“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here” ( 2 Cor 5:17).
When Christian missionaries first came here in Africa they were aghast at certain cultural aspects they found being practiced, many of which they could blame on satanic worship. For example birth and burial ceremonies were often characterized with singing and drumming, while thanking or appealing to ancient pagan gods. Worse still, accompanied with hard drinking!
Concerned, missionaries advised converts to abandon almost all aspects of their tribal culture, labeling such as satanic. Actually, it was not the first time the issue of culture had come up. Early in the life of the church there was a case of Titus, a companion of Paul who was Greek, and was first circumcised to be considered a Christian convert, though it was not a practice common to his culture (Gal 2:3).
Elsewhere an event happened where Peter who had started to win disciples among uncircumcised Gentiles, upon seeing Paul, decided to withdraw and eat separately. But this upset Paul. “When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in front of them all, “You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs! ( vv 14). Paul went on to add, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery” (Gal 5:1).
Paul was making a serious point that our cultures should not be a stumbling bloc with following Christ. He gives us the answer, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me..” (Gal 2:20).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, I am thankful for the Gospel of your son Jesus Christ, which has set me free from being chained to any law, for I am saved not by works but by grace, this I pray in Jesus’ name.
