How to be in the World, but not of the World

Living with Cultural Adaptation and Objective Moral Truth in the Church

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Richard Baxter was a seventeenth century English pastor and writer, who lived in times remarkably like our own. There were constant and often violent controversies over both religion and politics, yet despite this, Baxter was able to faithfully proclaim Christ. You can read about this hero of the faith in Ref 1.

One of his often-repeated sayings was:

‘In necessary things, unity; in doubtful things, liberty; in all things, charity.’

These words leap from the page and called to me over the centuries, as a way to consider the question now facing us, “If the Church should adapt to the culture of those it seeks to serve, whilst at the same time holding to objective moral truth, how then shall we live?”

This is the final instalment of a three-part series which I have come to realize is about how we can live out our faith in the world, without being worldly. Part one makes a Biblical case for cultural adaptation in the Church, the aim of which is to remove barriers to the hearing and receiving of the gospel (see Ref 2). In part two, I presented a Biblical case for objective moral truth, that acts as a counter weight, preventing cultural adaptation slipping into moral relativity (see Ref 3).

The Need to Differentiate

The first thing to note about Baxter’s saying is that it differentiates between two types of issues: “necessary things”; and “doubtful things”. From now on, I will refer to “necessary things” and “doubtful things”, as “essential things” and “disputable things” respectively, as I think they better express the modern meanings.

Neglecting the difference between essential things and disputable things can lead to all kinds of problems for individuals and the Church. For example, those with a more liberal inclination recognize the disputable nature of many things, but they can also allow that thinking to spread to essential things, and in doing so sink their faith. To deconstruct one’s faith-ship by removing disputable and often superfluous embellishments is one thing, perhaps even a good thing, but to dismantle the hull is quite another; pretty soon their faith-ship, disciple-ship and wor-ship sinks, because the hull is essential!

At the same time, those with conservative leanings, who rightly want to guard the essential truths of the gospel, can also let that thinking spread to disputable things; to things which are more cultural than Biblical; and to secondary things which, even though they have a Biblical basis, would be better adapted to our present culture in order to not hinder the gospel.

So let us first of all recognize that some things are essential and some things are disputable; and that we should treat the two very differently.

In Essential Things, Unity

So what are essential things? As I’ve grown older, my definition of essential things has shrunk; they fall into two groups:

1. Objective moral truth
2. The Gospel and sound doctrine

I looked at objective moral truth in some detail in Ref 3. I can find no example in scripture of moral truth being compromised for the sake of the gospel. Even though the apostle Paul became “all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some” (1 Corinthians 9:22 NIV), there is no example of him compromising moral behavior to do so. If he were alive today, he would not become a drug dealer to reach drug deals. In fact Paul went as far as instructing the Corinthian Church to, ‘Expel the wicked [sexually immoral] person from among you.’ (1 Corinthian 5:13 NIV)

Therefore upholding objective moral truth in my own life, and the Church, is an essential thing.

We are not saved through correct theological knowledge; we are saved by the grace of God through faith in Christ. Having said that, it is clear that the apostles went to great lengths to resist and correct false teaching, and so should we:

As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work — which is by faith. (1 Timothy 1:3,4 NIV)

So what constitutes the essentials of the gospel and sound doctrine? It must surely center around the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, as the apostle Paul declared:

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. (1 Corinthians 15:3–5 NIV)

Other foundational doctrines revolve around believing the Bible to be the written word of God; the nature of sin; sanctification (being made more like Jesus) through the Holy Spirit; the Holy Trinity; God as judge of the living and the dead; and Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

There is undoubtedly some fuzziness around the boundary of such essential doctrines, but Baxter encourages us to seek unity in these things. What does seeking unity mean? It means affirming the truths that we share as the family of God. It means making every effort to maintain our unity in the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3), by facing and addressing any differences that might emerge on these essential things. It means not being quarrelsome, but being gentle and kind:

Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 2:25 NIV)

Unity in essential things also means being aware of the devil’s schemes to divide us, and following Jesus’ example by praying for unity in the Church.

In Disputable Things, Liberty

Disputable things are everything else beyond the essential truths of the faith. Of particular concern in the Church are disputable things around worship, relationships and conduct, which are neither essential doctrine, nor moral issues.

The first century Church certainly had its fair share of such disputable matters, which threatened its peace and unity; some were remarkably similar to today’s issues. The early Church faced issues such as: discrimination, eating food sacrificed to idols, being a vegetarian and observing special days. In Romans 14, the apostle Paul gives the answer to such “disputable matters” as follows:

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters… Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand… You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat… Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification… So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who does not condemn himself by what he approves. (Romans 14:1,4,10,19,22)

The best way to deal with disputable matters is to keep your views between yourself and God; how contrary to the spirit of our age! Baxter encourages us to view such things with an attitude of liberty. It is not that such things are unimportant, the Bible has much to say on such matters, but what it says is often tied to a specific time, place and culture, which requires interpretation for application today. In such disputable matters people can honestly come to different views, based on what they believe the Bible means. As Paul says, what matters is that we investigate such things and make up our own minds, without seeking to impose our views on others. This is living in liberty.

In All Things Charity

How easily love gets left behind in dealing with controversial topics? To paraphrase the apostle Paul:

If I hold to absolute moral truth, live a moral life, and have a perfect understanding of Christian theology, but have not love, I am nothing. If I fearlessly declare the Gospel and Biblical truth, but have not love, I am a clanging cymbal. If I am right in my interpretation of disputable matters, and perfectly adapt them to my culture, but have not love, I gain nothing. (Based on 1 Corinthians 13)

Love is the belt that holds all the other virtues together; it is the essential characteristic of Jesus’ disciples. So let us make love our motivation in all things!

