The Kingdom of God (4): The Renewed People
Laning critiques the idea that Christians are called to "renew" earthly institutions and establish God's kingdom on earth, arguing instead that passages like Colossians 1:20 and Ephesians 1:10 refer only to the spiritual reconciliation of the elect and our heavenly orientation. The article defends a Reformed understanding of redemption against what the author views as a misapplication of biblical texts used to justify cultural transformation initiatives at institutions like Calvin College and Dordt College.
Previous article in this series: December 1, 2016, p. 107. As was mentioned in the last article, both Calvin College and Dordt College refer to themselves as institutions designed to train students to go out and "renew" things. The King, they say, calls us to be "agents of renewal"1 wherever we go. If we are busily engaged in this renewing activity, then we are said to be establishing the kingdom of God on the earth. Some have cited Colossians 1:20 as proof for this idea. That passage along...
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