How ought Christians react to the shifting moral values of culture?

The question, “How ought Christians react to the shifting moral values of culture?” has been posed. First, I believe the question to be moot because the Bible describes Christians as strangers in a world (cf. 1 Pe 1:1)[1] of cultures whose moral values have been shifting since the beginning of time. However, the Holy Scriptures are timeless and sufficient. If one operates on the presupposition that the Bible is the timeless, inerrant, and sufficient Word of God, then one will find that the Scriptures exhort believers to live a holy life and makes no adjustment for how the moral values of a culture shifts. Further, believers ought not to succumb to nor be swayed by evil desires (2 Timothy 3:6), as they have been called by the Father (cf. Ro 1:7; Jud 1), are made holy through the blood of Christ (cf. He 10:10), and are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The Scriptures command believers to put on the armor of God (Eph 6:13) and to prepare themselves so that they will not wilt like blades of grass and fade like flowers (Isaiah 40:7-8), but rather they will run the race (Hebrews 12:1) and persevere to the end (1 Timothy 4:16).

Unfortunately, in churches across America we see the exact opposite. Today we find anemic churches; churches that refuse to preach about sin and the depravity of man, churches that preach blasphemy stating, “Christ is not the only way for salvation,” churches which breed tolerance, churches teeming with unregenerate church members, in short, we find the church of Revelation 3:16. But all is not lost, because God will carry out His plan using the elect and the non-elect. For the Kingdom of God is at hand (Mark 1:15) and the Gospel will be proclaimed and the Gospel will transform lives! It is this picture that drives my next reaction to the question, which is to turn to the pages of the Holy Scriptures and seek out the answer to this question, “How ought Christians act?” Christians are to be the salt and light to a world of blandness and darkness, namely, tolerance and evil. The Bible offers much instruction as to how Christians ought to act.

First Peter 1:15-16, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” is a concise summation of how Christians ought to act. However, the question then becomes, “How does a Christian ‘be holy?’” In the two prior verses, 1 Peter 1:13-14, we find the starting point for this task of pursuing personal holiness. First “prepare your minds for action.” Second, “be self-controlled.” Third, “set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.” And finally, “as obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.”

As with any task, one must begin with some amount of preparation. The pursuit of holiness begins with the Word of God. For, “all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Ti 3:15-16). Christians have been called “to be imitators of God” (Eph 5:1), to “keep in step with the Spirit” (Ga 5:25), and to be regarded as “servants of Christ” (1 Cor 4:1). Christians can only imitate the character of God if they have knowledge of God’s character. Therefore, in order for Christians to be holy like God is holy, they must turn to the Bible, God’s self-revelation to humanity. When reading Psalm 111 and 112 one reads: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise…Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands.” Preparation, specifically studying of the Scriptures, is foundational. But, “To what end?” one may ask. The answer is this- “prepare your minds for action…always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have” (1 Pe 3:13, 15). It is the command of Jesus that Christians to “go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20; cf. Mt 24:14; Mk 13:10; Ac 1:8; Ac 16:10; 1 Co 9:13; 2 Co 9:13). Part of holiness is one’s personal witness, both in words and deeds.

Being self-controlled is the second part of being holy. God is our model of self-control as God is shown throughout the Scriptures to be immutable (cf. 1 Sa 15:29; Jas 1:17). God does not act rashly, or unjustly, nor does he does show favoritism (cf. Ac 10:34; Ro 2:11; Eph 6:9). Rather, God is patient, merciful, compassionate and gracious (cf. Ex 34:6; No 14:18; Ps 103:8; Jon 4:2). James chapter 3 brings into view the tongue of a Christian; albeit a small organ it is most difficult to control. Part of being self-controlled is controlling the tongue. However, self-control does not stop with words uttered but rather it dives deep and forces us to consider every thought and attitude that enters the heart and mind. Scripture reveals to us that the heart of man is wickedly deceptive (cf. Ge 6:9; Ps 64:6; Je 17:9), so Christians are commanded to “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ” (2 Co 10:5).

Setting “your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed,” brings two things into view that motivates the Christian to be holy. One, the future and two, grace. Christians are exhorted throughout the New Testament to live with a heavenly perspective and not an earthly perspective because the things of this earth will pass away (cf. 1 Co 7:31). “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind” (Is 65:17).

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away (Rev 21:1-4).

But, as a Christian looks to the future with longing, he should also remind himself daily of the grace that has been extended to him. Scripture is so very clear “there is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one” (Ro 3:10-12). All humans are born condemned to suffer the wrath of God. But for some, God’s grace is made manifest, and through faith in Christ these are saved from death and receive eternal life. Because God loves to bless his children, he has designed the salvation process to include his children- that is Christians are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Co 5:20) and are to share the Gospel as commanded by Christ when he said “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mk 16:15). I believe there is no better way to glorify God today then by sharing the Gospel.

Finally, “as obedient children, [Christians are] not [to] conform to the evil desires [they] had when [they] lived in ignorance.” For, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come” (2 Co 5:17) and “the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God…And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Co 6:9, 11). Therefore, the Christian is to be holy, because he has been washed, justified and sanctified.

The pursuit of personal holiness is evidence of a regenerate heart. For “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Ga 5:22). These fruits are made manifest in the life of the believer who is being sanctified (cf. 1 Th 5:23; 2 Th 2:13) and conformed into the image of Christ (cf. Ro 8:29). “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

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[1] All Scripture references are from the New International Version.