ENGAGING CULTURE IN AN EVER-CHANGING WORLD
Culture Changes.
Music styles rise and fall in popularity. When we observe fashions or listen to the slang used by different generations, it becomes clear: we are constantly changing. Some things though, should not change, like truth, ethics, and morality. But unfortunately, society is even seeking to make unchanging principles as pliable as everything else in culture. Consider for example, what today's culture says about...
... how we view each other.
... how we treat those who some think are not contributing to society.
... how we deal with life's circumstances.
... how we handle the use of alcohol and other drugs.
... how we define marriage.
... how we use our possessions.
... how we define truth.
In such an environment, how do we stand for the truth and righteousness in which God calls us to live? This study leads us to stand in the face of culture and engage it with God's unchanging truth. The principles God calls us to follow in His Word are the very truths that make life rich and full.
Here are our 7 lessons in this series:
- When Races Collide: Ephesians 2:11-22
- When Life is Expendable: Exodus 1:16-17, 22-2:9
- When Circumstances Overwhelm: Psalm 42:1-3, 6-8; 43:3-5
- When Substances Take Over: Ephesians 5:15-21
- When Marriage is Questioned: Genesis 2:18-25
- When Materialism Consumes: 1 John 2:12-17; 3:16-18
- When False Religions Deceive: 1 John 2:18-29
As culture drifts further from biblical truth, believers can struggle with what they believe.
Is there truth in what culture supports? Am I misreading the Bible?
In addressing these topics, believers can stand confidently in the truth of God's Word.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
For most of us, our source of information about other cultures doesn’t extend much further than the menu at the ethnic restaurant. After all, who doesn’t love to eat? Our world is full of wonderfully creative and different ways to prepare food. Of course, food is just one thing that distinguishes each culture from others. Other external customs and traditions include music and dress. We’re wonderfully unique.
I pastored a church in a town that was divided between the fan bases for two sports teams. Their rivalry was real! No fundamental difference existed between the two groups. They were all people made in God’s image. Their hostility was over something external: their team colors!
Unfortunately, we often focus on the externals—those outward things that make us look different—while paying little attention to those things we might share in common. In the Book of Ephesians, Paul pointed us to the most important thing Christians share: a relationship with Christ!
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Ephesians 2:11-12
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
It is not a fun feeling to be lost—separated from others! We’ve all been there in one way or another. In this passage, Paul addressed the Gentiles—the non-Jews—with a truth that applies to all of us: we are all lost at one point and separated from God spiritually. No matter what country of origin, racial or ethnic background, or the socioeconomic class we were born into, we all entered this world as sinners separated from God. We were:
- Without Christ. Paul had earlier noted that we “were dead” in our sins (Eph. 2:1). We were not just sick, but dead! We were bound by sin, in bondage to the world, and, therefore, we were separated from Christ.
- Without citizenship. We were “excluded from citizenship in Israel.” I live in the Commonwealth of Virginia, which refers to the “common good.” Israel had the blessing of God, which meant they had God’s protection, law, priests, promises, and guidance. God’s blessing was for their common good. But as long as we were lost in sin, we could not share in that good.
- Without the covenants. Covenant is one of the most important words in the Bible. A covenant is simply an agreement in which God binds Himself to a promise. For Israel, the covenants were God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and David. God desires for us to live under His “covenants of the promise,” but we couldn’t do that as long as we were apart from Jesus.
- Without hope. Many have no confidence in their government or their leaders. Many can’t even count on their parents or friends. Evil surrounds us, but we need not fear the future. Our greatest hope is found in Christ, but as long as we are sinners separated from Him, that hope is absent.
- Without God. The phrase “without God” does not mean God had forsaken us, but that we have forsaken Him. It does not mean He did not know us, but that we did not know Him.
It’s so important to remember we are all alike on the inside. The Declaration of Independence says: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,” but the Bible said it first! God created us in His image and we were dead in our sin apart from Him. We are all descendants of Adam and Eve, and, therefore, we are part of a single race—the human race.
So let’s call racism what it is: sin. It is evil. No race can claim superiority when we are all equal before our Creator. The only answer to our nation’s racial problem and our only hope for reconciliation is Jesus!
