It is a strange time in the history of the Church. We have been living off the capital of the Reformation for several centuries. However, we are also experiencing the judgment of God for the Church’s failure to continue believing and obeying the Scriptures. As a nation we are witnessing the mass murder of babies (around 70,000 Australian abortions occur every year), every day hundreds of thousands of Christian children are being taught an anti-Christian worldview in secular classrooms. The list goes on and on. Some deduce from this that the end of the world is nigh. I don’t think this is the case. In fact many have thought this throughout the course of history and here we are with still much kingdom work to be done. The small mustard seed is still growing into a great tree that gives resting place for all the birds ( Matthew 13:31-32 , Luke 13:18-19 ). We still need to disciple and baptise all the nations ( Matthew 28:18-20 ). Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, uses the means of the Word being preached to conquer all His enemies before returning to hand the Father a completed kingdom (1 Corinthians 15:20-28 ), and there are still many enemies to be placed under Christ’s feet. So, there is still much work to be done. Some important cultural concerns need to be addressed in modern Christendom. In a previous article I raised the questions of tattoos, piercings, modesty (dress). What astounds me is the general tendency of Christians (and even the Church) to assert these issues as being non-Gospel. It has even been said that these concerns are externals and thus unimportant in the eyes of God. This may come as a surprise to some: a certain culture flows from Christianity. In other words, faith in Christ reforms the entire man. Every inch of ones life is to be examined by the Word of God.

The once blurry Spiritual battle lines are becoming clearer as our children grow up. It seems like the more we seek to apply all of Scripture to our family life, the greater the opposition. I suppose this is to be expected. It is surprising to discover where it comes from. But as our little ones grow we begin to see things “through new eyes.” Issues that were peripheral become central. More time is given to the central role of families in the Scriptures. Don’t get me wrong, we are battling through reshaping our lives as we seek to raise godly offspring. This is most difficult. Old habits die hard. Humanistic thought is like a well developed dandelion. The flower may seem pretty, but it is a weed with a deep tap root. It often takes many attempts to pull the whole thing out. Likewise, worldviews are imbedded in our consciences. They run deep. Our thoughts, actions and words are shaped by how we view the world. I suppose changing worldview is like an insect shedding its skin! It hurts! Family life is an integral part of our world and life view. Nations rise and fall upon the strength or otherwise of the family unit. When families seek to apply all of Scripture to all of life churches are strengthened, which in turn develops strong nations. “No church, community, or nation will rise higher than the spiritual condition of its families."[1] Note the causal effect. Modern Christendom has forgotten this effect. We only dimly realise that the “family is…central to the Biblical way of life."[2] So much so that four of the ten commandments deal with the family, three of them directly ( Exodus 20:12,14 ,15,17). Biblical family structure and functionality rests upon the sovereignty and centrality of God. Christianity’s antithesis chides this. “The humanistic doctrine of the family is man-centered and society-centered."[3]All anti-Christian worldviews hate Biblically minded families. Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood) states it like this; “[t]he most merciful thing a large family can do to one of its infant members is to kill it."[4] Linda Gordon is also blunt; “[t]he nuclear family must be destroyed, and people must find better ways of living together.”[5] Family structure has been the battle line for decades now. Humanists have always known that if they break up the Biblical family, society is theirs. The opposition comprehends the power of God-centered families. Simple, faithful obedience to Christ’s Word strikes fear into the hearts of our enemies. They realise the potential of God-centered families. As in the past, strong families can change the world. Simone de Beauvoir declares; “[n]o woman should be authorized to stay at home to raise her children. Society should be totally different. Women should not have that choice, precisely because if there is such a choice, too many women will make that one."[6]

Christians across the western world enjoy freedom. We need to ask ourselves; “what are we doing with our freedom?” Now, it depends what I mean by freedom. Yes, we are freed from sin through the atoning death of Christ. So this leads us to ask where this freedom leads us. Are we free to do as we please? Do we have the license to live in a manner that is defined by self? These questions can be answered superficially. A simple no or even we are free to live for Christ does not put the meat onto the skeleton! What does it actually mean to be free in order to serve Christ or live for Him? This requires more thought, reading and prayer.  If our culture must come out of our fingertips what does it look like? How does my life reflect me serving God? Or even more, how must God’s Word shape what I do, what I believe, how I dress and what I emphasise in my life? Does professing Christ shape my life or am I to be a practising pragmatist? This needs to be pushed a little further. How should Christianity shape my community? Are my family, society, church and nation immune from the demands of Christ’s kingdom? In other words, is Christianity a zenith of relational individualism or a focus on broader relationships?