Church and Culture: The High View of Scripture as the Church’s Moral Compass

Delivered during OMF Literature’s Bible Conference on February 1, 2025. The theme of the event was High View of Scripture: Proclaiming Truth, Shaping Culture, Making Disciples

Introduction

Today marks my 16 years serving as leading pastor of our church. Since the beginning of my ministry until today, I remain committed to the supreme authority and sufficiency of the Scripture as the Word of God. Madalas ay may nagtatanong sa akin kung paano ire-reform ang church, lalo na kung galing sila sa background na hindi itinuturo ang sound doctrine at naisasantabi ang preaching of gospel. Hindi ko una sinasabi sa nagtatanong na, “Heto ang mga doktrina na kailangan mong ituro sa church.” Ang una kong sinasabi ay ito: “Tiyakin mo na ang church ay merong mataas na pagtingin at pagpapahalaga sa Bibliya bilang Salita ng Diyos, at dapat nila itong makita sa ‘yo, as preaching at teaching ministry mo, at sa lahat ng aspeto rin ng ministry ng church.” This is a non-negotiable conviction as we seek the conversion of the unbelievers and the sanctification of Christians in our churches, and as we equip our churches how to engage with the world around us.

That is why nagpapasalamat ako sa Diyos sa OMFLit for organizing this conference on “The High View of Scripture: Proclaiming Truth, Shaping Culture, Making Disciples.” Anuman ang nagiging trend sa ibang mga churches ngayon, gaano man kalaki ang pressure sa society natin ngayon na fragile at pabagu-bago ang pagtingin kung ano ang totoo, na depende kung ano ang feeling nila na totoo, mahalaga na maging faithful tayo at matibay na panghawakan ang di-nagbabagong katotohanan ng Salita ng Diyos. May we have this unwavering conviction. At ang topic na ibinigay sa akin for this conference ay ito: “Church and Culture: The High View of Scripture as Moral Compass in a Relativistic World.” ‘Yan pa lang ay marami nang topics na pwedeng pag-usapan, kulang ang isang whole day conference to unpack everything.

Pero, at least, mahalaga na masimulan nating maramdaman kung bakit mahalaga ‘tong pag-usapan. Kapag sinabi kasing “moral compass,” ito yung para bang navigation system ng isang tao para alam niya kung saan siya pupunta: saan ba dapat pumunta? ano ba ang dapat paniwalaan? ano ba ang mali at tamang gawin? May mga sitwasyon na madali namang magdecide. Pero paano kung mahirap na o kumplikado na ang mga issues o merong negative reactions or painful consequences because of those decisions na kailangan nating gawin?

How should we respond kapag may mga theological controversies tulad ng lumabas ng isyu tungkol kay Ed Lapiz at sa itinuturo niya na magkaibang “diyos” si Yahweh at si El Elyon? May mga churches na sumusunod sa turo niya tungkol dito. Or yung ina-advocate ng LGBTQ community na tanggapin ang hindi lang dalawang genders kundi mas marami pa. May mga churches na sa pangalan ng “inclusivity” ay hindi lang sila wine-welcome sa churches nila kundi sine-celebrate pa ang “Gay Pride” at ang ilan sa kanila ay nagkakaroon na ng leadership positions sa church. Marami ring mga political issues lalo na kapag malapit na ang eleksiyon. Magko-comment ba tayo sa social media tungkol sa mga ganitong issues? Should we respond to every political issue? Ano ang role ng pastor sa lahat ng ito? How should we live out the reality of us Christians being “in the world” but not “of the world”? Ang misyon ba ng church ay i-share ang gospel sa mga unbelievers at i-disciple ang mga believers, o kasali rin dito ang pagsisikap na magkaroon ng transformation sa society?

Too many questions, at hindi ko layunin na sagutin lahat ‘yan ngayon. May mga disagreements naman din sa ilan sa mga iyan among many Christians. Instead, my goal is to help you na sa kahit anumang cultural issues, controversies, or pressures ay magkaroon tayo at ang mga churches natin ng “anchor” na matibay na nakatali o nakakabit sa Salita ng Diyos revealed to us in the Scripture, “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Eph. 4:14). With that in mind, susubukan nating sagutin ang three major questions:

How should we think about the church’s relationship with culture?

