Title Matthew 28:16-20
The theme of this year's Underwood Academic Lecture is "Mission and Culture". So, I would like to first summarize our understanding of culture and our position on missions based on that understanding. First of all, what is "culture"? I think each person's understanding and definition will be slightly different. There are also various definitions and descriptions of culture in the dictionary. We define "culture" as "the collective term for the religious, ethical, social, technological, and academic progress made by mankind (or any particular society or community) through the capacities of reason, emotion, and will, as well as the results and characteristics" I will try to summarize the biblical and theological perspectives on culture in this sense.
First, we must recognize the culture that humanity has created and developed, and we must not underestimate the human ability to create that culture. We should be able to observe the amazing results that mankind has achieved, such as the development of various arts and all kinds of manufacturing technologies, as well as the sciences such as philosophy and science, and we should positively evaluate the outstanding abilities of human beings compared to other creatures. will do It is unrealistic to underestimate the amazing achievements of human beings, such as today's science and technology that can send people to the moon, explore space, and send messages by text, voice or video to anywhere on the planet in an instant while sitting in one place. I mean.
At the same time, however, we must acknowledge that our understanding and evaluation of natural humans and their cultures clearly have limitations. It should be noted that human abilities are not infinite, and that even finite abilities do not originate from natural human beings themselves.
Here we have to look at the fundamental understanding of man from a theological point of view. The true understanding of man is the theological understanding of man. Theological understanding of man is understanding man in relation to God. We believe that man was created by God. Therefore, it is clear that an understanding of man that does not consider what kind of being he is in relation to God who created him cannot be true.
The theological understanding of man should be centered on understanding sin and the image of God. Sin has severely damaged the image of God in man, but it cannot be said that the image of God has been completely destroyed in man. It is believed that the sparks of the image of God still remain, because of the seeds of religion, conscience, and other powers planted in all human beings. Although he was a sinner against him, God did not turn him into a demon or a beast at once, or turn human society into a world full of chaos and lawlessness that is impossible to live in. So, through the “natural gifts” that God has left for us, humans can build families, societies, and nations, maintain their order, promote public welfare, and continue to invent and develop for the convenience of life, and enjoy a more pleasant life. For the sake of the arts, I have achieved the development of all kinds of academics. This is the universal grace of God, and it is through this universal grace that culture is made possible, and thus it becomes clear that culture is in no way independent of God.
But it should not be overlooked that these human capacities for "worldly and human things" are by no means perfect, but to some extent marred and tainted by sin. How much perception, judgment, and will we are left with is shrouded in so much darkness that we cannot be perfect. Therefore, even if it is about worldly and human things, it cannot be said that all things that human beings think, judge, do and achieve are right, good, and perfect. Thus, it is also clear that culture is subject to critical scrutiny.
On the other hand, when it comes to "heavenly and spiritual things," we should know that sin has made man's power utterly incapacitated. When it comes to knowing God, His will, the truth of His kingdom, the mysteries of salvation, the spiritual life, etc., Man is in a completely blind and lost state. The seeds of religion that God has left in each person are limited to the ability to vaguely feel the existence of God so that they cannot deny the existence of God. It doesn't have a function. Therefore, the culture created by natural humans with the natural abilities left to them is fundamentally unbelieving, anti-God, and contains elements that are not related to the kingdom of God. It also becomes clear that it should be the subject of enemy criticism.
Such a basic position on human beings and their culture is fully revealed in the short sentence of our Reformer Calvin: "The art of painting and sculpting is a gift from God, so I believe that God It demands that the use given to men for the sake of glory and their happiness be kept pure and lawful, lest they be corrupted and polluted by disorderly misuse, and that they not only turn to our desolation". In this sentence, I think that almost all the main points related to how Christians treat culture are concisely summarized and implied. You might be able to organize them into a few things: First, the human ability to create culture is a gift of God's grace. Second, the powers are given for the glory of God and the happiness of men. Third, therefore, those powers must be used in an orderly, right, and pure manner according to the will of God. Fourth, if not, culture means not human prosperity, but rather human devastation.
