Culture or Christ?

There is no doubt that culture has always had an influence on the body of Christ. An examination of our Lord’s letters to the seven churches in Asia (Rev. 2-3) speaks of the problems that happen when congregations reflect the world around them, rather than seeking to be lights to the world, to make a difference in the world. For example, the church in Thyatira had the attitude they were “rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” like the city itself, which had found great wealth by its sale of eye salve, and luxurious wool, and purple dye for garments that was expensive to purchase. Jesus, however, pointed out they were ignorant of the spiritual truth they needed to understand, and were “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” (Rev. 3:17). They needed a spiritual focus that would enable them to be more like their Lord, and less like the sin filled world in which they existed.

The allure of the world around us has a very strong influence on the Lord’s church. Recently, a popular preacher apologized for saying in the past that certain sexual activities and gender identifications were sinful. Certainly God loves everyone (John 3:16), and we are to preach the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). That does not negate, however, the need to preach and teach truth (2 Cor. 4:2). Our society equates feelings with truth; in other words, however you think or feel is your “truth.” Such a viewpoint has permeated the church, to accommodate those in the world. It seems for many the worst sin one can commit is to offend someone with the truth of Scripture. By tolerating any and every viewpoint others may have, we commit the greatest sin of all, having the truth that can save their soul, but remaining silent with that truth that saves. Paul asked the churches Galatia, “So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (Gal. 4:16). Many would answer his question in the affirmative today.

While the message of the gospel is relevant in any age, the message must stay the same. The norms of society constantly change, but Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb. 13:8). Long ago it was said, “God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 29:13). This is why Jesus could say with authority, “The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day” (John 12;48). Paul also adds, “Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written, ‘That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged’” (Rom. 3:4).

People can decide wrong is right and right is wrong; they can call evil good and good evil, but such is not new (Isa. 5:20), nor does it change what is true, what God’s will is for us, and how we will be judged for eternity. We don’t stand for truth to be hateful, or because we feel we’re better than others; we do it because we love God (John 3:16). We do it because we can’t stand the thought of others being lost by believing error and rejecting truth (Rom. 9:1-3). We do it because God’s grace and mercy is able to forgive all sin if one believes, repents, and obeys His will (Heb. 5:9). We do it because we want to be united together in eternity (1 Thess. 4:16-17). In reality, to speak the truth in love is the greatest act of love we can show others. Even though they may disagree, and become angry, and reject it and us because their hearts are hardened by sin, we love them enough to put ourselves at risk, that we could be rejected by offering them the truth that can save them.

Until the Lord returns, Satan will be active and seek to harden hearts against the truth, because he desires everyone to be lost. Until the Lord returns, we should reveal the truth of the gospel so hearts and lives can be changed, and others can leave the path of sin that leads to condemnation, for the path of righteousness that leads to life. We perpetrate the greatest injustice against others by not letting them know the truth, by leaving them in their sins, by going along to get along. Do we reflect culture, or Christ?

μαράνα θᾶ

Robert