How is the Scripture sufficient in equipping our churches to engage with culture?

If we really believe in the life-transforming power of the message of Scripture, the gospel, how should then our local churches carry this message as “gospel-translating communities”?

A. The Church’s Relationship with Culture

First, paano nga ba natin susuriin kung ano ang relasyon ng church sa culture o sa mundong ginagalawan at kinabibilangan din naman natin? Noong 1951, almost 75 years ago, ay lumabas ang isinulat ni Richard Niebuhr na Christ and Culture, na itinuturing na isa sa mga “most significant theological and missiological works of the 20th century.” Dito ay nagbigay muna siya ng definition kung sino si Cristo ayon sa New Testament, na siyang ipinako at muling nabuhay, na siyang kinikilala ng mga Christians na kanilang authority (11-13). Sabi niya, “Belief in him and loyalty to his cause involves men in the double movement from world to God and from God to world” (29). Ano naman ang culture? Ito ang social life of humanity, ang environment na nilikha ng mga tao in the areas of “language, habits, ideas, beliefs, customs, social organization, inherited artifacts, technical processes, and values” (32). Then, isa-isang chapter niyang binigay ang limang categories, iba’t iba paraan kung paano nakikipag-engage ang mga Christians sa culture na nakapaligid sa kanila throughout history (Trevin Wax).

1. Christ against Culture: “One that uncompromisingly affirms the sole authority of Christ over the Christian and resolutely rejects the culture’s claims to loyalty” (Carson, 13). Merong complete separation, viewing the two as fundamentally opposed to each other. Binanggit niya dito sina Tertullian, Leo Tolstoy, ang mga Mennonites, at ilang mga voices mula sa monastic tradition na nagsasabing kung loyal ka kay Cristo, you will reject culture and society. Sa evaluation ni Carson: “Yet however inevitable, the position is inadequate. The most radical Christians inevitably make use of the culture, or parts of the culture” (15). Sinabi rin naman ni Niebuhr na ang pinakamalaking theological problem sa posisyon na ito ay ang relasyon ni Cristo bilang “Creator of nature and Governor of history” ay ang katotohanang ang Espiritu ay present and at work “in creation and in the Christian community” (80–81).

2. The Christ of Culture: “This second position is adopted by people who hail Jesus as the Messiah of their society, the one who fulfills its best hopes and aspirations” (Carson, 16).  He is “the great enlightener, the great teacher, the one who directs all men in culture to the attainment of wisdom, moral perfection, and peace” (Niebuhr, 92). Kabilang daw dito ang mga ancient Gnostics, si Abelard, si Albrecht Ritschl, and karamihan sa Protestant liberalism. They are Christians “not only in the sense that they count themselves believers in the Lord but also in the sense that they seek to maintain community with all believers. Yet they seem equally at home in the community of culture” (Niebuhr, 83). May appeal ito sa mga elite at powerful groups, pero nakita ni Niebuhr na hindi dapat madaig ng loyalty sa culture ang loyalty kay Cristo, na ang nagiging dulo ay si Cristo ng New Testament ay napapalitan na ng isang idol na Jesus din ang pangalan (110).

3. Christ above Culture (synthesis version): Ito naman ang majority position in the history of the church. Pero merong tatlong distinct forms. Yung una ay yung tinatawag na synthesis. (The other two sa numbers 4 and 5). Synthesists seek a “both-and” solution. Hindi mo kailangang mamili between Christ and culture dahil ginagamit din ng Diyos ang best elements of culture para ibigay sa atin ang kailangan natin. Matthew 22:21, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Sina Justin Martyr, Clement of Alexandria, at Thomas Aquinas daw ang mga advocates ng position na ‘to. Lalo na si Aquinas sa effort niya na pagsamahin sa isang system ang relasyon ng “reason and revelation, creation and redemption, nature and grace.” Ayon kay Niebuhr, ang downside ng ganitong pananaw ay ang institutionalization of Christ and the gospel, as well as the tendency to absolutize what is relative, reduce the infinite to finite form, and materialize what is dynamic (145).

