Recently, famed atheist and critic of the Church, Richard Dawkins, lamented the dwindling of the Church, labeling himself a “cultural Christian.” What he means by this is there are hymns he loves, he loves the culture and sense of morality, as well as Christmas and Easter traditions which come from the Church. The problem plaguing many congregations across the world is “church culture,” and I would daresay that the Church is full of “Cultural Christians.” Whether traditional, or Bible Belt, or whatever else may be, many people want to be culturally Christian, but I would wonder just how many pick up their crosses every day and follow Jesus.
Loved ones, we get so caught up in the wrong things: music styles, presentation on a Sunday morning, the air conditioning, color of the carpet, length of sermons, and other non-essentials, that we make worship of God completely about us, and not about surrender to Almighty God through the blood of Jesus Christ. (And, for those who don’t like long sermons, remember that the apostle Paul once preached for hours, a kid fell out of a window and died, Paul, by the Holy Spirit raised him from the dead, and then continued preaching, see Acts 20). Meanwhile, in countries plagued by war, poverty, and heavy antichurch rhetoric, people will sometimes leave before the sun goes up and go home after the sun goes down to worship God and be among His people. They seek Christ and one another daily.
Many of us who are, or have been, Cultural Christians want to check off a bunch of boxes, say “good enough” and be about our business when we SHOULD, as Jesus was, always be concerned with the Father’s business in everything we do. I don’t want to be that person anymore. I want to desire holiness, righteousness, and a closer walk with Jesus through the Holy Spirit every day. I want to bring my whole life into alignment with His. That everything I do, whether in loving my wife and kids, work, play, or whatever else I may do, may all be for His glory. I want to revel in Christ, and seek, daily, to be a part of His Bride, building up my brothers and sisters in Christ, and urging them daily in His direction. I don’t want to play church; I want to be the Church and seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Colossians 3
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
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