Christless Christianity
Monday, June 4, 2007 at 1:00AM Michael Horton reminds us of the absolute importance of preaching Christ:
What would things look like if Satan actually took over a city? The first frames in our imaginative slide show probably depict mayhem on a massive scale: Widespread violence, deviant sexualities, pornography in every vending machine, churches closed down and worshipers dragged off to City Hall. Over a half-century ago, Donald Grey Barnhouse, pastor of Philadelphia's Tenth Presbyterian Church, gave his CBS radio audience a different picture of what it would look like if Satan took control of a town in America. He said that all of the bars and pool halls would be closed, pornography banished, pristine streets and sidewalks would be occupied by tidy pedestrians who smiled at each other. There would be no swearing. The kids would answer 'Yes, sir,' 'No, ma'am,' and the churches would be full on Sunday ... where Christ is not preached.
From the May/June 2007 issue of Modern Reformation
Reader Comments (3)
I don't think I get it.
Hi Adam,We often assume that Satan is working to corrupt us with violence, deviance, etc. I think Horton is making the point that Satan is happy to leave us as moral and nice people as long as we don't know and preach Christ. If he accomplishes this, then that is enough.
I think this is very insightful. And I think we should take note when we are happy with morality without Christ.