Page 61 - Christ and Culture Textbook

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God. Acts 4:19-20 says, “But Peter and John answered and said to them, “Whether it is right in the
sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for awe cannot stop speaking
about what we have seen and heard.” Daniel also disobeyed authority. He would not allow man-made
law to inhibit God commanded worship, nor should modern Christians. Defiance in the face of tyranny is
as much a virtue as obedience under the authority of a godly ruler.

The Westminster Confession of Faith says, “It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, to honor
their persons, to pay them tribute or other dues, to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to
their authority, for conscience’ sake. Infidelity, or difference in religion, does not make void the
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magistrates’ just and legal authority, nor free the people from their due obedience to them. This
means that if the state is nonreligious and differs from us in terms of our religious convictions, we are
not freed from our responsibility to honor it as the government. We continue to pray for our
government officials and pay taxes. This is our calling, even if we disagree with how we are taxed and
how tax revenue is spent by the government.

The Church needs to standout in a Secular State.

God has set His people in a culture that wishes to strip them of every strip of godliness recognizable
within them. The Church needs to standout in the ungodly culture in order to represent God well.
Appreciatively, in general some Christians have retained their spiritual heritage. Unfortunately, most
Christians have not been courageous enough to let their light to shine in their culture. Believers no
longer influence the world leaders and style makers of society as Daniel once did in his culture. What
has stopped believers from influencing the culture?

The church is unable to influence governments, media, communities and workplaces. Christians cannot
influence the secular media, the secular government, secular workplace. It seems like Christians are
powerless. Why are Christians so weak? Have we lost sight of the gospel? Paul taught in Romans 1: 16
that the gospel of Christ is the power of God to salvation. We must not forget that God's Word is
powerful, and we must not be afraid. Speaking the gospel courageously is the first step toward making
an impact on our culture once again. The power that helped Daniel pray with his window open, not
caring what would happen to him, is the same power that should cause modem believers to kneel in
public grounds where prayer is prohibited.

Overcoming the ungodly Culture.

We have been placed in a culture that resists God's principles of holiness. Daniel's life is an example to
every believer from which to derive principles pertaining to how one must relate to his surrounding
culture for the purpose of bringing glory to God. Biblical morality is key to overcoming culture influence.
Dan. 1:8–9 But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or
with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he
might not defile himself. Now God granted Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the commander

25 Ibid.,53.

26 Philip Schaff, The Creeds of Christendom, with a History and Critical Notes: The Evangelical Protestant
Creeds, with Translations, vol. 3 (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1882), 654.

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