Tag: culture

November 4, 2023

November 4th, 2023

Saturday – Open Topic

Reading – Leviticus 19:23-37

Highlight Verse:

““Do not trim off the hair on your temples or trim your beards.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭19‬:‭27‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s November again. Many men observe “No Shave November” to bring attention to men’s health issues or because they want an excuse to not shave.

If you’ve seen me personally, you know that I got a jump on November and quit shaving simply because I like the warmth of a beard in the winter.

If you read today’s passage, you find that growing a full beard was as virtuous as making sure your daughter doesn’t become a prostitute.

Whoa!

Why have I been shaving all these years?

Of course, that was one of a long list of rules, many of which still make sense today, but many were specifically aimed at keeping the people of Israel pure in the midst of an idolatrous regional culture.

Untrimmed beards were one of those rules that made more sense at the time. Men in the surrounding cultures would trim their beards in specific shapes to honor certain idols.

Beard trimming and shaving no longer has that cultural significance.

But, in the cold Colorado winters, the thicker the beard, the warmer the face.

What are some other Old Testament rules that no longer make sense in today’s culture?
What are there some rules you could come up with that might help keep a person on the right track today?
June 1, 2023

May 31st, 2023

Thursday – Letters

Reading – 1 Corinthians 11-12

Highlight Verse:

“Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Oh how I was tempted to take a verse from chapter 12. There’s so much good stuff to draw on there.

You and I both know that chapter 11 raises more questions. So here we go.

When I was in Bible college, I took part in a ministry that visited a local nursing home every week. Keep in mind that this was 25 years ago. The instructors warned us that whoever was giving the message had better dress the part. People from that generation would not listen if the preacher was dressed in a t-shirt and jeans.

In chapter 11, Paul is speaking in no uncertain terms to a culture that was very different than ours. The guidelines he was insisting on would have made sense to the Corinthian church members of that time. They were not matters of morality but of cultural relevance.

Likewise, we should remain culturally relevant to those we are trying to reach with the Good News of Jesus.

Within the boundaries of Biblical morality, we need to bring the Gospel to people in a manner that will be both understood and not rejected for cultural reasons.

Do you wish for the days of more strict dress and grooming standards?
Would you be willing to study and understand the culture you are trying to reach with the Gospel?

Tag: culture

November 4, 2023

Why have I been shaving all these years?

Beard trimming and shaving no longer has that cultural significance.

June 1, 2023

Within the boundaries of Biblical morality, we need to bring the Gospel to people in a manner that will be both understood and not rejected for cultural reasons.