RETHINKING THE CULTURE WARS

To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:22-23 (NIV)

                Suanne and I have been reading “In the Land of Blue Burkas” by Kate McCord. In this book, Kate describes her life as a foreign woman in Afghanistan. As a believer in Christ and a non-Muslim, she stood in stark contrast to her neighbors and the people she was working with. She quickly recognized that there were “rules” for how a person, especially a woman, was to conduct themselves in public. She chose to respect the “rules” without assimilating the cultural baggage that went along with the rules. She was able, at times, to tactfully challenge the rules from her perspective as a Christian and a foreigner. This was, at times, both accepted and rejected. She constantly had to walk a fine line between offending her Afghan friends and neighbors and being true to her Christian convictions. I have been challenged by her courage to live counter-culturally in a hostile environment.

                As a follower of Jesus, I find myself more and more living in a hostile environment; an environment that no longer respects my faith. I have read much about the culture wars as depicted in evangelical circles. I understand the need to stand up for the truth and to defend the Gospel. Yet, sadly, the outcome has often been a greater divide. As a nation, we have become more and more polarized. Instead of being a positive voice guiding our culture, the church is viewed as a negative voice that must be silenced. We in the church have been told that the culture wars are over, and we lost. What I have read in “In the Land of Blue Burkas” has given me hope that maybe that is not the case. Maybe, we just need to rethink the way we are approaching the culture around us.

                The Apostle Paul lived in a hostile environment. The early church was opposed by both the Jews and the Romans. Christians lived on the margins of society with no political or economic power. Yet, they changed their world for the better by living godly, counter-cultural lives.

                If anyone understood the culture wars it was Paul. He had played the game from both sides. As Paul looked for ways to advance the Gospel, he chose what we might call the middle path. He adapted his behavior to the culture he was in up to a point. He adjusted to some outward characteristics of the culture in order to gain access and the right to speak truth into the culture. At no time did he compromise the Gospel or down play sin. Yet he was willing to adapt in appropriate ways in order to get close enough to people to speak into their lives. Look at how he describes his strategy in 1 Corinthians.

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NIV)

                If I may read between the lines, I think Paul is saying that he showed respect for the customs and culture of other people in order that he may have a positive influence in their lives. His goal was not to change the culture, but to win as many people as possible to Jesus. He knew that the only way a culture is changed is by people changing at a fundamental level. Indeed, once a person had crossed the line of faith, Paul instructed them on what it means to live as a follower of Jesus; what it is to live in a new culture.

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:1-3 (NIV)

                But Paul did not expect non-believers to live as believers. He did not insist that they conform to his culture before they had come to faith in Jesus. He never condoned sinful activities, but he understood that non-believers are in slavery to sin. His mission was to set them free.

                Because Christianity has been, up to recently, the dominant religious context in America, which set the moral standards for the entire culture, we have expected everyone, believers and non-believers alike, to live as followers of Christ. That ship has sailed. The vestiges of a “Christian Culture” in America have faded into ancient history. More and more we are heading back into the world of Paul and the early church. In our pluralistic society, Christianity is only one of many options to choose from. We can choose to take the militant approach, such is the case in Islamic countries, and try to force everyone to conform to our way of life. Or, we can take the path that Paul took and work to change the culture from the inside out, one life at a time.

                Jesus has called us to be light in a dark world. Like a city on a hill, we are to draw people to Jesus. Like a lighthouse or a street lamp, we are to light the way for others. We are to live the kind of lives that are attractive and inviting to those around us. We are not commissioned to judge others, but to invite them into a better way. Jesus calls us to live truly counter-cultural lives.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.
Matthew 5:43-45 (NIV)

                Paul fleshed out what Jesus was teaching in his letter to the Romans.

Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:17-21 (NIV)

                The way we conduct ourselves in our world matters. We can either build walls that separate us from the people around us or we can build bridges to those people. We can choose to fight the prevailing culture with angry words and actions, or we can transform the culture through loving words and actions.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV)

Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
1 Peter 2:12 (NIV)

 

                

WHERE IS YOUR SECURITY?

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
Psalm 20:7 (NIV)

                I have been listening to a Bible Project podcast about the city. In the Bible, in the majority of cases, the city is cast in a negative light. It is a place where people seek to establish their own security independent of God. The definition of a city in the Old Testament is a walled dwelling place. People put up walls to protect themselves from danger. Although God had promised to protect humans, they decided to protect themselves, instead of depending upon God. We are still building walls to protect ourselves and give ourselves a sense of security.

                Our walls may not be physical, but they are very real. We all naturally look for something to give us a sense of security. For some people it is their physical and mental abilities. For some it is their financial status. For others it is their social status. For many it is their family or community. A sense of security is a natural human desire. No one wants to feel insecure. We all need a rock to stand on.

                When our “rock” is shaken our life is thrown into turmoil. At first, we may just have an uneasy feeling or an increased concern. We will often take steps to regain our footing. If our finances have become shaky, we will tighten our belt. If our physical or mental abilities begin to wane, we might take measures to increase our strength or improve our memory. If our efforts don’t bring quick results, we may slip into panic mode. Like a drowning person, we start to grasp at anything to regain our sense of security.

