Post by rgrove on May 18, 2005 16:57:41 GMT -5
I found this article on Steve Camps site and thought it was very thought provoking. Interested in hearing what others have to say. I've only put one of the first paragraphs below which is representative of the thrust of the article. I encourage you to read it through before commenting, however. It's not long.
Picketing Sin and Boycotting Moral Failure
by Steve Camp
....
" What originally prompted the writing of this article had been the call to boycott Time-Warner and its many subsidiaries by leading Christian psychologist, author and radio talk show host, Dr. James Dobson, because of Madonna’s book and album release. I do understand it is a normal reaction to rise and sound a clarion call for moral leadership and accountability when one is faced with the open sensuality displayed in Madonna's book. I also truly believe that Dr. Dobson's motive was not self-serving nor incendiary when he had attempted to do so. But one has to ask him the obvious question, “how do you expect her to live apart from regeneration in Christ?” By her own confession, she is living as an unbeliever in Christ. I ask you... why do we in the church constantly become outraged when we see non-Christians living like non-Christians? Why do we “require” that unbelievers live in some sort of comfortable legalistic “righteous” bubble before they come to salvation through Christ? Have we forgotten what we were like before we tasted the kindness of God in Christ for our salvation? Have we forgotten how we were slaves to various lusts and passions of our hearts? Have we forgotten how sinful we were apart from God's grace? Have we forgotten how depraved we were and to what depth of disobedience we plummeted? How dare we hold any non-believer in derision and set ourselves above them thinking we now as Christians could not ever succomb to the depth of sin they might be in. What arrogance; what self-righteousness; what un-Christlikeness. Oh may we remember: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Steve Camp goes on to finish with these two paragraphs of what he considers the better option over boycotts and the like:
" We are asking Madonna to live a standard of righteousness that she is incapable of living. Romans 6:20 says, "For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness." She is not a Christian by her own admission. What people like Madonna need is not our protest, but to hear of the gospel of grace; salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. "If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation. All the old things pass away - behold all things become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). Wouldn't it be great to see Madonna become a new creation in Christ and to be our sister in the Lord!
The problems that plague our society are not political, economic, or even moral at their core - they are spiritual. We cannot fight spiritual problems with carnal weapons. May the world find us doing what our Lord has instructed us to do – not marching in the streets but on our knees; not protesting nonbelievers, but proclaiming the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ which is the power of God unto salvation. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Madonna saw thousands of Christians praying for her and proclaiming the gospel of grace rather than evangelical leaders calling for a boycott of her? Remember, Jesus Christ our Lord was known as a "friend of sinners", not a socio-economic political agitator."
So what do you think? We are supposed to be salt and light in the world as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. How should this command from our Lord and Savior manifest itself by His church to the fallen world? Do you lean towards Dobson, Camp, or another direction?
Yours In Christ,
Ron
Picketing Sin and Boycotting Moral Failure
by Steve Camp
....
" What originally prompted the writing of this article had been the call to boycott Time-Warner and its many subsidiaries by leading Christian psychologist, author and radio talk show host, Dr. James Dobson, because of Madonna’s book and album release. I do understand it is a normal reaction to rise and sound a clarion call for moral leadership and accountability when one is faced with the open sensuality displayed in Madonna's book. I also truly believe that Dr. Dobson's motive was not self-serving nor incendiary when he had attempted to do so. But one has to ask him the obvious question, “how do you expect her to live apart from regeneration in Christ?” By her own confession, she is living as an unbeliever in Christ. I ask you... why do we in the church constantly become outraged when we see non-Christians living like non-Christians? Why do we “require” that unbelievers live in some sort of comfortable legalistic “righteous” bubble before they come to salvation through Christ? Have we forgotten what we were like before we tasted the kindness of God in Christ for our salvation? Have we forgotten how we were slaves to various lusts and passions of our hearts? Have we forgotten how sinful we were apart from God's grace? Have we forgotten how depraved we were and to what depth of disobedience we plummeted? How dare we hold any non-believer in derision and set ourselves above them thinking we now as Christians could not ever succomb to the depth of sin they might be in. What arrogance; what self-righteousness; what un-Christlikeness. Oh may we remember: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Steve Camp goes on to finish with these two paragraphs of what he considers the better option over boycotts and the like:
" We are asking Madonna to live a standard of righteousness that she is incapable of living. Romans 6:20 says, "For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness." She is not a Christian by her own admission. What people like Madonna need is not our protest, but to hear of the gospel of grace; salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. "If any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creation. All the old things pass away - behold all things become new" (2 Cor. 5:17). Wouldn't it be great to see Madonna become a new creation in Christ and to be our sister in the Lord!
The problems that plague our society are not political, economic, or even moral at their core - they are spiritual. We cannot fight spiritual problems with carnal weapons. May the world find us doing what our Lord has instructed us to do – not marching in the streets but on our knees; not protesting nonbelievers, but proclaiming the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ which is the power of God unto salvation. Wouldn't it be wonderful if Madonna saw thousands of Christians praying for her and proclaiming the gospel of grace rather than evangelical leaders calling for a boycott of her? Remember, Jesus Christ our Lord was known as a "friend of sinners", not a socio-economic political agitator."
So what do you think? We are supposed to be salt and light in the world as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. How should this command from our Lord and Savior manifest itself by His church to the fallen world? Do you lean towards Dobson, Camp, or another direction?
Yours In Christ,
Ron