4. Christ and Culture in Paradox. Ito naman ang mga dualists na kabilang din sa Christ above culture na category. Dahil sa ongoing conflict between God and humanity kaya meron ding ongoing tension between Christ and culture. “Hence the dualist joins the radical Christian in pronouncing the whole world of human culture to be godless and sick unto death. But there is this difference between them: the dualist knows that he belongs to that culture and cannot get out of it, that God indeed sustains him in it and by it; for if God in His grace did not sustain the world in its sin it would not exist for a moment” (156). Kaya “paradoxes” ang maririnig natin sa salita ng mga dualists. Ganito raw ang makikita kay apostle Paul, later on kay Martin Luther, at Sören Kierkegaard. Nakita ni Niebuhr ang lakas ng ganitong pananaw dahil tugma ito sa karanasan natin, pero para sa kanya ay kulang pa rin dahil sa tendency nito to lean toward antinomianism or cultural conservatism, yun bang hahayaan na lang kung ano ang nangyayari sa society.

5. Christ the Transformer of Culture: Ito naman ang mga conversionists na nag-aadvocate hindi lang ng individual conversion but the conversion of the culture itself. “What distinguishes conversionists from dualists is their more positive and hopeful attitude toward culture” (190–91). “Christ is the transformer of culture … in the sense that he redirects, reinvigorates, and regenerates that life of man, expressed in all human works…” (209). Present daw ito sa mga sulat nina Augustine at John Calvin. Bagamat ang culture ay nasa ilalim ng hatol ng Panginoon, ito rin ay nasa ilalim ng kanyang sovereign rule o makapangyarihang pamamahala. Kaya nga, “the Christian must carry on cultural work in obedience to the Lord” (191). Si apostle John daw ang advocate nito, na ang eternal life natin ay nagsisimula na ngayon.

Bagamat sinasabi ni Niebuhr na hindi tayo pwedeng magsettle sa isa lang sa mga views na ‘to at idisregard na yung iba, mukhang itong number 5 yung pinapaboran niya. How about most of the churches in the Philippines? Or your own church? Or your own personal attitude? Hindi man natin ito pag-isipang mabuti, we need to evaluate kung saan nanggagaling ang ganitong pakikipagrelasyon natin sa culture.

Sinabi ni Carson na yung various ways of thinking about the relationship of Christ and culture can be helpful but “will not assume canonical force” (226). Ang point niya, bagamat merong mga supporting texts ang bawat posisyon na ‘to, we must go beyond proof-texting. Kailangan ang careful exegesis ng mga biblical texts, kailangan nating tingnan how they fit into the flow of redemptive history. Ito yung kahalagan ng biblical theology, na hindi lang natin kukunin ang isang talata sa Old Testament for example, at ia-apply na agad natin na yun din ang duty ng mga Kristiyano ngayon. Dapat nating subaybayan ang trajectory ng istorya ng Bibliya from creation to Israel to Christ to the church and to the new creation. We also need to pay close attention to its “great theological structure”—the Trinity, the atoning work of Christ, the nature and purpose of the church, the eschatology of already and not yet, etc. And when we do that, makikita natin na in one sense, Christ is against culture, and in another sense, Christ is transforming culture (227). Quoting Jean Elshatin, “Avoiding these extremes (against and transform), we must see Christ against and for, agonistic and affirming, arguing and embracing. This is complex but, then, Christianity is no stranger to complexity.”