Ephesians 2:13-18
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
We were sinners without God, but He did not leave us there. Our sin created an inner conflict (see Jas. 4:1), but we manifest that conflict in many ways. It’s been said, “A man at war with himself will be at war with everyone else around him.” Only one solution to this conflict is available: the blood of Christ. God sent His Son, Jesus, a Middle Eastern man with a dark complexion, born to save sinners from every race and walk of life. (See John 3:16.)
Through Jesus, we now have peace with God. Since I have peace with God, and you have peace with God, shouldn’t we have peace with each other? There is no “good race” and “bad race,” we are all only sinners saved by grace. God is building a “new race” of people bought with His blood, filled with His Spirit, and called the Church. What unites us in Christ is far greater than our differences. At salvation God makes all things new; where many groups once existed, God is putting together a chosen people out of every race, every tribe, language, people, and nation. Heaven is not going to be a white church, black church, Hispanic church, or Asian church. It will be all the redeemed—all people who have received forgiveness through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
We should not assume that we, or our churches, are free from racial prejudices. In the early church, the Greek “widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food” (Acts 6:1). We may have similar biases, but we should reject any temptation to value one racial or ethnic group over another. Through Christ we all have access to the heavenly Father.
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Because believers are united with Christ, they are united with each other. As believers, we are a single church, “built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets” who proclaimed the message of Christ.
So why is Sunday morning still the most segregated hour in America? Most of us have grown up in circles where everyone looks like us and talks like us. We naturally tend to stay within our circle. We can counter this as we step out of our comfort zones and into someone else’s experience. Let’s learn about one another’s ethnic culture, while celebrating what we share in Christ.
When our family moved to Hampton, Virginia, in 2006, the population in the area was half African-American, but you could count on one hand the African-American families in our church. We began to pray about how we could reach everyone in our community. By God’s grace, He is now building a church that looks like our community and, most of all, looks like heaven!
One night as we were leaving church we saw a car on fire. The lady driving the car was trapped and unconscious. An older man was doing everything he could to rescue her. The flames almost engulfed him. Finally, he was able to break the window, unlock the door, and pull the woman to safety, saving her life. The lady was Caucasian and the man was African-American. In that moment, though, no one noticed the difference. All that mattered was a lady trapped in a car going up in flames.
People all around us are trapped in sin, seemingly unaware of the death that awaits them. God has called the church to work together with the same urgency. We are one in Christ—and we should act like it.
LIVE IT OUT
How does God want to use you to bridge the divide and be an ambassador of peace this week? Consider the following applications:
- Admit. Racism still exists. Confess to God any prejudice you feel toward another person.
- Meet. Get to know your neighbors and coworkers who have a different ethnicity than yours. Don’t treat them differently—treat them simply as a neighbor or coworker. You can build bridges by focusing on what you share in common.
- Invite. Invite someone of a different race or ethnicity to come with you to your Bible study group. The smaller group environment is a great way for them to build relationships with other believers.
We can all do more to understand one another and learn to cross cultural boundaries in healthy ways. Let’s allow our common lineage as God’s people to help us be a unified family of God!
Hope to see you this Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
Teacher Notes:
As culture drifts further from biblical truth, answer these two questions:
- Is there truth in what culture supports?
- Am I misreading the Bible?
In addressing these topics, believers can stand confidently in the truth of God's Word.
When Races Collide
You’ve got to be a pretty hip guy to have the world’s largest tree dedicated to you. And that was the case with Madison Grant. Grant was a leading force in the early days of conservation. In the days when bison were killed by the thousands just for sport, Grant stepped in. When lumber companies were ripping through the redwood forests at an alarming rate, Grant stepped in. He helped develop the first laws related to deer hunting. He helped create two national parks. He was friends with Theodore Roosevelt, another avid conservationist. Madison Grant loved nature and he loved animals. He is known for saving several species of trees from extinction.
Too bad he didn’t feel the same way about people.
Madison Grant was known for preservation in another way: the preservation of white people. In 1916, Grant wrote a book, The Passing of the Great Race, which argued for “racial hygiene” and preserving a pure Nordic race (which is limited to those peoples from northwestern Europe). His theory was that the Nordic race had evolved beyond the other races and was physically and intellectually superior.
He didn’t stop there. Madison Grant was a huge proponent of eugenics (a word that, in the Greek, literally means “good race). The eugenics movement made some headway in the first part of the 20th century, and it sought to improve the human race by careful breeding. No interracial marriage or sex. Sterilize the insane, the criminal, and the mentally deficient so that they won’t reproduce. We grimace at the thought of such actions, but forced sterilization was quite legal in many states.
