Christ and Culture

In 1951 Richard Niebuhr published Christ and Culture, a book that has influenced theological conversations for generations now. You can read a brief summary and critique here and here. Though I don’t plan to address his specific categories of the ways Christians tend to relate to the culture, he does provide food for thought.

Every time an election rolls around, I wonder what Christian voters are expecting to receive from their preferred candidates. All too often, it seems like many are thinking “If my guy gets elected he’ll finally fix all our problems.” They probably know that they can’t pin all their hopes on a politician, but you’d never know that from the rhetoric swirling around on social media. At times like this, I find myself leaning more toward a “Christ against culture” framework, and wishing I could withdraw from the mess altogether. At the very least, I see the tension between Christ and culture.

There are several things we ought to keep in mind regardless of what country we live in, what political party we support, or what church we belong to.

1) Scripture never promises us a comfortable or supportive culture. Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword… And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household” (Matthew 10:34, 36 ESV). If we never find ourselves at odds with our culture, chances are good we’re placing our faith somewhere other than in Christ.

2) We are not awaiting a reformation of this sin-broken world, but a redemption from it. “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). The whole creation will continue to struggle and groan as we wait for that day (see Romans 8:22-25).

3) The end of time will not come as a gradual, peaceful transition from this world to the next. “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains” (Matt. 24:7-8). We should not be surprised when conflict comes even within our own nation. No human institution can bring about the utopia we desire.

4) Our allegiance is first and foremost to God. “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28). He is not only our Savior and Lord who has all authority over us, but He should also be the One we most glorify and praise with our words and deeds— “to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen” (Jude 25).

5) We are called to love one another even when we disagree. “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:13-15). People may be able to tell your political party by your posts, but can they tell you are Christian by your love (John 13:35)?

If, like me, you are tired of sin, disease, disasters, strife, and turmoil, remember that our ultimate hope is in the God who created this world and sent His Son as a redeeming sacrifice. Let the brokenness of this life drive you to His Word and prayer. Find encouragement in His promises, and look for ways in which the Body of Christ is united and working together for His Kingdom.

“Do not love the world or the things in the world… For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Before a Fall

It has become increasingly common for well-known pastors to make the news because of some questionable words or deeds. In some cases, it is secret sin that has been uncovered. In others it’s a series of poor choices that have resulted in people being hurt. Quite likely there has been some latent pride that created a lack of accountability and led to their downfall. Reputations have been tarnished, and Christians are left wondering whether they can trust anything that person has said or written during their career. I have books written by some of these men, and I have to weigh their value and decide if I’ll ever be able to read them again without being distracted by the author’s failures.

That’s not to say that failure outweighs every good thing a person has ever said or done. If that were the case, we’d all be in trouble. It is only by God’s grace that we have anything good to contribute to the Kingdom. The Apostle Peter had to be confronted for his hypocrisy (Galatians 2). The Apostle Paul was clear in stating his weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10) and his imperfection (Philippians 3:12). Paul warned, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1).

We see the results when people we have come to respect fail to live up to those high standards, but all of us are guilty of pride to one degree or another. A little bit of success or recognition and we may soon find ourselves thinking I did good, I am good. And if the success grows, those thoughts may turn into things like: I’ve got it all figured out. I don’t need any help or advice. No one can tell me what to do. They don’t understand the situation like I do. I can do what I want…

We often forget that “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18 ESV). Pride creates its own blind spot. We may not see it because we don’t really want to see it. Life seems far simpler when we can pass judgment on others without ever seeing the sin in our own hearts. Pride can manifest itself in many ways. It doesn’t always show as seeking the limelight, patting yourself on the back, or taking credit for what others accomplish. It may be a subtle or even blatant disregard for the opinions of others because of their age, gender, race, education, employment, or other factors. It could be ingratitude for what others have done, finding fault with their efforts, or many other variations. Pride is frequently at the root of other sins.

Grace and gratitude are two potent weapons against pride and its offspring. Scripture reminds us that our salvation and sanctification is by grace alone, so we have no reason for boasting (Romans 11:6, Ephesians 2:1-10). We are all great sinners in need of a great Savior. If we have a proper view of God’s grace and mercy to us, it is easier to view others in the same light. And similarly, when we are grateful for God’s many blessings to us, we become more grateful for other people as well.

