Are You a Culture Christian?

 Are You a Culture Christian?

 

I woke up early after a good night's sleep with that question fixed in my mind.  It is a question that many in the Church, both pastor, and leadership or not addressing.  

 

I’m a simple man, and I approach a subject by asking myself simple questions; such as what is Culture?  Culture is an umbrella term that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws,               customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.  (From Wikipedia)

 

Now even a simple man such as myself can get my hand around that, it is so much easier than the question what is a Christian?  At one time that seems such a simple question to this simple man.  Then I heard people refer to the United States of America as a Christian nation, I’ve heard people say I do not believe the Bible is inspired by God, but I am a Christian.  I believe in God, so I’m a Christian, and even mom and dad were Christian so I’m also a Christian.  Yes, the term Christian is confusing at best, so as a simple man, I use a term; I am a Follower of Christ, who has a personal relationship with God the Father, with His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

One must ask the question, “How has the Culture we currently find ourselves living in affected our beliefs?  How has it changed the Church?  Do you as one who goes by the title of Christian look, act, or belief different from the person who is unchurched?   

 

Now that the question this simple man awoke to and over the next few weeks, I’m going to address this subject, from what the Scripture that is ordained by God and is without error says on the subject.

 

One must first address how can a mess like me enter into a personal relationship with our Creator.  Let me introduce you to what the Scriptures tell us about the Creator, it is found in chapter 1 of the book on beginning called Genesis, chapter 1:verses 1-2.  “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”  Now we must go down to verse 26, it gives us more information on our Creator.  Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”  I hope it becomes apparent that God is more than one personality, He is a Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

 

In the gospel of John chapter 1 we are introduced to our Creator,    In the beginning, was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God.  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  Who is the Word who is God, we need to keep reading and John the apostle gives us more insight in verses 9-13, The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.  He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.  But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,  who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

But who is this light, who is the Word, John gives us that information in verse 14,  And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

Our Creator did not show up on planet earth as the Messiah the Jewish people were looking for, they expected a king, and a warrior that would solve all their problems, but Jesus the only Son of the Father came as a baby born of a Virgin.  One of the problems with most of us, we want a God who we understand, but God tells us the following; in Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.  For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

 

I understand we have yet to deal with the issue I woke up to, but it coming.

 

From the Back Porch,

 

Bob Rice