Thinking Christianly About Culture
Thinking Christianly: Part 3
Christ-Centered Engagement in a Fallen World
Every day, we’re immersed in culture - its music, movies, politics, technology, social media, and values. It’s the very air we breathe. Culture shapes how we think, act, and relate to others. But as followers of Christ, how should we engage with it? Should we reject culture entirely, embrace it uncritically, or seek a third way?
The Bible provides a rich framework for navigating culture. Jesus calls his disciples to be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16), meaning we’re to engage culture with holiness, truth, and love. From Genesis onward, Scripture affirms the goodness of creation and humanity’s role in cultivating and stewarding the world for God’s glory (Genesis 1:28). However, culture is also fallen, influenced by sin and distorted worldviews.
In this lesson, we’ll explore biblical principles for engaging culture, learn to recognize and critique secular worldviews, and discover how we can transform culture through thoughtful, Christ-centered participation.
1. Biblical Models for Engaging Culture
The Cultural Mandate
The Bible’s first instructions to humanity include what’s often called the cultural mandate: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Genesis 1:28). God created humans to be stewards of his creation, cultivating it in ways that reflect his wisdom, beauty, and glory.
Implications for Engaging Culture:
Culture is not inherently evil; it’s part of God’s good creation.
Christians are called to participate in cultural development - whether through art, science, education, or governance.
Stewardship involves shaping culture in ways that honor God and serve others.
Influence Without Compromise
Jesus taught that his disciples are to be “the salt of the earth” and “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:13-16). Salt preserves and enhances, while light reveals truth and dispels darkness. These metaphors illustrate the Christian’s role in engaging culture: to preserve what is good, expose what is false, and point others to Christ.
Implications for Engaging Culture:
Christians should influence culture positively without losing their distinctiveness.
Cultural engagement requires boldness in proclaiming truth and grace in loving our neighbors.
Faithful engagement is an act of worship, reflecting God’s holiness and mercy to a watching world.
2. Recognizing and Critiquing Secular Worldviews
Every culture is shaped by underlying worldviews - assumptions about reality, truth, and morality. Many of these worldviews conflict with biblical truth. To think Christianly about culture, we must recognize these secular influences and critique them through a biblical lens.
Postmodernism
Postmodernism asserts that truth is subjective and relative, varying from person to person or community. This worldview undermines the concept of universal moral standards and leaves individuals to define their own “truth.”
Biblical Response: Jesus declares, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The Bible affirms the existence of objective truth, rooted in God’s existence and character and revealed in his Word.
Relativism
Relativism extends the postmodern denial of truth to morality, suggesting that right and wrong are determined by individual or cultural preferences. This leads to moral confusion and inconsistency.
Biblical Response: God’s moral law, revealed in Scripture and written on human hearts (Romans 2:14-15), provides an objective standard for right and wrong. Christians must uphold these standards with conviction and compassion.
Materialism
Materialism reduces all of reality to physical matter, denying the existence of God, the soul, or any ultimate purpose. It often leads to consumerism and a focus on temporary pleasures.
Biblical Response: The Bible affirms that life is more than material possessions or pursuits (Luke 12:15). True meaning is found in relationship with God and participation in his eternal purposes.
3. Transforming Culture Through Christ-Centered Participation
Transforming Culture with Gospel Hope
Christians are called to transform culture, not by imposing power but by living out the Gospel in every sphere of life. Paul writes, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). This includes bringing the light of Christ into workplaces, schools, politics, the arts, and other cultural domains.
Practical Steps for Transformation:
Identify areas of culture where God’s truth, beauty, and justice can be restored.
Engage thoughtfully with cultural products (e.g., films, books) to discern their messages and offer redemptive alternatives.
Build relationships with non-Christians to share the Gospel in word and deed.
Balancing Engagement with Holiness and Truth
Engaging culture requires careful balance. While some cultural expressions can be embraced or redeemed, others must be rejected outright. Christians are called to live “in the world” but not “of the world” (John 17:15-16), maintaining their distinctiveness while influencing others for Christ.
Practical Steps for Balance:
Develop discernment by studying Scripture and seeking godly counsel.
Evaluate cultural trends with the questions: Does this glorify God? Does it align with biblical truth?
Avoid retreating into isolation or assimilating uncritically into the culture.
Faithful Presence in a Fallen World
Thinking Christianly about culture means recognizing it as both a gift of God and a realm affected by sin. By engaging culture thoughtfully, we can reflect Christ’s light, redeem what is broken, and proclaim the hope of the Gospel. In doing so, we fulfill our calling as salt and light, bringing glory to God and blessing to others.
In the next lesson, we’ll examine how Thinking Christianly shapes our approach to work and vocation, helping us see all of life as an act of worship and stewardship. For now, consider how you can influence the culture around you with grace, truth, and love.
Key Principles
The Bible calls Christians to cultivate, steward, and influence culture for God’s glory (Genesis 1:28; Matthew 5:13-16). This requires thoughtful participation that preserves what’s good and transforms what’s broken. Faithful engagement reflects God’s holiness and love in a world shaped by competing worldviews.
Secular worldviews like postmodernism, relativism, and materialism often distort truth and morality. Christians must evaluate cultural trends with a biblical lens, upholding God’s standards of truth, beauty, and goodness (John 14:6; Romans 2:14-15). Discernment enables believers to reject harmful influences and redeem what aligns with God’s purposes.
Transforming culture involves living out the Gospel in every sphere of life (1 Corinthians 10:31). By balancing engagement with holiness and truth, Christians can influence others for Christ while remaining distinct from the world. This faithful presence offers hope and points others to God’s redemptive power.
Bible Study Questions
What does Genesis 1:28 teach about humanity’s role in cultivating and stewarding culture?
How should Jesus’ metaphors of salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16) shape our approach to cultural engagement?
Read John 14:6. How does the exclusivity of Christ as “the truth” challenge postmodern and relativistic views?
What does Romans 2:14-15 teach about God’s moral law and its application to cultural issues?
How does Luke 12:15 warn against the dangers of materialism?
What does 1 Corinthians 10:31 say about how Christians should approach everyday activities, including cultural participation?
How can Philippians 4:8 guide our thinking about media and entertainment?
In what ways can Christians balance holiness with engagement in the culture (John 17:15-16)?
What are some ways the Gospel brings hope to cultural issues like justice, beauty, or truth?
How does Revelation 21:1-5 inspire Christians to participate in God’s redemptive work in the world?
Questions for Discussion and Personal Reflection
What cultural trends or influences do you struggle to engage with biblically?
In what ways can your workplace or community benefit from a Christ-centered presence?
How do you balance engaging with culture while maintaining holiness?
What secular worldviews do you encounter most often, and how do they conflict with biblical truth?
How can you use your gifts and talents to reflect God’s glory in cultural participation?
In what ways have you seen Christians redeem cultural practices or products for God’s purposes?
How does being salt and light challenge your comfort zone in engaging culture?
What role should prayer play in helping you discern cultural influences?
How can you build bridges with non-believers through cultural engagement?
What would faithful cultural engagement look like in your everyday life?
Action Steps
Choose one cultural product (e.g., a movie, song, or news story) and analyze its underlying worldview. Compare it with biblical principles, identifying areas of alignment and conflict.
Identify one area in your community where you can bring Christ’s truth, love, or justice (e.g., volunteering, mentoring, or advocating). Take one concrete step this week to make an impact.
Write down three ways you can influence culture in your workplace, church, or community, and commit to pursuing them over the next month.
This is very thoughtful and I appreciate it
Definitely a keeper to pull out for Christians who “go along to get along.” Thank you.