Sounds utopian, bordering on socialism, sociologizing, and the sociology of knowledge. Has elements of the gospel message, but misses the whole of it. While in a topsy-turvy world, Jesus does ask us to be salt and light, retarding corruption and dispelling darkness respectively, one mustn’t forget that for believers, the challenge is a “hold the fort until I come again” one. That is, according to Jesus, the writings of Paul, and the biblical timeline, things on earth will degrade, getting progressively worse until the end. If we, in him as a collective, can turn the status quo around ourselves, there’d be no need for him to return. Recall, he made the delineation between “my kingdom” and “this world.” At best, the gap can be closed somewhat but only by redeemed humanity (always a minority). Say, in the way chemo and radiation can delay and deny death in a terminal cancer, but not for long. Being salt and light is the chemo and radiation for a terminal world sorely in need of the radical redemption and the consummating judgement that he promised, and that only he can deliver on, with an assist from us until that time. Short of that, the battle is always uphill, and for that reason tiring. Such is not an invitation to be passive, or cynical, or not to be salt and light in one’s little corner of the world, but to be realistic in knowing the limitations of same within a broader perspective, one consistent with the biblical timeline. To think in any other way, while holding the fort and praying for his return, is to naively underestimate the powers of darkness (depravity) playing out in the power structures of the earth that have led to where we are today, and that as tares, will ripen in the same manner the what will. The former to be destroyed, the latter to fully enter the kingdom prepared for them since the foundation of the world.
Sounds utopian, bordering on socialism, sociologizing, and the sociology of knowledge. Has elements of the gospel message, but misses the whole of it. While in a topsy-turvy world, Jesus does ask us to be salt and light, retarding corruption and dispelling darkness respectively, one mustn’t forget that for believers, the challenge is a “hold the fort until I come again” one. That is, according to Jesus, the writings of Paul, and the biblical timeline, things on earth will degrade, getting progressively worse until the end. If we, in him as a collective, can turn the status quo around ourselves, there’d be no need for him to return. Recall, he made the delineation between “my kingdom” and “this world.” At best, the gap can be closed somewhat but only by redeemed humanity (always a minority). Say, in the way chemo and radiation can delay and deny death in a terminal cancer, but not for long. Being salt and light is the chemo and radiation for a terminal world sorely in need of the radical redemption and the consummating judgement that he promised, and that only he can deliver on, with an assist from us until that time. Short of that, the battle is always uphill, and for that reason tiring. Such is not an invitation to be passive, or cynical, or not to be salt and light in one’s little corner of the world, but to be realistic in knowing the limitations of same within a broader perspective, one consistent with the biblical timeline. To think in any other way, while holding the fort and praying for his return, is to naively underestimate the powers of darkness (depravity) playing out in the power structures of the earth that have led to where we are today, and that as tares, will ripen in the same manner the what will. The former to be destroyed, the latter to fully enter the kingdom prepared for them since the foundation of the world.