{"id":7090,"date":"2016-08-01T13:59:02","date_gmt":"2016-08-01T13:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/aletheiabaptistministries.org\/Blog\/?p=7090"},"modified":"2016-08-01T13:59:02","modified_gmt":"2016-08-01T13:59:02","slug":"borders-language-and-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aletheiabaptistministries.org\/Blog\/borders-language-and-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Borders, Language, and Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 41 <\/sup>Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them <\/i>about three thousand souls.\u00a0 42<\/sup>And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.\u00a0 43<\/sup>And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.\u00a0 44<\/sup>And all that believed were together, and had all things common;\u00a0 45<\/sup>And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men<\/i>, as every man had need.\u00a0 46<\/sup>And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,\u00a0 47<\/sup>Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 (Acts 2:41-47)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cBorders, Language, and Culture\u201d <\/b>are terms that we hear repeated a lot during a national election year.\u00a0 I very much agree with the intended meaning in the triple description of the nation\u2019s needs.\u00a0 All nations have borders.\u00a0 That is the normal way of saying where the territory starts and stops and also of declaring who is allowed in and who is not.\u00a0 It is like the property line of your home or the title on your car or the lock on your front door.\u00a0 As individuals have a natural right to property, so a nation has also.<\/p>\n

All nations have a language.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t mean that there aren\u2019t also other languages spoken there, or that the citizens don\u2019t work hard at learning other languages.\u00a0 I found this out by marrying into an immigrant family of Russian\/Ukrainians who had immigrated to Brazil and Argentina before immigrating to the United States.\u00a0 But even then, when they came to the U.S. they gladly learned the native tongue one more time because English would be necessary to communicate with their new neighbors.<\/p>\n

All nations have a culture.\u00a0 This is one of the fun and educational experiences of travel to foreign countries.\u00a0 We never totally lose our native culture even though we work hard at adapting to a new one.\u00a0 We\u2019ve all had the enjoyable experience of eating at a Mexican or Italian restaurant, or at the myriad of other cultural \u201cislands\u201d within our own country.\u00a0 But to be a real country even immigrants blend into their new homeland and become one with many others who add and contribute to the unity of the country.<\/p>\n

The more insecure the world becomes the more these three things are important.\u00a0 If every country would do right by these, all countries would benefit.\u00a0 When a country ignores these, the rogue countries of the world flood in to take control and conquer.<\/p>\n

The local church of the New Testament also has borders, language, and culture.\u00a0 Every individual church ought to feel that they are the best church and that the environment which they have created is the best place for any other person to be.\u00a0 They ought to believe that the border they have, the language they speak, and the culture they create are all as Biblical as can be.<\/p>\n

The New Testament is full of passages that speak about the borders, language, and culture of the church.\u00a0 Acts 2:41-47 is the first picture we have of a church and it is plain enough to see these principles displayed from the very first days of the gospel era.<\/p>\n

Borders<\/b>:\u00a0 the need for membership in the church.<\/p>\n

Just as an immigrant desires to become a citizen of a country, so a believer ought to desire to become a member of a local church.\u00a0 A country has a line defined by its constitution which are requirements that must be met.\u00a0 Borders aren\u2019t meant to enslave a nation\u2019s citizens but act as a protection against dangerous intruders and give definition to the procedure for entrance.\u00a0 Church membership can\u2019t forbid a person to leave but it can prohibit a person from coming in who does not agree with the language and culture of the church.<\/p>\n

Salvation<\/span>.\u00a0 \u201cThen they that gladly received his word\u201d (Acts 2:41).\u00a0 The first part of the border of the church is that a person knows Jesus Christ as Savior.\u00a0 Here that is described as \u201creceiving the word.\u201d\u00a0 The book of Acts has many other descriptions of the same thing:\u00a0 repent (38), believe (44), be saved (47), be converted (3:19), hear (3:22), turn (3:26), be obedient (6:7), follow (13:23), and attend to (16:14).\u00a0 The local church is commissioned to take the gospel to the whole world and persuade people to believe, to put their trust in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 Then we direct them to the church.\u00a0 In other words, we are ambassadors who are recruiting members to come within our borders by these qualifications.<\/p>\n

