Have you ever experience the conflict between your ethnicity/culture/tradition and being Christian?
Sometime we failed to show love and respect to other because our culture is like this and that.
Some traditional stuffs we are practicing are not Christ alike
Here is a good example:
Burmese New Year is around the corner.
Should Burmese Christians participate in water festival?
“No” will be very offensive to some people.
“Yes” will be conflict with our belief.
Pouring water to each other at festival represents purifying your wrongdoings throughout the year. Simple meaning can be cleansing your sins before entering into the New Year.
*Christ suffered and died on the cross for us. The blood of Jesus washes away our sins.
So…. should we be enjoying washing our sins with water?
I know.. I know... we might have following thoughts
- What if I celebrate "new year" only, but not with water?
- How are we going to bring new friends to church if we don’t join with them?
- Wherever you go, go with God!
- It’s ok to ditch the church once in a while… and involve ourselves in celebration.
- It’s ok to join as long as it’s not on Sunday (especially in United States cuz ppl celebrate on weekend only)
and many many more.....
Of cause… we do not intend to do it, but it happens sometime unintentionally.
Should we stick to those culture/tradition? Or Ban the culture/tradition that is not glorifying GOD???
Let me know what you think and believe.
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12 comments:
1 Corinthians 10:31
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
I don't want to be a legalistic Christian.
Phyu... can you define "legalistic Christian" ... don't quite understand
I won't go ... if my faith has to stand beyond the culture or tradition ...
Last year's school Halloween party Lillian had to stay with me ... it was her very first absence throughout her school days … This year we are planning to take a short trip instead. Her school record will show her missing, but I am very exciting to create family tradition to keep my faith such a way ….
Like.. cannot do this, cannot do that. Many laws but defeating the purpose of them. What does God want really? In a way like KB quoted, it's not so much of what I do but why I do them. It's like coming to church but your heart is not there and you can't wait to go home. Or tithing and giving without a cheerful heart.
I'm not endorsing Thingyan. It's not like I even celebrate it. But I don't think to celebrate Thingyan or to NOT celebrate Thingyan is the point. Most people today just splash water for fun.
I'm not sure. I could be utterly wrong. For now, that's what I believe.
thanks Phyu for explanation and sharing your thought.
Thingyan is just one of the examples.
There are many other traditional rituals which do not glorify GOD. Jae just pointed out the Halloween.
One day, we will have our own kids, nieces or nephews. Most of you are also Sunday school teachers.
So… when our kids, nieces, nephews, or students ask us if they can partake those activities, what will we say?
I think Aunty Jae did the right thing. For me, when I have kids, I will give them the law first. Because they don't know how to think for themselves yet.
But as they grow up.. they will know how to reason and think for themselves. They will understand that what's the true meaning behind the laws, the things we do, etc.
It's like in the beginning, no matter what, we cannot cross the road without the green man. Our parents won't let us. Then now we know how to jaywalk to our advantage. The law is there to protect us.
Anyways, I don't know how to explain. 2 people doing the same thing and yet one of them is wrong. 2 people could be doing opposite things and yet both of them are right.
Did Jesus do Jewish tradition?
In anyway, Jewish tradition is closer to GOD.
Follow these traditions that makes you closer to GOD.
On the other hand, you could just have in mind of being celebration.
I agree to disagree.
Please try to understand what Paul is saying in Romans 14. The main issue in that chapter is about food/drink but has a key to answer the question posted by Nway2. Always Keep the conscience sensitive. One must be able to do things (eat, drink, dress, etc.. ) with a clear conscience. If not even though the issue id religiously or ethically neutral don't do it. Nway2, If Phyu2 and others don't think it is good to participate in water festival then u should not! sorry! According to Paul! :)
For example even though Paul knew there was no salvation associated with circumcision (Galatians 5:2, 6), he had Timothy (a Gentile) circumcised so as to not be offensive to weak brethrens (Hebrew converts) Acts 16:3.
Again in Romans 14:
The stronger (more knowledgeable) faith, knows that certain meats, formally “unclean” under the Mosaic economy (Leviticus 11), are no longer forbidden to those in Christ.
And yet the great apostle (Paul) was ever sensitive to the spiritual needs of weak brothers (Jewish christian), exerting himself to accommodate their misunderstandings until they were able to access a richer comprehension of truth. That's why in 14:21 Paul says that it is good not to drink wine or eat meat if it offends a weak brother The implication is that there's nothing wrong with the wine in itself, only if it offends a weak brother.
