1.) “This means the kingdom story we are telling is not the story of Christ saving his people so that they might change the world, transform the culture, or reclaim a nation. Instead, the story is of Christ so ruling over the nations of the world that the church might be built up.”
Kevin DeYoung
“Typical Modern Reformed Clergy”
Notice the false dichotomy in what DeYoung is touting here. If it is the case, as DeYoung says, that the story of Christians is that they are united to Christ who is so ruling over the nations that the Church might be built up then how can it NOT be the case that the consequence will be the transformation of culture, reclaiming of nations and changing the world? DeYoung’s eschatological presupposition here is clearly amillennial. DeYoung presupposes that Christ can rule over the nations so that the Church might be built up while at the same time resulting in a Church that will not transform nations.
I find this reasoning to be pathetic.
2.) “To be sure, there is not one square inch in all the universe about which Christ does not cry out, “This is mine!” And yet, Christ does not reign over every square inch in the same way.”
Rev. Kevin DeYoung
The Gospel Coalition
Oh… I see.
So, over some areas Christ says “Mine” but not in such a way that He actually does reign over it. In some of Christ’s “Mine” areas Christ only rules spiritually or ethereally or absently. So, we learn from Kev that Christ can reign in such a way that He really doesn’t reign. You see, only the clergy can make up such leather-headed distinctions.
It is true that often Christ’s reign is not visible but at those points, there are usurpers who have taken up Christ’s scepter in order to deny His reign. Such people must be shown the door by the faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ the King.
Kevin does not anticipate victory and so Kev gives us “logic” that allows for Christ to be the King of Kings who loses in space and time to those who frustrate the great King’s sovereign rule.
3.) (We must) “make sure that we are telling the right story when it comes to the kingdom. In explaining the petition “thy kingdom come,” the Westminster Larger Catechism tells us to “pray that the kingdom of sin and Satan may be destroyed, the gospel propagated throughout the world . . .the church furnished with all gospel officers and ordinances . . .that the ordinances of Christ may be purely dispensed, and made effectual to the converting of those that are yet in their sins, and the confirming, comforting, and building up those that are already converted: that Christ would rule in our hearts here, and hasten the time of his second coming, and our reigning with him forever” (Q/A 191). The Catechism gives us a magnificent prayer for the growth, strength, and health of the church.
But that’s not the end of the answer. Here’s the last line of WLC 191: “and that [Christ] would be pleased so to exercise the kingdom of his power in all the world, as may best conduce to these ends.” Notice the gospel-centered logic of the Larger Catechism. Christ rules over all things for the good of the church. The kingdom of power is subservient to the kingdom of grace (giving way to the kingdom of glory), not the other way around.”
Kevin DeYoung
Typical Reformed Clergy
There must be something about Reformed clergy and false dichotomies. The Westminster Larger Catechism teaches us that praying thy Kingdom come means to ask that the Kingdom of sin and Satan be destroyed.
Full Stop.
That’s all I need to know to know that transformation of cultures is the consequence of muscular Christianity. If Satan’s kingdom of sin be destroyed the only contender that is left is the Kingdom of Christ expanding over the whole globe and over every area of life. If Satan’s Kingdom of sin is destroyed then that means by necessity that Christ’s Kingdom covers the earth as the water covers the sea. There are no other options.
DeYoung seems to want Satan’s Kingdom to cover all the earth while Christ’s Kingdom is limited to the Church realm. However, if Satan’s Kingdom of sin is a Kingdom that affects family relationships, national cultures, law orders, Educationals Institutions, etc. then the triumph of Christ’s Kingdom over Satan’s Kingdom means those areas will be transformed by the grace of God’s law informing every area of life.
DeYoung is just trying to cover his R2K arse with this bilge. It doesn’t work Kev.
