THINK

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8 (You Version)

THINK

Whatever it takes to get the message
Whatever it takes to heal your heart
Whatever it takes to fix your focus

Whatever it takes to humble your heart
Whatever it takes to know God's truth
Whatever it takes to open your eyes

Whatever it takes to break your heart
Whatever it takes to stand again
Whatever it takes to stop falling

Whatever it takes to know God's grace
Whatever it takes to make it your own
Whatever it takes to keep you safe

Lastly, friends, whatever is false, whatever is dishonorable, whatever is unjust, whatever is revolting, whatever is ill-conceived, if there is any degradation, or anything unworthy of praise, don't waste your time. Philippians 4:8 (My Version)

Confronting Unloving Culture (1)
A Culture of Love (5)
By T. M. Moore|Published Date: February 08, 2013

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Philippians 4:8

Where cultural judgment must begin

These words of the Apostle Paul have a curiously cultural ring, don't you think? True, honorable, just, lovely, commendable, excellent, praiseworthy – these sound like terms we would use to extol the virtues of some book we've read, film we've seen, or performer we admire. These are the kinds of qualities we would like to see in our politicians and educators, because we believe that if they were more people like this, the culture they created and produced would be more like this, too.

And we're right, of course. But not just about the movers and shakers of our contemporary culture. The same applies to us. When it comes to working for a culture of love – as opposed to a culture of mere narcissistic self-indulgence – it is time, as the Apostle Peter might say, for judgment to begin in each of our souls (1 Pet. 4:17).

In each of our souls seeds of a culture committed to something other than love for God and neighbor have been sown and are germinating. And, sadly, in many of us, those seeds are being watered and cultivated, perhaps without our realizing the choking danger such cultural ideas and forms can pose. In the parable of the soils Jesus warned that, when the field of our souls is sown with the tares of this world's diversions and concerns, they will grow up and smother the fruit of true righteousness and love (Mk. 4:1-20). Many of us are opening our souls to the sowing of such cultural seed-thoughts, and these will bear cultural fruit in our everyday lives, and in ways other than love for God and neighbor.

Each of us must engage in a continuous searching of our souls to determine where these dangerous seeds may lie, and to root them out before they bear fruit. In your thought-life, your desires and aspirations, your priorities and values, you have been pummeled by advertising and pop culture with the spores and pollen of a culture of self-indulgence, and unless you deal with this continually, it will choke off your ability to engage culture in ways that consistently evidence love for God and neighbors.

Time for introspection

We need to take time specifically to reflect on the state of our souls with respect to our cultural lives. We need to shine the light of God's Law and Word into the dark recesses of our minds and hearts, to discover anything lurking there that can keep us from glorifying God with our cultural lives. We need to learn how to listen for the convicting voice of the Spirit of God as He warns us against this or that cultural form or idea and seeks to guide us into the truth of God's Word.

This is not a call for us to take up some new and exotic spiritual discipline. It is rather a challenge to engage in prayer and the reading of Scripture in deeper, broader, and more revealing ways than we have perhaps been used to thus far.

Two Scriptures can guide us in this, and I recommend that you memorize them both and put them on note cards in prominent places so that you'll see them every day. The first is Psalm 139:23, 24: "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." As you pray this, let all the different aspects of your cultural life float before your mind – what you watch on TV, your conversations at work, how you do your job, everything. Listen to the Spirit as He seeks to guide you in ways excellent, lovely, beautiful, and true, and repent of anything that doesn't fit those ideals.

The second passage is Psalm 119:59, 60: "When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments." If we spent more time during the day actually thinking about and evaluating our cultural lives, we might discover new ways of using our cultural activities to show love for God and neighbor, according to His Law and Word.

It's time for some serious confronting of unloving culture, and this work must begin in the souls of each one of us.

Next steps

Off the top of your head, can you think of any cultural activities in your own life that don't rise to the standard Paul outlined in our text for today? Write down the two passages recommended for today, and share them with some Christian friends, explaining how you intend to use these in confronting any areas of unloving cultural engagement in your own soul. Invite them to do the same.

Start your own ViewPoint discussion group. This week's series is available in a free downloadable format, suitable for group study. Request the series, "A Culture of Love." For more insight to this subject, order the book, Loving God, by Charles Colson, from our online store. You might also read the article, "True Love: What it is, Where to find it, and How to live it," by Regis Nicoll.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.