Heto yung conclusion ni Carson sa review niya ng work ni Niebuhr:

To pursue with a passion the robust and nourishing wholeness of biblical theology as the controlling matrix for our reflection on the relations between Christ and culture will, ironically, help us to be far more flexible than the inflexible grids that are often made to stand in the Bible’s place. Scripture will mandate that we think holistically and subtly, wisely and penetratingly, under the Lordship of Christ—utterly dissatisfied with the anesthetic of the culture. The complexity will mandate our service, without insisting that things turn out a certain way: we learn to trust and obey and leave the results to God, for we learn from both Scripture and history that sometimes faithfulness leads to awakening and reformation, sometimes to persecution and violence, and sometimes to both. Because creation gave us embodied existence, and because our ultimate hope is resurrection life in the new heaven and the new earth, we will understand that being reconciled to God and bowing to the Lordship of King Jesus cannot possibly be reduced to privatized religion or a form of ostensible spirituality abstracted from full-orbed bodily existence now. (227)

Ang point niya dito: let us remain committed to get our mandate from the Word of God on how we engage with culture. Kung meron talaga tayong high view of the Scripture, we will not let any tradition, organization, denomination, or personal preference dictate how we relate to the world around us. Ano ang sinasabi ng Bibliya na dapat nating paniwalaan, dapat nating gawin, dapat nating sabihin, dapat nating i-prioritize? Yun ang mas mahalaga.

B. The Sufficiency of Scripture to Equip Our Churches for Cultural Engagement

That brings us to the second major question we want to address here: How is the Scripture sufficient in equipping our churches to engage with culture? Our Protestant motto, sola Scriptura, calls us not just to believe the Bible’s supreme authority over our lives. It also calls us to be firm in our conviction that the Bible is sufficient. Sadly, hindi man natin sabihin, pero nakikita sa mga ginagawa natin, the way we conduct our ministries sa church, the way we work in accomplishing our mission, na that is not the case all the time. Kaya sabi ni James Boice, “We confess its authority, but we discount its ability to do what is necessary to draw unbelievers to Christ, enable us to grow in godliness, provide direction for our lives, and transform and revitalize society” (Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace?).

Kapag sinabing sufficiency, hindi ibig sabihin na lahat ng kaalaman na kailangan natin ay nasa Bible lang, at hindi na natin kailangan ang ibang books or teachers. Ibig sabihin lang nito na lahat ng kinakailangan para sa kaligtasan natin, para sa spiritual life natin, para sa buhay na nakalulugod sa Diyos ay matatagpuan sa Bibliya. Everything else is subordinate doon, at hindi natin pwedeng ipantay o idagdag sa Bibliya with the same level of authority and necessity. Sa mga scattered Christians na dumaraan sa iba’t ibang persecutions dahil sa culture nila na hostile sa Christianity, sabi ni apostle Peter sa 2 Peter 1:3-4, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has grated to us his precious and very great promises.” Pagkatapos sabihin ni Paul kay Timothy ang magiging kalagayan ng mundo na palala nang palala sa kasalanan, sa pride, sa kahalayan, sa karahasan, na tulad din ng mundo natin ngayon (2 Tim. 3:1-5), sabi niya,

But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:14-17)

Nasa atin ang Salita ng Diyos. We have what we need para makapamuhay sa mundong ito. In what ways na sapat ang Salita ng Diyos?

