The Dilemma of Western Culture Christianity

(After watching the film “Sheep Among Wolves,” I was so deeply moved that the Holy Spirit woke me up early this morning to pen this word).

The dilemma of Western Culture Christianity is best illustrated by Jesus analogy of the rich man. He said, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 19:24)

This statement can be referred to as literally entering the kingdom of heaven; granted by Jesus when we stand before God at the end of the age and also entering the kingdom of heaven as a reality and life experience in Christ that is lived out on the earth as his followers, children of God and bride of Christ.

This is quite relevant because the western culture is perceived to have it all, and in a great degree this is true. However, what they have as ALL, is not necessarily a good thing. Our wealth in the western culture is wealthy not only in material resources but also in opportunities, and that which is made accessible to us and considered liberties. This aspect of wealth can be illustrated by the kind of wealth that Adam and Eve had in the garden of Eden. The scriptures tell us that they were given everything in the garden and that life and wisdom and the wealth and health of living in the garden was provided them through the “Tree of Life,”  which God told them they could eat from. The “Tree of Knowledge” was the forbidden tree and it was the serpent that came along and through a simple conversation, deceived them both to disobey God and eat from this tree. This disobedience opened up far more knowledge than they were created for or able to handle and now the presence of evil and temptation would always be around them and accessible to them.

This is, in particular, the dilemma of the western culture. Everything is accessible to us and while we may have the wealth of the gospel and even the presence and power of God at our fingertips, we are constantly distracted, deceived and lulled away by the knowledge of good and evil as temptations coming from this very tree. These temptations look a lot and sound a lot like the temptations that Jesus encountered in the wilderness when he came face to face with Satan while he was fasting 40 days and 40 nights (Matthew 4:1-11).  Can you imagine the physical, emotional and psychological human weakness that he had to contend with when he engaged in this kind of spiritual battle? Possibly, was God illustrating something to understand about the vulnerability of our own lives when we’re confronted with temptation?

We could even consider that the temptations of the western culture is essentially a constant bombardment of the temptations that Jesus encountered in the wilderness. To know what those temptations are from a general perspective, is to examine what the temptations were that Jesus encountered. The first temptation was the “Lust of our Human Appetites,” The second temptation was to “Question our Spiritual Identity and Jeopardize our Spiritual Birthright” on earth, and the third temptation was the “Lust for Power, Self-Glory and Wealth.” The challenge confronting anyone living in the western culture and Christians are NOT exempt, is that these temptations are presented to us right alongside the invitation that is made available us from God through Christ Jesus.

Jesus declares that those who follow him must take up their cross. This cross bears sacrifice and persecution for Christ’s sake. It is also a sacrifice of laying down one’s life for another just as Jesus did. Jesus said that if we hold on to our life we will lose it and if we lose our life we will gain it or find it (Matthew16:25). This reality of suffering for the sake of Christ is key to experiencing him in his reality, glory and power. So, the Christianity that we may be living in the western culture is that if everything is accessible to us, there is no true reality of suffering and the only way that we can find God (the true God) is when we die to self for the sake of Christ. This dying to self can only happen when we choose Christ (his will, wisdom and way) over the temptations of the world and even over our own appetites, desires and ambitions that are vulnerable to these temptations. The Bible tells us that Christ and his kingdom cannot be fully realized until this spiritual encounter has taken place in our heart mind and spirit that deeply compels us to not only hear the word but to live it out regardless of the cost personally and physically.

So that takes us back to the temptations of Jesus and what he denied himself from as Satan was tempting him with the opportunities that he had to offer. When we choose Christ over our own fears, opinions and desires as well as our western culture’s philosophies, values, doctrines, social trends etc., only then will we discover God’s kingdom reality and Christ as our Savior, Lord and friend.

So, let’s examine our walk of faith by simply answering two questions.

If the western culture did not exist anymore and the only government you had to live in was like China, Russia, Korea, Iran, Syria, India, parts of Africa and others alike where the culture is deprived of luxuries, education, proper health care, personal freedoms and in some cases, the gospel…

What would your walk of faith be built upon?  What would be your highest pursuits in life?

 Well, here’s the bottom line. Our western culture Christianity is undoubtedly rich in the gospel but unfortunately, everything else is pure DECEPTION when not used or celebrated in the glory and truth of God’s word. The message of the gospel is not a compilation of rules and regulations, it is a discovery of LIFE and of human purpose that is revealed to us by the creator of the universe, our heavenly Father, loving Savior and friend. He brings this message to us so that we may understand the truth about all things in the midst of all of the deception so we may arise in our true identity with power and authority that is in Christ Jesus.

His ultimate plan and desire is that we would live and reign with him for eternity in a life that we could only imagine. While at times, this may be hard to believe living in the kind of world that we do, yet one thing is for sure, as with every truth in God, it will surely come to pass!

 

TO WATCH “Sheep Among Wolves” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SAPOLKF59U