In I Timothy 3:15, the church is described as “the pillar and ground of the truth.” This indicates that the church needs to be about the business of proclaiming this truth within our culture. To accomplish this objective, the church must be seen and heard. Withdrawing from the culture in a spirit of fear is not an option.
In I Corinthians 5:4, Paul reminds us that, when we are gathered together, we have “the power of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In Acts 17 and other passages, we see Paul giving breathtaking appeals within the culture, calling people to follow Christ. This type of reasoning and discussion is needed today.
What might happen if churches today joined together to confront the culture in the spirit of love and humility? Well, one of two things would happen: (1) the culture would rise up even more aggressively against the Gospel, or (2) we would see people respond to the Spirit of God.
In Acts 17:32-33, we see Paul proclaiming the Risen Christ. And here is what happened: “And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, ‘We will hear you again on this matter.’ So Paul departed from among them.” Our message will not always be welcomed. But let’s focus on a very clear element within this verse: if Paul departed from them, he first had to be among them. And that’s where we need to be.
Confronting the culture is a difficult task, I know. But God is for us, so nothing should deter our efforts. We are “the pillar and the ground of truth,” and we must be embodying Romans 1:16 together, as we proclaim without fear the Lord Jesus is calling people to believe in Him.
Your friend in Christ,
Jonathan Falwell