The influence of Christianity on Western society appears to have become a relic of the past. Just as the Enlightenment failed to eliminate societal ills or produce a human utopia, the era of Christendom has likewise faded. Consequently, the church has struggled with this cultural shift, often finding herself confused regarding her role and posture within a pluralistic, secular, and skeptical environment. In North America, the church has realized it is no longer in a position of cultural dominance but is instead living in a metaphorical Babylon. Now, believers across the denominational spectrum are asking the critical question: What do we do?
In many ways, the 21st-century North American church shares striking similarities with the people of God in Jeremiah 29. While it is important to note that God held a specific covenant relationship with Israel that does not apply to modern nations, the parallel remains: Jerusalem had fallen, and cultural hegemony was lost. In captivity, Israel lived as sojourners and marginalized minorities. Many found this newfound position difficult and demoralizing, a situation that forces a modern reexamination of Christian distinctives in culture.
Faced with a foreign environment, the exiles had several options for how to posture themselves toward the larger culture. First, they could have retreated as a subcultural hermit, longing for the past while fading into irrelevancy. Second, they could have adopted an antagonistic and resentful approach, lashing out at their captors. Third, they could have fully accommodated the Babylonians, abandoning their identity to fit in. However, they had a fourth option—God’s option. They could seek the peace of the city while focusing on church unity in mission.
Embedded within this Spirit-breathed option, there are at least three particular ways the people of God were (and are) called to seek the peace of the pagan land.
1. Live Here as if You Were Living There.
We are to live everyday normal lives as if we were living in the homeland. God informs his dazed and confused people to, “Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease” (Jer. 29:5–6). In other words, God tells them to live here as if they were living there (back at home)—faithfully tilling and cultivating both land and family while they multiplied in the land. Seeking the peace of the foreign land begins by living faithfully as if we are in the homeland. (Keep in mind that for believers today, our “homeland” is the new city where Jesus will have made all things new (Rev. 21).)
2. Live to Bless, Not Curse.
God expresses that his people take up the task of blessing the pagan nation. This is quite remarkable. The people of God were to live as a blessing, praying to the Lord on behalf of the nation as they seek the flourishing of the pagan city. For in the city’s flourishing, God’s people will flourish. While the scope of this article does not permit me the time to dive into the notion of “blessing,” this vision, nevertheless, harkens back to both Genesis 1 where God blesses humanity (Gen. 1:28) as well as the prophetic promise God made to Abram, “through you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen. 12:3). Blessing a pluralistic and pagan city means believers will work for and toward the common good in a way to bring flourishing and functionality to every sphere of life.
3. Live Faithfully, Not Forcefully.
We are to strive for faithfulness, rather than striving for world change. In this passage, there is nothing about seeking the transformation of the city. God doesn’t ask them to work toward transforming Babylon into a theocentric (Jewish) nation. God doesn’t ask them to transform the Babylonian culture and cultural practices to those that more align with the Torah. While change may very well take place, God’s call to his resident aliens was a missional posture of faithfulness—faithfulness in all areas of their life, as they seek God and the welfare of the pagan city.
In applying this notion to the cultural context of the church today, please don’t misunderstand what I’m saying. I completely agree that the gospel is transformative; the gospel changes individuals, families, cities and even nations. To a certain degree God did bring change in Babylon through the faithfulness of people like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. My point is that the goal for the people of God is faithfulness to God and to his call, work and mission in the world.
In neither Testament does God ever assign the task to his people of world change or city transformation—forcing people to believe and behave like the people of God.
The mission of the church is to witness and make disciples. We witness and make disciples by working as ambassadors for the kingdom of God, serving as agents of blessing for the city, and inviting people to follow Jesus as their King who is in the construction process of making all things new. In sum, we simply share and show the gospel of King Jesus.
May the church today—in finding herself in this foreign land like Dorothy found herself in the land of OZ—seek to live faithful lives reflecting the characteristics, attributes and signs of God’s kingdom life in our homes, vocations, relationships and ethics. May churches seek the welfare of the foreign city, living as agents of blessing rather than antagonistic, mean-spirited, angry, resentful and defensive agents. And finally, may we take the posture of faithfulness—faithfully calling people to follow Jesus.
This article originally appeared on NewChurches.com and is reposted here by permission.