Standing together as the church in our culture

It's good to know where you stand, and biblically faithful followers of Jesus should recognize we increasingly do not stand with Americans on the left or the right.

Marriage may not be the only issue on which this is true, but it is an especially notable one.

A colleague's tweet earlier this month referenced "prominent conservatives celebrating the same-sex marriage of another prominent conservative." When I learned his identity, I wasn't shocked about the conservative who got married, but I was surprised regarding one of those who attended the ceremony. In the wake of the wedding, my colleague commented, "A movement that won't defend or recognize marriage for what it truly is won't be much good at transforming culture."

Of course, transforming culture is not our primary responsibility as the church. Our focus is on glorifying God, being a faithful church and making disciples. Yet it is telling when political conservatives -- some at least who would identify as Christians -- no longer recognize the significance of defending the biblical and historic view of marriage, the basic, societal unit that conservatives have traditionally sought to preserve.

Political liberals, meanwhile, appear to have fully endorsed the same-sex marriage agenda, even to the point of promoting the denial of freedom of conscience for Christians and other Americans who believe in the biblical view of man-woman marriage and decline to use their businesses and gifts in support of ceremonies that violate their convictions.

In addition, a growing number of people who have identified in the past as evangelical Christians have adopted a revisionist view of marriage. They have accepted a reworking of Scripture that finds room for people of the same sex to marry in contrast to the teaching of Jesus and His church for the last 2,000 years and the divine order designed by God thousands of years before that and revealed in Holy Scripture.

We have known for awhile the left will not support the biblical view of marriage. Now we are learning an expanding portion of the right will not.

The pressure and temptation to bend to the cultural redefinition of marriage are growing.

What are we to do?

First, we should continue to affirm the long-held biblical and church teaching on marriage.

Second, we should not minimize the importance of the correct view of marriage. Holding only to the union of a man and a woman in marriage as a picture of the marriage of Jesus to His bride, the church, is not a matter we can agree to disagree on in a church. Our church's confession of faith calls for agreement on the biblical definition of marriage in order for a person to become a covenant member. It says, "Marriage is the uniting of only one man and only one woman in a lifetime covenant, providing a picture of the union between Christ and His church, the exclusive context for sexual expression, and the means for procreation of the human race."

Third, we should stand united, not alone, within the local church in support of the Bible's teaching on marriage. As the pressure mounts from culture and government to compromise, we have one another. We are able to exhort and encourage one another, and we may even have the opportunity to support one another materially in some cases.

We are the church. Jesus is our King. Let's stand together.

-- Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

The church -- a gift to help us fight self-absorption

One reason we as Christians need a church is to help deliver us from our self-absorption.

In this regard, one New Testament text has been increasingly meaningful to me in recent decades. In fact, it is a vital part of the daily offering of myself to the Lord Jesus.

Philippians 2:1-11 is an appeal from the apostle Paul to followers of Jesus to humble themselves and serve one another. He presents Christ as the supreme example, pointing to God the Son's humbling of himself in taking on flesh and going to the cross before the Father exalted Him.

In verses three and four, Paul writes, "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

Each day, I tell God in prayer I count others more important than myself, and I pledge to look out for their interests and not just my own. Sadly, I fail to do it at times with my wife and others -- likely some of you who are reading this post. Yet, I know this type of humility and valuing of others is required in following Jesus. And if I would become more like Him, this kind of selflessness is necessary.

The challenge comes not so much in committing through prayer to live this way but in actually practicing this kind of servanthood in relationship to others. And that's where the church comes in.

It's much like the "Peanuts" cartoon strip in which Lucy tells Linus he could never be a doctor because he doesn't love mankind. Linus shouts back, "I love mankind . . . it's people I can't stand!!"

The church gives us as Christians the opportunity to move beyond prayers and thoughts to demonstrate with our decisions and actions that we love our forever brothers and sisters, count them more important than ourselves and are looking out for their interests, not just our own. That's not always easy because even as sinners undeservedly rescued by our selfless Savior we struggle with pride and self-centeredness.

For instance, when a church member we have covenanted with has a need, does his or her interest prompt us to action? When we are in covenant with people who differ from us markedly, do we show we are sensitive to and want to understand their interests? When we say or post something provocative, do we consider the interest of a fellow church member who might be offended by what is said? When we gather for corporate worship, do we consider the importance of fellow worshipers and how we can serve their interests?

The church is vital in helping us grow closer to the humility and selflessness our suffering Savior demonstrated. Without the church, we reject a means God has given to help us grow in Christlikeness.

-- Photo by youssef naddam on Unsplash

Self-denial is always a Christian virtue

Self-denial is not a cultural virtue in our time. It is a Christian virtue at all times.

Oh, we in America and much of the world admire self-denial when books and movies depict it in the lives of fictional characters who heroically give of themselves to protect or rescue others. And we marvel at it when we read news accounts of military service members, first responders or ordinary citizens who take risks to save others.

But we are overwhelmed in our culture with messages that conflict with self-denial. We are told, "You deserve to be happy, and you deserve everything that is required for you to be happy." We are told, "Be your true self" -- no matter what devastating impact it might have on others.

Meanwhile, God's Word tells us self-denial is the only way to true joy and genuine authenticity.

Without self-denial, there is no lasting delight or faithful discipleship.

Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me" (Luke 9:23).

Self-denial is not all there is to being a disciple of Jesus, but it is an indispensable part. If we would follow Him, we must deny ourselves. If we would say "yes" to Him, we must say "no" to ourselves. If we would be identified with Him and His cross, we must flee any sinful self-identity. If we would enthrone Him, we must dethrone ourselves. If we would live the Christ-guided life, we must reject the self-guided life.

We must not lose sight of the fact the Christian virtue of self-denial does not result in a bleak existence, because Jesus is at the other end of self-denial. And in His presence "is fullness of joy; at [His} right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11b).

-- Photo by KTMD Photography on Unsplash