Biblical Christianity Only understood by those joined to Christ through the cross | Cultural Christianity Accepted by the world to represent genuine Christianity | |
It is... | A relationship with Jesus Christ. John 17:20-26 Rom. 8:37-39 | A religion based on group consensus and popular interpretations of Scriptures. |
Come to God through… | Faith in Jesus Christ, Who has revealed Himself in His Word. John 14:6 | Faith that “God” will judge our good works and intentions as far out weighing all of the bad ones. |
View the Bible as: | The inspired, absolute, and unchanging Word of God. Even to reports of evil by His chosen. 2 Tim. 3:16 1 Pet 1:25 | A collection of guidelines, allegories, myths, and stories useful for good living. Offensive matter and unscientific sections of verses must be ignored. |
Our goal is... | God’s approval. To know and do His will and live each moment in fellowship with Him. Gal.1:10 | People and/or cultural approval. To please and not offend the world community. To distance those whom would. |
Source of Strength | God’s unlimited grace and power. Gal. 2:20 Phil. 4:19 | Our “God” given human talents and abilities, then to seek God’s help as needed. Pragmatism. |
See our human self as… | Weak and inadequate apart from Christ. 2 Cor. 12:9-10 | Strong and capable if we have confidence in what we have or can do. |
See sin as... | Leading to spiritual death and separation from God. Rom. 6:23 | A normal part of everyone’s life. Ignore it, or you might offend someone. |
Deal with sin through... | Confession and faith: trusting Jesus as the "Lamb" who bore ALL of our sins on cross. Rom. 6:1-6 | Try to do better next time, or just tolerate it. Do not offend anyone by making them feel guilty or by admitting your guilt. |
Caring for people... | Goal is to bring people to Christ. Demonstrate God’s love. Trust God to meet all needs through our lives surrendered to Him. Rom. 12:9-18 | Bring people to the church or small group. Provide for their needs through Community compassion. Do to others as you would have others do to you. |
Response to suffering: | Trust God to use it to strengthen our faith, prepare us for ministry, and demonstrate His love and power. 2 Cor. 1:3-11 | Pray for deliverance, endure, and trust that God will help it end quickly. Questioning of God’s love for us, power over evil, and purpose in our lives. |
Commitment: | Trust and follow God. No compromise. Better to die, as He did for us, than betray our Lord. Rom. 12:1-2 | Trust and follow our feelings. Compromise essential in dealing with the world in order to avoid offending cultural diversity. |
Expect to... | Face rejection and persecution. John 15:20-21 | Get along with everyone, influencing the by our example. |
Outreach: | To bring God's message of love to the world, then to bring those willing to listen to Jesus. Matt 25:31-46 Matt 28:19-20 | Adapt the church to fit the diverse "community" where everyone will feel at home, comfortable, unchallenged, “just have a good experience”. |
Daily hope: | Eternity with Jesus. 1 Peter 1:3-9 | Success in this life, progressing towards a world of peace. |
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Did you find where your spiritual life lay on this chart? I can easily see how I exist more times than I would like on the cultural side of the chart, when it is convenient. I think that all of us find themselves there at times. The natural man is still on the inside, and it can be a real war to remain focused on where we should be. But that is the nature of our battle, and being willing to fight it in the right direction, is how we learn. If God had simply taken the natural man away, there would be no basis by which we could truly learn the differences between right and wrong -- between God's way and the ways of the world, or saying it more simply: the way of Satan - which is separation from God. We would not be equipped to fight on the side of the Lord. We need to go through the trials of life in order to overcome them.
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If you practice Biblical Christianity, you will offend the masses which have embraced cultural Christianity or any of today's blended, Americanized religions. This past Christmas season has shown the world the growing hostility toward those who choose to follow God (even by those call themselves Christian in the name of cultural tolerance!). The path through the Christian life is just too narrow and impossible to those whom will not be lead by the Holy Spirit and Jesus’ direction.
In a world of religious alternatives, where “blessings” are offered without any accountability, God’s absolute truth simply does not fit in. Biblical values have become a source of offense to those whom have chosen the wide, popular way.
Yet, our God reigns -- and we are on the winning side! I know, I read the end of the book………..
And isn’t interesting to note that the table is the result of observations made almost 100 years ago, in a culture many think was closer to God than our own?
Sources:
Oswald Chambers Society, UK
Oswald Chambers: My Utmost for His Highest, 1923
The American Chesterton Society
G.K. Chesterton: Common Sense for the World’s Uncommon Nonsense
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