It’s been a busy few weeks, and I haven’t been able to post in a while. But I’ve been storing up a few things that will add to what we’ve taught at church for the last few weeks.
How do we interact with culture:
On the last Sunday of April, I spoke on Matthew 5:13-16 on being salt and light. In that sermon, I defined ’the world’ like this: When the Bible speaks of ‘the world,’ it’s not talking about creation itself: the ground, the trees, the mountains. It’s talking about a way of life that leaves God out & lives in rebellion against Him. It’s referencing the world, under the curse of sin/rebellion against God.
Now, that has led to a question: if we’re to be “in the world, but not of it,” how do Christians interact with ‘the world’ around us? Is it wrong to enjoy anything? Should we reject everything? Are we against all things?
Several years ago, I heard someone teach on this and found their categories very helpful. So, I’ll list them here:
- The first category is that there are things we can receive in the world as common graces from God. Medicine, science, math, engineering, and many things like this are all ‘common graces’ that God has given to us. We don’t entrust ourselves to them or believe they are the ultimate answer to all things, but we can receive them for any good that comes from them. Things like architecture, art, and music that promote beauty, love, and wonderful attributes can be enjoyed. As well as good food and drinks, when received with thanksgiving.
- The second category is that there are things we should attempt to ‘redeem.’ I’m not a fan of using that word here because we don’t have the supernatural power to redeem anything. But…the term does describe something useful, so I think it can apply. These are areas we engage with the goal of influencing: bringing truth, beauty, and righteousness into spaces that are well-designed but distorted by sin. Think of all the places where Christians have lost influence or never had it. This is where I think participating in politics without making it an idol, coaching sports for discipleship and integrity, and engaging in entertainment and the arts with truth and beauty, and things like this. This is the ‘all of Christ over all of life’ philosophy of life should fit.
- The final category is reject. There are just things that we, as Christians, must flat out reject. These are things that have no redeeming value, there is no sense of common good, and we should expose them and reject them. Things that are listed in Romans 1:18-32 or things in Ephesians 5:11, we’re called to expose. Clear moral evils and things which God’s word clearly forbids.
Because of Christ, we’re free, not to withdraw from the world, and not to conform to it, but to live as salt and light within it, with joyful obedience flowing from a secure standing before God. What I have found in my life and in talking with other Christians is that we have no categories for engagement, and we don’t engage where we should. This limits our ‘salt and light’ abilities. But I’ve seen Christians accept things they should reject, and it causes them to compromise and lose their sense of being salt to the world around them.
The Commandments of God are not a burden:
1 John 5:3 says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” So, why is it that when we hear about the Law of God or the commandments of God, we instantly feel a burden? I think it’s because we don’t have a proper view of God’s Law.
That’s why Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:17-20 are so important. As I explained on Sunday, Jesus fulfilled every aspect of the Law on our behalf, and all the small print of the Law will be completed. Because Jesus did this, the weight of the Law no longer rests on us for our status before God. So, how do the commandments become unburdensome?
We must start with this: God’s commands stop feeling like a burden when we stop using them to earn righteousness and start receiving them as the avenue of life empowered by Christ in us. We are no longer dependent on OUR obedience to be right with God. We’re dependent on Jesus’ obedience for us. When we believe in His work on our behalf, God imputes (gives freely), Jesus’ righteousness to us.
Then, after we believe, the very presence of Jesus, the Spirit of God, takes up residence in our lives and begins to help us obey God. We, who are heavy-burdened, come to Him, and He gives us rest (Matthew 11:28-30), even while we obey. But we obey by the power of Christ’s Spirit at work in us.
Even further, we can agree with Paul that the life we now live in the flesh is by faith in the Son of God (Galatians 2:20). Christ in us is our ONLY hope of glory and our only power to obey God.
So, we’re no longer burdened by obedience FOR our righteous standing before God, and we’re free to pursue practical, daily righteousness (obeying God’s Law), BECAUSE of our righteous standing before God. The burden of our standing before God has been lifted, and therefore, the commandments no longer pronounce condemnation over us; they now point us to God’s goodness and remind us of Jesus’ finished work on for us.
But let me add this: this doesn’t suddenly make obedience easy. Obedience is still challenging, but it becomes joyful as it flows from love for God, not terrifying fear of God.
A big question arises from this: are we to obey ALL of the OT Law? What things apply to us now, and what things don’t? We will discuss that on a podcast episode that we’re recording this week. But let me give you a sneak peek: what the New Testament doesn’t change from the Old Testament, we embrace.
Looking ahead:
This Sunday, Luis will preach on Matthew 5:21-30 on matters of the heart. It’s also Mother’s Day, and we’re looking forward to honoring the ladies in our church.
Cheap Seats:
- I do not recommend catching a line drive like this: https://x.com/AutismCapital/status/2047074150456713364/video/1?s=46
- I’m looking forward to seeing how this College Baseball season pans out. UCLA has been dominant most of the year, but there are tons of good teams. The loss of Dax Whitney to the Beavers is huge.
- This is another reason why I love this game: https://www.instagram.com/reels/DWZCQbFDROm/
Christ is King!
In Christ,
Dave York