Does it sound like something out of Nazi Germany? Want to guess who helped fuel the Nazi’s beliefs on race? When Adolf Hitler read Grant’s book, he wrote him a fan letter and called Grant’s book his new “bible.” Herman Göring was also a fan of Madison Grant and invited him to visit the Third Reich. (Grant died in 1937 even as he was preparing to make the trip.)
As a side note, Planned Parenthood has its roots in the eugenics movement. Margaret Sanger, the founder of the group, was quite vocal in her enthusiasm for eugenics.
I find it ironic that Madison Grant was so devoted to preserving the wide diversity in nature, yet he wanted to eliminate such diversity among his own kind.
Remember the Titans – Coach Herman Boone
Anybody know what this place is? This is Gettysburg. This is where they fought the Battle of Gettysburg. Fifty thousand men died right here on this field, fightin' the same fight that we're still fightin' amongst ourselves today.
This green field right here was painted red, bubblin' with the blood of young boys, smoke and hot lead pourin' right through their bodies. Listen to their souls, men:
'I killed my brother with malice in my heart. Hatred destroyed my family.'
You listen. And you take a lesson from the dead. If we don't come together, right now, on this hallowed ground, we too will be destroyed -- just like they were. I don't care if you like each other or not. But you will respect each other. And maybe -- I don't know -- maybe we'll learn to play this game like men.
Jeremy Kappell, the former chief meteorologist at WHEC-TV in Rochester, New York, was fired for allegedly using a racial slur on-air. He has apologized and said he stumbled over his words.
The incident happened on January 4, 2019. Kappell was speaking over a shot of Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park. In the clip shared to Facebook, which has since gone viral, you can hear Kappell say “Martin Luther Coon King Jr. Park.”
Should Jeremy have been fired for this mistake?
In an NBC News poll conducted earlier this year, the results show that most Americans believe that racism is a “major problem in American society and politics.” In the survey, 64% of Americans said that racism remains a major problem. Among Americans, 30% believe that racism exists today, but that it is not a major problem. Racism “once existed but no longer exists” according to 3% of the people surveyed. And 1% of Americans surveyed believe that racism has “never been a major problem.” When asked if race relations in the United States is getting worse, 45% of people agreed that it is.
The majority of Americans agree that racism is a problem in our country.
Why is racism still part of our culture?
How does racial prejudice impact the church’s witness?
The Point
Our relationship with Christ should be reflected in our unity with one another.
The Passage
Ephesians 2:11-22
The Setting
Ephesians 2:11-22 focuses on the alienation that existed between Jews and Gentiles in the first century. Paul described the animosity that existed and how God had remedied the situation through Christ. Jesus loves everyone equally and died for all. He makes no distinctions between races, ethnicities, or nationalities. Paul painted a vivid picture of how Christians should behave when confronted with those who appear to be different.
Ephesians 2:11-22
Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Ephesians 2:11-12
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (which is done in the body by human hands)—12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world.
I. Without Christ, our differences can divide us.
- Remember that we once were dead in our sin should lead us to praise God for His grace and the salvation we have received through Christ.
- Believers are not to allow external differences and religious practices that are not critical to one’s relationship to God through Christ to become divisive and lead to contemptuous attitudes toward one another.
- Without Christ, we are hopeless, separated, and alienated from God.
No matter what country of origin, racial or ethnic background, or the socioeconomic class we were born into, we all entered this world as sinners separated from God. We were:
- Without Christ. Paul had earlier noted that we “were dead” in our sins (Eph. 2:1). We were bound by sin, in bondage to the world, and, therefore, we were separated from Christ.
- Without citizenship. We were “excluded from citizenship in Israel.” God’s blessing was for Israel’s common good. But as long as we were lost in sin, we could not share in that good.
- Without the covenants. Covenant is one of the most important words in the Bible. A covenant is an agreement in which God binds Himself to a promise.
- Without hope. Our greatest hope is found in Christ, but as long as we are sinners separated from Him, that hope is absent.
- Without God. The phrase “without God” does not mean God had forsaken us, but that we have forsaken Him. It does not mean He did not know us, but that we did not know Him.