We often have to start with actions and pray that our attitude will follow suit. If I make an effort to find reasons to be grateful for the people who are irritating me, I start becoming more thankful and patient with them. Humility, forgiveness, and thankfulness are all interrelated, as Paul wrote in Colossians:

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him” (3:12-17).

We probably all need some work in the area of humility, lest we find ourselves stumbling over the pride in our hearts. Thankfully, God is more than willing to change us from the inside out if we will let Him do so.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves… work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:3, 12-13).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Who's Who

The Gospel Coalition posted this brief video on the subject of identity. Although the title ties it to sex and gender, it really applies all discussions of identity. It reminded me of a quote from Brennan Manning: “Be who you is, ‘cause if you ain’t who you is, you is who you ain’t.” The problem is that who we think we are often does not align with who God has made us to be. He is our Creator and He has absolute ownership rights over us, so He is the one who defines us. If that is true then:

I am not my temptations.

I am not my sins.

I am not my history.

I am not my wounds.

I am not my failures.

I am not my successes.

I am not my relationships.

I am not my academic degrees.

I am not my career.

I am not my abilities.

I am not my nationality.

I am not who I once was.

Who am I?

I am adopted as a child of God (Rom. 8:16).

I am chosen by God (1 Thess. 1:4).

I am a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17, Eph. 4:23).

I am clean (1 Cor. 6:11).

I am justified (Rom. 5:1, 1 Cor. 6:11).

I am sanctified (1 Cor. 6:11, Heb. 10:10).

I am free from condemnation (Rom. 8:1).

I am a member of the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27).

I am God’s workmanship (Eph. 2:10).

I have been set free from sin (Rom 6:18).

I am loved by God (1 John 4:9-10).

I am His worker and ambassador (Eph. 2:10, 2 Cor. 5:20).

We all need to be reminded of the truth frequently—perhaps multiple times per day. The experiences of this life often seem more real than the truths of God’s Word. The old self seems all too lively in spite of having been crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:6). As Sam Allberry said in the video above, “the old self hasn’t left the building yet, and I feel his presence daily.” Scripture is full of the reminders we need, if we’ll just take the time to read it, pray through it, and believe it.

“Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture (Psalm 100:3 NJKV).

Here are a few songs I’ve found helpful as well:

  “You Are More” -Tenth Avenue North

  “I Belong” -The Digital Age

  “Remind Me Who I Am” -Jason Gray

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Worship Reflections

I’ve been reading on the subject of worship lately. The books I’ve read have all agreed that the Bible does not give much specific guidance on how Christian worship should look and sound. Each author has their own emphases and preferences, some of which I agree with and some I don’t. But rather than state my own opinions, I’ll simply offer a few quotes that caught my attention:

D.A. Carson, Worship by the Book:

“[You] cannot find excellent corporate worship until you stop trying to find excellent corporate worship and pursue God himself… one sometimes wonders if we are beginning to worship worship rather than worship God” (31).

Bob Kauflin, Worship Matters:

“Our great privilege as worship leaders is to help people see through the eyes of faith how great God has actually revealed himself to be… We’re called to clearly and specifically remind them what God has shown us about himself” (62).

“Biblically speaking, no worship leader, pastor, band, or song will ever bring us close to God. We can’t shout, dance, or prophesy our way into God’s presence. Worship itself cannot lead us into God’s presence. Only Jesus himself can bring us into God’s presence, and he has done it through a single sacrifice that will never be repeated—only joyfully recounted and trusted in” (73-74).

“Eagerly expecting the Spirit’s power in our meetings goes hand in hand with a radical commitment to the authority and sufficiency of God’s Word… A church that’s dependent on the Spirit’s power in worship will be committed to the study, proclamation, and application of God’s Word in its personal and congregational worship. The Word and the Spirit were never meant to be separated. In fact, God’s Spirit is the one who inspired God’s Word” (89).

