The Normality of Culture

I like the definition of culture in this picture. It says, "Culture is the sum of all forms of art." Culture can be a beautiful thing, a part of who we are, a way to express ourselves. Culture can also confuse things for us.


How often do you think about culture? How about trends as they relate to culture? How often do you think about our culture's affect on Christianity? Does culture affect our mind set?

In Romans 12: 1-2 we are urged to not conform to the pattern of this world. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

How would you define culture? In part we probably aren't even aware of culture half the time, unless it's a hot topic or trend. I think culture in its simplest form is the societal norm. 

Culture is what is normal. 

Right now, today, in our culture it's normal to work 40 hours a week, listen to the radio on your drive to work, have a drink at happy hour, update your status on facebook, have premarital sex, watch a movie in the theater, go out dancing, drive through McDonalds for dinner, get a divorce, get remarried, go to college, get an abortion, pay your bills online...

Some of the items on the list above might not even strike you as cultural and some may cause you dismay. 

When I started writing this blog my thoughts were first sparked by the end of Acts 2, entitled The Fellowship of the Believers, verses 42-47, say "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

These veres sparked the thought of the difference in community in the early church and community in today's church. Do you think that the culture of Jesus time affected the early church? Do you sometimes find yourself thinking they got it right, why can't we be like the early church? Probably a large part of the way the early church interacted was due to the culture of the day, but do you think we have lost a certain sense of Christian community in not adopting a like wise culture now?


Do you ever question if your convictions are grounded in Biblical truth or swayed by current cultural opinion?


Biblical truth remains the same. Culture fluctuates, shifts and changes through out time.


Think how often a parable takes on deeper meaning when we understand the culture of the time. Jesus told well known stories (normal stories of the day) with a twist. He pulled from current cultural understanding to get his point across.


I'm curious where our Christianity fits in our current culture. It's so easy to be caught up in the cultural tide. Do we start to confuse normal with right? 

Pause: Slight disclaimer, I am not saying that because it is normal it is wrong. I'm not saying that because it is part of culture it is wrong. I'm asking if we mix wrong in with right because certain things become a normal part of society.


Do we let certain cultural beliefs sway our Biblical opinions? I think we do. Again Romans 12:2, says "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."


Perhaps Christ knows how easy it is for us to jumble certain accepted societal norms with Biblical truth?


What do you think?

A little tongue talk

I don’t know about you, but I sure am grateful to have a tongue. Think about it. A tongue helps us speak, swallow – and probably most noticeably and to some the most important – it allows us to taste. Praise the Lord for taste buds, eh? But lately, I’ve been convicted with the sharp magnitude of the tongue’s danger.

There’s a pretty familiar section in James (3:1-12) that compares our tongues with bridles on horses or rudders on ships. Small parts – but a powerful part that controls the direction of the entire vessel. James also says that both fresh water and salt water can’t come out of the same stream; so too blessing and cursing can’t come out of the same mouth.

But, the warning regarding the danger of the tongue isn’t just limited to James chapter 3. Here are some verses that have convicted me the last couple of months regarding my speech, my tongue, and how I am using it:

“The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” – Proverbs 13:3

“He who restrains his words has knowledge . . .” – Proverbs 17:27

“He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles.” – Proverbs 21:23

“Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment.” – Ephesians 4:29

“Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and greed, which amounts to idolatry . . . in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, malice, slander and abusive speech from your mouth.” – Colossians 3:5, 7-8

Unfortunately, the Lord doesn’t rank or categorize sin. No one sin is worse than another – all are equally disgusting in the sight of the Lord. The sin of gossip is often listed right alongside sexual immorality and murder. It’s easy for us to talk about others . . . to share what we heard, what we saw, what we experienced. And, if we honestly look at ourselves, we kind of like it when we’re in it, don’t we? Sin unfortunately looks fun and harmless sometimes – but consider the power held in your words. Are your words glorifying to the Lord? Would you say those words with Jesus there? (And as a believer, He’s always with you, so. . .) Would you say what you want to say about that person in front of that person?

I think our moms were on to something when they told us, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”

A Work in Progress

Are any of you like me? Do you ever have days when you look back at all your failures, shortcomings, sins? I had a few of those this week.

I think it's easy for us to get down on ourselves sometimes--to dwell on our past, especially when it is still effecting the present. While there is a time to have sorrow over our sins, we need to be mindful that when God forgives, He forgets. "As far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us" (Psalm 103:12). That's pretty far!

During one such day, God brought me the song "History" by Matthew West, which reminded me that everything that I've done that I regret and wish I could take back is gone, it's history. And while some of those choices do still effect the present and consequences might linger on, there's such a great promise that God isn't finished with us quite yet. Just today I was brought to Brandon Heath's song "Wait and See":

"There is hope for me yet, because God won't forget all the plans He's made for me. I have to wait and see. He's not finished with me yet."

What a glorious promise! Sanctification (the process of becoming holy in the world's eyes, as opposed to justification: the immediate holiness in God's eyes) is something that will continue until the day we enter into eternity with our Father. The process isn't going to be completed on this earth. While to some that might be rather grim news, but to me this is such a sweet promise because I know He still wants to work in my life.

Philippians 1:6 says, "And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ".

Friends, He has begun a good work in you! And He will not stop working in your life until He's done. I don't know what any of you struggle with in your past, but leave it there. The blood of the Lamb is more than enough to cover all your mistakes, regrets, everything. And take heed to the promise that God isn't done working. I'm sure many of you have heard the old saying, "God loves you just the way you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way."

Yesterday is history, leave that in the past. Look at today and what He's doing in your life; He's not finished with you yet!