Hollywood and the media has been a tool used to re-engineer society, reshaping its norms, values and ultimately culture. You may call it social engineering, cultivation, or programming. It is culture.
"Culture is the collective programming of the mind which distinguishes the members of one category of people from another." (p. 51).
—Hofstede, G. (1984). National cultures and corporate cultures. In L.A. Samovar & R.E. Porter (Eds.), Communication Between Cultures. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
This programming has redefined love as a function of solely our sensory perception—founded on feelings and emotions. Oxford Dictionaries defines it as “an intense feeling of deep affection.” This does not pass the test of the Holy Scripture. In the New Testament, love is Agape, a fruit of the regenerated spirit (Galatians 5:22)—so its first spirit(ual) not soul(ish). Feelings, emotions, intellect, will etc. are all functions of the soul and not the spirit. Agape of the God kind of love is selfless and not selfish (1 Cor 13) and it is the standard of love scripture instructs the new man to live by. This love is God-centered because God is Love (1 John 4:8).
Hollywood and other media as well as educational systems have introduced other non-biblical perceptions, perspectives and interpretations of what love is. A whole generation has been re-discipled by the media sphere to have a different definition of culture.
The essence of a culture is not its artefacts, tools, or other tangible cultural elements but how the members of the group interpret, use, and perceive them. It is the values, symbols, interpretations, and perspectives that distinguish one people from another in modernized societies; it is not material objects and other tangible aspects of human societies.
—Banks, J.A., Banks, & McGee, C. A. (1989). Multicultural education. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
CORRECTING CULTURE
Culture is a learned or shared experience.
Culture: learned and shared human patterns or models for living; day-to-day living patterns. These patterns and models pervade all aspects of human social interaction. Culture is mankind's primary adaptive mechanism (p. 367).
—Damen, L. (1987). Culture Learning: The Fifth Dimension on the Language Classroom. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.
So, if culture can be learned then it surely can be unlearned hence the following scripture.
Rom 12:2 (NIV) Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Rom 12:2 (AMPC) Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].
If culture is the collective programming of the mind according to specific worldly patterns or models for living, then once a person gets born again and is “delivered … out of the control and the dominion of darkness and [is] transferred … into the kingdom of the Son of His love,” (Col 1:13, AMPC), then that person must stop conforming to that previous programming, rejecting their previous culture from the world system or the dominion of darkness that is hostile to God—and rather submit to reprogram their minds according to the dictates of his or her new kingdom environment. This is done by using God’s word which shows us our new nature and what is expected of the citizens of Zion. The Holy Scriptures are a mirror and show us our true nature.
We see in Rom 12:2 the importance of the mind in the life of the believer in Christ Jesus. Hence “the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude].” What you set your mind on or what you believe can make or break you.
Rom 8:6 (NAS77) For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace,
Your mind and what you do with it can determine whether you enjoy death or life and peace. God continually sets before us life and death but nudges us to choose life (Deu 30:15,19). When the mind is programmed right—with accurate truth, the consequence is Life and Peace. Life here is not human life but the life of God—Zoe. It is superior to and governs human life and demonic life forms.
WHAT DOES GOD’S LOVE LOOK LIKE?
Love is sacrificial and yet stern and righteous. God is Love (1Jn 4:8) and He is both kind and severe. One must behold (note and appreciate) both aspects of love and not just one aspect—else they stand in danger of misunderstanding the nature of God.
Rom 11:22 (AMPC) Then note and appreciate the gracious kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's gracious kindness to you--provided you continue in His grace and abide in His kindness; otherwise you too will be cut off (pruned away).
Many chose to appreciate only the kindness of God and not his severity. This breeds an imbalance in understanding the nature of God. It also leads to a poor comprehension of love for God is love.
His severity is what was visited upon Jesus upon the cross for our sake when “About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" (which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?").” (Mat 27:46, NIV). God is righteous and cannot fellowship or be one with sin. So, when Jesus was made sin for us upon the cross, God had to depart from him and visit upon him the iniquity of us all.
