Demonstrating Cultural Relevance in Christ Through Biblical Fulfillment
The concept of demonstrating cultural relevance in Christ through biblical fulfillment centers on believers embodying Christ's character and mission in their daily lives, thereby impacting their cultural context. This involves a deep, experiential knowledge of Christ, leading to a walk "worthy of the Lord" [2, 3].
A foundational aspect of this demonstration is "putting on Christ," a metaphor used in various biblical texts. For instance, Galatians 3:27 states, "as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ" [4, 6]. This act signifies not merely an outward profession but an inward transformation where believers receive Christ's Spirit, adopt his interests, and emulate his manners [4]. It implies assuming Christ's person and character, obligating believers to act his part and sustain the character they have taken on [4]. Similarly, Romans 13:14 encourages believers to "put on the Lord Jesus," which involves embracing the Gospel's maxims for life's governance and cultivating "the mind that was in Christ" [5]. This transformation is likened to changing garments, signifying a new profession and conduct [5].
This "putting on Christ" leads to a life characterized by diligence and fruitfulness. Believers are called to walk in a manner that is "well-pleasing to God," bearing fruit in every good work [2]. This fruitfulness is intrinsically linked to "growing by the full knowledge of God" [2]. The pursuit of this knowledge is not merely intellectual but experiential, aiming to "know him" [3]. This experiential knowledge encompasses understanding "the power of his resurrection," which assures justification and raises believers spiritually with Christ [3].
The ultimate goal is to be "filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ" (Colossians 2:2) [1]. This profound understanding and experience of Christ's love, which is "too great to understand fully," completes the believer's life, filling it with "all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within" [7]. This process conforms believers to Christ's image, enabling them to reflect God [7]. The demonstration of cultural relevance, therefore, flows from this internal transformation and outward manifestation of Christ's character, impacting the world through a life lived in accordance with his will and nature [2, 7].
Sources
- Colossians “Colossians 2:2 (BSB) — that they may be encouraged in heart, knit together in love, and filled with the full riches of complete understanding, so that they may know the mystery of God, namely Christ,”
- Colossians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Colossians 1:10: Greek, "So as to walk"; so that ye may walk. True knowledge of God's will is inseparable from walking conformably to it. worthy of the Lord-- (Eph 4:1). unto--so as in every way to be well-pleasing to God. pleasing--literally, "desire of pleasing." being fruitful--Greek, "bearing fruit." This is the first manifestation of their "walking worthy of the Lord." The second is, "increasing (growing) in the knowledge of God (or as the oldest manuscripts read, 'growing BY the full knowledge of God')"; thus, as the Gospel word (Col 1:6) was said to ”
- Philippians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Philippians 3:10: That I may know him--experimentally. The aim of the "righteousness" just mentioned. This verse resumes, and more fully explains, "the excellency of the knowledge of Christ" (Phi 3:8). To know HIM is more than merely to know a doctrine about Him. Believers are brought not only to redemption, but to the Redeemer Himself. the power of his resurrection--assuring believers of their justification (Rom 4:25; Co1 15:17), and raising them up spiritually with Him, by virtue of their identification with Him in this, as in all the acts of His redeeming work”
- Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 3:27: As many of you as have been baptized into Christ - All of you who have believed in Christ as the promised Messiah, and received baptism as a public proof that ye had received Christ as your Lord and Savior, have put on Christ - have received his Spirit, and entered into his interests, and copied his manners. To put on, or to be clothed with one, is to assume the person and character of that one; and they who do so are bound to act his part, and to sustain the character which they have assumed. The profession of Christianity is an assumption of the character of Ch”
- Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 13:14: Put ye on the Lord Jesus - This is in reference to what is said, Rom 13:13 : Let us put on decent garments - let us make a different profession, unite with other company, and maintain that profession by a suitable conduct. Putting on, or being clothed with Jesus Christ, signifies receiving and believing the Gospel; and consequently taking its maxims for the government of life, having the mind that was in Christ. The ancient Jews frequently use the phrase putting on the shechinah, or Divine majesty, to signify the soul's being clothed with immortality, and rendered ”
- Galatians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Galatians 3:27: baptized into Christ-- (Rom 6:3). have put on Christ--Ye did, in that very act of being baptized into Christ, put on, or clothe yourselves with, Christ: so the Greek expresses. Christ is to you the toga virilis (the Roman garment of the full-grown man, assumed when ceasing to be a child) [BENGEL]. GATAKER defines a Christian, "One who has put on Christ." The argument is, By baptism ye have put on Christ; and therefore, He being the Son of God, ye become sons by adoption, by virtue of His Sonship by generation. This proves that baptism, where it an”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 3:19: 3:19 May you experience (literally know) the love of Christ: The whole Christian life is based on the experience and personal knowledge of God’s grace and love in Jesus Christ (see Rom 12:1). • it is too great to understand fully: Christ’s love is much greater than ordinary human love (see Rom 5:6-8). • The believer’s life is made complete when it is filled with all the fullness of life and power by the presence of Christ within (see Eph 1:23; Gal 2:20; Col 1:27). The believer then is conformed to his image and reflects God (see Eph 4:14, 24; 5:1-2; Rom 8:29; 2”