Mainstream Culture, with a Twist of Christianity: in the
world, but also of it.
“I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who
called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel – not that
there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort
the gospel of Christ. […] For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?
Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would
not be a servant of Christ.” Galatians 1:6-7,10
I read the most sobering article recently. Written just
last week by non-religious Ben Sixsmith in The Spectator, the article
was titled “The sad irony of celebrity pastors.” It was an incredible
perspective, specifically because it was coming from a non-believer. It seems
that he is able to see the issues with modern “Christianity” that some within
the Christian community refuse to see and it caught my attention instantly.
Sixsmith noted,
“I am not religious, so it is
not my place to dictate to Christians what they should and should not believe. Still,
if someone has a faith worth following, I feel that their beliefs should make
me feel uncomfortable for not doing so. If they share 90 percent of my
lifestyle and values, then there is nothing especially inspiring about them.
Instead of making me want to become more like them, it looks very much as if
they want to become more like me.”
This desire to appeal to the lost world by looking like
them and making them feel comfortable is deadly. The verse I began with points
this out, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?” and is a
question we need to seriously ask ourselves. Of course, this is not an
attempt on my part to negate the responsibility of evangelism. We are
absolutely called to evangelize the lost; Christ came to seek and save the lost
(Luke 19:10) and commands believers to share that message with the world.
The problem is simply that in an attempt to “lure them in,”
for lack of better terminology, we offer what they already have. We are so
afraid of offending or making uncomfortable that we forget that the gospel in
and of itself is offensive to those without Christ, yet it is the only message
of hope (1 Corinthians 1:18). In an effort to be
culturally relevant, we’ve become Biblically inaccurate. Pastors
"preach" while the Bible lays on the pulpit unopened and briefly
referenced, tickling ears of those who do not want to "endure sound
doctrine" as Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:3 – hoping to inspire some life into
the spiritually dead.
Sixsmith rightly observes,
“Still, it seems to represent
what I call the ‘…with a twist of Christianity’ trend. There is mainstream
culture, celebrities, fashion, music, modish political activism and a message
of self-love, but with a twist of Christianity. Most people stick with
mainstream culture because they can have all those things and pre-marital
sex.”
The slogan used to be “in the world, but not of it.” Now,
it is both. There has been a shift, from feeding the sheep and
preaching the gospel – to entertaining the goats. This sad reality has resulted
in pseudo-Christians who think themselves to have a get-out-of-Hell free card with the ability to continue doing whatever they want,
but have never repented and truly been granted Salvation; along with true believers who are unable to progress on to maturity. The numbers come, only
to never produce fruit or fall away later.
This is a sad state. This is a disservice with eternal consequences.
We would do well to see articles like this (from a non-Christian, no less!) and
to take heed.
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a worker
who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. But avoid
worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness. […] But
realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For people will
be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient
to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips,
without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited,
lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its
power; avoid such people as these… always learning and
never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15-16 & 3:1-7
A documentary called American
Gospel: Christ Alone is a good resource as well.
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