Paul in Romans 12:2 says, ‘Do not be conformed to this
world.’
It bothers me that we have brought into the church, the
customs, practices of the non-believing society that we live in, which are
contrary to the teachings and doctrines of the Bible. To our own hurt, have we
followed these beliefs. The church has always faced this problem, this issue.
It is not a new discussion that we are entering into. From the days of the
early church, Paul had to confront believers who followed and practiced the
customs of the unregenerate culture that they came from. In I Corinthians
chapter 3 verse 3, he confronts the Corinthians church believers of being
envious, of striving with each other and divisions among them. In chapter 5, he
confronts the sin of sexual immorality within the church. In chapter 6, he
confronts believers of going to court against another believer and in that same
chapter, he again warns believers to stay away from sexual immorality. In
chapter 7, he discusses the topic of marriage, of relationship of husband with
his wife and of wife with her husband. In chapter 8, idolatry, in chapter
9, about him being criticized and in the end of the same chapter, about
self-control and discipline of body. He goes on and on about the sin prevailing
in the church.
History tells us that it was a city of sin and from that
sinful culture, there were individuals who believed in Jesus and were part of
the church. So, it is obvious that they brought in with them the baggage.
We have been born in this society, we went to school with
unbelieving children, and our communications and time have been spent in the
company of unbelievers. We have been raised in this culture. We have been
bombarded with this belief system though our parents, friends, media, and
movies. Before we realized, those belief system have already become a part of
us. It has so deeply seeped in the mindset of Christian individuals that it is
difficult to see it as sinful custom.
Folks, 'our faith is not in the wisdom of men but in the
power of God', I Corinthians 2: 5. Our thought process, our ways in life are
different from the ways of unbelievers. Our belief system is different. We
don’t think the way the world thinks. We don’t act the way the world act. We
don’t do things the way the world does.
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Let's look at some of the false beliefs that we practice
in the church. And I will start with the issue of adoption. In India, if a
married couple fails to have a child, it is considered a disgrace. That gods
are not pleased with you. You need to appease the gods. You need to fend off
the curse. The couple spends years making trips to countless temples, mosques,
god-men and medical practitioners to somehow break this curse. They live with
the hope that someday they will have their own child. With that belief, they
waste the best years of their lives and spend it in being sorrow, anger,
confusion, hatred and seek to forget the issue by getting involved in other
things or areas.
Is not the culture that we live in against the concept of
adoption? Does it not look down on parents who adopt children? Is it not a
disgrace in our society to adopt children? When we do not adopt children,
depriving ourselves of the joy, thrill and renewal of energy that they bring
in, we unconsciously practice the belief system of the unregenerate society.
Have we not brought this belief system in the church? Are
we not guilty of this act, thought process? Have we not made a fool of
ourselves like the people outside the church? Are there not believing couples
who are suffering because of this belief? A childless Christian couple, without
having an understanding of the Bible on this issue, they undergo pain and
suffering. Do they not suffer in their relationship with God and with each
other?
For part two on this topic, click on Being Childless: Biblical Perspective, Part II
