As you can guess from the title, I am being a little facetious. In our society, particularly among Christians, we have an antagonistic view of culture and our place and relevance in it. I want to not only bring a fresh perspective on a Christian’s role in culture, but also do it in such a way that relieves the constant, and most times, unnecessary tension. The purpose of this post is to demonstrate the necessity and importance of modeling Christ in a sinful world.

Why have Christians, particularly in modern society, acted in such a way that appears “extreme”? In a sense, our society has become extreme. Autonomy has plagued mankind from the Fall, but our culture, an with so many other things, has commercialized it. Every modern publication elevates man to an undeserved level. The self has become something to be praised. “Me” is the standard by which we all live. “To each his own” is the motto of our times. Don’t get me wrong, I can be as self-centered as anyone; I am NOT speaking from a neutral standpoint.

However, Instead of subtly “reforming” (a word I will use often in this series of blogs) the culture, we act just as strongly, often creating an impermeable bridge, and in a sense, elevated ourselves, the Christian community, to an undeserved level as well. We make ourselves seem “better” than those worthless sinners, doing more harm than good. But many Christians think that by not acting in such a way, they have compromised their Christian virtue and integrity. The point is that we are called to be Christians in a fallen world. We hold fast to the promises of God, leaning completely on Him for our strength, and yet, walking confidently into this fallen world in such a way to win others to the saving knowledge of Christ.

As I began this post, I realized the gravity of the topic I want to address. I have decided to make this a series of posts, addressing various avenues and aspects of Christianity and Culture, ending with technology specifically. I have had many friends threaten to abandon Facebook and give up their cell phones. The amount of time we spend online, for personal use, is alarming, and I will address some of the concerns, including the ones that plague my own life. Stay tuned…

I have been reading Anthony Hoekema’s book entitle, “The Bible and the Future”. At the end of the fourth chapter he says, “Being a citizen of the kingdom, therefore, means that we should see all of life and all of reality in the light of the goal of the redemption of the cosmos… It also includes a Christian view of vocation: all callings are from God, and all that we do in everyday life is to be done to God’s praise, whether this be study, teaching, preaching, business, industry, or housework” (54).

After reading that section, I started thinking about the profession to which God has called me, what all it entails, and how I should approach and allow it to reflect the internal calling. In essence, the Lord has called me to love people as He loves, revealing the life of Christ in my words and actions. My profession is formally called “ministry”, but is it far removed from any other profession. I may have gone through the formal training of seminary, but for all of us who profess Christ as our Savior have the same calling as I do. My job is to equip and train, but our job together is one of proclamation.

This leads me to think more and more about our daily interactions, including conversations, work ethics, etc and how they reflect the character of Christ. Do we, whether we are doctors, sales associates, carpenters, welders, housewives/fathers, present ourselves to a fallen world in such a way that shows the infinite love of the Savior.

At this point, I should stop and offer a two-part caveat to my last statement. First, by infinite, I mean the love that God has for those whom He has chosen. I chose the word infinite to describe the breadth and depth of His love. By leaving His heavenly abode and take on the flesh of man to save us from our sins is the supreme act of love, and infinite is one of the few words to describe such a wonderful act. Secondly, I am not speaking in relativistic terms by using the word infinite. I’m not saying that the love Christ exhibited and the love we are to show should overlook sin and sinful behaviors. Quite the contrary. By our love, we should stand against sin, in ourselves and others.

As I end this blog, let me ask you two questions. First, what do you call your profession? Secondly, how does/can your daily life reflect your citizenship in the Kingdom of God by His loving sacrifice of Christ on your behalf? I would love for you to leave a comment.

I have been in Philadelphia for a week now, and I love the city. I live in more of a suburban area, but I am within walking distance of a central transportation hub, which will take me anywhere in the city and beyond. In 5 minutes from the house, I can go anywhere, including NYC, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

There are many things I enjoy about living here. First, the weather is awesome. It’s not smothering hot here. The temps are great. I may post something different during the winter! Secondly, there is instant access to so many wonderful things, from restaurants to plays. There are a lot of free things to do and also great places to eat that are extremely reasonable. Thirdly, the people are great. Everyone is very hospitable and friendly. There are many other things I could say about living here, but I will leave them for future posts.

I do miss Mississippi, and everyone back home. I have many wonderful friends and was involved in many activities. I hope to return home often!