The Bible:
Rev Pat Bates,
I would like to share a little bit of
information this month that isn’t always thought about by most Christians. It’s about the Bible. In my experiences on the mission field and
being in foreign countries, I have discovered something unique about
“culture.” I have preached on many
different subjects and in most cultures, I hear the following, “Well, we just
don’t do it that way here.” That always
shocks me!
If you are a
Christian, you have become a new creature!!
You have been commanded by the love of our Father in Heaven, to do
things differently now. Christians, no
matter where they live, should act the same . . . God’s way! Do you remember the “Sermon On The
Mount?” Jesus was telling the people to
do things a new way . . . God’s way!
The people were amazed at His words.
They were being given a new revelation from God about how we are to act
differently than the unbeliever!! Yet, I
still hear these words, “We just don’t do it that way here.” Let’s see what the Bible says, “It says that
we are to separate ourselves from the world (or our culture) and be
different!!” Here is an article from my
book, Selah. I hope you find it nourishing.
Email me and let me know!
Your
sister,
Pat
What is it?
It is the inspired
(breathed into man by the Holy Spirit) Word of God in written form to teach and
direct our lives, and to tell us of God Himself and what He has done. It tells all knowledge that we have
need of.
Who was it written for?
The Bible was not written for Americans, or
Germans, or Australians, or Asians, or Russians, or South Americans, or
Africans, or Europeans . . . it was not even written for the Jews! IT WAS
WRITTEN FOR EVERY PERSON WHO WILLINGLY ACCEPTS JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR SAVIOR AND
LORD. It doesn’t matter
what country that person lives in or the culture that country has. The Bible says the same thing in every
language.
How does culture impact the
Bible?
The Bible
should impact the culture, not the other way around. We, who are Christians, should act, or
behave, the same wherever we live. We
should act, or behave, as the Bible instructs us to. We are to separate ourselves from the world
(or culture) and become like Jesus. We should begin to speak the words of God
in our everyday life (the world does not do that), we must love others (the
world does not do that), we must be bright lights in a dark world! Culture should not impact Christians . . . Christians
should impact culture!
It does not matter
that each culture speaks different languages; dresses differently; has
different transportation; etc. When the
Lord of Lords and the King of Kings comes to live in each of us, we begin to
act, or behave, differently. People will
see the difference and ask us about it . . . then we witness about Jesus! Hallelujah!!
If we accept Jesus and continue to be the same, who would want to be
like us . . . they already ARE like us. BUT, if we change into a Bible reading, Bible
believing, Bible talking, Bible walking, Bible living child of God, we are His,
and doing His work.
READ IT!