Isa 53:6 (TLB) We—every one of us—have strayed away like sheep! We, who left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet God laid on him the guilt and sins of every one of us!
2Co 5:21 (KJV) For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
God’s severity upon himself was the price of his kindness towards us—making us the righteousness of God in him. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom 6:23, KJV). The gift could not be bestowed without the righteous requirements of the law being first fulfilled.
FULFILLING THE LAW
Gal 5:14 (KJV) For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Joh 15:13 (KJV) Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
The law is fulfilled in loving your neighbors or your friends by laying your life down for them—but Jesus went a step further. Humanity was not his neighbors. They were sinners “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8, NIV). In his death and resurrection, we see both the kindness of God and his severity.
Love is not founded on emotions and feelings but first spiritual. It may have an eventual effect on the soul and emotions but its origin is spirit(ual).
DISCIPLESHIP, DISCIPLINE AND LOVE
Discipleship and discipline, go together. The media and the educational sphere of influence have been used to socially re-engineer a generation into thinking discipline and correction are equal to “unfriendliness and hostility” and “you don’t love me if you rebuke me”. If you are sternly correct me, then you find fault with me and so you do not love me and yet the Holy Scriptures say differently.
Job 5:17 (NIV) "Blessed is the one whom God corrects; so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
Pro 3:12 (AMPC) For whom the Lord loves He corrects, even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.
Heb 12:6 (AMPC) For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.
In all these verses, we see discipline is inextricably linked to the true definition and expression of love. Let us answer a few questions from the above-stated scriptures.
Question 1: Why must a person not despise the discipline of the Almighty?
Answer: Because if you are fortunate enough to draw His correction, it means you have been elected to be blessed.
Question 2: Who does the Lord correct?
Answer: He only corrects …
- The people he loves
- the son in whom he delights
- every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes
Question 3: What is the hallmark of a disciple or a son in whom the Lord delights?
Answer: If the Lord loves you and accepts and welcomes you to His heart and cherishes you, then he …
- corrects and
- disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He
- punishes, even
- scourges
Scourging? Is that not barbaric and hateful? Surprisingly being exempt from disciplining and scourging is rather hateful as per the testimony of scripture.
Pro 13:24 (AMPC) He who spares his rod [of discipline] hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines diligently and punishes him early. [Pro 19:18; Pro 22:15; Pro 23:13; Pro 29:15, Pro 29:17]
Anyone who spares the rod of discipline or discipline hates his son—but counterculture says otherwise. Why discipline him early?
Pro 22:6 (AMPC) Train up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it. [Eph 6:4; 2Ti 3:15]
If you do it early, there will be no need to do it when they mature because when they grow, they will not depart from their training. The above is totally counter to what general society teaches today. They have redefined love, discipline correction etc. but “Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages).” (Heb 13:8, AMPC). His principles do not change with the times. His word is not relative but absolute and transgenerational. We do not reinterpret it to fit people's whims and caprices.
DISCIPLINE IN GOD’S HOUSE
The ecclesia of God is the “house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (1Ti 3:15, KJV). Truth is not relative but absolute. This house is not a social club or spa but a government. But before serving in the government, one must be trained. The trainers are given by Christ namely apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers “for the perfecting or equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12). The primary tool for equipping and training is the Holy Scriptures.
2Ti 3:16 (NIV) All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
The scriptures are to be used by the fivefold gifts/trainers to:
- Teach
- Rebuke
- Correct
- Train In Righteousness
Without discipline, no one becomes a true disciple. Rather they remain just converts.
Question 4: What if I am exempt from discipline? I do not think I like rebuke or scourging much.
Answer: I will let the scriptures answer:
Heb 12:8 (NIV) If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.
Heb 12:8 (AMPC) Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all]. [Pro 3:11-12]
Heb 12:8 (KJV) But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
Those who are exempt from discipline and correction are not God’s children and he is not their father. They are simply Christians in name. The defining characteristic of a son or disciple is they have submitted to and endure [correction] for discipline. Now let’s read this segment of scripture in context.
