Galatians 3:28 (NKJV) 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
In Christ, we are one.
This applies to more than just skin color and ethnicities. This also applies to cultural traditions that contradict the word of God.
The gospel transcends all cultures. It doesn’t matter if it’s African culture, Chinese culture, Japanese culture, Mexican culture, Western culture or any other culture. If a culture has traditions that contradict God’s word, those traditions need to fall and come under submission to God’s word.
Let us give an example of what we’re referring to, so this won’t be misunderstood, misconstrued or twisted in an attempt to try to make it mean something other than what we are really saying.
A reader wrote to us a while back in response to a blog post we had published on “Common Sense Financial Advice”.
She stated that in her African culture, husbands, including pastors, can’t share their income with their wives.
Let us state very bluntly that this is wrong. And we’re not pointing fingers at just this particular cultural tradition. We’re just using this one as an example, for the sake of illustration.
But this is clearly contradictory to God’s word. First, because His word states plainly that there is neither Jew nor Greek in Christ. Labels such as these disappear when we come under the blood of Christ. So the trappings of those labels should also disappear.
Second, the Bible states emphatically that a husband and wife become one flesh. They Are One! So there is no longer “yours and mine”. It’s now “ours”.
Ephesians 5:31 (NKJV) 31 “…a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”
So this tradition of the husband withholding “his” finances from his wife is something that needs to be left behind and forgotten.
And there are, no doubt, many other cultural traditions like this one that fly in the face of freedom in Christ and create bondage for those who follow them.
So let’s take a look at the things we do. Let’s ask ourselves why we do them? Is it simply because it’s the way it’s always been done?
And then let’s truthfully look at whether it lines up with the word of God or not. And if it doesn’t, we need to take whatever steps are necessary to toss it out and leave it behind.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
P.O. Box 272
Bradford, RI 02808
401-315-0902
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