Our Culture Versus Our Faith

Our Culture
versus
Our Faith
(Agreements and Contradictions)
By Ven. Dr. Ifechukwu U. Ibeme

INTRODUCTION
1. DEFINING OUR CULTURES AND

OUR FAITH
2. DIALOGUE AMONG THE RELIGIONS
3. CROSSROADS BETWEEN OUR

CULTURES AND OUR FAITH
DEFINING OUR CULTURES AND OUR FAITH
In a pluralistic society, Culture interacts or
conflicts with any Faith different from it.
Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines
PLURALISM thus “a state of society (or
doctrine, concept or policy of society) in
which members of diverse ethnic, racial,
religious, or social groups maintain an
autonomous participation in and
development of their traditional culture or
special interest within the confines of a
common civilization.”
Pluralism and Secularism (indifference to religious
considerations) are the sure means of toleration
and coexistence for the globalized world of today
with people of diverse cultures and religions (or
even irreligion) having to own the same territory
and resources, and to share the use same
instruments and technologies.
Pluralism or secularism implies recognizing cultural
differences and the freedom of choice of religion,
such that multiple religions and multiple cultures
could tolerate and coexist together in harmony.
The principles of pluralism or secularism
ensure harmony, safety and liberty for all
religions and races in same region. The
presence of pluralism provides avenues for
evangelism, yet it also ensnares to
syncretism.
SYNCRETISM is defined as the combination
of two or more originally different forms of
belief or practice into a newly fused
inflectional form.
CULTURE refers to what is cultivated or nurtured.
Social culture of a people is therefore their value
systems and way of doing things which they have
developed over time based on their historical
and religious experiences, ways of thinking and
forms of expression.
Culture is dynamic since it continually evolves
and develops through generations.
Culture is defined in Webster’s Collegiate
Dictionary as “the customary beliefs, social
forms, and material traits of a racial, religious,
or social group”.
Apart from varieties of native TRADITIONAL
cultures, recent times have seen the
emergence of a global TRENDY super-culture
called Postmodern Counterculture.
Postmodernism which has blended with the
New Age (i.e. westernized Hinduism)
‘spirituality’ and modern Existentialism
evolves from the beatnik nonconformist
movement of 1950s and hippie
countercultural movement of the 1960s-70s.
It should be noted that Traditional
Primal and Trendy Postmodern cultures
are equally pagan, worldly and NOT in
agreement with the Christian Truth.
Technological advancement may not be
morally pagan but it does not annul
pagan values, vices and views, it even
enhances these.
Today, the Church syncretizes her faith with
postmodern philosophies in her doctrines and
practices in her demeanors mainly because
many are unaware of this fact.
Israel lost favour with God because though
they saw ancient Egypt culture as Traditional
as we do, but could not see Trendy cultures of
“Other Nations” whose style of royal
government they copied that they began to
copy their ways and syncretized them into
their worship as we do today.
FAITH or Belief refers to the convictions a
people hold about God and appropriate
responses to God in form of spiritual
experiences and expressions, ritual symbols
and moral values, inward motives and
outward manners.
The Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary also
defines Faith (or Belief) as “something that is
believed esp. with strong conviction; esp: a
system of religious beliefs [or body of tenets]
held by a group”.
Every Faith gives birth to its culture and every
culture has its basic beliefs within it. Every
Culture and every faith has its WORLDVIEW
which holds its perceptions and operations
together with its views and values, as well as
its experiences and expressions in its world.
Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary says
worldview is equivalent to the German word
“weltanschauung” and defines it as “a
comprehensive conception or apprehension
of the world esp. from a specific standpoint”.
Our native or TRADITIONAL cultures vary but
they are all essentially based on PRIMAL
Religions evolved by heathen or pagan
