As iron sharpens iron,
one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)
“It’s way too simple to say that it impairs the ability of Christians to reach their friends and neighbors. In some places it enhances the church’s appeal and integrates Christians within their community. In other places it creates a host of challenges and needlessly alienates Christians from their fellow citizens.
“We’ve been surrounded by chaos, much of it intentionally designed; we’ve been told by people we trust that we need to be angry, agitated, active, desperate; that Those People are evil incarnate, and irremediably dangerous, and if we don’t stop them, It’s All Over.” - Olinger
“1. Politics is what you are most passionate to speak about…. 2. Your enemy is the other political viewpoint/side…. 3. You live as if there is an enduring city here.” - Eric Geiger
A sermon delivered on Thursday evening, March 28, 1872, by C. H. Spurgeon, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.
There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture’s eye hath not seen; the lion’s whelps have not trodden it, nor the fierce lion passed by it. (Job 28: 7, 8)
In seminary we were encouraged—well, required—to read outside our own theological perspective. A few students recoiled a bit. They had been living in a bubble, and those outside it had been mostly ignored, sometimes caricatured, but never directly listened to with the goal of accurate understanding.
Most students relished the wider reading. They’d already learned that curiosity, personal connection, and questioning assumptions can result in life-changing bursts of discovery and personal growth.
Thankfulness “is a pervasive concept in biblical thinking. God has been unimaginably good to us—so good, in fact, that literally everything evil about the world pales in comparison.” - Olinger
“[N]o matter what happens, what shall we say to our church on Sunday? …There’s the usual stuff I will say: comfort those whose candidate lost with the certainty of Christ’s victory. Caution those whose candidate won from putting too much hope in the outcome of any election…” - 9 Marks
“I’ve been disheartened and frankly appalled by the hatred I’ve seen some Christians have toward other Christians based on their political views—and that goes for both sides. To be clear, I’m not talking about impassioned discussions of which party or candidate to vote for. That’s necessary and important.” - Natasha Crain
“We live in an age depleted of mystery…. For many of us, while paying lip service to God’s ability to perform miracles (as if He needs our encouragement a la clapping for Tinkerbell), our reality is more akin to the prayer warriors praying for Peter’s release from prison.” - John Ellis
“You’re not living out love because your life will be better if you do. You’re living out love because life will be better for everybody else if you do. Does this principle have implications for how we live during an election season? during a pandemic? during a period of racial strife? You bet it does. - Dan Olinger
Discussion