Comments on: Max McLean http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/10/22/max-mclean/ Between Two Worlds Sat, 11 Feb 2012 07:24:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: E. Stephen Burnett http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/10/22/max-mclean/#comment-52496 E. Stephen Burnett Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:03:30 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=6326#comment-52496 Ah, I had missed that -- it is closer to the wording of the phrase. Though I don't want to nitpick, using the phrase without distinction between "world" and "age" would reinforce the subconscious assumption among many Christians that the physical world will end and everyone will go off to an ethereal Heaven, which is where they truly belong. Thus, confusion about the physical resurrection of God's creation and the human body goes unabated. Yet this is one of the "issues" I believe God wants me to focus on now -- many will have no problem with the "in but not of" phrase. Ah, I had missed that — it is closer to the wording of the phrase. Though I don’t want to nitpick, using the phrase without distinction between “world” and “age” would reinforce the subconscious assumption among many Christians that the physical world will end and everyone will go off to an ethereal Heaven, which is where they truly belong. Thus, confusion about the physical resurrection of God’s creation and the human body goes unabated.

Yet this is one of the “issues” I believe God wants me to focus on now — many will have no problem with the “in but not of” phrase.

]]> By: Justin Taylor http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/10/22/max-mclean/#comment-52489 Justin Taylor Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:53:34 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=6326#comment-52489 The language comes more from John's Gospel. See, for example, John 17:15-16, where Jesus says his followers "are not of the world" but that Jesus wants them to be in the world. The language comes more from John’s Gospel. See, for example, John 17:15-16, where Jesus says his followers “are not of the world” but that Jesus wants them to be in the world.

]]> By: E. Stephen Burnett http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/10/22/max-mclean/#comment-52488 E. Stephen Burnett Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:47:20 +0000 http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/?p=6326#comment-52488 One thing I have always wondered is why evangelicals have adopted the phrase "in the world but not of it." This idea may be found in the Bible (Romans 12: 1-2), but the phrase isn't there; in fact, the wording is used by a lot of different religions (such as Sufi mysticism within Islam). Though I absolutely agree that Christians who are thusly called ought to influence culture for the sake of the Gospel, I also wonder if it might be best to adjust out verbiage a bit for the sake of clarity. After all, though we are not of this passing sinful *age*, we *are* "of" this world, as in planet Earth. When Christ redeems and remakes His universe, blending it with a new Heaven (Revelation 21), we will certainly be both "in" and "of" that world. So perhaps we could say instead "in this age, but not of it"? Regardless, I look forward to learning more about Mac McLean's book. His reading of Scripture (especially the ESV) is my favorite. One thing I have always wondered is why evangelicals have adopted the phrase “in the world but not of it.” This idea may be found in the Bible (Romans 12: 1-2), but the phrase isn’t there; in fact, the wording is used by a lot of different religions (such as Sufi mysticism within Islam).

Though I absolutely agree that Christians who are thusly called ought to influence culture for the sake of the Gospel, I also wonder if it might be best to adjust out verbiage a bit for the sake of clarity. After all, though we are not of this passing sinful *age*, we *are* “of” this world, as in planet Earth. When Christ redeems and remakes His universe, blending it with a new Heaven (Revelation 21), we will certainly be both “in” and “of” that world. So perhaps we could say instead “in this age, but not of it”?

Regardless, I look forward to learning more about Mac McLean’s book. His reading of Scripture (especially the ESV) is my favorite.

]]>