Counter-Cultural Justice

Introduction: Cultural Christianity Overview

Cultural Christianity: Any religious version of Christian practice that does not have the Gospel as it’s centerpiece.

Cultural Christianity = Identity Crisis

True Christianity is Life Defined by the Cross.

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Little Jesus + Little World = Syncretism

Cultural Christianity tries to claim dual citizenship.

There is no dual citizenship in the Kingdom of God.

Philippians 3:20–21 ESV

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

1 Peter 2:11 ESV

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

In Chapters 5 and 6, Paul is establishing the judgement calls that Christians have to make in order to avoid “Cultural Christianity.”

Ch. 5: Toleration of Sin leads to Sexual Immorality in the Church.

Ch. 6 Toleration of Sin leads to Dysfunctional Conflict Resolution

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (ESV)

Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul levels the playing field of sinful behavior.

Unrighteous: Sexually Immoral, Idolaters, Adulterers, Homosexuality, Thieves, Greedy, Drunkards, Revilers, Swindlers.

False Paradigm: Sexual Immorality vs. Pride and Greed

Lesser of two evils

It’s all unrighteousness

True Paradigm: Selfishness vs. Selflessness.

Selfishness follows the line of least resistance.

Galen

The Cross gives us the power to overcome selfishness through selfless act of Jesus.

The cross is, “the power of God.” It is the power to make righteous.

Rights vs. Righteousness

Paul is drawing a line in the sand between what it looks like to be a citizen of Righteousness and a Citizen of Rights.

Righteousness: Obedience and submission to God’s way. Living in the eternal mindset of a Gospel Centered life.

Rights: a moral or legal entitlement to have or obtain something or to act in a certain way.

All Righteous have Rights, but having Rights doesn’t make you Righteous.

Living a life defined by Righteousness is a Cross Centered Live.

Living a life defined by Rights is a Me Centered Life.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (ESV)

You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price.

All Christians are Law Abiding Citizens, but Being a Law Abiding Citizen doesn’t make you a Christian.

Roman culture was similar to American Culture when it comes to litigation.

Cases began at Dawn and would often go as late as sunset.

Judges were well to do, most cases revolved around money and property.

Cases were even used as intimidation/political manipulation.

Secular magistrates were notoriously corrupt. Known for accepting bribes and showed nepotism.

Paul was incarcerated for two years because the governor Felix was hoping Paul would bribe him. (Acts 24:26-27).

Judgement vs. Judge

1 Corinthians 6:1–3 (ESV)

1 When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we are to judge angels? How much more, then, matters pertaining to this life!

Paul is telling us that we are to make judgements within the Church. He tells us that our eternal destiny as the Bride of Christ is to Rule and to Pronounce Judgements over this World and over Angels.

He does not say that we are the Judge.

[Write this down] Our ability to make judgements is contingent upon our relationship to the Judge.

When we don’t know the Judge, our Justice is perverted.

1 Corinthians 6:5–6 ESV

5 I say this to your shame. Can it be that there is no one among you wise enough to settle a dispute between the brothers, 6 but brother goes to law against brother, and that before unbelievers?

“Hey Stupid”

Christians are Pro-Judicial System

In Romans 13:1-7 Paul is Talking about Submission

Crime vs. Sin

All crime is the result of sin, but not every sin is a crime.

Robert Morris

Not only should he have been “Cast Out” like we talked about last week in Church Discipline, his crimes should have been prosecuted in a court of Law.

Paul Clues us in that he is talking about Civil Case, not Criminal.

“a grievance” (v.1), “trivial case” (v.2), “matters pertaining to this life” (v.3), “a dispute” (v.5), and “cheating and defrauding” (v.7-8).

In 1 Corinthians 6 Paul is talking about Manipulation

When we address sin, we see the futility of our fights.

When we address sin, we expose the idols that drive our conflict.

When we address sin, we build healthy community.

When we address sin, we

It is so easy to default into