Ephesians 2:11-12 Commentary
[Verse 11] The animosity, which existed, between the Jews and the Gentiles in the first century demonstrates that without Christ, our differences can divide us. Paul began by calling on the Gentiles within the Ephesian church to remember their former state, before they put their faith in Christ. They were Gentiles by birth, also known as the “uncircumcised.” This second label was clearly intended to point out the bodily distinction between the Gentiles and the Jews, “the circumcision.” Paul also noted that circumcision was merely an outward sign, something done in the body by human hands. Beginning with the Old Testament patriarch Abraham, God gave the Israelites the rite of circumcision as the prerequisite for entering into and a symbol of their covenantal relationship with Him. (See Gen. 17:9-14.) The Jews took great pride in being God’s chosen people; the people of the covenant, and over time developed an air of superiority to others outside their faith. By Paul’s time, the Jews felt an intense hatred toward the Gentiles. The Jews saw the Gentiles’ uncircumcision as the symbol of the Gentiles’ separation from God. To the Jews, the Gentiles were dogs, and to the Gentiles, the Jews were enemies of the civilized world. [Verse 12] Although Paul had previously noted in this letter that all human beings stand deserving of God’s wrath for their sins (see Eph. 2:1-3), here Paul identified five conditions of the Gentiles’ alienation from God in relation to the Jews prior to the coming of Christ. First, Gentiles were separate from Christ. They were separated from God’s covenantal people through which the promised Messiah would come. (See Rom. 9:4-5.) Second, they were excluded from citizenship in Israel. The Gentiles were excluded from the people of the covenant. Israel was God’s chosen people, a nation founded by God Himself, in which the Gentiles had no part. Third, excluded from God’s covenant people the Gentiles were foreigners to the covenants of promise. The Gentiles had no knowledge of or part in the covenantal promises God had given to Israel. Fourth, cut off from the covenant people, the Gentiles in their sinful condition were without hope. Separated from the people of the covenant as well as the Scriptures God had given to His covenantal people, the Gentiles had neither the guidance of how God expected His people to live (how the Jews were to relate to God) nor the promise of the hope for redemption. The Gentiles’ state seemed hopeless; they were alone, without God in the world. The Greek term translated without does not indicate the Gentiles’ rejection of God. Rather, the term indicates a lack of knowledge concerning who God is and how people are to relate to and worship Him. By noting the Gentiles’ condition without Christ, Paul was pointing out their hopeless condition before God acted to make a way for them to be reconciled to Himself through faith in Christ. It was Paul’s attempt to get the Gentiles to recognize who they once were compared to who they were now in Christ. It also emphasized the magnitude of God’s grace in redeeming the Gentiles.
Ephesians 2:13-18
13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
II. Christ treats us equally and gives us all access to the Father.
We should not assume that we, or our churches, are free from racial prejudices. In the early church, the Greek “widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food” (Acts 6:1). We may have similar biases, but we should reject any temptation to value one group over another. Through Christ we all have access to the Father.
Ephesians 2:13-18 Commentary
[Verse 13] The antidote to conflict between people is the sacrificial death of Christ. While Paul focused specifically on the Gentiles who were far away, now in Christ Jesus the way was open for all people to draw near to God by repentance and faith through the blood of Christ. [Verses 14-15] Jesus broke down the barrier between all people and God, as well as the barrier of hostility that existed between people. Through repentance and faith, we can be reconciled to God. (See Rom. 5:1,10.) Jesus also made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility that existed between Jews and Gentiles. Jesus accomplished this two-fold reconciliation in his flesh, that is, through His bodily crucifixion, death, and resurrection. (See Col. 1:22.) He nullified the laws of the old covenant with their strict requirements. There was no hope for salvation through the law, since it required perfect obedience. Through His death and resurrection, Christ made the law of no effect. Neither Jesus nor Paul denigrated the law and Jesus Himself said that He had not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. (See Matt. 5:17; Rom. 3:31.) He lived a perfect life of obedience to the law, something that we could never do. Through faith in Him, we receive His perfect righteousness and He removes all our sins. Through the working of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are enabled to live a life of obedience to God (however, not perfect obedience; even as believers, we will still at times wrestle with sin). Both Jews and Gentiles have access to this new life by faith and grace. Therefore, they are all equal before God, one new humanity out of the two. Those who were formerly