Countering The Culture

James 4:1-6

This weekend I have the opportunity to speak at a Bible Conference that has the theme "Countering the Culture". As I sit pondering that topic, I am reminded of the division within many denominations. The division is over accepting things that have now become culturally acceptable. There is one side of the agreement that wants to evolve with time and to put away outdated ideas. The other side wants to hold on to the old ways and not depart from what the Bible teaches. Some might wonder, "Why can't we just love people how they are?" Perhaps the question is asked, "If God is love, doesn't He love people for who they are?" These are actually good questions. Why can't "Bible believing Christians" just accept what culture accepts; or can we?

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Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members?  You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.  You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.  Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.  Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?  But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

James 4:1-6

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The Biblical term that relates to culture would be 'the world'. James went ahead and squashed this argument with this passage. As Christians, we cannot accept cultural ideas simply because people outside the church do. By doing so, he tells us that we make ourselves the enemy of God. That is some pretty hard language, but it reveals what is truly at the heart of these divisions within churches and denominations.

What James wants us to understand is that there are really only two perspectives on any issue. There is God's perspective and then there is a sinful perspective. I'm not talking on trivial matters like what sports team you cheer for. I am talking about issues very clearly defined in the Bible. The division comes when people do not want to see what the Bible states clearly, or they want to change what the Bible says. They demonstrate that they have a low view of scripture.

What do I mean by "they have a low view of scripture"? I mean that they do not see the Bible as God's holy and inerrant word. Since it is neither of these things, it can be changed to fit our whims. If we do not like what the Bible clearly states on the LGBTQ issue, then we either ignore, explain away, or change what the Bible says on this issue. If we do not like what the Bible says about women pastors, we change it. We create our own private interpretation of those scriptures, which the bible tells us we cannot do (II Peter 1:20-21).

It is not the job of the church to be culturally relevant, but rather to stand against culture. I'm not talking about foods or harmless traditions. I am talking about what the Bible clearly calls sin. Another one that we often ignore is superstitions. Superstitions fall under the category of witchcraft. It is ascribing power to fate, an object, or chance, rather than to God. Christians should have no part in this.

James made it very clear that friendship with this world (culture) puts us at odds with God. If we are to be the church, if we are to bear His Name, if we are to see souls saved and lives changed, we have to stand against a culture that is leading people to Hell. When we go along with this world, we condone their sins, and we condemn them to an eternity in Hell. We throw away our message of "Repent" and rather preach "relax". We deny the message of "come out from among them and be Holy" for a message of "God loves you just the way you are". One clear example of this being a problem is the entire book of Revelation. Here is a very short outline of that book:

1. Jesus is Holy

2. 5 out of 7 churches had become corrupt

a. Repent and I will remain with you

b. Remain how you are and I will end your ministry

3. Those who rejected holiness face the wrath of God

4. Those who became holy through Jesus enjoy eternity with God

Why is it important to counter our culture? Because God told us to be different from this world.

Father, Your thoughts are higher than our thoughts, and Your ways are higher than our ways. We do not have any right to try and change Your word. Forgive us when we misrepresent You. Help us to know You better.