More reading for drinking: 1 Tim. 3 8. 1 Cor. 6:9-10, Gal. 5:21. Eph. 5 18 Matthew 15:10-12 1 Tim. 4 1-5
The apostle openly affirmed his willingness to subordinate himself to those of lesser knowledge for the sake of their souls and Unity among Christians.
Also try to understand these scriptures:
‘All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful - I will not be enslaved by anything' 1 Cor. 6 12
‘For you were called to freedom brethren, only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh..' Eph. 5 13
We are no longer under law but love. There is no such thing as u can't do this and that. All we gotta do is what ever we do, we have to do it to glorify His name.
“Listen and understand. What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’” —Matthew 15:10-12
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for then it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer, 1 Tim. 4 1-5
Sometimes I ask myself, If we had known the origin of birthday cake which was rooted in ancient pagan idol worship; would we allow it to be included when we celebrate birthdays?
Well, we don't worship the Greek moon god, Artemis, so with clear conscience, as Paul says, we are having birthday cake at homes and churches.
Cheesecake anyone?
Galatians 5:4 "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace."
“For the sake of weak brethrens,” although you misunderstood on some individuals’ perspectives, you brought up many biblical points. Two points below are the best. Thanks!!!
/// Roman 14:21 “It is good neither to eat meat nor drink wine nor do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak”
“We are no longer under law but love. There is no such thing as u can't do this and that. All we gotta do is what ever we do, we have to do it to glorify His name.” ///
Some of us think it’s ok to do anything if our minds and hearts are clean and we are with GOD.
The point we are missing is… we should not do things when our actions become questionable to our belief and offend to weak brothers & sisters.
I stopped participating water festival after I accepted Christ as my personal savior because nothing can compare to the blood of Christ.
In the beginning, I didn’t think about all the points we are discussing here. Now I clearly see that these points are supporting the choice I made.
Until now… no one is making statement to ban the tradition/culture that is not glorifying God. ;p
May God grant us wisdom and patience with one another as we seek to understand how best to glorify God in real world not only in those words.
Romans 1:21, “Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”
So what is the glory of God and how do we glorify His name?
All of creation has as its goal and purpose the glory of God. He created everything for His own glory. Everything that exists has its existence from God and for God. That's why in Romans 11:36 Paul says, “For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”
Example: A newly engaged woman (KB - using her as an example ;p) does not have to pretend to be excited about her fiancé. Her conversation and choice of how to spend her time will be influenced by her delight/love in him.
In a similar way a Christian will glorify God to the extent that he/she is overwhelmed by the greatness and glory of God.
The glory of God summarizes the seriousness, the perfection, and the infinite significance of all of the attributes of God. It sums up who He is, in the awesome brightness and weightiness of all His perfections.
We cannot make God more glorious than He already is and always has been. So when the Bible calls us to give glory to God it is not suggesting that we can in any way add glory to Him.
We are to glorify God not only by going to church, or reading the Bible, or praying and praising His Name. God calls us to glorify Him in simple things, like drinking a glass of water, eating a sandwich, taking a nap, etc...!
There are two ways to glorify or to give glory to something/someone.
1) The first is by making that thing or person glorious; to impart, to make it or him/her glorious in ways that it otherwise would not be. God has done this in the way that He has created mankind.
2) The second way to give glory or glorify someone/something is by acknowledging, declaring and valuing the glory that is there. It is magnifying glory that is already possessed. This is what the heavens do. They “declare the glory of the Lord” (Ps. 19:1).
The responsibility that we are given is to declare, to make known, to reflect, to display the glory of God that He already and at all times possesses.
I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving (Psalm 69:30).
Glorifying and enjoying God are two sides of the same coin
Not necessary to ban certain things to glorify God because if we do so things we will become like those extremist. Can't wear short, can't laugh in public, can't wear high heels shoes. Sounds familiar?
1 Thessalonians 5:18. "In everything give thanks for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Paul simply says very directly, "In everything give thanks." In everything?
When u get hit by a car, or when u are hurt by someone physically and emotionally, when u are sick, when u are broke, when u fail a class or when u lost your job say thank you Jesus. Can u dig it?
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