Robert Webber, Worship Old & New:

“[The] overriding concern of worship is… a personal meeting with God. On one side, the emphasis is on God who has acted; on the other side, the emphasis is on humans responding. In this way something happens in worship: God and his people meet. Worship is not simply going through the motions of ceremony. It becomes the visible and tangible meeting of God through the signs and symbols of his presence” (ch. 7).

“The external and internal elements of worship must be assembled properly to give worship a sense of movement and a dynamic quality. Because the entire congregation constitutes the players in the drama of worship, it is important that all of the members know their parts, understand the meaning of what is being done, and participate purposefully. For this reason it is important to remember that worship is a group activity and that the meaning of worship must be learned” (ch. 7).

“Music must be seen in its pastoral context as fundamentally an enabler of fuller congregational participation. Music must serve the text of worship rather than function as an interruption or an interlude” (ch. 11).

Many articles and books have been written about “worship wars,” usually referring to musical styles. Here in the suburban Bible belt there are churches every couple miles, so it is easy for someone to bounce around until they find a church that fits their preferences. But I do think most Christians are pretty tolerant of variations from week to week. No single church or person has the final word. God created us with great diversity and calls all of us to worship Him both individually and collectively. Every facet of our lives can be worship if we remember that it is all by God’s grace and for His glory (Romans 12:1-2).

“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy. All nations will come and worship You, for Your righteous acts have been revealed” (Revelation 15:4 ESV).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Seeing Results

One Sunday recently in Sunday school we were talking about God sightings, and a few people shared ways they had seen God at work that week. This week I had a few answers to prayer. One was a specific solution to a technical problem that came to me during the night. The next day I found Psalm 16:7 (ESV), “I bless the Lord, who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.” God had done exactly that.

Another answer to prayer was that multiple people came to basically the same conclusion on an issue independently. It seemed clear to all of us that God was closing that particular door. That led me to Psalm 38:15, “But for You, O Lord, do I wait; it is You, O Lord my God, who will answer.” God provided the answer when it was needed.

Earlier in the week I read 1 Thessalonians 5:11, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.” I was really puzzling over how that kind of encouragement can be accomplished when so much of what I deal with from day to day is confidential for various reasons. But by the end of the week I knew that friends don’t necessarily need to know all the details of a problem in order to pray for you and thereby encourage you. Some prayer requests must be shared only in general terms, and prayer must be offered in faith that God knows all the details.

However, that doesn’t mean that prayers need to be vague. I always wonder what people mean when they pray “God, be with so and so” or “bless them.” God is always with us and He is always blessing us in one way or another, so what do those prayers accomplish? I know those phrases have become a kind of Christianese shorthand for “accomplish good things in that person’s life,” but we can tend to use words without much thought or purpose. Jesus said, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matthew 6:7).

There are plenty of biblical prayers that we can pray even when we don’t know the details of what a person is dealing with. Praying for wisdom and guidance is usually a good idea (Colossians 1:9). Who doesn’t need wisdom in the complex decisions we have to make every week? Prayer for the right words at the right time is beneficial for the wide variety of relationships we have (Ephesians 6:19). And we could all use prayers for growth in faith (Ephesians 4:15-16). We may not know exactly what to pray, but “the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26).

In the situations I’ve mentioned, my primary prayer was for wisdom in what I should do. God gave clear direction in each case. If I had prayed only vague prayers, though God would still have done what He willed, I probably would not have noticed His answer. My faith was strengthened by seeing how God was at work not just in my own life and circumstances but in other people as well. “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith… praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:16, 18).

May we all be spurred on to pray specifically and persistently for those we know, and may we find encouragement in learning how God has answered those prayers.

“In the day of trouble I call upon You, for You answer me” (Psalm 86:7).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Degrees of Faith

Reading through Matthew chapters 8-9 this week I was struck by the varying degrees of faith expressed by the people who encountered Jesus. The leper says, “Lord, if You will, You can make me clean” (8:2 ESV). The centurion's request is “only say the word, and my servant will be healed” (8;8). The disciples are rebuked by Jesus, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” (8:26). The friends of the paralytic expressed their faith by bringing him to Jesus (9:2). The bleeding woman was told, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well” (9:22). The crowd in the home of the girl who had died laughed at Jesus (9:24). The blind men were healed after bring told, “According to your faith be it done to you” (9:29). And then there were the Pharisees who said, “He casts out demons by the prince of demons” (9:34).