1. Sufficient for Evangelism: What do we want for the people around us? Para maging mabuting citizens lang? What do we want for those who are government officials? Para hindi na mangurakot at maging servant leaders? Para sa mga urban poor communities? To alleviate them from poverty? Yes, but sana more than that! We seek their salvation most of all. How can that be accomplished? Not through better goverment programs, not through medical or livelihood projects, but through the Word of God. Sinabi ni Paul kay Timothy na ang Bibliya ang makapangyarihan to that end: “able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 3:15). In our efforts to make positive changes to our communities, marami pa tayo siyempreng ibang dapat gawin beyond evangelism. Pero we must not disregard this primary means of God’s calling people to salvation. And how can we effect real change sa puso ng mga tao kung ang problema sa relasyon nila sa Diyos—being under sin, being under the wrath of God—ay hindi nasosolusyunan? In a world na nagiging hostile sa gospel message, we need more and more Christians who will say together with Paul, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation…” (Rom. 1:16).
2. Sufficient for Sanctification: We don’t just want converted people in our churches, we want them to grow in sanctification, in Christlikeness. Hindi lang naman kasi papakinggan ng mga tao ang sinasabi natin, titingnan din nila ang ginagawa natin. We Christians will lose credibility to the world around us if our churches keep sending out “unsanctified” Christians—and we send them out every week, after we gather for worship. How do we grow Christians in our churches? Through the Word of God. Hindi ‘yan makukuha sa pagdalo sa maraming church activities, o pagkakaroon ng various spiritual experiences, o sa pagiging bihasa sa iba’t ibang methods or steps to spiritual growth. Ang Bibliya ang kailangan natin. Dahil ito ay “profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (2 Tim. 3:16). Ito yung “spiritual milk” na kailangan natin for our spiritual growth (1 Pet. 2:2). We keep preaching and teaching the word of God centered on Christ the Son of God, para ang mga members natin ay maging katulad ni Cristo (2 Cor. 3:18) kung paano sila makitungo sa mga babae, sa mga mahihirap, sa mga maysakit, and even sa mga kaaway ng Christianity.
3. Sufficient for Guidance: We need to equip our members how to make decisions, how to apply Scriptures, how to discern God’s will. Sabi ni Paul sa Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Paano mangyayari yun? Through regular exposure to the Word of God. For what purpose? “That the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:17). God promises to guide us everyday. Tulad ng sabi niya kay Joshua (Jos. 1:9). Ang gabay na kailangan natin ay nasa Bibliya, kaya kailangan natin itong pagbulayan araw at gabi (v. 8). In that way, we will be “prosperous and successful”—not materially or physically but in regard to living a life in line with God’s purposes. Kaya kung hindi ka man makakuha ng specific directions from the word of God sa partikular na sitwasyon na kinakaharap mo, focus on God’s clearly revealed will. Like this in how we live our lives in this world: “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation” (2 Pet. 2:11-12).
4. Sufficient for Social Transformation: Ang daming problema ng bansa natin. Tulad ng poverty, drug addiction, human trafficking, prostitution, corruption, AIDS epidemic, terrorism. Akala natin ang solusyon sa mga problemang ‘yan ay kung magkakaroon lang tayo ng mahusay at matinong presidente at mga government officials, kung magkakaroon lang sana tayo ng mga comprehensive governments programs, kung malalakihan lang sana ang budget sa education at hindi mapupunta sa corruption, kung maraming organizations lang sana ang magtutulung-tulong sa relief operations at community development. Yes, may bahagi ang mga ‘yan. But we forget kung ano ang magbibigay ng genuine at lasting transformation sa bansa natin, namely, the teaching and application of the Word of God.

Tulad noong nangyari sa kaguluhan sa Marawi City noong 2016. Merong relief packages na ipinamigay na naglalaman ng mga Bibles. Medyo unwise sa tingin ng iba kasi mga Muslims yung tumanggap ng mga packages. Sasabihin pa ng ibang Christians, “Hindi Bible ang kailangan nila, kundi pagkain!” Kailangan nila ng pagkain, totoo naman. Pero ang salita ng Diyos ang higit na kailangan ng lahat ng tao para mabuhay. “Man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD” (Deut. 8:3).

Noong 1535, napagpasyahan ng Geneva, Switzerland na humiwalay na sa Roman Catholicism and to align with Protestants. Ang dami kasing riots, gambling, indecent dancing, drunkenness, adultery, and other vices sa city nila. Akala nila na by changing their religion and by having more laws, maso-solve ang problema. But “genuine moral change never comes from the top down by law, but from the bottom up through a transformed people” (Boice). Meron silang ginawang mabuti. They invited John Calvin to be their city’s chief pastor and preacher. Dumating siya taong 1536 at walang tinanggap na sahod sa loob ng isang taon. Pero naging unpopular ang preaching niya. Kaya early 1538 ay tinanggal siya sa posisyon na yun. Pero after 3 1⁄2 years, lalo pang lumalâ ang Geneva, kaya pinabalik nila si Calvin noong 1541. Focused lang siya sa preaching and teaching of the Word of God. Pagbalik nga niya, itinuloy lang niya yung Bible exposition niya kung saan siya huminto the last time bago siya pinaalis. Araw-araw ay itinuturo niya ang Salita ng Diyos. Hanggang dumating ang transformation sa Geneva. Naging malinis ang kalye nila, nawala ang mga pulubi, naipatayo ang mga ospital, natulungan ang mga mahihirap. Ang mga tao roon ay naging kilala sa kanilang love of work, honesty and cooperation.