forebears of our clans.
Our Christian Faith on the other hand is one
and is essentially based on Christ and His
Saving Gospel. The Christian Faith is a
PROPHETIC Messianic Religion who’s
authentic Scriptures is the Bible.
Recent postmodern culture is based on its trends
and tendencies of self-centered individualism,
antinomian liberalism, subjective relativism, unisex
transgenderism, amoral hedonism and rebellion
against organized religion or formal decorum or
standard norm.
The influence of postmodernism has led many in
the Christian Faith and other religions today to have
aversion for the word “religion” or “religious”,
because they misunderstand religion as a mere
sanctimonious formalism and regimented
institutionalism and so claim they are not religious.
It is now fashionable to describe oneself as
spirituals, spiritualists, using spiritual powers
or living in spiritual relationship.
This evasiveness and aversion to order is
based on a fallacy and therefore meaningless.
Though it may easily become organized and
formalistic, Religion is not organization or
formalism but essentially a way of life based
on convictions, values and virtues that derive
from a personal or shared belief system.
Note that both the religious and the irreligious have their
kinds of “God” and “gods” which regulate their worldviews,
pursuits and behaviours such as:
 the Monotheists’ ALMIGHTY CREATOR God, (Author of
order)
 the Mystics’ UNIVERSAL MIND/FORCE god,
 the Evolutionists' RANDOM SELECTOR goddess, (author
of confusion)
 the Scientists’ “NATURAL LAW” goddess, (servant of
empiricism)
 the Secularists’ “AS YOU LIKE IT” god,
 the Polytheists’ multiple SPECIALISED or DUALIST gods
and goddesses, and GUIDING/GUARDIAN spirits of
beasts, masters, matrons, heroes, heroines and
ancestors.
Contradiction or even confrontation between our
Christian Faith and our Native Cultures are
inevitable.
God strictly warned Israel not to mingle their
Faith with the cultures of the Canaanites because
such cultures derived from religious beliefs of the
heathens contrary to those in the Law of Moses
(Lev 8:1-5; Deut 12:28-31).
Christ similarly warned Christians not to be of the
world or walk in its course while staying in the
world as Light and Salt because the cultures of
the world derive from faith in demons (Eph 4:17-
24).
When Christianity is based on
● past TRADITIONS,
● personal TENDENCIES and
● popular TRENDS,
it becomes CULTURAL Christianity,
but it is only when Christianity is based on
● Divine TRUTH could it be truly called
SCRIPTURAL Christianity.
Be sure to insist on Scriptural Faith, else your
Faith is False!
DIALOGUE AMONG THE RELIGIONS
Differences are best approached through dialogue for
mutual coexistence.
Dialogue requires we not only seek to understand
others who differ but that we recognize their rights
and liberties to make their own choices without being
rancorous and so ensure love and tolerance in the
midst of plurality.
How is the Christian Faith or the Gospel of Christ’s
Kingdom related to other faiths, religions and cultures?
This is a fundamental question the Church must
answer for effective evangelism, dialogue (for peaceful
coexistence and community collaboration) and
presence in a pluralistic heathen world.
For instance in the dialogue of the three monotheistic
religions, the basic differences seem to be that:
 The Christian Gospel is a MESSIANIC OFFER of the
Creator God’s eternal SALVATION to sinful humanity
from the bondage of sin and Satan through the POWER
of Christ’s GRACE as taught by Jesus Christ and His
Apostles.
 The Jewish Old Testament is a PROPHETIC DEMAND for
frail OBEDIENCE from sinful humanity (e.g. Israel) to the
law of the One Creator God (Yahweh) as taught by
Moses and the Prophets of Israel.
 The Islamic Qur’an is a PROPHETIC DEMAND for frail
SUBMISSION from sinful humanity to the will of Allah
who they believe is the One Creator God as taught by
Muhammad ibn Abdallah.
On a general note the question of relationship of the
Christian Gospel to other religions calls for a broad grasp of
not only the thrust of the various religions but also what
religion basically is and what types of religion (primal,
philosophical and prophetic) there are in the world.
The word RELIGION (which refers to either human response

