Where Is Our Identity Found?

Last year I participated in an exercise (ice breaker) that asked me and the other participants about our identity. The question was a simple one, “Who are you?”. It was great to hear everyone and how they identified themselves. People identified themselves in individual ways and in other ways that expressed they were apart of a larger group and multiple communities.

What is your identity? How would you describe yourself?

This is an important question as our collective identity shapes both theology (our understanding of who God is) and practice (the way we go about everyday tasks and interact with others). The way we see ourselves shapes our sense of mission. The way we see ourselves determines whether we glorify God by participating in His mission to the nations.

Illus: If I see myself as an American first and then a Christian then my Christianity is viewed through my Americanism. If I see myself as a Christian first and then as a Dad/Husband, then my parenting and spousal relationship is influenced by my faith. It’s important we take inventory of who we are.

Another way to look at this is to ask, “Whose approval do you seek?” What we will be reading over the next few weeks is going to challenge us in this; causing us to examine our hearts and ask whose opinions matter most to us. Who with a single comment, can make or break our day? Who can most easily change our mind or crush our spirit? These questions reveal our motives and our moral compass.

Our text this morning is . I think in many ways this text has been brought into our culture and created a lot of harm. I believe Paul’s intent is not one of malice… but he seeks to lead these very distinct groups of people (Greeks, Jews, barbarians (vs14)) and do some necessary “heart” surgery in order to see health come about. Surgery can be traumatic, but the hopeful end is health and flourishing.

I want to remind us as we look at our text this morning, Paul lives in an honor/shame culture. He is writing to a people that operate and live in an honor/shame culture. Why is this important? In this type of culture (as is in modern day Eastern nations of Japan, China, Korea, etc) you are never so direct as to bring shame if you want to see change. To call things out so directly in someones life is to crush their soul.

Ex:

Illus: American revolutionary Patrick Henry was neither Chinese nor Korean. If he were, he probably wouldn’t have said, “Give me liberty or give me death.” After all, there are far more important things than personal liberty and legal justice. Who cares about laws and liberty when one’s reputation is at stake?

Many people would prefer injustice and even death to allowing their families or themselves to suffer shame. For example, victims of domestic abuse often do not report the problem to authorities. One woman explains, “People would look down on me and my family. We would lose face and be embarrassed. No one would marry my younger sisters because of the scandal. I would not be valued in my community. I feel ashamed of myself.” In several countries, students commit suicide “when they are falsely accused of stealing a classmate’s money or when they cannot maintain excellent school work. They prefer death to dishonour for fear that they may disgrace the family’s good name.”

W., J. (2019). Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission (p. 39). Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press.

Why is this important? We easily forget the basic fact that we all have a worldview. That is, all people have assumptions about the world that shape how they see and experience life. The cultures we live in naturally influence our view of the world. If we are not careful, we assume that all people—including the biblical writers—basically think like us. Consequently, we might unwittingly force our cultural perspective about sin onto the text as if our views were equivalent to those in Scripture. This is why we’ve chosen to take this Socio-Rhetorical approach to our study in the book of Romans.

We easily forget the basic fact that we all have a worldview. That is, all people have assumptions about the world that shape how they see and experience life. The cultures we live in naturally influence our view of the world. If we are not careful, we assume that all people—including the biblical writers—basically think like us. Consequently, we might unwittingly force our cultural perspective about sin onto the text as if our views were equivalent to those in Scripture.

W., J. (2019). Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission (p. 41). Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press.

Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission Chasing a Name

How we look at other people also shows our standard of honor and shame. Whom do we criticize or praise, and why?

Shame is usually associated with nonconformity, yet conformity also can be an expression of sin. As long as we satisfy social expectations, we can handpick certain sins to condemn while we ignore others. So long as we gather with people who agree with us, we can overlook our own vices. We face the subtle temptation to use tradition, custom, and history to justify behaviors or attitudes as normal and right. Community, denomination, and culture mask our injustices and insecurities.

We scarcely hear the voice of conviction amid the applause of a crowd.

As we jump into our text this morning, we are going to see how over the next couple of weeks, Paul is going to intentionally remove any pride or cause of boasting in each of the cultures that were a dividing factor for the church in Rome at that time. This will primarily be the Greek culture (1:18-2:11) and the Jewish culture (2:1-3:19). He will then bring us to the same place beginning in .

Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes: Honor and Shame in Paul’s Message and Mission The Roman Church Becomes an Obstacle to Outsiders

Paul’s gospel can overcome the Greeks’ culture-centrism. His Jew-Gentile discussion is a fitting analogy for the Greek-barbarian relationship. Historically, Jews disdained Gentiles, so he undermines feelings of cultural superiority among Jews by showing how Israel makes the same error. Paul’s shifting language in Romans 1–2 is intended to humble his audience. He subtly reminds Greeks they are mere Gentiles. Historically, they are outsiders to God’s people. Paul doesn’t want to shame the Roman believers; he wants them to perceive how honored they are for belonging to Christ’s kingdom.

Takeaways:

Ex:

Humanity that suppress’s the truth (vs18-22)

Abdicating their God-given role (vs24-25)

God giving humanity up to our selfish desires (vs26-32)

Humanity that suppress’s the truth (vs18-22)

The wrath of God is revealed.

“God is angry against sin. God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day.”

God is a righteous judge,

and a God who feels indignation every day.”

