Horton essentially says that as husbands and wives we should have "no expectation that [we] are transforming" culture. Has he read Eph. 5? Doesn't the work of Christ transform the role of the husband? And did he skip the Epistle of James, where "true religion" is defined as social assistance?

I think he is right about this: the ministry of the Church "creates a 'new society'"--but that society is the one that will eventually give rise to the new earth, where the blessings flow (from the springs of the New Jerusalem--the proper presence of Christ in the Church) to all the nations. I wonder if his hymnal leaves out that last verse of "Joy to the World." And we are building the kingdom, even on his narrow view of it: did he skip all of Paul's talk about building up the church?

The gospel is that God reigns over all nations (Isa. 52:7). This is what Christ asserted had come by his resurrection and ascension (Matt. 28:19-20). To deny this is to deny the gospel: "God only reigns over the church, not over the whole world..."

Grr.
Joshua W.D. Smith | 11.16.07 - 3:54 pm | #

On the plus side, I do agree that we cannot do things in Christ's name directly that He has not commissioned us to do. He has promised to be present in the Supper and the Word, not in what kind of car we drive or whether we recycle, or who we vote for. But that does not mean His authority has no bearing at all in those realms. Sounds like a false dichotomy: 'either explicitly and directly in the name of Christ, or else just like everyone else.'
Joshua W.D. Smith | 11.16.07 - 3:56 pm | #