Culture Portal, Editorial Portal
Go Against the Grain
If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you’re from …
-Romans 2:9a The Message
As Christians, we’re called to be “set apart” (Romans 1:1) and “stand firm in the faith” (1 Corinthians 16:13). In doing so, we have to “go agains the grain” of culture.
Therefore, we need to life differently than the culture - we need to live according to the Bible, which is the Truth (John 1:1).
By going against the culture, we’ll get ’splinters.’ But what is pain? After all, we have the best ‘pair of tweezers’ in the world - Jesus Christ. Jesus is the one who we can place our trust and take refuge in. He will remove the pain and give us the strength (Isaiah 40:31) we need to overcome any obstacle (James 1:5-6). And just think, when we get ’splinters,’ it will transform us into better Christians who can stand firm (James 1:2)!
So what are we doing here? Let’s get out and take culture head on! Let’s do something more than take a few pot-shots at the issues, wait for the culture to come to us, or argue within the Church - let’s go all out! Let’s live life boldly for Christ - not cower in the corner. We have the most powerful being in the universe on our side, why don’t we take advantage of that?
Put your faith in the Lord, be bold, and take culture head on.
//Bring it World
-Brian Purkiss
21 Mar 2007 Brian Purkiss
Hey y’all- I just wanted to add to what Brian said-
there are so many opportunities right in front of you to reach out to a lost and hurting world. I just realized this about 6 months ago. Pray that the Lord will open your eyes to those opportunities. And let me tell you, when He gives you the courage, and you take one of those opportunities, and you go against the grain, it is the most amazing thing. I can’t describe it- all I can say is pray, listen, and go for it.
Agreed Allison.
There’s a hurting world out there - go get ‘em.
It is very true that Christians should go against the culture - but only in so far as going against what culture messes up. One of my largest annoyances is when I hear Christians tell me to not listen to a certain genre of music or dress a certain way because it is “of the culture”.
While the culture does mess up and do things against God, that isn’t to say that the culture always messes up. Man was made in God’s image, and as such men will not always screw up.
“Culture” gives billions of dollars to charity every year. Should Christians flee from that part of culture?
My point, simply, is that although we are supposed to flee from the sins that culture commits, we do not have to flee from the good things that come out of culture.
I was pretty sure I left a comment on here…but I don’t see it, so it must have disappeared or something. It wasn’t an important comment, I was just curious if you were sure you meant romans 1:9?
we definately need to be going against the culture. good post brian.
I agree Thomas.
Um:
First time commenters must be approved before they’re posted.
And when I say “Romans 1:9a,” I mean I only used the first part of the verse - not all of Romans 1:9.
That’s cool, I understand the moderation thing.
Yeah, I got that you used only part of it, I was just a little confused ’cause I read that chapter in The Message translation and didn’t catch that quote anywhere. *shrugs* I guess it’s just different versions of the same translation or something.
Um,
The reason why that is the case is because I accidentally typed the wrong reference.
It is really Romans 2:9