The word “culture” brings to mind a wide range of current issues: abortion, attacks on law enforcement, entitlement mentality, acceptance of the LGBTQ agenda, redefining marriage, widening distance between the rich and poor, disintegrating family structure. And the list could go on.

While evidence of the world’s decay may vary from generation to generation, the fact of sin is unchanging.  From the moment of the fall of mankind recorded in Genesis 3, the ways of God have been diametrically opposed by the devices of Satan. We live in a sin-cursed world culture described in Scripture as being under the domain of the Devil, the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4).

So according to Jesus Christ, how should believers relate to this decadent culture?

Relationship to Our Culture

Probably the most pointed instruction given by Jesus to help us understand our role with the world is provided in the intimate moments of his High Priestly prayer recorded in John 17. He describes our relationship to our world with a series of four prepositions.

Jesus begins by declaring in John 17:6 that He has “manifested thy name unto the men whom thou gavest me out of the world.” True followers of Christ are OUT OF the world where they physically reside. Simply stated, we don’t fit in the world’s culture.

But Jesus continues in John 17:11 by stating that, “I am no more in the world, but these [believing ones] are in the world.” Our denial of practicing this world’s culture does not remove us from it. We do live IN this world. Our presence should be evident (in), even as we are different (not of). However, as believers our disdain for our culture should never be seen as permission to cease loving the people of our culture.  We must love the lost like Christ modeled for us as he displayed moving compassion for the needy culture of His day.

The third prepositional description is clearly implied though not directly stated by Jesus. Having affirmed our assignment to exist in the world, Jesus quickly prays, “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me” (John 17:11). In these words Jesus describes believers as being kept FROM the world. Christians must guard themselves lest they fail to be eligible for the desired unity portrayed by God the Father with God the Son. The much-misrepresented phrase encouraging unity, “that they may be one,” was never intended to promote compromise of theology or conduct. God the Father and God the Son are united in perfect doctrinal and behavioral harmony; this is the only way we are instructed to practice unity. Accommodating our culture is not Christ’s intent for believers. God is absolutely holy and so must we seek to be if we are to be properly unified with God.

The final preposition used to describe our relationship with our culture is given in John 17:13. “These things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.” Believers are not consigned to a life of dread and despair by the preceding three descriptions. Rather, Jesus declares that the result of these three provides joy.  Thus we see joy WITHIN the world. Our conflict with culture should not rob us of our joy.

Response to Our Culture

Jesus then provides a series of guidelines leading to our commissioned task for accomplishing His mission of engaging believers as His ambassadors to this world. First, Jesus identifies our arsenal for confronting this world’s culture. John 17:14a states, “I have given them thy word.” Any address of culture must be scripturally based. He gave us the Word.

Secondly, we should expect the culture to reject the Word of God. John 17:14b confirms, “And the world hath hated them.” With the denial and abandonment of the Bible, our culture has increasingly assaulted any adherence or obligation to follow the teaching of Scripture. Frankly, the church and culture exist in two different realms. “The world hath hated them because they are not of the world” (John 17:14, cf. John 15:19).

It should be noted, thirdly, that Jesus did not intend to take us out of this world, but rather that we should be protected from the evil one as noted in John 17:15, “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Clearly, we are to exist in this culture but we are not to yield to the corruption of this culture. Difference should be obvious because we are not of this world. “They are not of this world, even as I am not of this world” (John 17:16).

Fourthly, Jesus gives the needed defense and inoculation for believers in our culture. “Sanctify them through thy truth; thy Word is truth” (John 17:17).  With a declaration of absolutism (truth) further solidified by its identity and authority with the Word of God, Jesus prays for a “setting apart” of the believers from the ways of the world.

Finally, the command for the Christian and culture is introduced. “As the Father has sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world” (John 17:18). With an amazing comparison to the Lord Jesus Himself, we are commissioned to invade our darkened culture with the radiance of sanctified behavior grounded upon the changeless, absolute truth of the Word of God.

Representation in Our Culture

Jesus uses powerful illustrations to guide believers as we face our culture. One of the clearest examples is the imagery of light. He boldly announces, “Ye are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14).  He further declares, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16). Light gives direction, provides protection, exercises correction, and facilitates detection. When living correctly, Christians do all of this in the culture. Our very presence should provide these qualities of light in stark contrast to the darkness and despair of our world. Such shining ignites a need and desire for the Source of our light, God Himself. We should remind people of God by our presence.

The relationship between the believer and culture presents a myriad of hotly-debated topics. The extremes of response are too often apparent. But Jesus left us with the infallible compass of the Holy Scriptures and with the guaranteed indwelling of the Holy Spirit to lead us. May God help us to tackle the challenge of relating to and responding to our culture without conforming to it (Romans 12:2).