The New Testament doesn\u2019t take this lightly and neither should we.\u00a0 It is a tragedy when a local church is filled with unconverted members.\u00a0 How can they walk in the Spirit?\u00a0 How can they pray?\u00a0 How can they seek God\u2019s will?\u00a0 How can they vote on spiritual matters?\u00a0 How can they evangelize others?\u00a0 We cannot be more interested in the quantity of our membership than in the specific quality of it.\u00a0 Let visitors be visitors and welcome them gladly, just as a country welcomes visitors, but a citizen must have a change of status.\u00a0 The sinner must be converted.\u00a0 \u201cAnd the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved\u201d (Acts 2:47).<\/p>\n

Baptism<\/span>.\u00a0 \u201cThen they that gladly received his word were baptized\u201d (Acts 2:41).\u00a0 Every convert in the book of Acts was baptized.\u00a0 In fact, as\u00a0 F.F. Bruce wrote, \u201cThe idea of an unbaptized Christian is simply not entertained in the NT.\u201d1<\/sup>\u00a0 Baptism is not part of salvation, that is, the forgiveness of sins, but \u201cthe answer of a good conscience toward God\u201d (1 Peter 3:21).\u00a0 In the initial commission to the church, they were to baptize the disciples which were made (Matt. 28:19-20).\u00a0 These instructions have never been rescinded.<\/p>\n

Baptism has both a proper motive and mode.\u00a0 It is a public profession of the person\u2019s salvation experience.\u00a0 It boldly proclaims and pictures the person\u2019s faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.\u00a0 The text says, \u201cTHEN they that gladly received his word were baptized.\u201d\u00a0 When the eunuch asked to be baptized Philip replied, \u201cIf thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest\u201d (Acts 8:37).\u00a0 When Peter saw many converted in Caesarea he asked, \u201cCan any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost?\u201d (Acts 10:47).<\/p>\n

The mode of baptism must be immersion as the Greek word baptiz<\/i>\u014d<\/i> only means.\u00a0 This is the only valid picture of death, burial, and resurrection.\u00a0 Philip and the eunuch \u201cwent down both into the water\u201d and came \u201cup out of the water\u201d (Acts 8:38-39).\u00a0 The ancient meaning of the word has been well established throughout the history of the church.<\/p>\n

Whether a local church makes baptism \u201cthe door of the church\u201d or makes it \u201cstand at the door\u201d of the church,2<\/sup> the principle is that it is part of the border, or port of entry, into the church.\u00a0 To skip this requirement, or to lessen its inconvenience, would be both unbiblical and detrimental to the strength of the church.\u00a0 It is a person\u2019s personal testimony that he has been saved and is qualified to enter.<\/p>\n

Agreement<\/span>.\u00a0 \u201cAnd they continued steadfastly in the apostles\u2019 doctrine\u201d (Acts 2:42).\u00a0 No one should become an American citizen who does not believe in its Constitution and who does not intend to uphold it.\u00a0 Not every saved and baptized person should join a particular church but only those who are also in agreement with its beliefs and practices.<\/p>\n

Though it would be a great thing if all local churches in the world believed the same thing about the New Testament, but they don\u2019t.\u00a0 We can\u2019t change that on this side of glory.\u00a0 Denominational distinctions have been a good thing for this reason.\u00a0 A believer should desire to practice his\/her faith with like-minded believers.\u00a0 Just as a country is glad for other countries, churches do not forbid other churches that differ, but rather are glad for the freedom to practice as they feel they must. It is a wonderful fellowship of believers who share salvation, baptism, and agreement as the basis for their common worship.<\/p>\n

Language<\/b>:\u00a0 the understanding of like-minded faith in the church.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd all that believed were together, and had all things common\u201d\u00a0 (Acts 2:44).\u00a0 Just as a common language allows the citizens of a country to communicate with one another, so like-minded faith allows the members of a local church to fellowship with one another.\u00a0 Common language is the ability to hear, speak, and nuance specific communication.\u00a0 Like-minded faith is the ability to talk, listen, and comprehend in a common biblical terminology.<\/p>\n