separated and at odds with each other are now in Christ brothers and sisters. There is now peace. [Verse 16] The purpose of Christ’s sacrifice and the establishment of this new humanity was to reconcile both Jew and Gentile to God in one body, which is the church. Salvation occurs at the moment a person repents of his or her sins and places his or her faith in Christ. At that moment, the person becomes a new creation (see 2 Cor. 5:17) and part of Christ’s body, the church. (See Col. 3:15.) Jesus accomplished this at the cross, where He put to death the hostility that existed between God and humanity (see Rom. 5:10; Col. 2:13‑14), as well as the hostility between Jews and Gentiles. [Verses 17-18] Jesus and His disciples proclaimed the good news (gospel) of peace. Everyone is separated from God because of sin. (See Rom. 3:9‑20.) The gospel is the only remedy. (See Col. 2:13‑14.) It calls all people to repentance and faith in Christ. God makes no distinctions among His redeemed children. All are one in Christ (see Gal. 3:28) and have access to God the Father. This access is made possible through him, through Christ’s death on the cross. (See Eph. 3:12; Heb. 10:19‑22.) Jesus is the only way of access to God the Father. (See John 14:6.) Access to God the Father is by one Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells all believers, testifying that we are in fact God’s children (see Gal. 4:6; Rom. 8:15‑16) and interceding on our behalf. (See Rom. 8:26‑27.) This same Spirit brings unity among all believers. (See Eph. 4:3‑4.)
Ephesians 2:19-22
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
III. All believers are one in Christ-and we should act like it.
- In Christ, all who believe become part of God’s holy kingdom and members of God’s holy family.
- Christ is the cornerstone, the One who provides stability and integrity to His church.
People all around us are trapped in sin, unconscious and unaware of the death that awaits them. God has called the church to work together with the same urgency. We are one in Christ—and we should act like it.
What are some practical steps our group can take to positively impact race relations in our community?
What challenges might we face as we try to model the example of Christ with those who are different from us?
Ephesians 2:19-22 Commentary
[Verse 19] Having described how God has made both Jews and Gentiles one in Christ, Paul moved on to emphasize that believers should live out this shared unity. (See Gal. 3:28.) Before coming to faith in Christ, the Gentiles were like foreigners and strangers. Foreigners referred to those who had no permanent standing in a society. Their presence was only temporary. Strangers may have taken up residence in a location, but they were not assimilated into the society. In both cases, the people had a common need—to belong. However, in Christ the Gentile believers are fellow citizens with God’s people. As believers in Christ, both Jews and Gentiles, were members of his [God’s] household and enjoyed all the benefits, privileges, and responsibilities that entailed. Whereas before Christ they had been estranged, in Christ the Gentile believers were full members of God’s family and fellow heirs. [Verse 20] Paul encouraged these new believers by reminding them about the foundation on which they rested: the apostles and prophets. The apostles and prophets received and taught the Word of God. They were the early churches’ first preachers and teachers. What they received, preached, and taught we have today in the Old and New Testaments. Next, Paul identified Christ as the chief cornerstone. This is the prophetic designation of the Messiah. The “cornerstone” was the description of the coming Savior. (See Ps. 118:22; Isa. 8:14; 28:16.) The Greek word literally means “at the tip of the angle” or “lying at the extreme corner.” It referred to the stone that held an entire building together. [Verse 21] The cornerstone provides stability and direction to the entire building. The whole building is most likely the body of Christ (the church). Every believer has his or her place in this building, which is a holy temple in the Lord. (See 1 Pet. 2:4‑7.) This is true both for the church in the sense of the universal church made up of all believers in all times and for individual local communities of believers as well.1 [Verse 22] In him reinforces the idea that this new humanity, which is being introduced, is held together by the Lord Himself. He is the chief cornerstone and the architect of the building, the church. The Greek verb translated being built together is in the present tense, which indicates a continuous process. The church is continuing to be built for the purpose of the dwelling of God’s Spirit, a residence of the Lord. In the Old Testament, God’s residence was the Jerusalem temple; however, with the coming of Christ, His residence is in the church. We are being built together to be a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit. Just as the Jewish and Gentile believers came from different backgrounds but were one people in Christ, the same is true for believers today. Although we come from many backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities, and so forth, as believers in Jesus Christ we have equal standing before God and are brothers and sisters in Christ.
