In the World, But not Of the World

Just a thought.  We sometimes seem to think that the best way to be a Christian is to be like the world culture in which we live, with two fundamental exceptions:

1)  Believe in Christ, with a true and living faith, and
2)  Do not disobey the Moral Law.

Therefore, we watch the world's videos, listen to the world's audios, copy the world's styles, use the world's hobbies, spend time on the world's passions and concerns.  Yet, in spite of our critiques of these things, our "Christian" culture is still formed by these things.  Sometimes this seems to be thought of as the best way to understand and witness to the world.  Using the world's language, culture, music and arts, fashions, etc., is supposedly the best way to appeal to the world on behalf of the gospel, or even just the best way to be a Christian.

I would like to suggest that this falls far short of the call of Scripture, and far short of the call of the Church over millennia of time.  A simple inspection of the Scriptural data supports this.  And, church history, of which we nowadays seem to know little, speaks the same way.  Christ forms a "culture."  This culture is not simply the world's culture plus a Christian critique.  This culture manifests all the creative spirit that God has put in man, but does so from a Christian basis.  This Christian basis is not simply the world's culture plus the gospel. The Christian basis makes for a revolutionary antithesis from the world's culture, and creative continuity with the best of the Christian past.  Since the church is not, never has been, and never will be "the world," until the Kingdom of God comes at the great day of Resurrection and Judgment -- that is -- as long as the wheat and the tares exist in the field of the world -- this necessary distinction in cultures must be maintained.

As an example, consider music in the church.  It has consistently been the case throughout church history that church music was required (by the church) to be different from the world's music.  But, nowadays, perhaps for the first time in history (?), church music has been relativized, and, in popular contexts including worship, is made to be as much like the world's music as possible.  In the past, the distinction in culture between the church and the world never inhibited gospel testimony, and there is no reason it should inhibit gospel testimony today.  So what is the fundamental reason for convergence of worldly and "Christian" music style?  Is it an attempt to attract the world?  Well, it never was the case that people were attracted to the church, in truth, because it was like the world.  Just the opposite.  Is it because the "modern" worship tradition rejects or rebels against the Christian past -- if it knows about it?  Probably.  And it certainly isn't the case that the "modern" worship tradition has a depth of art that comports with the depth that is our inheritance in the church tradition.  So what is going on here?

These cautions and questions can be raised about many other factors in our lives besides music:

1)  All things not being done with a view to eternal fellowship with God.
2)  Non-Christian addictions and time-wasting on entertainments, clothing fashions, sports and adult toys dispensed by the world.
3)  Worldly emphasis on competition, money and security, and status.
4)  Primary emphasis on work instead of family life and church life.
5)  Institutional relationships (colleague-ship), rather than personal relationships (friendship).
6)  The lack of emphasis on motherhood and fatherhood.
7)  False notions of education.
8)  The home as motel, amid a ceaseless round of activities outside it.
9)  Unquiet and non-contemplative lives.
10) Living for short term pleasures.
11) Addiction to visual and aural media instead of reading the best stuff.
12) Constant communication, rather than peace.

This isn't just a bunch of "legalism."  It's about a life in Christ, lived in the midst of (and visible to) the world.  This life in Spirit and in Truth, and our love for one another, is what attracts people out of the world to Christ.

They're not attracted by what's not different and better.