Dictionary of Bible Themes: 5542 society, positive aspects of

5542 society, positive aspects of

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Dictionary of Bible Themes » 5000 Humanity » 5200 Human civilisation » 5540 society » 5542 society, positive aspects of

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.

Society is the object of God's redeeming love and the sphere of his blessing

The city as a positive image of society

Isaiah 1:26-27 See also Psalm 122:6-9; Isaiah 54:11-14; Hebrews 11:10,15-16; Revelation 21:1-4,22-22:5

The world as the object of God's love

John 3:16-17 See also John 6:33; 2 Corinthians 5:19; 1 John 4:14; Revelation 11:15

God's people are to be positively involved in society

They are to seek to be a positive influence

John 17:15-18 See also Jeremiah 29:7 God's people, in exile in Babylon, are to seek the welfare of that society, rather than simply long to return home; Matthew 5:13-16; 1 Corinthians 5:9-10

They are to avoid being corrupted by society's worldliness

They do not owe society their ultimate loyalty

They are to adopt a positive attitude to society's properly instituted authorities

Romans 13:1-7; Titus 3:1 See also Matthew 22:17-21 pp Mark 12:14-17 pp Luke 20:22-25; 1 Peter 2:13-17

While being submissive, they are not to give absolute obedience to any merely human authority in society

Acts 4:18-20 See also Acts 5:27-29

Examples of those positively involved in society

Daniel 2:48-49 See also Genesis 41:41-49 Joseph; Esther 10:1-3 Mordecai; Daniel 1:1-21 Daniel and his friends