Alien vs. Chameleon
I was reading in 1 Peter, and I noticed the word “Aliens”. This comes at a time when I am thinking about the way people see us as Christians. A lot of emergents like to talk about being relevant, and so do I. but Peter here uses imagery of, aliens, foreigners, immigrants, to describe our place in the world. This is clearly his way of fleshing out what it means to be “holy”. Holy means “set apart” in most New Testament applications.
But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."
So the apostle Peter tells me to stand out from the crowd, to NOT fit in, to live a life that reflects the moral perfection of God (an Old Testament definition of “holy”).
My question is… does this contradict the move to be relevant?
A more prominent biblical writer Paul, says in 1 Corinthians 9: 22-23
Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
Do these guys agree? Does the bible contradict itself?
I have my own thoughts on this, but what do YOU think?
posted by Rob Petkau at 12:06 PM
13 Comments:
I suppose the crucial thing is that we are set apart, alien, etc. INASMUCH as (and only inasmuch as) we resemble Christ. I know people who make such a point of being set apart that they appear ridiculous (for no good reason) and turn people off of Christianity. And of course there are extremely liberal churches who have, IMHO, rendered themselves almost entirely irrelevant by striving too hard to be relevant. I guess it's not good to think TOO much about relevance or, on the other hand, separation. Both can take on lives of their own and become unhealthy fixations. Better to focus on being Christ-like. Easier said than done, I know. Sharon
Can't we be set apart, "holy" and still be relevant to our culture?
Sure, I think you can become whatever to whoever (when not contradicting holiness- again, easier said than done) and still be an alien.
I like the desperate separatist that Paul appears to be. He's eager to get to heaven, but he's desperate to keep seeing the work done on earth. He'd become your Kenyan, Norwegian, Skater Punk, High class, homeless or middle class church mass attender (maybe even a hippie like me). I quite doubt, however, that he would become too attached to these cultures. They were the means to the end - not vice versa. That is- they were not what he chose to do because it was hard not to (conformity). Paul used whatever he could lay his hands on so that the truth could be discovered. You can call it relevancy, adaption, resourcefulnesses or as i prefer, desperately grabbing and using what you've got for God's glory. (now if i could do it I'd be rolling) Your motivation, and your perfection/Godliness, in theory is what will still make you shine. It is what will make you set apart.
(let me ask this, if were not here for the ride, but for the souls on the ride, then should we still enjoy the ride and why?)
Good comments!
Michael, I love your question:
...if were not here for the ride, but for the souls on the ride, then should we still enjoy the ride and why?
Perhaps - enjoying the ride is the language these souls speak. So communicating with them involves having fun with them.
"So the apostle Peter tells me to stand out from the crowd, to NOT fit in..."
I do not think that is what he's telling us to do at all. I think he's merely reiterating the fact that now that we're born again ... we no longer have a "place/ownership" in the crowd. We aren't being encouraged to NOT fit in; however, we are being told to remember that now that we do stand out from the crowd ... we need to continuously watch our actions and strive toward holiness, because everything we do will be watched by and judged by "the crowd". At least, that's how I've always read the passage.
Is it still relevant? I don't see why not. Becoming a born-again christian hasn't changed since that passage was written. Recognizing that we are NOT of this world anymore (well, unless you choose to reject God and seperate yourself from his presence again) is still relevant, because we are still standing out like beacons for all the rest of the world to see, and how we act in front of them is still going to be judged.
I think what Paul is talking about (in the 2nd passage you mentioned) is not so much that he "fit in" with the sinners of the world by becoming a sinner with them. He merely created a bridge between his world and their world ... created a neutral zone without class, race or status ... where his unconditional acceptance of them (no matter where they stood in life) could reflect the gospel to them.
Anyway, those are my thoughts on those passages. It's 3 in the morning ... my brain is foggy :)
AnnMarie
did you delete my post?
Johnny-Loophole - Nope, I deleted nothing.
