by Mike Chong Perkinson
April 2007
“Christians in the postmodern world will succeed, not by watering down the faith, but by being a counter-cultural community that invites people to be shaped by the story of Israel and Jesus.” (Dr. Robert Webber)
Being counter-cultural is no easy matter. It is hard to be a person who loves those who are full of hate and evil. The choice of retreat and building a Christian culture that lives in protected isolation is much easier. After all, it’s so hard to keep pure in this world. How do we keep our children from engaging in evil without allowing them the safety of retreat? What does it mean to be in the world but not of it? Aren’t we supposed to hate sin? Hard questions and this article will not provide an adequate answer. Instead of providing an answer, I wish to pose some questions.
There is so much talk in our Christian culture about “avoiding the appearance of evil,” which translated often means staying away from anything and anyone that is evil. The definition of evil is subjective and interpreted individually by each believer and the verse is oddly utilized in situations that seem to be nothing more than a statement of preference.
Exactly what is evil? If we are applying the biblical definition, the entire world is. After all, it is anti-God, full of self and engaged in a conspiracy that is led by Lucifer himself. If we are going to avoid the appearance of evil, then maybe we should pack up and retreat? Maybe, this is the time to ask the U.S.S. Enterprise to beam us up?
Who do we boycott? What do we allow or not allow? Just how tight do we close our eyes and ears to the cries of the world? Is it wrong to have friends who do not know Christ? If we are to avoid everything that is evil, then should we stop reading the Bible because it contains scenes of rape, drunkenness, witchcraft, murder, lust and sex? How far do we take this? Are we even asking the right questions? If so, then Jesus violated this very command of Paul by associating with those who were evil. As a result, He was indicted as being a drunkard and a glutton (Matthew 11:19). I am grateful He hung out with sinners and loved them. As far as I recall, I am one of those evil sinners He was willing to sit with. The pure Son of God was so pure that He could love someone like me. Maybe that is the question we should be asking. Are we so pure with our lives that we look nothing like Jesus? We worry far too much about how much sin might get in and not enough about how much love might get out.
Maybe the question is not how do we avoid evil or how much evil do we avoid? Rather, how do we love and serve an evil and lost generation? Evangelical Christianity is far too concerned about power: how to get it and how to use it for personal gain. I somehow think that is the opposite of what Jesus is all about. The primary question believers should be asking is “What can I do to serve you?”
The gospel is not about getting “saved” and isolating. It is about a God who came to a sinful world. No matter how hard you try to be neat, changing diapers is a messy business. I suspect, dealing with sin and sinful people is no different. The wise sage of Proverbs tells us that “Without oxen a stable stays clean, but you need a strong ox for a large harvest” (Proverbs 14:4, NLT). There is no question that life is much more defined, predictable and even safe when we disallow sinners into the mix. Scripture does not tell us to keep the stable clean, but to keep our hearts pure. And one of the characteristics of a pure heart is its willingness to change diapers. We can’t transform culture until we find ourselves transformed. Jesus said it this way: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean” (Matthew 23:25-26, NIV).
The life of faith is not about judgment and withdrawal from an evil society. It is about engagement and sacrifice – something like taking up your cross and letting your light shine in such a way that all might see your good deeds and give praise to our Father who is in heaven (Matthew 5:16). As I write this article, I don’t hear too many people giving praise to God because of the good deeds of the church. God have mercy on us!
The revolution will come by way of incarnation, living out the reality of Jesus.
Tell me what you think. Let’s talk about it.
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5 comments:
I agree. An inward focused church is not the church at all, but a club with silly non-eternal rules. True religion is outward says James.
I think what Patrick says is right on... but honestly, when we say "outward," I think we really are just obeying, keeping in step with the mission we've been given. If the church is defined by a fellowship of people who are commited to following Jesus, then outward-ness should come with the territory.
The insular mode of many Western churches puts mission at the bottom of the list... but I think the true Church knows that her mission sits squarely in company with loving God and loving others, as an integral part of her identity.
Thanks Mike, always, for your fresh eyes for the Gospel. I was blessed to have participated in the seminar out here in Newark about a year and a half ago.
Patrick I like your wording of
silly non-eternal rules" God help us be a people captured by the love of our Father. And those who have been captured will naturally love what our Father loves.
Warren it was great to hear from you and God's grace to you.
Mike, I think that your reference to changing diapers is very apt in that we have all had some experience in that, either with our own children or someone else's child. Most people cannot go through this life without experiencing the needs of a baby where as the experience of oxen in the stable is less familiar to our urban cultures. I believe that both are true and necessary analogies.
I see the oxen as the laborers of the field that allowed one farmer to plant more for harvest than he himself was capable of; and in Luke 10:2, Jesus instructs us to pray earnestly for laborers. So by following what Mike is saying, should we not be retreating from having oxen in our stable, but praying for more oxen (and consequently more mess)?
Babies are so helpless as they enter this world, my wife and I are in the midst of our second full experience of this. They need so much attention and simply cannot survive without it. Paul talks about new christians and the nurturing of them as "infants in Christ" in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3; and the writer of Hebrews addresses the needs of christians that have refused to grow-up in Hebrews 5:11-14.
As adults relating to adults, we often expect that when we serve someone in some way that they will have learned enough to do it on their own; should we have to serve them more than once in the same way? In serving someone, is that part of an act of forgiving them? If so, does that then connect to Jesus responding to Peter on how many times to forgive? (Mathew 18:21-35)
I'd love to hear a response.
JA
5-6-07 (for some reason it didn't post it before)
J Alan I appreciate your response and wrestling with the text. Your application of laborer is profoundly biblically and speaks solidly of the heart that Jesus wants to manifest in His sons and daughters.
Serving people and teaching them the ways of God through our words and deeds can involve forgiveness where wrongdoing, sin or offense takes place. And if that is the case then yes, 70 x 7. More often than not what is needed is patience, mercy, etc to walk with someone. More aptly the ability to see the potential in another and disciple them towards that - help them become everything God intends for them. Much like Jesus calling Peter the rock before he truly acts like.
Discipleship is about drawing out the potential in another and as I can see by your response there is a lot of potential in you.
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