WHAT IT TAKES TO TRANSFORM CULTURE
WHAT IT TAKES TO TRANSFORM CULTURE PODCAST NOTES
About a month ago I shared a bit about prophetic context, and I think it’s important to teach more about this today. It’s so important to know the context of prophetic words and Biblical instruction. All throughout the Bible there is truth held in tension.
Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.”
John specifically says there is no fear in love, but Paul in Romans says if you do what is evil, be afraid of the civil authorities! Clearly both are true for different contexts. God molds culture from the inside out and the outside in. He calls civil leaders ministers of God, and their job is to mold culture from the outside in, to keep people safe from evil doers. Our job as the church is to bring supernatural transformation from the inside out!
Laws are not our first or only way we mold culture. Civil leaders make laws and they are tasked to govern from the outside in. We are commissioned to partner with the Holy Spirit to transform lives from the inside out. My vision is to see the church as leaven, kneaded into culture. We cannot lose our supernatural effects so we can have a political place. We can’t lose love! This is our best card, we change people from the inside out. We do need to vote and if you’re called to run for office, that’s amazing. But the Church’s best card is to bring supernatural transformation from the inside out!
Why was Jesus born at a time when the Jews were under Roman rule? Why was this the right time for Jesus to come? Is it possible that it was the right time because God was teaching people how to interact with godless government? Of course the primary focus is the death and resurrection of Christ and bringing salvation to the world.
We are called to radically love our enemies. Like Joseph in the Old Testament, like Paul in Caesar's household, we are called to transform culture. But our best card is from the inside out. We have to stay supernatural. If you focus on the darkness you might lose sight of the light. God is releasing supernatural power through people like Joseph and Daniel, but also under bridges, to the homeless, and to the social issues of our time.
Scripture:
Isaiah 2:2-4, Joel 2:28-29, Joel 3:9-14, Acts 2:17, 1 John 4:18, Ephesians 4:7,11-16, Matthew 23:25-26, Matthew 21:9, Matthew 15:16, John 15:18, Matthew 22:19-21, Matthew 5:38-48, Acts 27, Philippians 4:22