Kung ang Salita ng Diyos ay may kapangyarihang bumago sa puso ng isang tao, it has the power to change one city, and even our whole nation. Let us focus on teaching the Word to one person at a time until thousands and until millions get to hear the gospel and be transformed. Because the Bible is the Word of God, it is powerful, it is clear for everyone to understand, and it is sufficient.

C. Local Churches as “Gospel-Translating Communities”

Kung alam natin ang klase ng mundo na ginagalawan natin, and if we are so convinced na makapangyarihan at sapat ang Salita ng Diyos, mas nagiging kumbinsido rin tayo na ang Salitang ito ang kailangang-kailangan ng mundo natin. Listen to Dutch theologian Herman Bavinck:

Scripture is the word of God that has completely entered into the world. It makes that word universal and everlasting, and rescues it from error and lies, from oblivion and transience. To the degree that humankind becomes larger, life becomes shorter, the memory weaker, science more extensive, error more serious, and deception more brazen, the necessity of Holy Scripture increases. (Reformed Dogmatics, 1:472)

Now, to our third and last question: If we really believe in the life-transforming power of the message of Scripture, the gospel, how should then our local churches carry this message as “gospel-translating communities”? That term, gospel-translating, came from Ed Stetzer in his book Christians in the Age of Outrage. Dahil nasa mga kamay natin ang Salita ng Diyos, mahalaga ngayon ang role ng church para madala ang mensaheng ito sa culture na nasa paligid natin at kinabibilangan natin, “so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God (revealed in the gospel) might now be made known” (Eph. 3:10). So, we help our members “translate the gospel message of reconciliation into the language and culture of [our] specific neighborhoods” (Stetzer, 259). Binanggit niya dito yung nakita ni Leslie Newbigin na central role ng local church (not the NGOs, not the government, not parachurch organizations, but the local church!) in impacting culture:

If the gospel is to challenge the public life of our society…it will only be by movements that begin with the local congregation in which the reality of the new creation is present, known, and experienced, and from which men and women will go into every sector of public life to claim it for Christ, to unmask the illusions which have remained hidden and to expose all areas of public life to the illumination of the gospel. (cited in Stetzer, 262)

Building on Newbigin’s vision, Stetzer then identify five ways the local church lives out this gospel-translating posture (262-266):

