Something's wrong ... Part 3

Here are some interesting quotes from 'The Politics of Jesus,' chapter 8 - Christ and Power, that relate to the whole issue of how the church confronts evil. This is a timely message for the church in an age where we feel increasingly marginalized and powerless to do things about moral evil in the world. I believe Yoder provides us with a positive and powerful alternative to the individualism and quest for power and influence that currently dominates North American Christianity. When Yoder refers to 'Powers' in the following quotes, he means structural powers created to control or influence. These can be political, economic, religious or cultural structures or systems. While the Bible credits God as the creator of these powers (and therefore they are good), they are currently fallen and under the influence of the Evil One.

'The creature and the world are fallen, and in this the powers have their own share. They are no longer active only as mediators of the saving creative purpose of God; now we find them seeking to separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38). These structures which were supposed to be our servants have become our masters and guardians.'

'To what are we subject? Precisely to those values and structures which are necessary to life and society, but which have claimed the status of idols and have succeeded in making us serve them as if they were of absolute value.'

Quoting Berkhof, 'All resistence and every attack against the gods of this age will be unfruitful, unless the church itself is resistance and attack, unless it demonstrates in its own life and fellowship how believers can live freed from the Powers. We can only preach the manifold wisdom of God to Mammon if our life displays that we are joyfully freed from his clutches. To reject nationalism we must begin by no longer recognizing in our own bosoms any difference between peoples. '

'The church does not attack the powers; this Christ has done. The church concentrates upon not being seduced by them. By existing the church demonstrates that their rebellion has been vanquished.'

And quoting Oldham, 'If our diagnosis is true, the world cannot be set right from the top but only from the bottom upwards.'

'The primary structure through which the gospel works to change other structures is that of the Christian community.'

To sum up Yoder, the Church confronts the powers of the world by standing as a community that refuses to be seduced by them. The cross of Christ stands in judgment of the powers and structures of the world, and the Church - the community of people shaped by the cross - stand as living testimony and witness to the victory and reign of Christ. This is why ultimately the contribution that Christians make is not by being culturally relevant or politically strong. It is by living a life of discipleship - as apprentices of Jesus, allowing Him to create a new community by his grace, Spirit and call to follow Him. Once again, it is practical discipleship that makes the Church a unique and divine institution in the world, and this is why Jesus commands us to go into all the world and make disciples.