Dictionary of Bible Themes The object of God's love and the sphere of God's blessing. God's people should adopt a positive but critical attitude to, and involvement in society, and should seek to influence it for good, while guarding against its corrupting influence. Isaiah 1:26-27Society is the object of God's redeeming love and the sphere of his blessing See also The city as a positive image of society Psalms 122:6-9Isaiah 54:11-14 Hebrews 11:10,15-16 Revelation 21:1-4,22-22:5 John 3:16-17 See also The world as the object of God's love John 6:332 Corinthians 5:19 1 John 4:14 Revelation 11:15 John 17:15-18 God's people are to be positively involved in society See also They are to seek to be a positive influence Jeremiah 29:7Matthew 5:13-16 1 Corinthians 5:9-10 God's people, in exile in Babylon, are to seek the welfare of that society, rather than simply long to return home James 1:27See also They are to avoid being corrupted by society's worldliness Romans 12:2James 4:4 1 John 2:15-17 John 17:16 See also They do not owe society their ultimate loyalty John 15:19Hebrews 13:14 1 Peter 2:11 Romans 13:1-7 Titus 3:1 They are to adopt a positive attitude to society's properly instituted authorities See also Matthew 22:17-211 Peter 2:13-17 pp Mk 12:14-17 pp Lk 20:22-25 Acts 4:18-20See also While being submissive, they are not to give absolute obedience to any merely human authority in society Acts 5:27-29Daniel 2:48-49 Examples of those positively involved in society See also Genesis 41:41-49Esther 10:1-3 Joseph Daniel 1:1-21Mordecai See also Daniel and his friends 4030 world, behaviour in4110 angels 5219 authority, human institutions 5255 citizenship 5326 government 5359 justice 5577 taxation 5588 traditions 5680 family 5710 marriage, customs 7446 slavery 8244 ethics and grace |
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