Some of the events of the last week have reminded me that Christians (and the Christian worldview) stand out as OTHER to the world around us. This is not a surprise (or a new revelation), though it can feel a bit shocking. When people are treating the things that we believe with contempt, it is easy to get defensive and it opens us up to syncretism (the blending of Christianity and the belief systems of the world).
The good news is: the Bible was not written to people who fit into their culture, so it contains a great deal of advice for us on how to exist in a world that is hostile to Christ. One of the books that is aimed at this directly is the epistle of 1 Peter. We are digging into this in our Friday morning men’s study, and the lesson this week was a helpful one for all of us, so I decided to share it.
The teacher of the series pointed out that the Bible speaks its own language. Not just that it was written in a language other than ours, but it assumes a specific form, with rules and grammar that are specific to it. A lot of conversations over the last few decades have been about how to help those outside of the church better understand the gospel (this is a good thing), which is sometimes done by trying to make God’s language more like the world. As we do this, we are all discipled by this blended language. It produces a Christianity full of people who have lost the ability to understand the language of God. This causes us to misread the Bible and misprioritize His way. In this lesson, we looked at 6 characteristics of the Biblical language that help us to better grasp the revelation of God:
All imperatives are based indicatives
Imperatives are the commands that we are to follow and indicative is a statement of who you are (or what Christ has done for you). Whenever we read a law or statute from God, it is based on the relationship that we have with Him. Even the Ten Commandments start with the declaration:
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. | Exodus 20:2
This is built out of chapter 19, where God gave them identity:
Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; [6] and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.” | Exodus 19:5–6
The way to live is based on the fact that God has saved them and set them apart. This is crucial for understanding all of the ‘laws’ of the Bible; they are not there for us to prove that we belong, but are given to help us flourish in this world we find ourselves in.
Lifestyle is the fruit of mindset
The second characteristic of Biblical language is that changes to our lives are not primarily driven by changing our habits, but by being transformed by the renewal of your mind (Romans 12:2). The Spirit of God is transforming us from the inside out. Sanctification does not start by changing our actions, but by having our love reoriented to God.
From the Prophets to the Pharisees the Bible makes it clear that lawful obedience without heart change means little to God. Everything He commands is aimed at forming us into the people He created us to be. When the Bible convicts and corrects us, we should be thankful. While it is painful to be confronted by our sin, this gives us the opportunity to be shaped. God disciplines those He loves.
Our present life is rooted in future grace
1 Peter begins by addressing Christians as Elect Exiles, which is one of my favorite phrases in the Bible. We are here, but we don’t belong. We have responsibilities in this life, but our ultimate allegiance is to God. This allows us to avoid many of the traps of this world, where we are asked to root our value in the temporary.
Of course, this is about much more than avoiding traps. When we place our hope in our future grace, we become bulletproof. No matter what is happening in the here and now, we know where this story is going. This assurance allows us to do what is right over what is pragmatic. Winning the battle over the moment means little when we have been assured victory in the end.
Who God is determines who I am
This relates to the first one, about indicatives, but applies it to identity. We do not choose who we are or create our own reality, these flow from the Creator of the universe. God has not only knit us together in our mother’s womb and defined our purpose, but He has tied these to Himself. We were created as worshipers – whose existence is to reflect the glory of God and to honor Him in all we do.
When we read the Bible is to learn who God is so that we can better define ourselves. It isn’t about gaining application to apply to our own concept of purpose. We need to be careful not to run God’s Word through our established worldviews. Instead, God is speaking. He is showing us who we are.
The negative balances the positive (and vice versa)
Christians are often known for what they are against. There are certainly those who define themselves by what they are not. There has been a response to this that makes everything about grace – to the extent of antinomianism (lawlessness). Both of these are right and wrong.
The Bible does talk about avoiding certain behaviors, but it is always to produce a good. It us the language of putting off and putting on. We must take off a certain way of life in order to put on another. Anything that we are called to not do is for the sake of producing something better. The call to abstain from sex outside of marriage is not just to be against something, but to hold up the sanctity of marriage and the one-flesh reality of God uniting two into one. Saying no to manipulative business practices is not just the right thing to do, but also a way to keep our conscience clear and uphold our Christian witness. And vice versa, the call to honor our father and mother implies a lot of do nots: don’t slander them, don’t talk back in a disrespectful way, and don’t make parenting difficult for them.
The point is, the Bible balances these two and we should as well. We need to recognize that the Christian life is one of sacrificial worship, but that this sacrifice leads to blessing. Keeping the positive in mind gives clarity on what to give up.
It is my new identity in Christ that determines how I live
The fact that we are adopted children of God changes how we respond to everything, both in the world and in the Word. The more we recognize our identity as sons and daughters, the more that we will see everything in relation to our Heavenly Father. Not part of our life is disconnected from Him. Everything we do becomes an issue of worship. This is what leads Paul to say:
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. | 1 Corinthians 10:31
These characteristics form for us the structure with which to approach God’s Word. This helps us to fit God’s details into God’s story, lest we steal His words for our own gain. Embracing this structure removes the need for us to work for our own gain, because we have already been given everything that we need (it is an inheritance that is only possible by submitting to God). Those who are worried about missing out, end up missing out. Those who trust in what God has provided receive an overwhelming blessing in the future and a sense of peace in the present. His Word is the means for us to deepen our faith and root our hope.