Heb 12:6-13 (AMPC)
6 For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.
7 You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline?
8 Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God's children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all]. [Pro 3:11-12]
9 Moreover, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we yielded [to them] and respected [them for training us]. Shall we not much more cheerfully submit to the Father of spirits and so [truly] live?
10 For [our earthly fathers] disciplined us for only a short period of time and chastised us as seemed proper and good to them; but He disciplines us for our certain good, that we may become sharers in His own holiness.
11 For the time being no discipline brings joy, but seems grievous and painful; but afterwards it yields a peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it [a harvest of fruit which consists in righteousness--in conformity to God's will in purpose, thought, and action, resulting in right living and right standing with God].
12 So then, brace up and reinvigorate and set right your slackened and weakened and drooping hands and strengthen your feeble and palsied and tottering knees, [Isa 35:3]
13 And cut through and make firm and plain and smooth, straight paths for your feet [yes, make them safe and upright and happy paths that go in the right direction], so that the lame and halting [limbs] may not be put out of joint, but rather may be cured.
THE DANGER OF THE SEEKER-FRIENDLY APPROACH
A “seeker” is someone who is “seeking” Christ. “Friendly” is defined as basically doing or saying nothing that would offend or drive the person who is seeking Christ.
It may pack the pews but create illegitimate people (spiritual bastards)—not sons. Sonship here is not about gender but a conferred title. This is why a seeker-friendly approach to ecclesia is not a good thing. No military trains its recruits this way. In such settings, fivefold ministry gifts are told to restrain themselves and be kind always and never severe or hard hitting because “The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.” (1Co 14:32, NIV). Notice this is not a blanket statement for all people but for the prophets—who prophesy in a public church setting. But even among the prophets—of whom Jesus is chief, this is not always the rule. Jesus corrected sternly on multiple occasions. Paul did likewise in the book of Galatians. One of the fastest ways revivals died, was when men tried to control the fire of God’s presence and the various manifestations. We must thus find a firm balance between what men deem orderly and yielding to the Holy Spirit’s move. We must also seek a balance between the kindness and severity of God. Yes, we must speak the truth in love but love is both kind and severe. Where political correctness is the order of the day, some pew warmers expect to be cajoled or spoken to quietly and even pampered. This is a far cry from the ministry of Jesus and even those who came after him like the Apostle Paul. Jesus one time whipped those who desecrated the temple by their money changing activities. He spoke the truth to his audience—no matter how hard or difficult a truth it was—even if it would cost him followers like in John 6:66. He called some of his audience white-washed tombs filled with dead men’s bones (or mausoleums that have been covered with white paint). He called them at another time vipers. He told them point blank to their faces "Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit.” (Mat 21:43, NIV). He referred to them as hypocrites. Does this sound like Jesus did not want to offend his audience at the expense of telling the truth?
Jesus did not subscribe to a seeker-friendly approach.
Luk 9:59-62 (NIV)
59 He said to another man, "Follow me." But he replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."
60 Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
61 Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family."
62 Jesus replied, "No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."
His disciples (disciplined ones) only became friends when their training was over and he was about to go to the cross.
Joh 15:15 (NIV) I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.
EASY TO LEAVE BUT DIFFICULT TO STAY
In Jesus’ criteria for selecting followers, he made sure he made it more difficult to follow him than to stay. This was so that only the genuine seekers and not the mixed multitude would stay/follow.
Would-be followers of Christ were let go for the following reasons. One person said “Lord, first let me go and bury my father” and the other said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say goodbye to my family.” To both, his response was “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” That does not sound like a seeker-friendly Rabbi hungry for any kind of followers. He was not worried about displeasing his audience because he spoke the Truth however unpleasant.
