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Living For Christ in Our Culture Today, #1

This next week I embark on a risky endeavor.  I'm going to do a series of messages on what it means to live for Christ in our culture - or what in the world does it mean to be a Christian and live for Christ in the midst of this world?

With all sorts of cultural issues to address, I do not pretend to be an expert on any.  I am a Christian first and foremost, and my allegiance is, and hopefully will always be, to be faithful to God, his word, and the work of Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God.

I don't pretend to know what all of those things mean.  With racial strife, questions on same-sex marriage, terrorism worries, privacy concerns, and the technological malaise that exists...I would be naive to say, "Oh, I have an answer for this..."

What I do want to do is address some of the issues here - especially as it relates to what I'm teaching on.  I know that not all will agree with me - it has never happened before so I don't believe it will happen again.  What I do hope to do is "reprove, correct, with all long suffering and patience"... to challenge my mind, soul, spirit, along with your's, to "love the Lord your God with all your MIND..." (as well as heart, soul, strength).

My fear is that we have succumbed to the cultural world of post-modernism that tells us that our concepts gained from Scripture are unreliable, out of date, and no longer relevant to our modern world.  I've heard that before.

This week I'm going to dive into one of our more current cultural divides:  Same-Sex Marriage.

I wanted to post for your reading something that I read 6 years ago, and signed on to.  I still believe it to be relevant, as a Christian believer, today.  It is called "The Manhattan Declaration" and comes from a wide ranging group of Christian leaders from Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical groups.  It was released in October 2009, and I signed it in early 2010.

The Manhattan declaration is summarized as follows:
Because the sanctity of human life, the dignity of marriage as a union of husband and wife and the freedom of conscience and religion are foundational principles of justice and the common good, we are compelled by our Christian faith to speak and act in their defense. In this declaration we affirm: 1) the profound, inherent, and equal dignity of every human being as a creature fashioned in the very image of God, possessing inherent rights of equal dignity and life; 2) marriage as a conjugal union of man and woman, ordained by God from the creation, and historically understood by believers and non-believers alike, to be the most basic institution in society and; 3) religious liberty, which is grounded in the character of God, the example of Christ, and the inherent freedom and dignity of human beings created in the divine image.

When I signed this document the waves of activism concerning same sex marriage were only beginning to be heard.  It has changed tremendously over the last five years and now our Supreme Court justices are soon to rule on States laws that either grant or prohibit recognition of Same-Sex marriages.

What is it therefore that we, 21st century Christians and citizens, supposed to do?  believe? hold on to? reject? work for?

I would encourage you to read the entire Manhattan Declaration, but especially the second section on Marriage... it's worth thinking about.  You can read the entire document at:

http://www.manhattandeclaration.org/man_dec_resources/Manhattan_Declaration_full_text.pdf

Let me know what you think.

Peace

Comments

Anonymous said…
Thanks Brother for your willingness to tackle a sensitive subject with many diverse opinions. I read the Manhattan Declaration years ago, and like you, signed it. In revisiting it briefly per you suggestion, I find it interesting that all of life is integrated, not compartmentalized, therefore each section of the declaration plays into one another and affects one another. The cheapening of life not only threatens the unborn, disabled, and elderly but creates the culture of violence that we see in this country. And this eventually leads to the destruction of the family, which is part of the foundation to this country's stability.
You and are a part of the generation of rebellious ones of the 60's who lead the way for our society to cast off God. I find it interested that God's Word says, "Do not be deceived, God will not be mocked. Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." I think we are reaping the seeds of rebellion sown in the 60's. The societal issues we are facing today are the consequences of America abandoning God. May we in the Church remain strong as our society continues to decay.
June 25, 2015 at 9:23 AM
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