in relation to any superstition, supposition, speculation or
human reverence in relation to redemptive revelation) is
derived from Latin
RELIGIO = supernaturally CONSTRAINED attitudes, beliefs,
experiences, powers and practices or
RELIGARE = scrupulously RESTRAINED attitudes, beliefs,
experiences, powers and practices.
There are three main types of Religions in the world today.
1) PRIMAL Nature Religion: polytheistic, pantheistic,
idolatrous, deistic and cyclical religions – e.g. animistic
and monist religions, totemic and nature worship
religions, ancestral worship religions, Hinduism and New
Age (New Age is Westernized Yogic Hinduism).
2) PHILOSOPHICAL Founder Religion: atheistic, agnostic,
polytheistic, pantheistic, idolatrous, deistic and cyclical
religions – e.g. mystic religions, Buddhism, Shinto, Tao,
Bon, Confucianism, Gnosticism, Jainism and Sikhism
(Sikhism is Islamic Buddhism = monotheistic and cyclical).
3) PROPHETIC Founder Religion: monotheistic and
eschatological religions which are God-seeking (theo-
reunatic) religions – e.g., Christianity, Judaism, Islam,
Zoroastrianism and Baha’ism.
Christ came down to graciously grant us the experience of
eternal salvation as free redemptive divine blessing which
by far outweighs and outlasts all levels of blessedness
that humanity may think, imagine, ask or ever know (Eph
1:3-4, 17-23; 3:16-21): whether by human actualisation
and human contemplation or even by prophetic
revelation.
Every human is responsible for the level of blessedness
one chooses to seek because every level of blessedness
has its eternal consequence after death.
The workings and worth, powers and purposes of the four
levels of blessedness are attested to all over the Scripture.
1. ACTUALISATION driven by the motivation to meet humanly felt-needs,
satisfy selfish and mundane passions, pride and pomp.
Human Actualisation level is attainable even with or without any religion,
with or without Transcendation, with or without Revelation, with or
without Salvation, whether atheistic or not, agnostic or not, idolatrous or
not.
Luke 12:15
(15) And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a
man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses.
Luke 12:20-23
(20) But God said unto him, You fool, this night your soul shall be required of
you: then whose shall those things be, which you have prepared?
(21) So is he that lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Also see 1 Corinthians 15:19; 1 John 2:15-17

