Sabbath School for Adults: Lesson 4:The Bible–the Authoritative Source of Our Theology

Tuesday April 21

Culture

We all belong to and are part of a particular culture or cultures. We are all influenced and shaped by culture, too. None of us escapes it. Indeed, think about how much of the Old Testament is the story of ancient Israel’s being corrupted by the cultures around it. What makes us think that we today are any different, or better?

The Word of God also is given in a specific culture, even though it is not limited to this one culture. While cultural factors unavoidably influence our understanding of the Bible, we should not lose sight of the fact that the Bible also transcends established cultural categories of ethnicity, empire, and social status. This is one reason why the Bible surpasses any human culture and is even capable of transforming and correcting the sinful elements that we find in every culture.

Read 1 John 2:15-17. What does John mean when he states that we should not love the things of the world? How can we live in the world and yet not have a worldly mind-set?

Culture, like any other facet of God’s creation, is affected by sin. Consequently, it also stands under the judgment of God. Yes, some aspects of our culture might align very nicely with our faith, but we must always be careful to distinguish between the two. Ideally, biblical faith should challenge, if need be, the existing culture and create a counterculture that is faithful to God’s Word. Unless we have something anchored in us that comes from above us, we will soon give in to that which is around us.

Ellen G. White provides the following insight: “The followers of Christ are to be separate from the world in princi-ples and interests, but they are not to isolate themselves from the world. The Saviour mingled constantly with men, not to encourage them in anything that was not in accordance with God’s will, but to uplift and ennoble them.”—Ellen G. White, Counsels to Parents, Teachers, and Students, p. 323.

What aspects of your culture are in complete opposition to biblical faith? More important, how do we stand firm against those aspects attempting to corrupt our faith?