I’m not sure where I would fall on the spectrum of faith. I would like to be like the centurion and pray “Just say the word,” but that’s probably rare. Sometimes I might take the risk to reach out and touch Him. But if I’m honest, most of the time I’m probably like the disciples and He’s asking “Why are you so afraid?”

The amazing thing in these chapters is that everyone besides the Pharisees received what they needed. It didn’t matter whether their faith was great or small. That is encouraging news for those of us whose faith is weak. No doubt each of these people had stronger faith after meeting Jesus than they had before. Their diseases and dangers were the tools God used to strengthen their faith. As James wrote,

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).

Most of us want the results without the tests. We want strong faith without going through the trials. But God doesn’t generally work that way. We actually can’t know how strong our faith is until it is tested and proved. We may know the Bible and believe every word, and yet still struggle with trusting God when challenges arise. The good news is that even faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains (Matthew 17:20). From this verse we can also find comfort in the fact that the men who walked with Jesus and watched Him perform many miracles still struggled with “little faith.” You would think that they would have been His star pupils, but they failed too. Though it isn’t written, I wonder if Jesus was implying “If your faith had been in Me instead of in your own abilities, you could have cast out that demon.”

Moving into a new year, I want to pray “Lord, increase my faith” as the apostles did in Luke 17:5. I have to trust that the trials that strengthen faith will be moderated by the grace and mercy of God. He knows best what is needed, and He’ll never give me more than He can handle. Whether I can handle it or not is a moot point when God is in control.

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is refined by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7).

© 2020 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.

Word of God Incarnate

“He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3a ESV).

 “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn” (Luke 2:7).

In a moment of seeming antithesis the Creator descended into His creation. He became flesh and was cradled in the arms of His mother. The Word of power was embodied in the tearful cries of an infant. We can’t even begin to comprehend it. What did the incarnate Christ remember from His timeless existence before He came down from heaven? What did He know without having to be taught as a little child?

When something is so far beyond our comprehension, we are likely to oversimplify it. I know at times I’ve thought of Jesus as having an adult consciousness in a child’s body, but Luke 2:52 says He “increased in wisdom and stature.” He apparently did not just grow physically but mentally as well. We may imagine that Jesus heard His Father’s voice constantly, like some kind of invisible earbud. If that were true, why did Jesus need to spend long hours in prayer? “All night He continued in prayer to God. And when day came, He called His disciples and chose from them twelve, whom He named apostles” (Luke 6:12b-13).

Scripture is clear that Jesus entered fully into the human condition except that He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). One author makes this observation about Jesus’s prayer in the garden of Gethsemane just prior to the crucifixion (Mark 14:32ff):

“The Greek conveyed the idea of being terror-struck, troubled, and fearful. This was no stoic Savior yielding without wrestling. He was overwhelmed—engulfed in grief and agonizing. He was anguished and agonizing. But terror-struck? Was it possible Jesus had felt afraid? …He was always perfect in obedience and trust. But was it possible trust and terror weren’t mutually exclusive? That someone could be full of trust while being terrified? …Was it here that he entered even more fully into the experience of human frailty by feeling afraid?” (Shades of Light, by Sharon Garlough Brown, ch. 32).

There is much we do not know and cannot comprehend about Jesus being both fully God and fully man. “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” (John 1:14). In humble flesh He still exhibited the glory of God through His words and deeds. It’s little wonder that the disciples didn’t get it either. “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know Me, Philip? Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9b).

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold Him come,
offspring of the Virgin's womb:
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased as man with us to dwell,
Jesus, our Emmanuel.

We don’t fully understand it now, but one day we will. “Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” (1 Corinthians 13:12b). We’ll not only understand, but “we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2b).

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-8).

© 2019 Dawn Rutan. Unless otherwise indicated all images are copyright free from pixabay.com. The opinions stated do not necessarily reflect the views of my church or employer.