Tag: culture

Rearranging Deck Chairs or Being Salt and Light?

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for LifeLeave a comment

Many Christians are disheartened when they look around at how our American culture has become more secular and, in many ways, anti-Christian in everything from its views on sexuality to public policy. In this cultural moment, it’s easy for Christians to not only feel like outsiders, but victims. 

I find it interesting, however, that Scripture never encourages us to play the victim card. Instead, we are called to see ourselves “overcomers,” who are always victorious in Christ (see Romans 8:37).

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:7, ESV)

Some renowned Christian preachers from the past have said things like, “Trying to make a difference in the culture is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.” While we are called citizens of Heaven, we are still citizens of our nation. One truth does not cancel out the other.

Thank God that people like William Wilberforce, the Christian abolitionist who was instrumental in ending the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, didn’t take such a view. He believed that the God of Heaven had called him to take a stand for truth, justice, goodness, and beauty in the culture he inhabited. Wilberforce urged his fellow Christians to not shrink into the shadowy margins of society with a private faith, but to boldly and publicly profess their faith in Jesus along with all the implications that come with that.

Jesus said that we are the salt of the earth and commanded, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

In his great book, Real Christianity, Wilberforce writes:

“What a difference it would be if our system of morality were based on the Bible instead of the standards devised by cultural Christians.”

Wilberforce was confronting those who want to claim the name of Christ, but deny that Christ’s Lordship has the power to transform both individuals and whole societies. He wondered why so many professing Christians seemed embarrassed by the Name of Jesus and would only be caught uttering His Name in the safety of a house of worship.

As I read Wilberforce, I feel like he’s talking to Christians today–like he’s talking to me! The same struggles with fear and shame that he addressed so boldly are found among churches today. Brothers and sisters, this should not be.

Consider how Jesus called us to take our personal faith in Him public:

“What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.” (Matthew 10:27, ESV)

Knowing we would be tempted to keep our faith private, Jesus said:

“So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:32-33, ESV)

Jesus was speaking to His twelve Apostles, but notice how Jesus uses words like “everyone” and “whoever” to make the point. In other words, speaking about Jesus publicly is not something reserved for trained evangelists or those gifted in evangelism. Jesus is saying that our willingness to speak His Name in public is an accurate gauge of our relationship to Him. I don’t know about you, but I want Jesus to acknowledge me before the Father. These words should motivate us to boldly take the next step of faith in our relationship with Jesus. When we do speak openly of Jesus, the response will always be mixed. Sometimes, we may feel like we did a poor job of representing our Lord or didn’t say everything we could have, but again, speaking of Jesus is something to which “everyone” is called. And we can depend on the Holy Spirit to give us the words we need (Luke 12:11-12).

Unless people hear the message of Jesus, their hearts won’t be regenerated. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” (Romans 10:17, NIV). If we care about cultural renewal, we need to first care about renewal of hearts.

Christians should not intentionally be antagonistic toward others. We should use wisdom and seek to listen well before we speak. At the same time, we should be known for both what we believe and Whom we believe in. Both visibly and audibly, it should be plain to others that we belong to Jesus.

Jesus told Paul, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking; do not be silent. For I am with you and no one will lay a hand on you, because I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10, BSB). He told the other Apostles, “Go, stand in the temple courts and tell the people the full message of this new life” (Acts 5:20, BSB).

Jesus called us to be salt and light in a culture shrouded in spiritual darkness and decay. We are called to take our faith public, and above all, to live with hope. 

Prayer:

Lord, help me to live with hope in dark days. Help me be the light you call me to be by the power of the Holy Spirit. On my own, I know I have very little to contribute, but with Your enabling power, I can reach others and make an impact in my generation. May this generation experience a reawakening to Your power, wisdom, and love. I ask this in the mighty Name of Jesus.

Have thoughts on this post? I’d love to hear from you!

Called to Be Distinct

On By Jason SmithIn Devotional, Theology for LifeLeave a comment

The Bible describes Christians as citizens of Heaven who are called to live as exiles in the world. To belong to Jesus is to belong to another world. This world – in its fallen state – is not our home. To live as an exile means you’re living between two worlds – the world you are currently enmeshed in and the world to come, where you truly belong. At its heart, this world is hostile to God.

One of the ways the world expresses its hostility is trying to squeeze us into its mold. That is why believers continually face the pressure to adopt the values, beliefs, and lifestyles of this world. Jesus said He wanted His followers to be set apart in the truth of His Word (John 17:17), but a full-orbed biblical worldview is increasingly scorned in our culture.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2, ESV)

Christians must choose daily to either live for this world, adopting its values and belief structure, or live for the glory of God, which will one day be fully known on this planet.