Annmarie, I think we probably agree. It depends what you mean by "fit in". I was referring to a person doing all he/she can to be like the people around them so as to not stick out = "fit in". In that light Peter is calling us to be who we are called to be, "Royal Preisthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God...", and to "be holy". To be like Jesus (Rom. 8: 29), means that we will stand out like he did... we will also "fit in" as he did - He "fit" the need for a person to rise up and challenge the standards of the day, and to really shine - to inspire, and to know God. I want to "fit" like that.
fwew glad to hear it. hmm, that leads me to wonder where i posted the post then...
now i have to remember what i wrote
perhaps the underlying factor is social. maybe peter couldn't fit in or chose not to, (smelled of fish) and for him standing out to bring people to christ worked. visa versa for paul. long shot for understanding.
i dont remember fully what i wrote before and it wont be as good, as if it was in the first place buuut it was something like, I believe that both versions of christians exist and they are two natural paths.
I was thinking that christians are like potato chips some are flavored and and some are original.
this doesnt cover everyone but the original chips play a much more traditional role. not to alienate but show a contrast to those who wish to see a contrast.
the flavored chips' role is to show a sameness between christians and culture / sub culture that dont see a likeness between there world and the christians world.
- do not think that flavored is better, we live in a flavor crazed culture. some of us are too young to remember anything that has a natural flavour
i would guess that if you're wondering if your culture relevant then to some degree you are not, because if you were, you would feel comfortable in your surroundings and not have the thought?
Picking up on that last comment...isn't that too much of a conflation of "relevance" with "sameness" or "fitting in-ness"? Being relevant means having something different to offer--albeit something that is understood, i.e. offered in a way that makes sense in the culture. I would think (and hope) that emergent types (for example), in all their efforts to be relevant, are clear that the Gospel is only relevant inasmuch as it is *different*--i.e. it meets an unmet need. It's foreign. In Christian terms, being relevant means precisely giving people/culture something they don't have and at first barely comprehend. Actually, I'd like to hear how others understand "relevance." It seems like a loaded term to me. Sharon
very true, i think i may have use "relevent" in more than one use; revelent to non-christians as an understanding and "revelent" to christians as what matters. sorry. back to thinking.
I love the potato chips illustration. I'm seriously gonna preach it sometime!
I like it because it reminds me that we are all different (as christians) and that is a very good thing! at the end of the day I think that we can be alien, AND still be relevant. No one was more alien than Jesus, and no one has ever been more relevant. I don't have to become adicted to meth to reach a meth addict. But I can take the time to understand his life. Maybe by doing that I am "alien" to a culture that would never give the addict the time of day, let a lone a decent potato chip.
I think the biggest problem that this controversial issue points to is that of Christian insecurity in the public square. We think we're the kid that everybody else is pointing and laughing at. Even worse, we care, and we do one of two things. 1) We grab our marbles, stomp off in a huff and hide in our Jesus-forts. 2) We try to wear cooler clothes and wipe the snot off our face.
This whole issue is so often framed wrong because we are asking the question, "How should we be trying to get the world to accept us and our message?"
This is certainly not the plight of Israel (and thus the Church) in the Bible. She is a strange holy nation whose task it is to welcome the stranger and be a light to the world. Her insistence on her strangeness is part of what makes her a light. However, it does not prevent her from exercising hospitality. Remember that those in the world are also strangers to US who are in the new kingdom, the new nation.
I think a more pertinent question is, "How should we be trying to accept the stranger?" And, "What kind of house is the stranger coming into?"
Are we, the Church, an actual culture that is able to greet the stranger and offer him hospitality? Are we a real family with real customs, history, values, practices, etc.? Or are we a bunch of kids with various identities and identity crises, who are desperate to convince the stranger that we are just like him? When we greet the stranger, is it with the air of a host who actually lives in the house and is familiar with its space, or are we bumping our way around in the dark hallways and apologizing about the mess?
Hello Matthew,
Excellent quesions!
Exactly the kind of thoughts I was hoping to evoke!
I'm actually preaching what you just wrote at a retreat on Sunday.
From 1 Peter 2.
Cheers!
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