SOLDIERS
George Washington stated, “Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable; procures success to the weak, and esteem to all”. Christianity is a service. We serve not as civilians but as soldiers in God’s army and “No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him.” (2Ti 2:4, AMPC). Soldiers require discipline. Paul referred to his comrades in Christ as fellow soldiers (Php 2:25; Phm 1:2). He encouraged all Christians to put on military armor—specifically God's complete armor (Eph 6:10-20).
Eph 6:11 (AMPC) Put on God's whole armor [the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies], that you may be able successfully to stand up against [all] the strategies and the deceits of the devil.
When speaking to his spiritual son, Paul referred to Timothy as a soldier and told his son to endure hardships and sufferings as a good soldier of Jesus Christ—not entangling himself in civilian affairs but rather mastering self and other disciplines—seeking to please the one who enlisted him in the army.
2Ti 2:3-5 (KJV)
3 Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.
4 No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
5 And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
The road to the crown is not being pampered but striving for masteries.
AUTHORITY AND SUBMISSION
The subject of discipline brings into focus the discipline of submission. Without discipline, one cannot submit from the heart. Authority and submission are themes of Christianity. God has established authority structures and relationships where he clearly delignates heads and subordinates—or those who must submit to whom. The heads disciple and discipline the subordinates out of love—until Christ is formed in them.
Christianity is a hierarchical system that is patriarchal in nature. It all heads up in God the Father. Our theme scripture for this section is:
1Co 11:3 (KJV) But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
In the Kingdom of God, wives have a head. Husbands likewise have a head. Christ himself has a head—meaning he submits to Father God. The only one who does not submit to anyone because all authority heads up or terminates in him is God the Father. He is the Source and Author of all Author-ity.
All the relationships stated in 1Co 11:3 have order and are found in scripture. The order dictates that one must be head and the other must submit. The most common of the relationships stated in the verse is marriage so let’s extrapolate that from the hierarchical patriarchal structure of 1Co 11:3 and examine it in brief.
The extrapolated segment reads, “the head of the woman is the man.” What does this statement mean? To understand, one must first investigate the Greek term used by Apostle Paul for “head.” The word is a Greek word with reference number G2776. It’s the word κεφαλή transliterated as kephalē.
Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary of the New Testament defines the word as “the head of the corner, the chief corner-stone, Mat 21:42; Luk 20:17; met. the head, superior, chief, principal, one to whom others are subordinate, 1Co 11:3; Eph 1:22”.
Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament defines the word as “metaphorically anything supreme, chief, prominent.” It adds that a head when used of persons is defined as “master lord: of a husband in relation to his wife.”
Now that we understand what “head” means, let us re-ask, what does the statement “the head of the woman is the man” mean? The meaning is found in:
Eph 5:22-24 (AMPC)
22 Wives, be subject (be submissive and adapt yourselves) to your own husbands as [a service] to the Lord.
23 For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is the Head of the church, Himself the Savior of [His] body.
24 As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.
Ignore anything greyed out because that is the translator’s way of showing the reader that those segments are not part of the original manuscript.
So, in how many things must a wife be submissive to their own husbands? The answer is in everything (v24) and as unto the Lord (v22). But how must she submit to her head? She is asked to copy the example of the ecclesia or church—“As the church is subject to Christ, so let wives also be subject in everything to their husbands.”
So how does the church subject itself to the Lord Jesus? Find out and you will understand the meaning of “the head of the woman is the man.” Also, a husband is not the one who adapts to his wife because Christ is not the one who adapts to the church. It is the wife who adapts to her head.
In Christianity, the groom is Christ Jesus and his bride or body is the ecclesia. “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1Co 12:27, KJV). As members of his body, you are members of his bride and that means you must adapt to Jesus in all things and discipline yourself to be submissive to him—in everything.
What does submission entail? Let us consult Apostle Peter:
1Pe 3:1-2 (AMPC)
1 IN LIKE manner, you married women, be submissive to your own husbands [subordinate yourselves as being secondary to and dependent on them, and adapt yourselves to them], so that even if any do not obey the Word [of God], they may be won over not by discussion but by the [godly] lives of their wives,
2 When they observe the pure and modest way in which you conduct yourselves, together with your reverence [for your husband; you are to feel for him all that reverence includes: to respect, defer to, revere him--to honor, esteem, appreciate, prize, and, in the human sense, to adore him, that is, to admire, praise, be devoted to, deeply love, and enjoy your husband].
