Thursday 18 November 2010

Conservative Evangelicals 0, Reformers 1

Whilst at theological college my Church history tutor, oft commented that contemporary Evangelicalism differs greatly both in practice and theology from the people it claims are it's forebears/heroes namely the Reformers. This morning reading a quote from Luther about our everyday work I couldn't help but agree. Luther says:

What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow.

Now compare that with the ideas we often hear from our Conservative Evangelical heroes ministers that so called "gospel ministry" far outweighs social care/mercy ministry or cultural endeavours.

And yet, a cursory reading of Scripture reveals how important our everyday work is. Paul speaks of this when he calls on us to do everything to glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31) and even more fundamentally, the resurrection of Christ ensures that our labour is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

And so to the conclusion: Reformers 1, Conservative Evangelicals 0

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