Living In The 3rd Culture: December 2019

One of the most familiar passages of Old Testament Scripture quoted at Christmas is Isaiah 9:6-7

⁶ For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given;

and the government shall be upon his shoulder,

and his name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

⁷Of the increase of his government and of peace

there will be no end,

on the throne of David and over his kingdom,

to establish it and to uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time forth and forevermore.

The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.

These verses come at the end of section where Isaiah brings the bad of a coming siege by the barbaric Assyrians. The regions of Zebulan and Naphali (9:1) would be the first to be invaded and begin a period of great darkness. Despite the bad news, Isaiah promises the good news of a day when “there will be no more gloom,” a time when the “deep darkness” will be inundated with “great light” (9:2). At time of rejoicing and joy (9:3) when God’s people are free from the heavy hand of oppression (9:4), and a time where there will be no more war (9:5). “How does the victorious, covenant-fulfilling work of God come about? By what way do the Lord’s people enter a non-contributory salvation? By mere fact of the King’s birth. The emphasis rests not on us but on a child is born. Child: his human decent. Son his maleness and dignity in the royal line. Born of human parentage but also given by the Lord. His people’s shoulders are delivered when his shoulders accept the burden of rule. He will be called: literally ‘one will call his name.’ In its highest sense ‘name’ sums up character; it declares the person. The perfection of this King is seen in his qualification for ruling (Wonderful Counsellor), his person and power (Mighty God), his relations to his subjects (Everlasting Father) and the society he creates (Prince of Peace).”[1]

This King’s birth is what we are to celebrate all year round, but what we give special attention during Advent. Unfortunately, in celebration of the King’s birth, He often only receives a brief acknowledgment. In other words, the emphasis falls on “us” and not “a child has been born.” That may be part of the reason so many of us experience a depressive let down once Christmas has passed.

Waiting in faith and hope are a central theme of the Believers life and the heart of what we celebrate at Advent. It is time when despite the darkness, sadness, and oppression we may face, we know that the King is going to return and fulfill the promises given to us by Isaiah. As Michael Green aptly wrote; “It is by allowing his mind to dwell on the return of Christ that the Christian will regain a sense of balance and proportion, however difficult his present circumstances, and the peace which passes understanding will take root deeply in his heart.”[2]

[1] J. Alec Motyer, Isaiah, An Introduction & Commentary.

[2] Michael Green, The Second Epistle of Peter and the Epistle of Jude; An Introduction and Commentary.

Third Culture Defined

The term “Third Culture” has been used in various ways. One “Third Culture” group “consists of those scientists and other thinkers in the empirical world who, through their work and expository writing, are taking the place of the traditional intellectuals in rendering visible the deeper meanings of our lives, redefining who and what we are.”Another common use of “Third Culture” in fact describes my personal experience. The term was first coined by sociologist Ruth Hill Useem, professor emeritus of sociology and education at Michigan State University. She used the term to describe children growing up outside their citizenship countries because of a parent’s work abroad. A “TCK or Third Culture Kid has since been defined as, “someone who as a child has spent a significant period of time in one or more culture(s) other than his or her own, thus integrating elements of those cultures and their own birth culture, into a third culture" Though I am a TCK, it is my desire to use the term in referring to the people who make up the true Christian Church (Theologically defined as the “Invisible Church”). In other words, the Church is a Third Culture. Scripture teaches us that Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law and the punishment of Hell, and through faith in Him we become citizens of His Kingdom, receiving not only the full benefits of citizenship in His Kingdom, but indeed the right to become sons and daughters of God. The moment, we step into this Kingdome we experience a new and different culture. We are no longer in the kingdom of darkness, but now live in the kingdom of light and that changes everything! At the same time we never went anywhere physically as we continue to work, live, and play with the same people as before, we see the world differently, we no longer truly fit – we are “in the world, but not of it” -- we have a new culture. For most of us this life changing experience occurs within our birth culture and our Christian experience is saturated by those influences. For those who grew up in non-Hispanic White North America, Christianity is uniquely different than those who grew up in an African American context. Our birth culture effects how we live out our faith in the Kingdom of Christ. Yet the Kingdom of Christ requires one more cultural shift and that is away from birth culture and into a culture made up of people of every ethnic and cultural group that has ever existed on the face of the earth. This Kingdom is no more North American than it is Tanzanian or Tibetan. It is a unique or shall we say a “Third Culture” that integrates elements of all cultures into one new and better one, where there is no Jew or Greek, slave nor free, male nor female“You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal 3:26-298). In fact Revelation 7:9-10 gives us a description what this will look like one day:“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb." A Third Culture Perspective is one that understands and appreciates that God gathers people from every ethnic and cultural group and brings them into the new culture of His Son Jesus Christ. It is a perspective where birth cultures are appreciated and respected as coming from God, but none are superior. It seeks to have a deeper understanding of the Gospel, pays attention to culture, our own as well as others, and then attempts to bring them together. It is a perspective that “seeks first His Kingdom and His Righteousness” and lovingly and passionately enjoys and glorifies God in all we do. It is a perspective that welcomes immigrants….

Waiting in Faith and Hope