“For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14, ESV)

So we ask the question: How do you follow God in a world that is at odds with Him?

Know the Truth

Daniel knew what it means to be an exile. Imagine being dragged from your home while your city is under assault, and then taken to a faraway land where you are far from your family, your place of worship, and everything you have ever known. That is what happened to the young man named Daniel, and his three friends, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, when they were rounded up in Jerusalem and taken to the great city of Babylon.[1] These teenagers were handpicked because they were handsome and intelligent, fit to serve in the king’s court.

King Nebuchadnezzar commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, “to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians” (Daniel 1:4, NIV). Although their given names reflected Yahweh, the God of Israel and Creator of the world, Ashpenaz gave them new names that reflected the gods of Babylon. All of this was done to indoctrinate these young men in the worldview of Babylon. If they were going to serve in the palace, they needed to think like Babylonians.

But throughout this book, the author continues to refer to himself as Daniel, which means “God is my judge.” That is significant. It tells us that, despite being educated and enmeshed in the Babylonian culture, Daniel recognized from the beginning that he is accountable to only one God: Yahweh. The Babylonian gods didn’t own him, so he refused to identify with them. While he would be a loyal subject of the king, he ultimately served the God of Israel – even as an exile hundreds of miles from Israel.

Daniel knew the truth about who was really in charge of this world, and he based his entire life on that. After all, what could matter more than serving the very One who gave you life, breath, and everything else (Acts 17:25)?

Resolve to Be Different

Along with being educated in the Babylonian culture, Daniel and his friends were given plates filled with the sumptuous food and fine wine of the king. However, they refused to eat it. I can imagine the four teenagers sitting at the table with the delicious aroma wafting into their nostrils. But then they gave each other a knowing look and set their forks back on the table.

“But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank.” (Daniel 1:8, ESV)

These young men knew the truth of their Scriptures, which under the old covenant at that time included certain dietary restrictions. While we don’t know for sure what made the food defiling, it’s reasonable to conclude that eating it would violate their scriptural convictions.

I’m sure many objections arose in their minds. Why should we refuse the food they give us here? After all, it’s just food. What’s the big deal anyway? We’re not in Israel anymore. And do we really want to insult the king who generously offered this delicious food?

Perhaps they had an Eve moment when they looked at the forbidden food and weighed all the advantages of taking one bite of the delicious morsels (see Genesis 3:6). We should appreciate how difficult this decision must have been for them; they were prone to temptation like the rest of us. And taking a stand here could be costly.

But these were young men of conviction – a trait all too rare in the church today. They had already decided they were not going to cut corners or compromise their beliefs. They were firmly rooted in the Bible, and they knew in their hearts they were called to be distinct from the world around them.

What about you? What are some convictions you hold that no amount of cultural pressure can squeeze out of you? Have you already resolved to be different from the world?

Peacefully Resist Conformity

When Daniel politely refuses to eat the king’s food, the chief eunuch Ashpenaz is agitated. He knows that if those under his tutelage reject their assigned portions, he could lose his head (Daniel 1:10)!

But I love Daniel’s response. Rather than belittle Ashpenaz or the king, he seeks a peaceful and reasonable solution.

Daniel says, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king’s food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see” (v. 12).

In essence, Daniel is saying, “Let’s see if we can find a solution that works in both our favors. You need us to be strong and healthy, and we need to live by our convictions. Let’s put our convictions to the test and see if they hold up.”

Instead of acting in self-righteous anger or defiance, Daniel humbly asks Ashpenaz to weigh the evidence. Daniel’s working assumption is that it’s always better to obey God than disobey, despite how foolish it may appear to others. Ashpenaz agrees to his terms, and God honors their obedience by giving them greater health than the other youths (v. 15).

In reading this passage, I have wondered why it only mentions Daniel and his three friends taking a stand. What about all the other young Jews enlisted to serve in the palace? Did they all fold under pressure? It seems likely they did.

This is supported by Daniel’s statement: “As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams” (v. 17, my emphasis).

How interesting that God honored the faithful obedience of these four young men in ways they hadn’t imagined. They were faithful over something seemingly small here, but God took notice. It is no accident that Daniel and his friends are given opportunities to stand for Yahweh in far more prominent ways later. As it turns out, faithfulness in the small things matters because it’s a reflection of your faithfulness in the big things.

Let’s ask God to give us the courage of conviction to refuse to compromise in either the small or big things in life. Christians are called to be distinct.

Have thoughts on this post? Feel free to comment below

[1] This true story is recounted in the biblical Book of Daniel, chapter 1.

Photo courtesy of kadingirra.com