                The Psalmist points us to the underlying thing we seek to make us feel secure; power. In allegorical fashion, he contrasts placing our trust in chariots and horses, an image of strength and power, with putting our trust in the Lord. No matter what the obvious thing is that we trust in for our security, it all boils down to a sense of power and control. When we have enough money, or are physically strong, or have the right relationships, we feel like our life in under control. That feeling is what gives us a sense of security. But there is a problem. Everything that we trust in here on earth is temporary. It will all fail us at some point. Our money may run out, our health will deteriorate, our relationships will fail. It is not that these things are bad, they are just inadequate to truly give us a lasting security. There is only one place to find genuine security and that is in the Lord.

                Paul touches on our desire for security in his second letter to the Corinthians. He talks in realistic terms about our situation in this world. Our lives are fragile, but when we place of trust in Christ, we are given an internal strength that makes up for our weakness. Paul says that in our humanity we are like clay jars, which are fragile and easily broken. But when Christ takes us residence in our lives, we find genuine security.  

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.
2 Corinthians 4:7-10 (NIV)

                Paul is a realist. He knows that as long as we are in this world the things we put our trust in will fail us. Our world is fragile and easily broken. Being a follower of Christ does not change that reality. What it does change is that because of the power of Christ we can endure and even thrive. Our security is not in something external to us, but in something internal and something eternal; the power of Christ.

                Paul goes on to express his sense of ultimate security. No matter what life threw at him, he was able to face the challenge because he was not doing it in his own strength. He saw the challenges of life as a temporary proving ground for his faith.

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

                There are many things in the world that can give us a temporary sense of security. When they are in the right place in our life, they serve a good purpose. But when we put all our trust in them, they will fail us. Jesus offers us real security that cannot be taken away. No matter what our material circumstances may be, we are secure in God’s love and care.

I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

  

NO LONGER OUTCASTS

 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 (NIV)

               The other night we watched the movie “Babe”, the story of Babe Ruth, the famous baseball player. Babe was a great baseball player, but lived a sad life. He was abandoned by his parents and placed into a home for wayward boys. Baseball became his ticket out. All of his life his greatest desire was to belong, to fit in, to be accepted. In some ways, Babe never grew up; he remained a small, frightened boy encased in a man’s body. Although he had great success as a baseball player, his life was filled with heartache.

               Babe Ruth’s story could be multiplied thousands of times over. Many people spend their entire lives trying to be accepted, trying to fit in. They may look successful on the outside, but they are hollow on the inside. They may project an image of power and ability, yet still be frightened and insecure on the inside. Many people live their whole life without ever finding their place. They live as outsiders, longingly looking in through a window that separates them from the belonging their desire.

               In Ephesians 2, Paul expounds on the condition that all of humanity finds itself when they are separated from God. Those who live in rebellion against God are truly outsiders and outcasts. Paul describes their situation in several ways. They are without a savior, separated from Christ. Most people are looking for a savior of some kind. They are looking for something or someone that can give their life meaning and purpose. But everything that the world offers falls short of the goal; they leave a person feeling unsatisfied and longing for more.

               Paul also said that a person separated from Christ is excluded from the blessings of God. God had chosen the people of Israel to be the vehicle through which the entire world would be blessed. God’s covenant relationship with Israel guaranteed the blessing that God promised. But when a person rejects Christ, they also have forfeited the blessings of God. Many people today want God’s blessings, but they don’t want God to interfere with their life. That stance will always keep a person on the outside.

               Paul went on to say that a person who has rejected Christ is without hope in the world. Hope is an essential quality for a person to thrive in life. Without hope a person will emotionally shrivel up and die. People today put their hope in politics, in economics, in experiences, but they all fail to provide the kind of hope that will weather the storms of life.

               Finally Paul states that a person who has rejected Christ is without God. Every person on the face of the earth has a God consciousness. It is a kind of void that must be filled. In order to fill that void, people chase after all kinds of gods. Some of these gods are religious and many are not. They all share one thing; they are not big enough to fill the void.

               Without Christ, we all remain outcasts and outsiders. We were created to live in relationship with God. When we try to live as if God does not exist or does not have a place in our lives, we isolate ourselves. Even though we might “fit in” to the society around us, we never truly find fulfillment and satisfaction. Instead, we continue to chase after an illusive dream of some ideal life. It is only in humble submission to Christ that we can find what we are really looking for; what we were created for.

               Paul tells us that when we put our faith in Christ we become transformed.  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) The transformation that comes from putting our faith in Christ changes our status and moves us from being outcasts to being embraced and loved by God. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. Ephesians 2:19-20 (NIV) Through Christ we become part of an international, global, eternal family. Not only are we accepted, but we are guaranteed a place in God’s kingdom that can never be taken away from us. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade--kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5 (NIV)

               All of Babe Ruth’s life he wanted to have a family. He tried to fill that void through a failed marriage. He tried to fill that void through baseball and his teammates. He tried to fill that void through his fans. But in the end all of those things failed him. He never truly felt like he belonged. He never found what he was looking for.

               When we put our faith in Christ we can stop looking. Our basic need to belong, to be loved, to have a place in a family are fulfilled. When we put our faith in Christ we become children of God. When we place our trust in Jesus we can begin to experience the breadth and width and depth of the love of God. In Christ, we are outcasts no longer.

1 John 3:1 (NIV)
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.