Here, for the sake of the kingdom of God, we are talking about a true culture for Christians who believe and profess the Triune God, who created humans and the universe and saved mankind through Jesus Christ and sanctifies them daily with the Holy Spirit. It becomes self-evident that the culture that was originally properly ordered in the relation of Therefore, we can critically analyze and understand all cultures from the standpoint of Christian faith, and furthermore, we need to actively create a Christian culture.
There are major questions that serve as the basis for criticizing the cultures of this world. First, is it a culture that reveals the honor and glory of God the Creator without being covered up? Second, is it a culture that contains the truth of salvation through Jesus Christ and a profession of faith in it? Third, is it a culture in which the longing for the kingdom of God and the confident expectation of its coming are symbolically expressed?
In addition, in order for a culture to become a true culture, that is, a Christian culture, first, it must be a culture that is not derived from natural human reason or emotion, but is a product of reason and emotion, conscience and will that have been illuminated and changed by the inspiration of God's word and the Holy Spirit. Second, it must be a culture that pursues the glory of God and human happiness according to God's will, that is, a culture that aims for the kingdom of God. Third, it should be a culture that embraces the heart of Jesus Christ and pursues and realizes a life of reconciliation with God, between people, and with nature.
In this way, I think our answers to the old question of what kind of relationship should be between secular culture, various traditional cultures, or local culture and Christian faith have already been given. All culture is the product of the powers God has left in His mercy and deep providence to sinful man. Thus, every culture has value as a source of introspection, where we can trace how humans have used (or misused) and developed (or corrupted) the gifts of God's natural grace. But a culture based on human powers not illuminated by the Word and Spirit of God, that is, not transformed by faith, can never please God and bring true happiness to all people, and ultimately become the object of God's wrath and judgment. will be Therefore, even if it is our nation's own traditional culture, we should be careful that there is a high possibility that it will be wrong to unconditionally accept everything without theological examination and religious filtering, and to introduce and mix it in a worship or church ceremony indiscriminately.
We cannot accept the claim that true religiosity or expression of Christian faith can be found in traditional culture. As mentioned earlier, the seeds of religion planted in humans are only to give a vague feeling that the existence of God is undeniable, so that there is no excuse for disbelief in oneself later, and has no power to lead to the true knowledge of God. This is because religious phenomena in the culture that are based on the seeds of this religion do not express the true truth of salvation.
Therefore, any attempt to make culture a principle of knowledge of God and a starting point of faith must also be rejected. Such attempts are fundamentally blocked by the biblical thinking that, because of sin, all parts of the soul and body, including reason, emotions, and will, have been corrupted and polluted, and moreover, they are completely powerless, blind, and lost in knowing God. Culture as a product of corrupt human reason, emotion, and will cannot therefore be the basis for the knowledge of God. Culture is not the starting point of faith, but the target toward which faith must move toward that change.
When Jesus said, “Go and make disciples of all nations” (verse 19), He said, “Make disciples of Jesus Christ,” and that it does not matter whether you make disciples of Confucius, disciples of Shakyamuni, or disciples of Muhammad. not something. “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5). We are those who believe in one Lord Jesus Christ and are baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Jesus commanded, “Teach them to obey all that I have commanded you” (verse 20). It is all that Jesus Christ has commanded us to go and teach and observe to all nations, and nothing else.
Mission is to preach Jesus Christ and teach them to obey everything he has commanded, and it is to change the culture and traditions of other peoples, not destroy them. It is to help them reflect on themselves through Jesus Christ, to help them discover the unbelieving and demigod elements in their culture, and to guide them to make decisions toward a life that is worthy of God's will. That is mission. We are called out of this world for this work, and we are sent into this world for this work.