In Schaeffer’s Two Contents, Two Realities he holds to the view that for the church to encounter the mounting challenges of the culture and increasing pressures upon her four things are essential to be in place. Without these, he doesn’t see how we can be truly light and salt.
First, we must have the content of sound doctrine. There can’t be any compromise here, for where essential Christian doctrines are denied, true Christianity disappears. And clarity of content to those making a profession of faith is indispensable. Otherwise, what will result are many false conversions. Moreover, relativism must be smashed with true truth, the cost of discipleship must be real and love must ground all the above.
Second, we must with content give honest answers to honest questions. Because Christianity is true truth from God, the Scriptures have an answer to our deepest fundamental questions as human beings. For Christ is Lord over all creation, and as its master, He has the solutions for our deepest concerns. This will mean that Christians like Paul must love the culture enough to understand its functional gods/idols and show their inadequacy when compared to the Gospel. Whether rich or poor, educated or working class the same questions concern us all.
Third, the reality of true spirituality demonstrates what it means to love God and neighbor as ourselves, however imperfectly. We may have orthodox doctrine and know how to provide the answers our generation is asking or not asking, but if among believers there’s no true (though imperfect) love, than we have utterly failed! The way we treat others is a massive indication of our understanding of what it means for them to be image bearers. Without minimizing the first and second contents, if this third reality is not in place, the gig is up.
Fourth, the beauty of human relationships in Christian community is costly and smashes every racial and class barrier. The rich and poor, rulers and servants are to understand that they are brothers and sisters in Christ. The church cannot just be a place where preaching and activities occur, where no community is really being experienced. In the church of Antioch, the race issue was not an issue for the early Christians and while they had their problems the Gospel was able to destroy these barriers in a way that in America it hasn’t been a reality in too many of our churches. If we are going to touch our generation with the Gospel, this must be remedied by Christ’s power in our lives.
It is when we begin to see these two contents, and two realities that a profound impact will be experienced by our generation.
Answers To Tough Questions 