good church home to share their views in the community of believers.

RC