1. The church is a community of truth. Ang nasa sentro na nagbubuklod sa community natin bilang mga local churches ay hindi common interests, hindi common political views, or common advocacies, but “a shared commitment to and belief in the truth of the Christian faith” (263). Ito yung katotohanan na tinatayuan natin, katotohanang itinuturo ng Bibliya, katotohanang si Cristo mismo (John 14:6). Hindi ito nagbabago, kahit pa sa panahong hindi ito popular o kahit nagiging offensive pa ito sa mga tao. But of course, we need to learn how to speak this “truth” in love to our neighbors (Eph. 4:15-16).
2. The church is an embedded community. Ibig sabihin, hindi isolated sa mga tao sa paligid. Para tayong embassy ng Diyos, we represent the rule and kingdom of God to the people around us. Ang iba naman ay nagiging sobrang “attached” na sa culture around them, na para bang ang church ay nagiging isa na sa mga social program sa society, at nakakalimutan ang unique identity nito sa plano ng Diyos. We must remember, we are followers of Christ, we take our cues from his words, then it is rightful to ask, “What does it mean to follow Christ sa lugar na pinaglagyan sa atin ng Panginoon? Paano natin maiko-communicate ang pag-asa at katotohanang nakay Cristo sa mga tao sa paligid natin?”
3. The church is a community of equipping. Tayo na mga pastor ay merong responsibility to equip our members, the saints, for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11-12). Primarily siyempre how to build up the church. Pero meron din tayong responsibility sa pagtuturo natin ng salita ng Diyos to show them how this Word equips them to be witnesses for the gospel, to be good citizens, to be loving neighbors, to be on mission every single day.
4. The church is a community of accountability and responsibility. Kapag namumuhay ang mga members natin sa paraang hindi nakikita na sila’y tagasunod ni Cristo, o sa paraang tulad lang din ng mundo, o sa paraang dinudungisan pa ang pangalan ni Cristo, the name they represent, we have a responsibility to rebuke and correct them by speaking the Word of God sa kanila. Hindi lang ito ministry ng mga pastor; it is an all-member ministry. In a culture na bawat Facebook user ay “sovereign” sa kanilang paggamit ng social media, “My wall, my rules,” tayong mga Kristiyano ay dapat na bantayan ang bawat isa. When you see a fellow Christian mocking, belittling others (Christian man ang ka-argument niya sa comment section o non-Christian), kahit na tama ang sinasabi niya pero she’s doing it without love, we have an obligation to rebuke, to correct, and to remind them.
5. The church is a community of hope. When we invite others into our lives, hindi naman tayo magpapanggap na okay na lahat ng nangyayari sa atin. Makikita nila na nalulungkot din tayo, umiiyak din tayo, we also suffer dahil sa mga pagkakasakit, sa broken relationships, sa injustices sa society natin. But we do not suffer as one without hope. We pray, we persevere, we cling to the hope we have in Jesus. Nakikita nila na ang pag-asa natin ay hindi nakatali sa mundong ito, kundi sa pangako ng Diyos na mangyayari sa pagbabalik ni Cristo, a new heavens and a new earth. And living with that kind of hope ay posible lang kung ang mga churches natin ay babad sa mga pangako ng Salita ng Diyos.

For our churches to be this kind of churches, we have to remain committed to the Bible as the Word of God, and learn not just regular but “rich reading of Scripture.” According to Carson:

Such rich reading of Scripture will achieve two more things. To a generation that scrambles for the top and then looks around and asks, “Is this all there is?” a biblical vision that focuses on Christ and his cross, on the links between this world and the next, on bold Christian living and faithful witness, and on a large-scale vision that makes the world our parish while loving the neighbor next door, raises our eyes above ourselves, and delights in the glory of God. When churches so taught thrust their members into engagement with the wider world, their members are far less likely to be snookered by the world to which they are to bear witness and in which they are to do good. We will avoid the trap aptly described by Horton: “Instead of being in the world but not of it, we easily become of the world but not in it.” Instead, we will live in the tension of claiming every square inch for King Jesus (referring to Abraham Kuyper’s famous quote), even while we know full well that the consummation is not yet, that we walk by faith and not by sight, and that the weapons with which we fight are not the weapons of the world (2 Corinthians 10:4). (227)

Our weapon? The Word of God. Hindi man mangyari ang mga inaasahan natin, pero makatitiyak tayo na hindi masasayang ang lahat. Sabi ng Diyos, “My word…that goes out from my mouth…shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isa. 55:11). A crucial question, then, for the church today: “Do we, the people of God, trust the word of God to accomplish the purposes of God in the world created, sustained, and governed by God?”

Bibliography

• Boice, James. Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace?: Rediscovering the Doctrines that Shook the World. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2001.
• Carson, D. A. Christ and Culture Revisited. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2008.
• Niebuhr, Richard. Christ and Culture. New York: HarperCollins, 1975.
• Parfan, Derick. Five Solas, One Gospel: Mga Foundational Doctrines para sa Filipino Church Ngayon. Baliwag City: Treasuring Christ PH, 2001.
• Stetzer, Ed. Christians in the Age of Outrage: How to Bring Our Best When the World is at Its Worst. Carol Streams, IL: Tyndale, 2018.
• Wax, Trevin. “‘Christ and Culture’ – An Overview of a Christian Classic.” Feb. 25, 2015, The Gospel Coalition Blogs, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevin-wax/christ-and-culture-an-overview-of-a-christian-classic/.