Church documents<\/span>.\u00a0 All churches have official founding documents.\u00a0 Though we have the Bible as our basis for faith and practice, we also have learned the need to specify how we understand the Bible, both for those who want to join with us and for those who want to know about us.\u00a0 Usually these are divided into the doctrinal statement (a statement of what we believe) and by-laws (a description of how we practice).\u00a0 Many churches also have a church covenant which is a statement of agreed intentions of how we will live as members together in the church.\u00a0 In addition, the church documents will include Articles of Incorporation, which are legal statements that satisfy the state of residence for specific things, especially if the church is a registered non-profit organization.<\/p>\n

Above, when I pointed out \u201cagreement\u201d as a border to the church, I mentioned all of these as a \u201cConstitution.\u201d\u00a0 These documents are not just ancillary paperwork but are the very language that the members of a particular church speak.\u00a0 We will carry on the business of the church by this language.\u00a0 We will show proper recognition for our leadership by this language.\u00a0 We will vote and abide by the majority of Spirit-filled people because we know the syntax and speak the language of the church.<\/p>\n

Church worshi<\/span>p.\u00a0 \u201cAnd they, continuing daily with one accord\u201d (Acts 2:46).\u00a0 \u201cThey lifted up their voice to God with one accord\u201d (Acts 4:24).\u00a0 Worship in the local church has become a \u201cstyle.\u201d\u00a0 We have this worship style and that worship style.\u00a0 It is true that churches behave differently during their services, but why and how we do this is more important than a mere style.\u00a0 The clothes I wear may be a style, or the car I drive to church may show a style, but how we fellowship, sing, pray, and preach are what we believe about worship.<\/p>\n

\u201cWherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire\u201d (Heb. 12:28-29).\u00a0 \u201cBy him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.\u00a0 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well-pleased\u201d (Heb. 13:15-16).<\/p>\n

Douglas Groothuis wrote, \u201cMost of the skills we learn in order to get along successfully in this life will be of no use in heaven\u2026But when we invest ourselves in learning to worship, we are making an investment in a skill that will be essential throughout eternity.\u201d3<\/sup>\u00a0 Worship is an essential language both in this life and in the life to come.<\/p>\n

Jesus said, \u201cGod is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth\u201d (John 4:24).\u00a0 John Flavel, a fifteenth century Puritan, said, \u201cCarnal men rejoice carnally, and spiritual men rejoice spiritually.\u201d4<\/sup>\u00a0 A believer cannot forsake the assembling together with other believers (Heb. 10:25) and when he assembles he must be able to approach God in a clear conscience with his heart and mind in a humble and reverent attitude.\u00a0 We want to do this with other believers who are speaking this same language.<\/p>\n

Church doctrine<\/span>.\u00a0 \u201cAnd they continued steadfastly in the apostles\u2019 doctrine\u201d (Acts 2:42).\u00a0 Paul admonished Timothy, \u201cTake heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee\u201d (1 Tim. 4:16).\u00a0 As with our agreement about like-minded faith, and the language of our documents, our doctrine becomes everyday language at church and at home.\u00a0 We will hear it from the pulpit and in Bible study. We will teach it to our children and to our new converts.\u00a0 We will use this language in the fellowship halls and homes of our members.\u00a0 We agreed to speak this language when we joined the church.<\/p>\n

Our day has also seen a certain downplaying of doctrine when it comes to church fellowship.\u00a0 We think we can remain in fellowship though we believe differently in major areas of doctrine.\u00a0 In America we are witnessing vastly opposing points of view, almost as if we have two countries within a country.\u00a0 It is obvious that this cannot last for long.\u00a0 Neither can it last within a church.\u00a0 Like a nation\u2019s Constitution, a church\u2019s doctrinal statement is its lowest common denominator.\u00a0 A church\u2019s doctrine is both broad and narrow:\u00a0 it is broad enough that there is room for difference on minor things, and it is narrow enough that it at least says something specific.\u00a0 This makes church fellowship and worship comfortable and safe.\u00a0 We all know what we have in common.<\/p>\n