The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

This righteousness, holiness, and justness of God helps us understand how He feels about unrighteousness. When we have been wronged in truly significant ways, we can relate to the wrath of God. Now we tend to think about them over there… but not us… we’re not deserving (we tend to judge ourselves by our best intentions)… however WE ALL FALL SHORT. The wrath of God is against us.

Now we have to juxtapose this with His love for us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). He is just and also provides a way through Christ to be right before Him. But those who reject God, what they know to be true, the wrath of God is still against them.

vss 18-23 say that we who recognize there is order, there is design, it’s not all happenstance (through the creation of the world which reveals divine nature and eternal power), and continue to deny His existence are without excuse.

“Claiming to be wise, they became fools.” Greek culture was the epitome of intelligence, sophistication, and modernity. They saw all other as below them. The word “barbarian” that Paul uses in is the modern equivalent of the “N” word today. They would see their sophistication and progressiveness as a means to suppress other people and social groups… Paul is calling out this culture. Paul is calling them foolish in God’s eyes. He is leveling the playing field for the Greeks showing them their culture is not something to take pride in but repent of. There is something in their for us as well (Paul will do the same for the Jews a little later).

They exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man, birds, animals, and creeping things. This phrase leads us to the second point...

Abdicating their God-given role (vss 24-25)

God called Adam and Eve to tend the garden and to rule over creation.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

English Standard Version Chapter 1

28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”

Now they have abdicated their role and have worshiped creation rather than the creator.

In worshiping the creation rather than the creator, God gives us up to our own desires. We reap the consequences of our actions. From that comes pain, suffering, heart-ache, anguish, and a whole host of difficult things. It would be like a metaphor of God holding the boat in the river, and in that they want to continue in their rebellion, he ceases to hold the rope of the boat and it was now dragged by the current of the river (over the waterfall). In other words God removes His hand of protection.

The idea though is that God is allowing them to reap the consequence of their sin. We have to balance this wrath with his great love for humanity (having sent Christ), with the desire for there to be repentance, acceptance of Christ’s sacrifice, and turning to Him.

God has created us for a reason and a purpose. When we step outside of this we become foolish. We may think we are wise and have it down, but we are foolish. When we don’t love God (worship, obedience, and faithfulness), love people (empathy, grace, love, truth, etc.), and share the good news of Jesus Christ… we are in danger of majoring in the minors. Worshiping what God has created rather than the Creator.

Illus: Let’s go back to identity and the question, “Whose approval do you seek?”, Who with a single comment, can make or break our day? These questions help us distill do we have the right order in our life. Where does our identity lie… in the creation or the creator.

Paul continues with this theme of giving them up to their natural consequences...

God giving humanity up to our selfish desires (vs26-32)

Paul speaks to the culture of Rome (the Graeco-Roman culture) that the church prides themselves on. A culture of progressiveness and sophistication that they would alienate the Jews or any other culture (the barbarians).

Paul lays out a list of behaviors and actions that are in direct opposition to God and the order of creation.

Apart from God’s grace and mercy… not only those who practice those things deserve to die but that those who condone such action deserve the same punishment.

We are all guilty! All of us. Notice though that in most of the things mentioned, we can see where our identity would make room for our justification of our actions.

Sexuality: LGBTQ, Adulterers, Pornography, Engaging in sexuality outside of the covenant of marriage

Pride: Gossips, slanderers, haughty, boastful

Selfish: disobedient to parents, heartless, ruthless, covetous

Anger: Murder, strife, maliciousness, haters of God

I will say apart from Christ we all fall short. I know the church in times past (and those who are lazy theologians will harp on and nit pick certain issues, primarily the homosexuality and lesbian inferences… but church, we all fall short.

Illus: I’ve shared the gospel (and it’s implications) with more professing politically republican conservative Christians, whose views on the issues of the day are not the ways of Jesus, than I have in the past . Before I get emails and our sensibilities are offended, Jesus doesn’t give us the opportunity to fit into any political party. If you want to have that conversation, I’d love to. Each form of party that our country has as an option to align yourself with never fully aligns with Jesus… he doesn’t give us that comfort. You have to compromise somewhere. We lose our prophetic voice when we compromise and align ourselves in contradiction to the ways and teachings of Jesus. Again, if you would like to talk about that further, I’d be more than happy too.

We’re all figuring it out. That’s where I hope as a church we can hold the space for those of us that continue to press into the things of Jesus and their implications for our lives. Can we love people (I think an extension of the kindness of God) as we figure these things out? Or do we expel those who aren’t like us and only except those whose issues are like our own? We must be a place where we find common ground at the cross of Jesus.

Paul will continue in 2:1-3 to say who are you to judge?! We are passionate about those who are evil to suffer or be punished, but Paul says, “Whoah!”, what about you… you practice this stuff too (Sermon on the mount).

What Paul will mention in chapter 2 is that we experience the kindness and gentleness of God through not getting what we deserve (mercy)… when we realize that our sinful ways are against God, when we realize that we are walking in a grace-filled time, it’s intended to lead us to repentance.

So Paul calls out this culture that they might recognize the pride, selfish, arrogant, and superior ways… understanding they have not been destroyed (heading towards the waterfall) and that God is gracious wanting them to repent because they recognize the kindness of God towards us.

Come to Jesus...

If this is you this morning… if you recognize that you are at odds with God… that you have been walking in selfish, self-serving ways (anger, bitterness, selfishness, covetousness, prideful, or making your identity anything other than Christ)… know that because you are here it is the kindness of God being extended to you. I want to invite you to give your life to Jesus, surrender your heart and life to Him. We want to walk with you and encourage you as you explore this new found faith and life in Christ.