LIVE IT OUT
Choose one of the following activities:
- Admit. Racism still exists. Confess to God any prejudice you feel toward another person.
- Meet. Get to know your neighbors and coworkers who have a different ethnicity than yours. Don’t treat them differently—treat them simply as a neighbor or coworker. You can build bridges by focusing on what you share in common.
- Invite. Invite someone of a different race or ethnicity to come with you to your Bible study group. The smaller group environment is a great way for them to build relationships with other believers.
Back to Genesis
- Genesis 1:27 - God made man in His own image, male and female. This verse asserts that God doesn’t look upon us as white, Black, Asian, Hispanic, Caucasian, or whatever. He looks upon us as His creation. He sees us all as His children. He loved us enough to lay down His life for us, (John 3:16) regardless of ethnicity or nationality. The truth is, there is only one race - the human race, created by God.
- If we claim to follow God and seek relationship with Him, then we know that God does not show favoritism. Romans 2:11 - “God does not show partiality.” Therefore, we should do likewise and not claim superiority over anyone else or seek to demean them because we have no grounds to make any such claim before God. Romans 3:10 - “There is no one who is righteous - not even one.” Jesus commanded us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and that whatever we do to “the least of these,” we do to Him. He died for all of our sins, so we must hold ourselves to His truth (not ours, because our view is flawed, sinful, and incomplete) and His standard of love (Matthew 25:40).
- Jews and Gentiles: Jesus came to put an end to the hostility between these groups, to bring all people back to a right standing with God. Ephesians 2:14 - “he broke down the dividing wall of hostility.” Galatians 3:28 says “there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for we are all one in Christ Jesus.” The New Testament is a fulfillment of the Old Testament. Our inadequacy before God in our sin, and our inability to follow God’s law, is brought to a head in Jesus. He fulfills the Law & the Prophets in his death & resurrection. The cross is an invitation to break all barriers to unity in Christ, including all racism, discord, and prejudice that exists between people groups.
Genesis 1:26-2:3 (Charlie's Notes)
Image of God: Throughout the Bible
1. Importance of the image of God
- Humans made in the image of God
- Self-image – every human reflects the image of God (even after the fall)
- No scientific basis for humans to have dignity and value
- In secular society – a) Therapist tell you – “your so valuable, you have dignity and worth.”, b) Philosophers – no basis for this (value), c) Scientist – we are more complex than other animals but no different
2. The way you treat people that come across your path
- James 3:9 – with same tongue we praise God and curse man
- CS Lewis – “No mere mortal” (the weight of glory) – every person that comes across your path should be treated with reverence.
- Abraham Lincoln: “…nothing stamped with the Divine Image and likeness was sent into the world to be trodden on, and degraded by its fellows” (Aug. 17, 1858).
3. Civil Rights – Where did the idea even come from?
- Western thought?
- Aristotle – thought some people (races) were born to be slaves
- Brian Tiernary – proves civil rights came through the Bible – church
- Genesis 9:5-6
- MLK – Bible huge basis of civil rights (Image of God)
- I’m going to hold you accountable for your fellow man BECAUSE everyone is made in the image of God.
4. What happens in a society that got its idea of human rights from a belief in the image of God?
- What happens to a society when most of culture elite don’t believe in God? What makes a human being worthy of rights and protections? (unborn, infants, senile, old people) – HUGE PROBLEM
- What is the basis for human rights? Have to grounds rights in capacity – preferences, ability to make choices, to reason (moral capacity – worthy of rights)
- What makes human beings worthy of rights? – If you don’t ground human rights on the image of God what are you going to ground it on?
- Early Christian Church came into Greek/Roman world grounded on capacities – could kill infants, especially girls
- Early Christian Church was totally against abortion, cared for the poor – champions of the poor. Church – abortion wrong, people who have had abortions show grace.
- Why then is there so much injustice, exploitation, etc. in the world? – b/c the image of God is broken in us.
What does it mean to be “in the image of God?”
a) Reflection – to reflect My glory, character
b) Representation – if you reflect Him accurately … you are representing Him
Like a mirror – I have made you to reflect My character – God to the world. Fill the world with it!
- We are relational creatures – we get who we are by our relationships, it’s the community that changes you.
- We are spiritually dependent – we are dependent on something outside of us to give us glory (importance or significance) … our self-worth.
- You can’t generate your own glory anymore than a mirror generating its own light.