There should be no stealth applications for membership in a nation or in a church.\u00a0 No one should come in who plans to fundamentally change the nation or church.\u00a0 Rather, find a nation or church with which you agree and live there happily.\u00a0 Nor should a pastor seek to be called to a church who plans from the beginning to change the church into something contrary to its constitution.\u00a0 This would be dishonest.\u00a0 Agreement in faith and practice is vital to citizenship and membership.<\/p>\n

Culture<\/b>:\u00a0 the life-style of Christians living within the church.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart\u201d (Acts 2:46).\u00a0 Our country is facing the problem of becoming a hobo stew rather than a melting pot.\u00a0 Immigrants should come into a country and blend with its culture and become one of them.\u00a0 My in-laws, though bringing multiple cultures with them, were anxious to become Americans.\u00a0 Sure, they retained many cultural things, things that one cannot discard very quickly such as an accent, or a facial look, or a taste for certain foods.\u00a0 But these are harmless when the great desire is to be a part of the new culture.<\/p>\n

Life-style convictions<\/span>.\u00a0\u00a0 I doubt that cannibalism would fit very well into American society.\u00a0 Polygamy has also been banned except in rare places.\u00a0 It was a better day when bootlegging, gangs, prostitution, homosexuality, abortion, and the like were also unacceptable in a civilized society.\u00a0 God\u2019s people who join local churches know that the Bible describes the life-style of a believer.\u00a0 There have always been and there will always be differences as to how we apply these teachings to our own time.\u00a0 But a believer must live by his conscience in the culture in which he lives.\u00a0 There are certain things he cannot do.\u00a0 That may be some language, or matters of modesty, or certain beverages, or various places of entertainment.\u00a0 His attitude toward these is a Biblical thing to him, and his church is a big part of his life within that culture.<\/p>\n

Just as a citizen of a country will choose to live or not live in certain localities, or will choose to work or not work in certain occupations, or will choose to participate or not participate in various cultural mores, so the Christian will choose a church that fits his Christian cultural convictions.\u00a0 A Christian cannot live contrary to those convictions.\u00a0 Carl Trueman wrote, \u201cThe frothy entertainment culture in which we live is a narcotic: not only is it addictive, so that we always want more; it also eats away at us, skewing our priorities, rotting our values as surely as too much sugar rots our teeth.\u201d5<\/sup> The local church is the most important culture a Christian has.<\/p>\n

John wrote, \u201cYe are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.\u00a0 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.\u00a0 We are of God\u201d\u00a0 (1 John 4:4-6).\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t affect us what the world does outside the church, but it greatly affects us what the culture is inside the church.<\/p>\n

Loving the brethren<\/span>.\u00a0 Immediately upon receiving Christ we become brothers or sisters to other believers.\u00a0 We are part of the family, we are joint heirs together with Christ and all Christians.\u00a0 Just as a legal immigrant is pronounced a citizen at a legal ceremony and is immediately given all rights as a citizen, so the believer in Christ receives all the rights of a child of God.<\/p>\n

We are obligated as believers to \u201clove the brethren.\u201d\u00a0 We now see all believers as God sees them, special objects of His grace.\u00a0 In fact, we now see all people as potential objects of His grace.\u00a0 We can no longer curse someone who we understand bears the image of God in his\/her very makeup (Jas. 3:8-10).\u00a0 It is a terrible thing to see believers with hatred toward other believers.\u00a0 We might as well have hatred toward Christ our brother.<\/p>\n

