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Painted Idolatry: “One Nation Under God” » Blog » Greg Boyd (Christus Victor Ministries)

Some of you probably have encountered the recent painting, “One Nation Under God.” Artistically speaking, it’s an excellent work. Theologically speaking, it incarnates, in the most graphic form imaginable, the sin of nationalistic idolatry. It’s sort of an artist’s rendition of The Patriot’s Bible which I reviewed on this blog some time ago. You can see the painting here. As you scroll over each character in the painting a commentary by the artist on why they were included pops up. I’d like to offer a few comments on several characters in this painting.

via www.gregboyd.org

Good post offering enlightenment into the sin of nationalistic idolatry of which many Christians in America and other countries easily fall prey to.

The Kingdom of God is a Different Environment

Consider this statement: The environment of the soil must be right for the seed to grow.

One of my favorite authors said recently, "You can rearrange the chairs on the Titanic, but the ship is still going down. My thoughts on most church renewal/restoration strategies."

You can rearrange an environment without changing the conditions of the environment. The younger generations are currently attempting to break free from the environment of religious institutionalism and are trying whatever methods and buzzwords possible to do it (missional, emergent, house church, organic church). 

But, no matter what they call it, a close inspection would reveal that most of these methods are simply rearranging the same environment they are consciously or subconsciously trying to leave. This is happening because the movers don't know what the soil of God is like or they don't know how to replace the soil and then let the seed grow.  

Also, replacing the soil/rebuilding the ship just costs us too much. Think about what most people would have to give up to have an organic environment.  It includes mechanical planning, hierarchical leadership, salaries, and most of all CONTROL. Ah, there it is, the root of it all. Just like Adam and Eve wanted to take control of their own lives in the garden, so contemporary Christianity holds onto control of the environment that is supposed to have Christ as the Head (Controller). Jesus' statement to "leave everything you have and come follow me" takes on a practical dimension when looking at rearranging our environment. The vast majority of Christians are just unable to do this.

So, we live American Christian lives, dabble in theory, and continue to lack serious movement into an experience of what is being discussed. We talk about building a new ship, but just rearrange the chairs on the old one.

Where are those who are willing to rebuild the ship?.....

2nd man united is a Christian pop/alternative band that educates its fans in the Christian life through podcasts, videos and more.  Sign up now for the 2nd man united e-mail newsletter and receive FREE exclusive content for subscribers.

Local Church Calls Me for a Reference

A local church in my area calls me for a reference for a friend who wants to work in the children's ministry there.  So, I get the questions one would expect:

"Do you know this person to be patient?"

"Have you ever seen this person interacting with kids?"

"Has this person ever been convicted of a crime against children?" etc., etc.

Do you see what is wrong with this?  I see an organization that runs like a business corporation; taking applications, running interviews and collecting references to run their mechanical programs.  Needless to say that this is so far from the church as a family, which ironically is in their name.

My questions back to them would be:

"Why would you have someone work with your children that you don't know intimately?"

"You supposedly preach God's kingdom, but operate like the world. Why?"

May the eyes of our hearts continue to be enlightened to how truly opposite the Kingdom of God is and how destructive the ways of this world are.

"See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ." -Colossians 2:8

2nd man united is a Christian pop/alternative band that educates its fans in the Christian life through music, podcasts, videos and more.  Sign up now for the 2nd man united e-mail newsletter and receive FREE exclusive content and promotions for subscribers.

The Gospel of Jesus AND Consumerism

Adapted and inspired by Milt Rodriguez's blog

We have been blinded by another gospel. It is the gospel, mindset and culture of western consumerism. Human need is god and everything revolves around getting our needs and desires fulfilled. This, my friends, is our top priority. It's all about what God and the Church can do for us. 

Case in point, observe how people choose their place of attendance in the Christian religious system. Most respond with something to the effect of "I like the pastor. I feel like I really get fed. I like the worship music. It's my style, etc. etc." Even now, we hear it in movements like the current "missional" or "emergent" movements. "I want to reach these people and this is what this church is doing," or "I hate the religious system and all of these people do too." They are missing the point of God's eternal purpose.

Organized Christianity even aligns itself into similar social classes and races in order to be comfortable, even in the midst of denying the vision of the New Testament of One New Humanity that eliminates class, race, gender and the like (Ephesians 2:14-18, Galatians 3:26-29). Just look around you the next time you gather with Christians.

These organizations have fallen into the trap of becoming a glorified marketing department selling religious goods and services that are in high demand by consumerist Christians.

As Milt Rodriguez says, "The only reason that any group calling itself a “church” should exist is to fulfill the eternal purpose of God in Christ, which is (Jesus Christ) as the sum, the center, the head, the fulfillment, the expression, and the source of all things (Eph. 1); that he would fill all things with himself (Eph. 4:10); that this glorious Christ would have an (earthly) expression that would freely express him in all his fullness (Eph. 1:22, 23); and that this expression (the body of believers) would put all of his enemies to shame (Eph. 3:8-12)." Everything else will flow out from that foundation. 

Your needs, which by the way, God knows better than you do, will be taken care of as a by-product to fulfilling the eternal purpose of God in Christ. Ask God for a revelation of what that is, namely Christ.

2nd man united is a Christian pop/alternative band that educates its fans in the Christian life through music, podcasts, videos and more.  Sign up now for the 2nd man united e-mail newsletter and receive FREE exclusive content and promotions for subscribers.