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  • The Countercultural Call of Christianity

    Treasures

    Audio length: 13:21
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    When Pilate asked Jesus if He was a king, He replied that His kingdom “is not of this world” and it is not “from the world” (John 18:35–36). Jesus told His followers: “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world” (John 15:19). Christians have been born again into His kingdom, which is “not of this world,” and “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).

    As Christians, we are called to be “in this world,” even though we are “not of it” (John 17:14–15), so that we can shine His light to those around us. Through our lives, our witness, and our actions, we want people to perceive that we are “different” so that they will be drawn to God and His love and truth shining through us (Matthew 5:16).

    The greatest sermon ever preached—the Sermon on the Mount—that changed the world forever, taught truths that were contrary to the ways of the world. It was delivered to His disciples by Jesus, who would later climb His final mount—Mount Calvary at Golgotha—to die for the sins of the world. Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead and appeared to His disciples, commissioning them to preach to the people and to testify of Him sharing the good news that everyone who believes in Him will receive forgiveness of sins through His name (Acts 10:40–43).

    After Jesus’ disciples heard His Sermon on the Mount, they were never the same, as they heard the voice of God teaching them truths in fulfillment of all that had been recorded in the Scriptures up until that time. Jesus’ teachings stood in stark contradiction to the world of their day under the powerful empire of the Romans, whose conquests swept their part of the world.

    On the mount, Jesus taught: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Everyday ordinary people, at least four of whom were fishermen, heard a carpenter tell them truths of a kingdom that will be greater than the Roman Empire and will rule the universe.

    “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted” (Matthew 5:4). More blessed to have problems and sorrows than power and prosperity? Yes, because those who live for God’s kingdom will be comforted.

    “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5). Those who are meek and don’t retaliate with violence, but rather endure hardships in this life for their faith will be blessed in the world to come. “If we die with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure hardship, we will also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:11–12). The poor in spirit, the meek and those who mourn will inherit the earth.

    “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Everyone who hungers and thirst for the truth, goodness, and justice will be filled when they seek for God, as these can only truly be found in Him. “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty” (Luke 1:53).

    “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God” (Matthew 5:7–9). Jesus is the Prince of Peace, whose arrival was foretold long before His birth (Isaiah 9:6). He is our peace, and “He came and preached peace” to everyone—to “those who were far off and to those who were near” (Ephesians 2:14–17). His followers are called to share “the gospel of peace” with others (Ephesians 6:15), as “those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18).

    “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). You may find that as you plant the seeds of the gospel you will face opposition and even persecution from those who reject the truth. “In this world you will face tribulation, but take heart, for I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

    So “rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven(Matthew 5:12). You may not be rewarded in this life for being a faithful follower of Christ and a witness to your faith, but the Lord has promised that you will experience His peace and joy (John 14:27; 15:11).

    Only one way

    Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). Jesus made it clear that He is the only way to salvation, the only truth and path to eternal life. He also said, “Wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it: because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13–14).

    History has shown time and again in every age man’s ability to wreak havoc and destruction on his fellow human beings and on the earth. As the German philosopher Hegel once said, one thing we learn from history is that we never learn from history. And the inhumanity, inequality, and destruction we read of throughout history continue to repeat themselves.

    When those in power are exposed for their sins of corruption, deception, greed, and the oppression of the exploited, they often furiously endeavor to claim that wrong is right and attempt to shout down and drown out the voice of truth. The early Christian martyrs were vilified and executed by Nero, who proclaimed them a threat to the Roman Empire and attempted to stamp them out. But the Roman Empire eventually crumbled, while its citizens were conquered by the truth, love, and peace of the persecuted Christians, and many were converted to Christianity.

    History is full of those who dared to challenge the status quo of their day, who defied the politically correct mores and values of their day, who championed an unpopular cause, or did something beyond the call of duty. They took a stance for truth and for what was right, no matter what the popular narrative or norms of their day. The Bible says, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3).

    Empires rise and empires fall, and the grandeur that was once Greece will tumble into ruins and the glory that was Rome will fade into oblivion, but whoever does the will of God will abide forever (1 John 2:17). We know that “whatever God does, it shall be forever, and nothing can be added to it or taken from it,” that He who is eternal may be made manifest, and the beauty of His creation and the glory of His power will be known (Ecclesiastes 3:14).

    All over the world, we see vestiges of once great buildings and structures, now in ruins, as one power rose only to fall and to be replaced by another in the ever changing face of history.—One constructing and another destroying, one building and another tearing down, one creating and another demolishing. Each new kingdom or empire has been washed away except for the vestiges of the past—the debris and wreckage of centuries, often cleared away to build a new monument. They eventually end up in the grave of oblivion, reminders of man’s transitory tenure on this earth—in stark contrast to the eternality of God and His kingdom.