Mortals join this happy chorus<\/p>\n

Which the morning stars began;<\/p>\n

Father love is reigning o\u2019er us,<\/p>\n

Brother love binds man to man.<\/p>\n

Thou our Father, Christ our Brother,<\/p>\n

All who live in love are Thine;<\/p>\n

Teach us how to love each other,<\/p>\n

Lift us to the Joy divine.6<\/sup><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In a country we can become very partial in our loves and likes, and even bigoted or racist.\u00a0 But in the church all human distinctions are removed\u2014the only place on earth where these distinctions are truly removed.\u00a0 The biggest struggle that I observe is the difficulty in loving and respecting our elders.\u00a0 We live in a youth-oriented time.\u00a0 As a pastor of wonderful older people I can truly say that they possess the wisdom, the servant attitude, the toughness, the faithfulness, the humor, and the love that is characteristic of Christians.\u00a0 \u201cRebuke not an elder, but entreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; the elder women as mothers; the younger women as sisters, with all purity.\u00a0 Honor widows that are widows indeed\u201d (1 Tim. 5:1-3).<\/p>\n

Local church life.<\/span>\u00a0 \u201cAnd all that believed had all things common. . . And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved\u201d (Acts 2:44, 47).\u00a0 Multi-Culturalism is tearing our country apart.\u00a0 It seems like a good thing but in reality it divides rather than unifies.\u00a0 It is the American culture that has made America great.\u00a0 George Washington said, \u201cThe nation which indulges toward another a habitual hatred or a habitual fondness is in some degree a slave.\u201d7<\/sup>\u00a0\u00a0 The local church should be one culture.\u00a0 Yes, we bring our earthly baggage with us, but we check it at the door as best we can.<\/p>\n

Besides the borders, the language, and various elements of culture, the point of most of this article has been the life of the local church.\u00a0 Among the myriad other things we must do in life, nothing is more precious to the believer than the local church.\u00a0 We are pilgrims and strangers on this earth and the local church is the rest area for travelers.\u00a0 It is made up of homeless people.\u00a0 Peter writes to us as,\u00a0 \u201cDearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims\u201d (1 Pet. 2:11).\u00a0 \u201cStranger\u201d literally means \u201cwithout a house,\u201d and \u201cpilgrim\u201d literally means \u201cwithout kin.\u201d\u00a0 Yet we are \u201ca chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people: that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light\u201d (1 Pet. 2:9).<\/p>\n

If we would love the church more than the world, the church would again have power in the world.\u00a0 It is that power we need to be witnesses in a dark world.\u00a0 \u201cSave yourselves from this ontoward generation\u201d Peter preached at the beginning of our text (Acts 2:40).\u00a0 We do that through sustained life in the body of Christ, through a Christian culture.<\/p>\n

And So . . .<\/b><\/p>\n

A nation needs definite borders, one language, and a unifying culture.\u00a0 So does a church.\u00a0 A church should have a high wall of salvation, baptism, and agreement.\u00a0 It should speak the same language of by-laws, worship, and doctrine.\u00a0 It should also live a common life-style of conviction, love, and church life.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end.\u00a0 Amen\u201d (Eph. 3:20-21).<\/p>\n

Notes:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. F.F. Bruce, The Book of the Acts<\/i>, in The New International Commentary on the New Testament <\/i>(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1979) 77.<\/li>\n
  2. Edward Hiscox, The New Directory for Baptist Churches<\/i> (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1894 to 1970) describes both methods for Baptist churches. Pages 77 & 121.<\/li>\n
  3. Douglas Groothuis, Christianity That Counts<\/i> (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1994) 75.<\/li>\n
  4. John Flavel, \u201cFrom A Coronation Sermon,\u201d A Collection of Orations from Homer to McKinley, vol. 4 <\/i>(New York: Collier and Son, 1902) 1599.<\/li>\n
  5. Carl Trueman, Reformation: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow,<\/i> Kindle, 1416, p. 111.<\/li>\n
  6. Henry Van Dyke, Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee.<\/i> A mixture of verses 3 and 4.<\/li>\n
  7. George Washington, \u201cFarewell Address,\u201d Orations<\/i>, 2526.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.\u00a0 42And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.\u00a0 43And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7009,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[123],"tags":[155,143,182],"class_list":["post-7090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-baptist-baptists","tag-church","tag-ministry-leadership"],"yoast_head":"\nBorders, Language, and Culture - 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