What if Satan took control of a City?
I am reading Christless Christianity by Michael Horton and it begins with the question, What would it look like if Satan really took control of a city? Generally, when we think of Satan taking over a city all kinds of evil images begin filling our minds. Prostitution, murder, and greed just to name a few.
Over fifty years ago Donald Barnhouse offered a different scenario in his weekly sermon on CBS radio.
"If Satan took over Philadelphia, all of the bars would be closed, pornography banished, and pristine streets would be filled with tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The children would say, "Yes, sir" and "No, ma'am," and the churches would be full every Sunday...where Christ is not preached."
Now this scenario might be somewhat of an exaggeration but I believe it to be true. Wherever Christ and his Gospel is being proclaimed we can be assured that Satan is most active in opposition. But where churches are full and the Good News of the Gospel is exchanged for the good advice of a self-help, moralistic, therapeutic deism, then Satan, however subtle, is beginning to take control.
2 comments:
thats pretty cool, i might have to pick the book up
... i think the biggest problem is people misunderstand the relationship of sin and satan..
like the cliche "the devil made me do it"
Most people forget the power of sin and blame Satan
Thats a good point, reminds me of when James said we are tempted by our own evil desires.
Also, if God isn't a holy and jealous God and is just there to cheer us on,give us a mulligan when we screw up, and tell us we did our best, then sin is not that big of deal and there is no reason to take responsibility for sin.
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