"We are overlapping: we live in the Kingdom, we live in this world.
We live in tension... Martin Luther was right to say we live in two Kingdoms: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's," and if you think that's easy, you haven't lived!
We live in two worlds - the Kingdom has come, He's moving mightily through the world gathering a people for Himself, doing miracles, converting people, establishing the Lordship of Jesus in His people: sometimes transforming a culture, sometimes letting a culture slide into oblivion: it happened to Rome... But He reigns.
"So yes to confrontation, and yes to missionary adaptation.
Yes to separation, and yes to cultural participation.
Yes we are in the world; no we are not of the world.
Yes, become all things to all people that you may save some; no, do not be conformed to this world.
Yes, we are indigenous; no, we are pilgrims in every culture.
"Because "creation is the Lord's," and creation is fallen.
Christ is incarnate, and Christ was crucified.
Conversion is justification, and sanctification.
The Kingdom has already come! No, it has not fully come.
Those are the roots of the tension you live with every day.
"How are we going to navigate this balance? "Be transformed in the renewing of your mind.""
- Piper on Romans 12.1-2
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