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On Culture - Lost Without Translation
The background for this episode of On Culture is this piece from The Embassy - Lost Without Translation.
Here is a small excerpt:
Paul illustrates an uncomfortable picture of what biblical connection, at least in part, looks like.
Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
(1 Cor 9:19-23)
Sacrificing the freedom to live apart, safe in our bubble, we are to “become like” those around us - outside of our bubble. Instead of reveling in what makes us culturally different, we are to find a common place to share. To the religious, the irreligious, the lawless, the weak … we are to, in order to connect, to communicate, to translate - in order to carry the truth and grace of the gospel into our world, we are to “become like” those around us. We are to do this without withdrawing (putting our light under a bowl, in Jesus’ words), and without becoming indistinguishable (losing our ‘saltiness’ or savory distinction, in Jesus’ words). Being authentically us, we are to find a common place to connect to the authentic them. In this way, we translate our faith by truly hearing and responding to those to whom we would translate it. We are able to understand, because we have “become like” - and because we are in touch with what it is supposed to mean for Christians to be “authentically us”.
Being authentically us, we are to find a common place to connect to the authentic them.
Get full access to The Embassy at theembassy.substack.com/subscribe
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By Mike Sherman - a podcast of The Embassy substack newsletter - theembassy.substack.comThe background for this episode of On Culture is this piece from The Embassy - Lost Without Translation.
Here is a small excerpt:
Paul illustrates an uncomfortable picture of what biblical connection, at least in part, looks like.
Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
(1 Cor 9:19-23)
Sacrificing the freedom to live apart, safe in our bubble, we are to “become like” those around us - outside of our bubble. Instead of reveling in what makes us culturally different, we are to find a common place to share. To the religious, the irreligious, the lawless, the weak … we are to, in order to connect, to communicate, to translate - in order to carry the truth and grace of the gospel into our world, we are to “become like” those around us. We are to do this without withdrawing (putting our light under a bowl, in Jesus’ words), and without becoming indistinguishable (losing our ‘saltiness’ or savory distinction, in Jesus’ words). Being authentically us, we are to find a common place to connect to the authentic them. In this way, we translate our faith by truly hearing and responding to those to whom we would translate it. We are able to understand, because we have “become like” - and because we are in touch with what it is supposed to mean for Christians to be “authentically us”.
Being authentically us, we are to find a common place to connect to the authentic them.
Get full access to The Embassy at theembassy.substack.com/subscribe