Submission includes reverence for your husband and reverence includes:
- to respect,
- defer to,
- revere him—
- to honor,
- esteem,
- appreciate,
- prize, and, in the human sense,
- to adore him, that is,
- to admire,
- praise,
- be devoted to,
- deeply love, and
- enjoy your husband
Peter is telling wives and other kinds of subordinates that the way to win a head or lord over is not by discussion or arguments stating your case but rather by the unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit that is observable.
Wives are instructed to emulate Sarah, the wife of Abraham and the women of old whose custom it was to beautify their spirits with humility, obedience and submission.
1Pe 3:3-7 (AMPC)
3 Let not yours be the [merely] external adorning with [elaborate] interweaving and knotting of the hair, the wearing of jewelry, or changes of clothes;
4 But let it be the inward adorning and beauty of the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible and unfading charm of a gentle and peaceful spirit, which [is not anxious or wrought up, but] is very precious in the sight of God.
5 For it was thus that the pious women of old who hoped in God were [accustomed] to beautify themselves and were submissive to their husbands [adapting themselves to them as themselves secondary and dependent upon them].
6 It was thus that Sarah obeyed Abraham [following his guidance and acknowledging his headship over her by] calling him lord (master, leader, authority). And you are now her true daughters if you do right and let nothing terrify you [not giving way to hysterical fears or letting anxieties unnerve you].
7 In the same way you married men should live considerately with [your wives], with an intelligent recognition [of the marriage relation], honoring the woman as [physically] the weaker, but [realizing that you] are joint heirs of the grace (God's unmerited favor) of life, in order that your prayers may not be hindered and cut off. [Otherwise you cannot pray effectively.]
V5 states that submission is beauty. This is how the women of old beautified themselves. It was their custom hence their culture.
Now back to 1Co 11:3, let us extrapolate the section that states that “the head of every man is Christ.” What does it mean? It means as husbands have authority over their wives so does Christ have authority over husbands. He expect. Husbands to treat their wives in a specific way.
V7 of 1Pe 3 helps us understand better. It states that heads or married men must be considerate of their wives and honour them as the weaker. Failure to obey their head in this instruction would result in their prayers being hindered and cut off instead of being answered by God.
How then must husbands relate with wives as the weaker vessel? Apostle Paul assists us:
Eph 5:25-29 (AMPC)
25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her,
26 So that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the Word,
27 That He might present the church to Himself in glorious splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such things [that she might be holy and faultless].
28 Even so husbands should love their wives as [being in a sense] their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself.
29 For no man ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and carefully protects and cherishes it, as Christ does the church,
Husbands must love their wives. This is part of their submission to their head—Christ. But how must they love their wives? The answer is “as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” This means a man must be willing to give himself for his wife as Christ gave himself for the church. That is the mark of true love. V26 adds that it is a husbands responsibly to use God’s word to wash his bride-to-be and cleanse her of anything that he deems contrary to the culture of Christ (spots and wrinkles)—and when sufficiently washed, he can present the wife to himself in glorious splendor. Husbands love their wives by also considering them as in a sense their own bodies. We do not hate our bodies but care for them so in the same way a husband is expected to nourish, carefully protect, and cherish his bride, as Christ does the church.
In true Christianity, all submit to discipline except God he Father. Wives submit to their heads. Husbands submit to discipline under their head. Christ also has a head.
It is the submission of Christ that led to his exaltation.
Php 2:5-11 (AMPC)
5 Let this same attitude and purpose and [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: [Let Him be your example in humility:]
6 Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained,
7 But stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being.
8 And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!
9 Therefore [because He stooped so low] God has highly exalted Him and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name,
10 That in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
In the womb of submission is honour and exaltation from God the rewarder.
