Pastor's Desk
January 29 , 2006
THE VOTERS OF Canada (and particularly the major city dwellers) have demonstrated that they are not interested in pursuing a path that inclines toward divinely influenced morality. Several candidates who represented that viewpoint were not elected. This represents a challenge as well as an opportunity for the church in the city.
We need to continue presenting the Christian faith and creating Christian community in a way that attracts those who are bound by sin and offers freedom without compromising the gospel. We need to learn how to be friends of sinners without participating in sin.
We should not expect divine morality to be popular in a world that is under the influence of the devil. But we should nonetheless continue to contend for the freedom to be able to offer the good news of Jesus Christ to those who want to receive it. Some will receive; many won't. Scripture makes it clear that we can expect persecution in some form or another from those who won't. But persecution should not intimidate us from sharing the good news and offering salvation to everyone. Neither does our culture's inclination against divine morality mean we should stop standing up for righteousness at every level and at every gateway.
Jesus said though we are not of the world, we are still in the world. We are called upon to be the salt of the earth which exerts influence even though it may be present in a small quantity. We are to let our lights shine so that people would give glory to our heavenly Father.
I am convinced that the best way to stand up for righteousness in our world is to be a part of and fully engaged in a biblical community--the kind of community that encourages the development of Christ-like character and presents the good news in the power of the Holy Spirit. That’s what the early church did! “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ.” (Acts 5:42)
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From him the whole body,
joined and held together by every supporting ligament,
grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
(Ephesians 4:16)
This page was last updated on Friday, January 27, 2006