There is a new concept taking our nation by storm. Of course, according to Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1:9, “there is no new thing under the sun.” So, technically, this is an old concept with a modern-day spin. It’s called cultural Christianity.
Go back in time to when the word “Christian” was first used. Acts 11:26 says, “And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” This was not a complimentary term. It was a term of derision making Christianity countercultural.
With the rise of Roman Emperor Constantine in 313 AD, Christianity started to become more acceptable throughout the empire. “By the middle ages, the Roman Catholic Church held more power than most secular rulers in Europe. Even once the 1800s hit and the United States of America continued to grow, Americans considered the country a “Christian nation.”
“It became comfortable to be a Christian. It was respected, even expected. Folks could freely call themselves “Christian” (even if they’d never prayed) just because their family and neighbors were Christians. But as cultural Christianity rose, biblical Christianity suffered. The lines between the two became blurred.”1
Cultural Christianity is an odd phenomenon. It is so inclusive that atheist Richard Dawkins considered himself to be a cultural Christian. “He recognizes the benefits of Christian morality and celebrations, though he does not believe in God and is outspoken against religion.”2 Recently, Elon Musk told Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson that he also identifies as a cultural Christian.
When Peterson asked Musk about his personal faith, the tech billionaire said, “While I’m not a particularly religious person, I do believe that the teachings of Jesus are good and wise.”
He added that “there’s a tremendous wisdom in turning the other cheek.”
The tech billionaire said that he is “a big believer in the principles of Christianity.”
“I would say I’m probably a cultural Christian,” he stated…
“During another part of the interview, when Musk and Peterson discussed their shared concern about low birth rates worldwide, Musk said, “I think there is an argument that when a culture loses its religion, it starts to become anti-natalist, decline in numbers, and potentially disappear.”
“While Musk expressed a generally positive attitude towards Christian principles, he also revealed his relativistic thinking about religion, contrary to the truth of the Christian faith.
“I think it’s probably good to have multiple religions and have different perspectives on things,” he stated.
Musk said that his beliefs could be best described as “the religion of curiosity” and “the religion of greater enlightenment.”3 I would call it the religion of darkness because it denies the only one true source of light. Jesus is described in John 1:9 as “the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”
Cultural Christianity is a religion of compromise, comfort, and convenience. It doesn’t call for the convert to be anything more that thoughtful, generous, and overall nice to others. True Christianity calls for genuine conversion that cannot be obtained through our efforts. It is solely the work of God on the soul of man.
John Woolley, writing for Evangelical Magazine, puts it this way. “Conversion does not have to be dramatic. However, it is profoundly radical for it flows from a person’s change in status before God, accomplished by Christ’s atoning work in reconciling the sinner to God. It rightly warrants the language of a ‘new birth’ (John 3:3); ‘a new creation’ (2 Corinthians 5:17); ‘a taking off and putting on’ (Eph. 4:21-24); ‘a turning from darkness to light and from power of Satan to God’ (Col. 1:13; Acts 26:18). It is a revolutionary turning, which is first inward and spiritual, leading to the commencement of a comprehensive change in the life of an individual.”4
Living out cultural Christianity is easy. Living out radical, transformative Christianity is anything but easy. It will put us in the crosshairs of the world and the enemy of God, namely, Satan and his demonic minions. We are promised in 2 Timothy 3:12 that if we live that converted life, a Godly life, we “shall suffer persecution.”
Never fear, dearly beloved. As we live out true faith, genuine conversion, and real Christianity, we can take heart in knowing the truth of 1 John 4:4. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”
1https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/what-s-the-difference-between-biblical-and-cultural-christianity.html
2Ibid.
3https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/elon-musk-tells-jordan-peterson-he-is-a-cultural-christian-jesus-teachings-are-good-and-wise/
4https://www.evangelicalmagazine.com/article/conversion-a-life-changing-encounter/
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