Examples of Cultural Practices Contrary to God's Moral Standards

The biblical account is replete with examples of cultural practices that contravene God's moral standards. One such instance is the Israelites' idolatry, where they "trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them" (1 Chronicles 5:25) ^[1]. This behavior is characterized as spiritual fornication or whoredom, underscoring the severity of their actions ^[9].

In the New Testament, Jesus confronts the Pharisees about their traditions that contradict God's law. In Mark 7:13, Jesus states that their traditions "cancel the word of God" ^[3]. The Tyndale House commentary on Mark 7:9 notes that Jesus provides an instance where the Pharisees' traditions contradicted God's law, allowing them to sidestep its requirements ^[5]. This highlights the tension between cultural practices and divine commandments.

The early Christian church faced similar challenges as it navigated its relationship with the surrounding culture. In Acts 16:21, Paul and Silas are accused of promoting customs that are "unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice" ^[4]. This incident illustrates the complexities of cultural exchange and the potential for conflict between emerging Christian practices and established Roman customs.

The biblical writers frequently condemn practices such as idolatry, adultery, and sexual immorality, which were prevalent in the ancient world. The Tyndale House commentary on Jeremiah 5:7 notes that idolatry and adultery were closely connected in Israel, representing a breach of an exclusive covenant with God ^[7]. Similarly, 1 Thessalonians 4:5 warns against "lustful passion," a behavior that was often tolerated in the Mediterranean world but prohibited in Jewish and Christian traditions ^[8].

The prophets also critique the Israelites for their corrupt practices, which are seen as a manifestation of their corrupt principles. Matthew Henry's commentary on Malachi 2:10 observes that "corrupt practices are the genuine fruit and product of corrupt principles" ^[6]. The biblical writers emphasize that such practices are contrary to God's law and will.

Selfishness is another cultural practice that is deemed contrary to God's moral standards. Torrey's Topical Textbook cites several biblical passages that condemn selfishness, including Leviticus 19:18, Matthew 22:39, and James 2:8, which emphasize the importance of loving one's neighbor ^[2]. The textbook also notes that selfishness is exhibited in behaviors such as being lovers of ourselves, pleasing ourselves, and seeking our own gain ^[2].

The biblical condemnation of cultural practices contrary to God's moral standards is not limited to the Israelites or the ancient world. The book of Revelation critiques the church's involvement with the "whore of Babylon," symbolizing the corrupting influence of worldly practices on the Christian community ^[10]. The Tyndale House commentary on Revelation 17:2 notes that adultery with the whore is a biblical image for serving other gods, highlighting the ongoing struggle between fidelity to God and cultural accommodation.

In Ezekiel 44:10, the prophet condemns the Israelites for employing foreigners as temple guards, a practice that is seen as a failure to follow God's plan for worship ^[11]. John Gill's commentary on Nehemiah 1:7 observes that the Israelites "dealt very corruptly against" God, corrupting their covenant, laws, and precepts ^[12].

The biblical account presents a complex and nuanced view of cultural practices, highlighting the tension between fidelity to God's moral standards and the pressures of cultural accommodation. As the biblical writers and commentators illustrate, cultural practices that contravene God's moral standards can take many forms, from idolatry and immorality to selfishness and disobedience.

Sources

1 Chronicles “They trespassed against the God of their fathers, and played the prostitute after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God destroyed before them. -- 1 Chronicles 5:25”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Selfishness — Contrary to the law of God -- Le 19:18; Mt 22:39; Jas 2:8. The example of Christ condemns -- Joh 4:34; Ro 15:3; 2Co 8:9. God hates -- Mal 1:10. Exhibited in Being lovers of ourselves. -- 2Ti 3:2. Pleasing ourselves. -- Ro 15:1. Seeking our own. -- 1Co 10:33; Php 2:21. Seeking after gain. -- Isa 56:11. Seeking undue precedence. -- Mt 20:21. Living to ourselves. -- 2Co 5:15. Neglect of the poor. -- 1Jo 3:17. Serving God for reward. -- Mal 1:10. Performing duty for reward. -- Mic 3:11. Inconsistent with Christian love -- 1Co 13:5. Inconsistent with communi”
Mark “Mark 7:13 (Rotherham) — cancelling the word of God by your tradition which ye have delivered. And, many such similar things, are ye doing!”
Acts “Acts 16:21 (BSB) — by promoting customs that are unlawful for us Romans to adopt or practice.””
Mark (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Mark 7:9: 7:9-13 Next, Jesus provides an instance where the Pharisees’ traditions contradicted God’s law and allowed them to sidestep its requirements.”
Malachi (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Malachi 2:10: Corrupt practices are the genuine fruit and product of corrupt principles; and the badness of men's hearts and lives is owing to some loose atheistical notions which they have got and which they govern themselves by. Now, in these verses, we have an instance of this; we here find men dealing falsely with one another, and it is because they think falsely of their God. Observe, I. How corrupt their practices were. In general, they dealt treacherously every man against his brother, Mal 2:10. It cannot be expected that he who is false to his God should be true to his”
Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 5:7: 5:7-8 These verses list the evidence of sins the people had committed, including rejection of the Lord, submission to pagan deities, and sexual misconduct (7:9; 12:16; Num 25:1-3; Deut 32:21; Josh 23:7; Zeph 1:5; Gal 4:8). Idolatry and adultery were closely connected in Israel because both represented the breach of an exclusive covenant.”
1 Thessalonians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Thessalonians 4:5: 4:5 Willful ignorance of God and his ways is the root of moral corruption (Rom 1:18-32; Eph 4:17-18). • lustful passion: Sexual immorality was often tolerated in the Mediterranean world. Prostitution was allowed, but sexual relations with another man’s wife were prohibited. Roman marriage customs barred women, but not men, from extramarital affairs. By contrast, Jewish and Christian authors alike prohibited all sexual involvement outside of marriage (Acts 15:20; 1 Cor 6:12-20; Col 3:5-6).”
1 Chronicles (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Chronicles 5:23: And they transgressed against the God their fathers,.... Against his law, will, word, and ordinances, not only the half tribe of Manasseh, hut the Reubenites and Gadites also: and went a whoring after the gods of the people of the land, whom God destroyed before them; that is, committed idolatry, which is spiritual fornication or whoredom; worshipped the idols either of the Amorites, who were destroyed by the Lord to make way for their first settlement; or of the Ishmaelites, whom they conquered, and whose land they dwelt in to the captivity.”
Revelation (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Revelation 17:2: 17:2 Adultery with her is a biblical image for serving other gods (see, e.g., Exod 34:12-16; Judg 2:17; Hos 2). • drunk by . . . her immorality: Drunkenness in Scripture often depicts nations that indulge in wanton and immoral behavior (see Rev 18:3, 9; Jer 25:27; 51:7; Lam 4:21; Ezek 23:33).”
Ezek (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ezek 44:10: 44:10 when Israel strayed away from me to worship idols: The people had a long history of failing to follow God’s plan for worship, including the specific sin of employing foreigners as temple guards (44:8).”
Nehemiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Nehemiah 1:7: We have dealt very corruptly against thee,.... Corrupted his covenant, laws, and precepts, as well as themselves, ways, and works; all which were against the Lord, contrary to his nature, mind, and will: and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses; the laws, moral, ceremonial, and judicial.”

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