Cancel Culture
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Intro:
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
There is a term I have heard lately, it has been on social media, the news, and in conversations: Cancel Culture.
The idea behind cancel culture is if we do not like something or someone, we simply cancel them from our culture. Let me gives some examples:
If we order something online and change our mind, we simply cancel.
If we subscribe to satellite radio, Netflix, or any other subscription based service and we are not satisfied, just cancel.
If a group of people do not like a store or restaurant, they can give enough online reviews, and hope others will cancel their patronage.
If there is a statue we do not like, we can cancel them from our memory.
If there is a part of history that is unsettling, we can cancel it from lessons and curriculum.
If someone says something taken out of context or is not appreciated by the masses, they will be canceled.
Cancel culture is rampant in our society. Both parties want to cancel the other’s power or potential power. Different groups want to cancel the opinions of the other group.
What started as an online joke in 2014 has become a reality in our society. The idea of canceling was in disagreeable or unprepared is now a normal part of national conversation.
I have thought about this for nearly a month and a thought hit me. Whether we agree with it or no, cancel culture has become common in society.
I asked myself, what if the church had a cancel culture?
I am not talking about canceling services, although because of COVID we have had to make adjustments to our schedule.
I am not inferring we should cancel what the world seems as offensive.
I am not saying we should cancel prayer, fasting, giving, speaking in tongues, raising our hands, clapping our hands, reading our bibles, or come to church.
Instead, I have thought, Cancel Culture is about canceling things that offend certain groups of people. With that in mind:
Are there actions or decisions Christians make that are offensive to God?
Are there times we, intentionally or unintentionally, we have acted in ways that are contrary to scripture or the plan God has for us?
Could it be that the time is ripe for a church cancel culture?
I think so, based on the writings of the Apostle Paul. I want to look at a few passages in Philippians and see how we need a spiritual cancel culture.
We can accomplish this by working out our own salvation with fear and trembling. That does not mean we save ourselves. Instead, look at our walk with God and ask, am I doing everything I can to please the Lord?
If we cancel what does not belong, we must replace it with what God does want from us.
I have four points: [Cancel Complaining for Contentment], [Cancel Carnality for Cleanliness], [Cancel Questions for Scripture], and [Cancel Concern for Calling on God].
Let’s begin
1. Cancel Complaining for Contentment
1. Cancel Complaining for Contentment
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
Because we do not have time to discuss all of Paul’s writings at length, let me summarize his desire for the child of God. He wanted those he reached to understand how they are supposed to live.
Though we live in this world, something changes when we come to Christ. The sin nature is to transform into the nature of Christ, working in and through us.
Therefore, in a culture that complains and disputes about EVERYTHING, God calls on His church to cancel complaining.
Notice, Paul did not say it is okay to complain, murmur, dispute, and argue about SOME things. No, the Holy Spirit inspired him to tell us do ALL things WITHOUT complaining.
We might read that and think, well sure, that is easy for the Apostle Paul to say, he was really close to God.
On the contrary, Paul understood the hardships of serving Christ. His life was anything but easy. The moment he surrendered to Jesus, the enemy set his sights on him and gave him many reasons to complain.
8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—
Paul faced troubls
He was perplexed
He was hunted down by enemies
He was knocked down by life’s problems
But he learned not to complain. How? Because he knew the antidote to complaining, and that contentment.
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
No matter what we face, we can avoid complaining when we learn to be content no matter what.
How does contentment come?
David Jeremiah wrote, “Contentment is a choice, cultivated by continually resisting the discontented spirit of the age; it is not happenstance.”
Contentment is not settling for what we have and assuming life will never get better. Instead, it is determining not to complain, but to trust God for what we have and where He will take us.
We need a spiritual cancel culture, let is start by canceling complaining for contentment.
2. Cancel Carnality for Cleanliness
2. Cancel Carnality for Cleanliness
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,
Paul highlights the difference between those who follow Jesus and those who do not. He encouraged, do not complain, but become blameless and harmless.
In other words, we cannot live in such a way where people can criticize our walk with God.
We live in a day where carnality runs rampant. To be carnal is also to be fleshly, or indulging in activities that are immoral and contrary to scripture.
When we come to Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit takes residence in this body of flesh. Therefore, our walk with God is that of people who are on a mission and journey to cease living carnally.
How do we overcome a carnal lifestyle?
We allow Jesus to clean up any activity that does not align with His word and His plan for our lives.
Why should we cancel carnality?
1 What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?
Jesus became the sacrifice necessary to help us overcome sin. Therefore, it is ludicrous to assume it is okay to sin because God is a God of grace.