2. TRANSCENDATION through human wisdom and curiosity all
through the ages for transcending into the exotic.
Human Transcendation level is attainable with transcendent
instinct that senses and searches for the unapparent, the invisible,
the spiritual, the supernatural, whether divine or demonic,
whether inclined to primal or philosophic religion, whether by
scientific or mystical mind-set.
Colossians 2:8-9
(8) Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world,
and not after Christ.
(9) For in him dwells all the fullness of the Deity bodily.
2. TRANSCENDATION through human wisdom and curiosity all through the
ages for transcending into the exotic.
Cont’d
1 Corinthians 1:21-25
(21) For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not
know God, God decided through the nonsense of our preaching to save those
who believe.
(22) Jews ask for signs, and Greeks look for wisdom,
(23) but we preach Christ crucified. He is a stumbling block to Jews and
nonsense to gentiles,
(24) but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God's power
and God's wisdom.
(25) For God's nonsense is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is
stronger than human strength.
3. REVELATION for walking with the Creator God as
found in the experiences of Old Testament Patriarchs
and Prophets.
Divine Revelation level is accessible through obedience
to the Law of Moses and faith in the Scriptures of the Old
Testament Patriarchs and Prophets.
Hebrews 11:39-40
(39) And these all, having obtained a good report
through faith, received not the promise:
(40) God having provided some better thing for us, that
they without us should not be made perfect.
3. REVELATION for walking with the Creator God as found in the
experiences of Old Testament Patriarchs and Prophets. (Cont’d)
Matthew 11:9, 11
(9) Really, what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you,
and even more than a prophet!
(11) Truly I tell you, among those born of women, no one has
appeared who is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the least
important person in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
1 Corinthians 13:9-10
(9) For our knowledge is only in part, and the prophet's word gives
only a part of what is true:
(10) But when that which is complete is come, then that which is
in part will be no longer necessary.
4. SALVATION in Christ into the eternal heavenly
heritage for all humanity whosoever believes.
Eternal Salvation level is obtainable through faith in
Christ and through living the New Life by workings of His
Grace as witnessed to by Christ and His Apostles in the
Scriptures of the New Testament.
Luke 7:28
(28) For I say unto you, Among those that are born of
women there is not a greater prophet than John the
Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is
greater than he.
4. SALVATION in Christ into the eternal heavenly
heritage for all humanity whosoever believes.
(Cont’d)
Acts 4:12-13
(12) There is no salvation by anyone else, for there is no
other name under heaven given among people by which
we must be saved.
(13) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John
and found out that they were uneducated and ordinary
men, they were amazed and realized that they had been
with Jesus.
4. SALVATION in Christ into the eternal heavenly heritage for
all humanity whosoever believes. (Cont’d)
Hebrews 1:1-3
(1) God, having spoken in former times in fragmentary and
varied fashion to our forefathers by the prophets,
(2) has in these last days spoken to us by a Son whom he
appointed to be the heir of everything and through whom he
also made the universe.
(3) He is the reflection of God's glory and the exact likeness of
his being, and he holds everything together by his powerful
word. After he had provided a cleansing from sins, he sat down
at the right hand of the Highest Majesty.
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
OUR CULTURES AND OUR FAITH
Agreements and disagreements between our
Cultures and our Christian Faith arise when they
meet with claims of compliance.
Traditional Cultural patterns are easier to
distinguish because they have been well known
before contact with Christianity. 332
Modern global Trendy Cultural patterns are more
subtle and very difficult to distinguish because
they are still evolving and confusingly mingle with
Christian Faith.
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
Main areas of obvious crossroads between local
Traditional Native Cultures and the Biblical
Christian Faith include requirements and rules
surrounding rites and passage such as:
 Birth rites and identity,
 Marriage rites, rights and responsibilities,
 Death rites, widowhood and succession
rights,
 Exorcism rites and truth about demonic
spirits.
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
Key areas of subtle crossroads between
global Trendy Modern Culture and the
Church’s Biblical Christian Faith include
measures for and meanings of living values
and virtues such as:
 Moral good and evil,
 Relational right and wrong,
 Behavioural modesty and depravity,
 Doctrinal orthodoxy and revisionism.
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
The modern contamination of Christian Faith by
Postmodernism is akin to the ancient contamination
by what was called Gnosticism.
This misrepresentation and muddling of the truth of
Christ’s Gospel must only be overcome with SOUND
DOCTRINE (i.e. biblical exhortation, instruction,
correction and admonition) (2Tim 4:1-5).
The Christian Faith is heavenly, spiritual and eternal –
from God and based on “the truth which is in Christ
Jesus” (Eph 4:21) “Who [alone] comes down from
heaven to give life to the world” (John 3:13; 6:33).
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
On the other hand, Gentile Cultures are
mundane, carnal and temporal – from the
heathens who are “alienated from God” (Eph
4:18).
The Gospel message, means and mission are
meant to compassionately rescue all humanity
within their mundane cultures out of their
damnable limitations of vanity, demonic
darkness, ignorance, disconnect from God, carnal
uncleanness and licentiousness.
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
Ephesians 4:17-24
(17) This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that
you no longer walk as other Gentiles walk, in the
