Christ and Culture

…they are experts in greed – an accursed brood! 2 Peter 2:14b

Today, during part of my study of 2 Peter as we were discussing Chapter 2, I was struck by how desensitized we have become regarding what is in our culture. Even in the church we are seeing signs that God’s Word is important but not necessarily the final authority we should turn to.

2 Peter 2 tells of God’s judgments on the angels who sinned, on the ancient world of Noah, and on Sodom and Gomorrah in the days of righteous Lot. It talks about the false teachers who will, with sensuality and greed, come among the believers and secretly introduce destructive heresies. The best part of today’s lesson concerning these things was 2 Peter 2:9, “Then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from temptation and to hold the unrighteous for the Day of Judgment.” I am encouraged that God will rescue the righteous!

The temptation for the Christian, especially as Christmas approaches, is to have what the world has, to listen to what the world says is good for us. I have been taking a hard look at what is out there for children this year. Are we really aware of the message that we send our children when we buy them “toys” that distort the teaching of God, that skew our thinking about what’s important?

What’s “hot” this Christmas are video games that center on violence, sexuality, and breaking the laws of men, dolls that distort the image of beauty, and movies and music that enhance the worldly values of money and attractiveness rather than godly virtues in people. Christians will buy it all.

About false teachers Peter says that, “Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.” 2 Peter 2:2-3.

Advertisers may not be in the church but they are false teachers. They want our money and are unconcerned about the consequences we will face in our children, and even in our own lives when we fall prey to them. They do not know the Truth and don’t want to know. Quite frankly, it’s better for them if none of us knew the Truth. It gets in the way of their financial gain.

Peter writes this letter to remind us of what we have heard and know about Jesus Christ, to keep us close to Him and remembering His majesty and His judgment of sin. He also wants to remind us that God will spare the righteous from judgment.

As you and I look for gifts and entertainment this Christmas will we be lured into destructive heresies that will lead us away from God rather than closer to Him? As I look at the account of Christ’s birth in Luke 2 what I see are three things that we can emulate that will glorify God in our celebrations.

1. With the Shepherds from Luke 2:17 let’s spread the Word concerning what had been told to them about this Child.

2. With Mary in Luke 2:19 let’s treasure up the truths of Christ’s birth and the Good News about Him and ponder them in our hearts.

3. As the Shepherds did, let’s praise and glorify God for all these things, He sent Jesus to save us from our sin.

If we practice these things, we are more likely to be strong in the face of temptations to buy what the world wants us to buy, more likely to glorify God with what we give others, and more likely to experience the fruits of the Spirit as we offer Him opportunity to work in us. Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Who wouldn’t want to have these words describe our Christmas celebrations?

God’s Word is not just to be another book that we consider important. Rather, it is to be the authority that teaches us what pleases God and what and who He will judge with His justice. Let’s spend some time in it before we shop for Christmas gifts this year.