    Setting our eyes on the eternal

    God is continually working in the universe and effecting change in every sphere of creation. He is never static, except for Himself: “I am the Lord: I do not change” (Malachi 3:6); and except for His Word: “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven” (Psalm 119:89); and except for the future—His promises to His children of eternal life in His presence. “For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:40).

    No matter how much the world around us or our personal circumstances change, whether we abase or abound, in times of war and peace, in life and in death, “Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). As the words of the beloved hymn express:

    Abide with me, fast falls the eventide;
    The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide...
    Earth’s joys grow dim; its glories pass away;
    Change and decay in all around I see;
    O Thou who changest not, abide with me.
    —Henry Francis Lyte, 1847

    The Bible tells us to set our minds and affections on things above—the kingdom of heaven—not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:2). We are called to fix our eyes “not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,” for the things which are seen are only for a time, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18).

    Since the beginning of time, God’s children have been looking for an unseen world, a “city which has foundations”—eternal foundations—“whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Not having received all that God had promised them but having seen those promises from afar, they remained strangers and pilgrims on the earth because they sought a better, that is, a heavenly country. “Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:13–16).

    This is the hope of all ages: the kingdom of heaven where we will dwell with God forever, described in the last two chapters of the Bible, Revelation 21 and 22. Jesus instructed His followers to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10), and we continue to look forward to the day when “the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (Revelation 11:15).

    Therefore, “seek first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). Not the ephemeral things of this world, but the kingdom of God whose building we are, living stones in a spiritual house not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens (1 Peter 2:5; 2 Corinthians 5:1).

    The eternal creations of God—the souls of human beings—will outlast all of the empires, the world powers, the buildings, technologies, and scientific advancements of humankind. The touch of the divine in His creation, every immortal human soul ever born is His handiwork. Every Christian is “His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). We, in turn, are called by Jesus to “go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” and urge them to come into His kingdom (Mark 16:15; Luke 14:23).

    Published on Anchor June 2025. Read by Reuben Ruchevsky.

  • Jun 3 How to Grow Spiritually
  • May 29 Better Days Ahead—Part 3
  • May 27 Finding Calm in God’s Presence
  • May 22 Aligning Our Lives to God’s Moral Will
  • May 21 Fire from Heaven (1 Kings 18)
  • May 15 Better Days Ahead—Part 2
  • May 14 How Can I Make a Difference?
  • May 12 My Love for You Will Never Run Out
  • May 8 Ambassadors for Christ
   

Directors’ Corner

Faith-building Bible studies and articles

  • 1 Corinthians: Chapter 11 (verses 2–16)

    This next portion of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians reflects the relationships between men and women and cultural expectations in first-century Corinth. The relationship between husbands and wives is presented within the context of the world of two thousand years ago and customs of the time. Today the role of women, contemporary norms for dress codes, and the understanding of the equality of women is much different than in the distant past. However, as a commentary written in Paul’s time to people living within that period, it reflects the attitudes and expectations of that time.

    Now I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you. (1 Corinthians 11:2)

    It was likely a relief for the Corinthians to hear Paul’s opening words praising them for remembering him in everything. It seems that he was happy that many of his teachings were being followed by the believers. He praised the Corinthian church for holding on to the teachings or the traditions, referring to the oral teachings about Jesus handed down to Paul by the first disciples such as Peter, and which he passed on to them.

    In this chapter, Paul was dealing with a controversial matter pertaining to public worship. It seems that some of the Corinthian church rejected the practice of married women covering their head when partaking of public worship. Paul knew that many practiced this cultural norm of the time, but he also felt the need to explain why everyone should continue it. He was concerned with how men and women interacted with each other in public worship and how it would be viewed by those outside the church. Paul also focused on prayer and prophecy, teaching and preaching of God’s Word (1 Corinthians 11:4–5), which would have taken place when the believers were gathered together.

    But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3)

    Paul described three forms of headship here: Christ is the head of every man; husbands are heads of their wives; God is the head of Christ. Yet Paul did not state the roles of men, wives, and Christ here.

    The ancient Greeks often used the term head to refer to the source from which something came; and in this verse Paul mentioned that “man did not come from woman, but woman came from man” (1 Corinthians 11:8). Some interpreters believe that head in this case means “source,” as the “head” of a river is the source of the water that flows in a river. In this view, Christ is the source of males in the sense that Christ created Adam from the dust (Genesis 2:7). Men are also considered the source of females in the sense that Eve was taken from Adam (Genesis 2:22). God the Father is the head of Christ because Christ “came from the Father” (John 16:27–28).