When we willingly live a carnal life, we hinder our witness, by getting involved in activities that are crooked and perverse.
Therefore, we let God clean our lives by His blood and Spirit, then we will shine brightly for all to see!
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Should we continue to habitually sin and bear the badge of Christian we do God a disservice. Therefore, we need a spiritual cancel culture.
It starts by canceling complaining for contentment, then we cancel carnality for cleanliness. Next, we...
3. Cancel Questions for Scripture
3. Cancel Questions for Scripture
16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
Paul believed in the importance understanding the word of God. We credit him for writing the majority of the New Testament. He wrote scripture and taught scripture.
He had a pattern whenever he would establish a new church.
2 Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.”
Paul followed this pattern when he arrived in Philippi. He spoke to the Jewish people and many of them believed in Jesus. Then he spoke to the Gentiles and even more people believed.
Now, as he wrote the letter to the Philippian church, he reminded them, hold fast or firmly to the word of life.
Let’s think of that phrase, word of life. God’s word breathes life into every situation. We can find every answer to every problem when we take time to study scripture.
Sadly, however, we live in a Biblical illiterate society. A 2019 survey found that 57% of Americans interact with the bible infrequently or sporadically, and they see little positive impact in reading the Bible.
No wonder our world has so many questions. However, we can cancel the questions of life by finding answers in scripture. That is not to say we will NEVER have another question, only that we will can find answers when we READ our bibles.
I want to once again encourage EVERYONE to do their home bible studies as a family. There is something supernatural about getting into the word.
Paul encouraged Timothy, his spiritual son:
13 Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Now more than ever it is imperative that we depend on God’s word. Lack of attention to scripture will not cut it if we are going to move forward in these last days.
Therefore, we need a spiritual cancel culture.
It starts by canceling complaining for contentment, then we cancel carnality for cleanliness, then we cancel questions with scripture. Finally, we...
4. Cancel Concerns with Calling on God
4. Cancel Concerns with Calling on God
17 Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 For the same reason you also be glad and rejoice with me.
When Paul wrote this letter to the Philippians, he was under house arrest in Rome. However, he did not complain, he was not carnal, he was in the process of writing scripture, but he knew something.
He realized his time on earth could be short. He knew his death was likely to come because of his faith in Christ. But he was not concerned.
How could he avoid concern when his life was on the line?
He learned the secret to rejoicing in God and calling on Him no matter what.
If he lost his life, it was going to be okay, for he had joy in knowing that the Philippians were living for the Lord.
It fascinates me that he had the ability to rejoice in God despite the obvious concerns he could have had. Yet, Paul understood the secret:
11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
There is joy in God’s presence. How then do we get in His presence? By praising Him, by calling on Him, and by rejoicing in Him.
Paul wanted the Philippians to learn to rejoice no matter what came their way or what happened to him or them.
Likewise, God is calling the church to rejoice in these difficult days. There are plenty of concerning circumstances in our world. Yet, we can have joy when we call on God.
Paul explained it this way:
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
How often are we to call on God and rejoice in who He is to us? ALWAYS!
For calling on God:
helps us face anxiety
gives us strength when we pray
provides peace for us.
There is no shortage of concerning matters, but we can call on God and He will help us!
Close:
Cancel culture is common in 2020. But I content, that we need a spiritual cancel culture.
It starts by canceling complaining for contentment,
then we cancel carnality for cleanliness.
Next, we cancel questions for scripture
and it ends by canceling concern for calling on God
How then do we have a spiritual cancel culture?
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;
We ask God to HELP and CHANGE us. In other words, we give God permission to CANCEL what needs to change in US before we try and solve everyone else’s problems.
In our society, everyone is concerned about what everyone else is doing or not doing. But what would happen if we would take personal responsibility for OUR walk with God FIRST.
If every Christian would work on their salvation with fear and trembling, there is not telling the force for good the body of Christ could be in this world.
However, the enemy would rather we focus on each other:
Complaining about each other
Giving into carnality with each other
Questioning each other
Getting concerned with each other
But God wants to CANCEL that and it happens when we focus on Jesus, making Him the center of our focus and the priority in our lives!
So let’s ask and pray God, cancel in me what does not belong. Make me like you. Forgive me for complaining, carnal living, unfounded questions, and allowing my concerns to overwhelm me.
Cancel these and replace them with contentment, cleanliness, scripture, and a resolve to call on God!
Today God begin a spiritual cancel church in the church, one that might be overdue, but remember, it is not too late to surrender to Jesus and allow this to be the start of a spiritual cancel culture.
5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.