Some Examples

So, let’s see how Baxter’s words can help us deal with some contemporary issues. First let’s consider the issue of women teaching in Church, the key scripture on this is 1 Timothy 2:12:

I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet

First question — is this an essential thing? In my view it is not. It is not a moral issue, as defined in the lists of sins in the New Testament (see Ref 3), unless I make it a moral issue by for example becoming arrogant, conceited or abusive in my attitude towards those who see it differently to me. In that case I have sinned according to the New Testament. This is where the lists of sins discussed in Ref 3 can help me take the plank out of my own eye, because I could easily fall into such wrong attitudes whatever side of the argument I might be. Neither is the role of women in the Church an issue of essential doctrine, and therefore it must be a disputable thing.

Feelings can run high on this issue, since it can have real impact on women’s opportunity for ministry. In the space I have here, I will simply say:

• Some see this as an issue of obedience to God’s word, full stop.
• Some see this as a culturally specific instruction (similar to women having long hair), pointing out other scriptures which suggest women did hold positions of responsibility in the early Church. For example Junia was an apostle and Phoebe was a deacon (see Romans 16:1,7)
• Good Bible study and teaching based on principles of sound interpretation are very important here. The book that has helped me most in this area is Ref 4.
• Women’s status today is very different from New Testament times, and so as a disputable matter it is important to ask the question — “Will the message of the gospel to 21st century men and women be helped or hindered by not permitting women to teach or assume authority over men?”

The principle of liberty in this disputable matter makes it important that I do not seek to impose my belief upon others, or stir up disagreement. Different congregations will come to different places on this issue, but I will keep my personal opinion between myself and God, unless love requires me to speak.

Another issue I have recently faced repeatedly is that of defending the death of Jesus as an atoning sacrifice for our sin, setting us free from God’s wrath. This is becoming an increasingly important issue as more and more people question such fundamental doctrines as they “deconstruct” their faith.

Is this an essential issue? Yes — in my view it is essential to the gospel and our salvation. In seeking to understand people’s thinking, it has also become clear to me that rejecting Jesus’ death as an atoning sacrifice goes hand-in-hand with a belief that the Bible is not the written word of God.

So in engaging with such issues our aim should be unity. In love we gently discuss the scriptures in the hope that God will grant repentance to those who have wondered from the truth. We must also defend and protect the Church with Biblical teaching on this subject so that people are equipped to spot error and defend the truth when required.

The third issue I’d like to consider is homosexuality — perhaps one of the most divisive issues of our time. I am very conscious that people have very passionate views on this subject. Therefore I offer my thoughts in humility.

First question — is this an essential thing? I wish I could class homosexuality as a disputable matter, one where the Church could adapt with liberty to the culture it seeks to serve. But the Bible does not give me this option. From my studies I have come to the conclusion that the New Testament treats it as a moral issue. Homosexuality is mentioned in three separate lists of sins in the New Testament (1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10; Romans 1:26,27). As an essential thing then, our aim should be unity among brothers and sisters in Christ. If there are different views on this issue within the Church, we should study the scriptures together seeking a united view based on what the Bible says. Given the power of this issue at this time, it is vital that we also address the correct Biblical response. I cannot hope to do justice to such a sensitive issue, but here are my thoughts on some ingredients of a Biblical response:

• I condemn no one for their views or behaviors regarding homosexuality. Who am I to judge someone else? I am but a sinner saved by grace.
• It is to God that each of us must one day give an account. Since God’s word declares homosexuality to be a sin, we can but warn people of God’s view.
• Just because the world wants to define people by their sexuality, that does not mean we must do the same; “So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view.” (2 Corinthians 5:16 NIV). The most important thing about every person, is that God loves them and Jesus died for them.
• I cannot approve of homosexuality, but I must also keep it in perspective. Homosexuality is but one of at least 58 sins (see Ref 3). Why should I focus on homosexuality and not, for example, slander or deceit, which are declared to be sins far more often (see Ref 3)?
• How would I want to be treated if I was inclined towards homosexuality? If I can answer that, then perhaps I will be better able to love my neighbor as myself.

Conclusion

Being in the world but not of the world is not as straightforward as we might think, particularly when adapting to culture is a legitimate Biblical response. Though there is much grey, here are some concluding statements for your consideration:

1. If the Church fails to adapt to the culture it seeks to serve, it hinders the gospel.
2. If the Church lets go of its fundamental doctrines or moral truth, it is no longer good for anything; it has lost its saltiness.
3. The role of the Church in the world is not to condemn anyone, but to proclaim the good news of reconciliation with God through Jesus.
4. “In essential things, unity; in disputable things, liberty; in all things, charity”, gives us a lens through which to see these things, and live lives that please the Lord.
5. There can be no unity or liberty without humility.

Thank you for coming on this journey with me, especially if you have read all three parts. I have clarified my own thinking in writing these articles, and I hope you have found them helpful. I welcome your comments. May the Lord grant us grace to love him and our neighbor.

References

Reference 1: Heroes of the Faith: Richard Baxter

Reference 2: A Biblical Case for Cultural Adaptation in the Church

Reference 3: Objective Moral Truth and the Church

Reference 4: How to READ THE BIBLE for all its worth, by Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart