Christ and Culture

I am often fascinated by those who possess the ability to speak to the needs of the mass. None was more convincing to me than the Apostle Paul. As one of the greatest thinker and theologian of his day, Paul was called by God to speak to his culture. Perhaps the most interesting thing about Paul’s mandate to communicate the gospel to the culture was his ability to use godly wisdom through rhetoric.

Tertullian, in the seventh chapter of his classic Prescriptions against Heretics once wrote “What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem? What concord is there between the Academy and the Church? What between heretics and Christianity? Our instruction comes from “the porch of Solomon,” who had himself taught that “the Lord should be sought in simplicity of heart.” My friends, may I suggest that what this world needs is not more money and famous Christian leaders but a sound and effective proclamation of the truth claims of the Christian faith.

The Biblical Account

Acts the seventeenth chapter, records what many theologians have described as the time “When Jerusalem met Athens.” Please allow me to provide you with a little background on the story.

For those of you who do not know; in biblical times, Jerusalem was the center of theology, it was the place where theologians gathered to discuss their faith; and Athens was the center of philosophy, it was the place where philosophers gathered to reason and contemplate on life’s questions. In other words, Jerusalem can be seen as the place where men gathered to worship (Churches and the Christian community). And Athens is the marketplace (the world of business or schools) and where most of us live out our Christian faith.
Acts 17:22-25 records Paul address to the Areopagus, an open forum for philosophical debate:

"22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD.
Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 Nor is He worshiped with men’s hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things."

Bringing Christ to Bear in Culture

Paul, the apostle is the perfect example of one who took the mandate to engage the culture with boldness and great resolve. He understood that we must be passionate about reaching the world for Christ and propagate the Christian worldview within every man’s world. The Athenians were like many people in our sphere of influence. They are ignorant of the true God, in spite of their religiosity.

Paul’s argument was as follow: “30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, 31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31).

Will you join me in answering the call like the Apostle Paul and proclaim the truth God’s answers to man’s deepest questions. For more information on how you can impact culture with the Christian worldview, you can purchase my book on the same subject at www.christianityandculturetoday.com and www.highercallministriesintl.org