    Other Bible scholars believe that head implies that a chain of authority comes from the Father to Christ, to husbands, and to their wives. This view is supported mainly from the Old Testament use of the Hebrew word head in relation to leadership or authority.

    Every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors his head, (1 Corinthians 11:4)

    Paul addressed the men first, stating that every man who prays or prophesies with his head covered dishonors Christ, who is the head of every man. In the Roman Empire, men generally covered their heads with their togas when they performed pagan worship. It is likely that this practice had reached the people of Corinth, and Paul was condemning the adoption of this practice.

    Paul likely at least warned the believers against adopting this practice in the church. For a man to cover his head in the worship of Christ was to worship the same way the pagan men worshiped their gods. Imitating this practice mixed false religion into the worship of Christ, which dishonored Him. In writing this, Paul was not stating this as a command for all believers, rather it was a specific statement to the Corinthians and their need to avoid association with pagan customs, as he expressed in earlier chapters.

    but every wife who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, since it is the same as if her head were shaven. For if a wife will not cover her head, then she should cut her hair short. But since it is disgraceful for a wife to cut off her hair or shave her head, let her cover her head. (1 Corinthians 11:4–6)

    Focusing specifically on wives, Paul affirmed that women could pray or prophesy in public worship. Although Paul didn’t allow women to serve in the ordained positions of pastor, elder, or teacher (1 Timothy 2:12), he didn’t restrict women from speaking the truth of God’s Word or praying and prophesying in public worship.

    However, Paul insisted that any wife praying or prophesying in public should do so with her head covered. The understanding at the time was that if a woman spoke in worship with her head uncovered, she dishonored her head. While Paul may have referred to a woman’s physical head, it’s more likely that he meant that she dishonored her husband, who is referred to in verse 3 as the head of a wife. Paul argued that if it is a disgrace to her husband for the woman to have her head shaved, then she should cover her head in public worship.

    For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. (1 Corinthians 11:7)

    Paul supported his view here with Scripture. He began by claiming that a man shouldn’t imitate a pagan head covering because he is the image and glory of God. In Genesis we read that both Adam and Eve were created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27).

    So what did Paul mean by saying that man is the image of God in contrast with woman? He likely meant Adam held a special status (glory) in God’s image because he was created first. He was made directly from the dust by God, while God made Eve from Adam’s body. This gave Adam and his male descendants a unique role on earth that was not held in the same way by women. Of course, the world has changed since Paul’s time, and cultural expectations for the roles of men and women have changed as well. While maintaining different roles for men and women, Paul also affirmed the equality of men and women in Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

    Theologian Wayne Grudem wrote,

    When in 1 Corinthians 11:7 Paul says, “A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man,” he is not denying that woman was created in the image of God. He is simply saying that there are abiding differences between men and women that should be reflected in the way they dress and act in the assembled congregation. … Yet in both cases Paul goes on to emphasize their interdependence (see vv. 11–12).1

    Paul went on to say that woman is the glory of man. Paul didn’t mean that woman is not the glory of God, as all of creation is for God’s glory (Romans 11:36). He likely meant that woman is the glory of both man and of God, and not just of God. Paul called women the glory of their husbands because this is one of their unique roles in the order of creation. According to Genesis 2, God created Eve to make it possible for the human race to fulfill the task given to Adam. For this reason, Eve is referred to as a helper suitable for Adam (Genesis 2:18 NIV). The Hebrew word helper doesn’t mean “inferior,” but “aid” or “assistant.” Eve was the glory of Adam in a special way.

    For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. (1 Corinthians 11:8–9)

    Paul continued his explanation that woman is the glory of man by appealing to another aspect of creation. He reminds his readers that man didn’t come from woman and that man was not created for woman. He implied that husbands aren’t the glory of women. Rather, the woman came from man and was created for man. Because she was created from and for man, a wife is to bring glory to her husband.

    On this point, Leon Morris comments:

    Paul makes it clear that what he has been saying is not meant as an undue subordination of women. There is a partnership between the sexes and in the Lord neither exists without the other. ... The man must not exaggerate the significance of his having been created first. There is a fundamental equality.2

    That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. (1 Corinthians 11:10)

    This verse presents several difficulties. It is not clear what the symbol of authority on her head is, or what role the angels play, and why. None of the research material I used when writing these posts gave a clear explanation of this verse. There seems to be a wide variety of opinions about the meaning of this verse, many of which contradict each other. While those to whom Paul wrote to likely understood his meaning, it isn’t clear enough today, or at least to me, so I thought it best not to include commentary on it.

    Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. (1 Corinthians 11:11–12)

    Having affirmed the responsibilities of husbands and wives to honor their heads in worship, Paul feared his instructions might be taken as a complete statement on the relations of men and women. Therefore, Paul clarified what he said, prefacing his comment with the word nevertheless. He began with the expression in the Lord, a phrase he used elsewhere to identify people in the body of Christ (Romans 16:8, 1 Corinthians 4:17). Paul wanted to make it clear that such assumptions had no place in his teaching.

    Paul brought two points to the foreground. First, neither husbands nor wives are independent from each other. Paul restated that woman (a wife) is not independent of the man (a husband), a principle evident in this chapter from verses 3–10. Her authority was always meant to complement man’s authority, so she must not think of herself as autonomous. Next, Paul added that man (a husband) is not independent of the woman (a wife). Husbands are not to think that their headship implies independence from, or superiority to, their wives.

    To support this claim, Paul referred to the interdependence between man and woman. While woman came from man when Eve was made from Adam’s rib (Genesis 2:22), it is also true that man is born of woman. Every man has a mother, and this fact speaks against any man’s temptation to think of himself as free from the obligations to honor women. “Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you” (Deuteronomy 5:16).

    Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered? (1 Corinthians 11:13)

    With these words Paul was not encouraging the Corinthians to ignore his teaching. He meant that they should not blindly obey his instructions; they were to think things through. He said this because he was convinced the believers in Corinth were able to think properly on this issue and he hoped they would come to his conclusions. Paul put the matter to them, asking them if it was proper for women to pray in public worship with their heads uncovered. He chose to argue from what was appropriate rather than from what was righteous. He appealed to the Corinthians’ own notions. Knowing their worldview, he expected them to agree with his position.

    Does not nature itself teach you that if a man wears long hair it is a disgrace for him, but if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For her hair is given to her for a covering. (1 Corinthians 11:14–15)

    This part of Paul’s argument is difficult to understand. He continued to express his position regarding married women’s head coverings by putting forward another question, asking them to consider cultural norms regarding hair lengths for men and women. The exact meaning of the question, however, is puzzling. Several explanations have been put forward, though none seem adequate.

    Paul expected the Corinthians to recognize that men should have short hair and women long hair, likely because of the cultural norms of the time in Corinth. He also expected them to understand that the glory of women’s long hair affirmed the practice of married women covering their heads in public worship. A woman’s head covering in first-century Roman society was a sign of marriage, and a cultural expectation for wives of that time.

    If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God. (1 Corinthians 11:16)

    Paul expected some resistance to his view. He admitted that some Corinthian believers would be contentious about this, which could be either men or women. Paul sought to settle the matter by appealing to the widespread practice of the church, saying, we have no such practice. This could be translated as “we have no such custom.” Paul meant that he and other church leaders, and the churches of God, had no other practice than having women cover their heads in public worship.

    One commentator offered some thoughts regarding the application of the first half of 1 Corinthians 11:

    This section of the letter raises the perennial question of the relationship of current social customs to Christian morality and practice. Behind all that Paul says is the principle that Christians must always act in a seemly manner: ‘everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way’ (1 Corinthians 14:40). The application of this principle to first-century Corinth yields the direction that women must have their heads covered when they worship. The principle is of permanent validity, but we may well feel that its application to the contemporary scene need not yield the same result. In other words, in the light of our totally different social customs, we may well hold that the fullest acceptance of the principle underlying this chapter does not require that in Western lands in the twentieth century women must always wear hats when they pray.3

    As a side note, the Catholic church required women to wear a head covering during the Catholic Mass until 1983, when the church discontinued the practice.

    (To be continued.)


    Note
    Unless otherwise indicated, all scriptures 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.


    1 Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Bible Doctrine (Zondervan, 1994), 457.

    2 Leon Morris, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 7, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (InterVarsity Press, 1985), 153.

    3 Morris, 1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary, 154–155.

     

  • Apr 22 1 Corinthians: Chapter 10 (verses 16–33)
  • Apr 8 1 Corinthians: Chapter 10 (verses 1–15)
  • Mar 25 1 Corinthians: Chapter 9 (verses 18–27)
  • Mar 11 1 Corinthians: Chapter 9 (verses 1–17)
  • Feb 25 1 Corinthians: Chapter 8 (verses 1–13)
  • Feb 11 1 Corinthians: Chapter 7 (verses 17–40)
  • Jan 28 1 Corinthians: Chapter 7 (verses 1–16)
  • Jan 8 1 Corinthians: Chapter 6 (verses 1–20)
  • Dec 10 Practicing All the Virtues
   

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