The Cultural Mandate by Rev. Kong Hee

The scriptural justification for developing culture and building civilization starts with Genesis.

Before creation, the Earth was without form and void; it was dark and undeveloped.
- Then, in a series of steps, God created light, atmosphere, the sea, land, living creatures.
- God did the work of creation directly and by Himself.

But then God changed His strategy.

Gen. 1: 26-28

On the Sixth Day, He created Man in His own image and likeness and instructed them to carry on where He left off.
- From that moment, Man’s responsibility to develop the earth would be primarily social and
cultural.
- So, we are given the task of exploring and developing the potential that God has put in the
earth.

Salvation does not consist simply of being free from sin; …
- Salvation also means being restored to the task we were given in the beginning—the task of
developing culture and building civilization.

Therefore, redemption is not just for individuals; it is for all of God's creation.
· God cares not only about redeeming souls but also about restoring His creation.
· He calls us to be agents not only of His saving grace but also of His common grace.
· Our job is not only to build up the church but also to build a society to the glory of God.

UNDERSTANDING CULTURE

DEFINITION: Culture is the shared beliefs, values, ideas, attitudes, assumptions, customs,
practices, and social behavior of a particular group, nation or people.

1. Culture is an integral part of the human soul.

Gen. 2:7 (KJV)
And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

And if the needs of our human soul are not met, we feel a sense of emptiness—we feel hollow on the inside.

Every human soul must be satisfied by seven things:
1. Spirituality
2. Love
3. Self-esteem
4. Knowledge
5. Security
6. Aesthetics (arts, culture)
7. Freedom

NOTICE: It is not just using aesthetics (arts, culture) to express our spirituality (worship,
evangelism, proclamation of our faith).
- It is using the arts to communicate love, self-esteem, knowledge, security, beauty and
freedom.

And when an art form can do that, it nourishes the human soul—it enriches our lives.

2. God speaks through culture.

Col 1:16

“Common grace” is the theology describing God speaking through “common” secular people or things to awake our conscience toward the goodness of God

Popular art represents a powerful means of cultural communication => they communicate to us what the real world is like and how to live in this world.

Because culture is the shared beliefs, values, social behavior of a particular group of people, what you see in pop culture is the EXPRESSION of that belief and outlook of life.

So, to change culture, we need to change the core—its belief system.

And by pop culture, we mean eight things (in order of impact):
1. Advertising.
2. Celebrity.
3. Music.
4. Movies.
5. Television.
6. Fashion.
7. Sports.
8. Art (literature, painting, sculpture, architecture, and so on.)

Like the Old Testament writings (Esther, Songs of Solomon, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes), pop culture is the collected experience of our generation.
- Just as God has spoken through these writings, God is still speaking today through pop
culture.
- Popular art communicates issues like social injustice, sorrow, love, loyalty, grace, etc all the
time.

Although songs, movies, TV drama, literature, painting in pop culture may not immediately lead to a person’s salvation ...- It still offers us with essential perspective, comfort and wisdom for living.

And like the Bible writings, their truths endure the test of time.

God’s ultimate purpose is that through Christ, He wants “to reconcile all things to Himself” (Col. 1:19).

Ps 115:16

- Part of our job as Christians is to bring all things under the lordship of Jesus.

What are the main complaints that Christians have of Christian music and movies?

1. Inferior imitations ... compared to mainstream culture.
2. Sanitized versions … compared to the real world—unrealistic!

Christian entertainment has come to mean only movies and music that is appropriate for the family.

3. Limited in purpose and content.

If you listen to most Christian Contemporary Music (CCM), you would think that all Christians do is worship and evangelize 24/7.

CONCLUSION

What can we say in conclusion?

If we find common grace at work, let us celebrate it ... enjoy the movie, the song, the fashion without feeling guilty or condemned.

And in a world that is crying out for truth and relevance, our Christian response should not be just God (3x) ... worship (3x) ... or soul-winning (3x).

Just as the Jews demanded for signs and the Greeks looked for wisdom, the next generation wants relevance.

As God’s agent of His common grace, let us explore and use the full spectrum of the human soul: emotionally and intellectually.
- We should be relatable to a real world with real problems—a world struggling with pain, grief, frustration, broken hearts, shattered dreams, wariness of life, the snares of temptation, unfulfilled sexual desires.
- Show that it is okay to be a human being living in a fallen world, with human needs ... without having to preach to them or convert them instantly.

And as you live life like a normal human being, you will become the salt of the earth and the light of the world ... and you will ultimately bring many into the kingdom of God.