vanity of their mind,
(18) Having the understanding darkened, being
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance
that is in them, because of the blindness of their
heart:
(19) Who being past feeling have given themselves
over unto licentiousness, to work all uncleanness
with greediness.
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
Ephesians 4:17-24
(Cont’d)
((20) But you have not so learned Christ;
21) If so be that you have heard him, and have been
taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
(22) That you put off concerning the former way of life
the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful
lusts;
(23) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
(24) And that you put on the new man, which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness.
TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE IS: CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE IS:
1).Between a couple who hold unto their 1).Between a couple who leave their
parents and so, remain separate as two. parents and so, become joined as one.
(Mark 10:6-9; Ps. 45:10,16)
2).Dissoluble by Man, Multipliable, 2).Indissoluble by Man, Exclusive,
Polygamous, Homosexual. Monogamous, Heterosexual (Matt 19:4-6).
3).Seeks to please people and 3).Seeks to please Christ and operates
subservient to the world rather than to from heaven above the powers of this
Christ. world.
4).Symbolises human infidelity. 4).Symbolises Divine covenant fidelity.
5).Effected by payment of Dowry and 5).Effected by Covenant Vows based on
Bride Price set by the receiving party. standards set by Christ.
6).Validated by blessing from Parents, 6).Validated by blessing from God through
Community, or false gods. the Church and its Ministers.
7).Non-binding, but valid as long as 7).Binding as long as life lasts and valid
interest lasts (1Cor. 7:12-16). till death (1Cor. 7:10,11,39; Rom. 7:1-3).
8).Based on demand and perquisites 8).Based on duty and pledges from divine
from human viewpoint. viewpoint (Gen 2:18-23; Eph 5:22-33).
9).Biblically described as THE REST who 9).Biblically described as THE truly
HAVE A WIFE/HUSBAND they live with MARRIED (1Cor. 7:10).
(1Cor.7:12,13). 10). Entered into to please God as its
10). Entered into to please people or self. Author.
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
How we see passage rites and moral values
depends on our perception of the power and
purpose of Christ’s Redemption:
– is it liberty from (or liberty to) sin,
– is it authority over (or subjection to)
principalities, is it dead to (or dead in Rom 6:1-
2; Eph 2:4-5) sin; and
– are truth and right determined by the
hammer of God’s Word (Jer 23:29) or by
canker of other words (2Tim 2:17)?
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
The comprehensively contextual and plain
teaching in Ephesians 2:4-10 is that THE GRACE
OF CHRIST is God’s SAVING POWER mercifully
provided for undeserving humanity because of
God’s love for them, which Grace works to
QUICKEN them from their deadness in sins (Eph
2:4-5) and RECREATE them to do God’s ordained
good works – not by their own power but by the
enabling power of His Saving Grace (Eph 2:8-10),
so that they would reign with Christ in heaven
and eternity (Eph 2:6-7).
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
The contextual meaning of Titus 2:11-14
corroborates this power and purpose of
Grace by insisting that SAVING GRACE
empowers us to RESIST UNGODLINESS and
PURSUE GODLINESS in this present age till
we attain unto glory in the coming age (Tit
2:11-13), this is the means by which Christ
redeemed us from iniquity and
transformed us to be ZEALOUS FOR GOOD
WORKS (Tit 2:14).
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
THE GRACE OF CHRIST’S GOSPEL is NOT divine
permission by which God overlooks our sins,
BUT the effectual divine power by which we
overcome our sinfulness to partake in the divine
nature (Rom 6:12-14; 2Pet 1:2-4; Jud 4).
Romans 6:12, 14
(12) Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal
body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
(14) For sin shall not have dominion over you:
for you are not under the law, but under grace.
TWO TYPES OF GRACE: Which is yours?
DEVISED PAGAN ‘GRACE’ (Jude 4-5) DIVINE BIBLICAL GRACE (Titus 2:11-14)
Derived from definitions by human logic, Derived from exposition of the Biblical Logos, to
to mean Divine PERMISSION to stay on in mean Divine POWER to stay out of sin
sin
Grace of the world for reprobate faith unto Grace of the Lord for regenerate faith unto good
dead works (Tit 1:16) works (Eph 2:8-10)
Unmerited permission for rest, Unmerited power for race, commitment and
entertainment and enjoyment assignment
Unmerited liberty to continue in sin (Rom Unmerited liberation to cease from sin (Rom
6:1) 6:2)
Unmerited favour, despising which has Unmerited favour, despising which has MORE
NO serious consequence as under the serious consequences than under the Law (Heb
Law (2Pet 2:18-20) 10:28-29)
Unmerited powerless favour to retain us Unmerited powerful favour to train us in
in licentiousness and irresponsibility righteousness and responsibility
Unmerited un-transforming favour to Unmerited transforming favour to abhor
enjoy sinfulness sinfulness
Unmerited favour to succumb to Unmerited favour to overcome temptation
temptation
Unmerited favour for conformation to the Unmerited favour for transformation from the
flesh flesh
CROSSROADS BETWEEN
When Christianity is based on
● past TRADITIONS,
● personal TENDENCIES and
● popular TRENDS,
it becomes CULTURAL Christianity,
but it is only when Christianity is based on
● Divine TRUTH could it be truly called
SCRIPTURAL Christianity.
Be sure to insist on Scriptural Faith, else your
Faith is False!
THANK YOU
and
SHALOM
By Ven Dr Ifechukwu U. Ibeme

Our Culture Versus Our Faith

Încărcat de

Informații document

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Our Culture Versus Our Faith

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Our Culture

By Ven. Dr. Ifechukwu U. Ibeme

1. DEFINING OUR CULTURES AND

2. DIALOGUE AMONG THE RELIGIONS

3. CROSSROADS BETWEEN OUR

The word RELIGION (which refers to either human response

Also see 1 Corinthians 15:19; 1 John 2:15-17

S-ar putea să vă placă și