I wonder if at the root of the suburban influence struggle is spiritual warfare. Maybe cultural values, worldviews, successful fulfillment (I guess these are all synonymous) of suburban Christianity is really only the byproduct by which the battles are won or lost. But the actual battle is fought within our core spiritual identity. This identity that finds us made for a holy-awesome relationship with God, in a corrupt world, with sin-pride tempting all my efforts. I wonder if the enemy has done a great job at blinding us American's of the real battle. In this place between the Kingdoms (a reference of Kingdom theology for another post) I believe that we all are at war, and one of the major weapons of the enemy is to tempt us with the life-question: "I will give you _____, (fill-in with your measure of success: 500 church attendants, career ladder, 5 kids, etc.) so that you will be content to stop advancing the Kingdom of God?" I go through this struggle, the enemy doesn't want us dangerously living like Jesus incarnate, and I believe many of us have become blinded and neutered. BUT, God has all victory over these deceptions, it will all become clear, lets just live that way now and see what happens.
5 comments:
i've had much the same experience as we prepare for urban Pittsburgh: you're nuts!
...who lets my cereal get soggy before I eat it! ;-P
right on.
I wonder if at the root of the suburban influence struggle is spiritual warfare. Maybe cultural values, worldviews, successful fulfillment (I guess these are all synonymous) of suburban Christianity is really only the byproduct by which the battles are won or lost. But the actual battle is fought within our core spiritual identity. This identity that finds us made for a holy-awesome relationship with God, in a corrupt world, with sin-pride tempting all my efforts.
I wonder if the enemy has done a great job at blinding us American's of the real battle.
In this place between the Kingdoms (a reference of Kingdom theology for another post) I believe that we all are at war, and one of the major weapons of the enemy is to tempt us with the life-question: "I will give you _____, (fill-in with your measure of success: 500 church attendants, career ladder, 5 kids, etc.) so that you will be content to stop advancing the Kingdom of God?"
I go through this struggle, the enemy doesn't want us dangerously living like Jesus incarnate, and I believe many of us have become blinded and neutered.
BUT, God has all victory over these deceptions, it will all become clear, lets just live that way now and see what happens.
Make sure there are more of you before you leave!
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