Page 5 - Christ and Culture Textbook

McNeal defines Culture as the sum of all environmental forces that influence the leader—one’s
historical time period, prevailing societal values, political concerns, and faith experiences.
Societal values are shaping peoples’ values.

Cultural Blind Spots
A quick analysis of church history exposes something very sad about the church in the past. Time and
again we see that followers of Christ fell into beliefs and practices that were considered tolerable in
their cultures. They thought they were following Christ and seeking his kingdom, but today we
apprehend they were blinded by the norms of their cultures. Examples appear in every historical period:
the carnages of the Crusades; executions of heretics; wars between Protestants and Catholics; the
African slave trade. The list goes on and on.

When we read about these events, we wonder how Christians could have stooped so low. How could
they have endorsed such pagan practices? It is easy to see these failures in Christians of the past, but it
is important to realize that we face the same temptations ourselves today.

Paul, for example, wrote two letters to Christians who lived in Corinth, a very challenging culture.
Corinth was well known in the ancient world for widespread prostitution. Moreover, in Paul’s day
prostitution was often associated with pagan religious practices. Pagans believed that participating in
such prostitution promised good fortune and blessings from the gods. Some believers within the
Corinthian church continued to hold these views and practices. Paul responded by correcting their false
views of prostitution, and by explaining several dimensions of the Christian view of sexual morality in
general.

1 Co 6:12–20-The Body Is the Lord’s
All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be
mastered by anything. Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with
both of them. Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. Now God
has not only raised the Lord but will also raise us up through His power. Do you not know that your
bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of
a prostitute? May it never be! Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one
body with her? For He says, “THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH.” But the one who joins himself to the
Lord is one spirit with Him. Flee immorality. Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but
the immoral man sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy
Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been
bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.

Context: In the Corinthian church’s culture, religious prostitution was a means of blessing, not an excuse
for wickedness. Thus, the Corinthians did not naturally think of such prostitution as sin. Rather, they
actually engaged in it with pride and thankfulness. Paul, however, knew the evil of all prostitution, and
he responded by telling them that their prostitution was not innocent; it violated Christ himself.
The apostle began his treatment of prostitution by responding to two slogans that were floating around
in the church. Paul opposed those who involved themselves with prostitutes by quoting their words
back to them.

Not everything is beneficial for the believers. Whatever liberties believers have, choices must be
carefully evaluated as to their spiritual benefit. Many practices, though lawful for Christians, will have

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