Imitation of Christ: The Means of Christian Witness

"The Glory of the Gospel is that when the Church is absolutely different from the world, she invariably attracts it.[...] It should not be our ambition to be as much like everybody else as we can, though we happen to be Christian, but rather to be as different from everybody who is not a Christian as we can possibly be. Our ambition should be to be like Christ, the more like Him the better, and the more like Him we become, the more we shall be unlike everybody who is not a Christian."

-D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, Studies on the Sermon on the Mount

This needs to be said carefully, but said all the same. We find ourselves stuck in a paradox if we try to fit in or conform to the culture, even as a means to transformation. For habitual abiding in Christ and the fruit of the Spirit will mold the believer into a something radically different from any culture. 

I must be clear here: this by no means diminishes the importance or necessity of adapting our presentation of the gospel to various peoples. Jesus commands us to love our neighbors and our enemies, as well as to seek the lost (Mat. 22:37-40, 5:44). We cannot love our neighbor, near or far, unless we know them, and understand them. Jesus entered into first century Jewish culture, spoke their language, wore their clothes, ate their food, and lived among the people. So must we. 

The Believer must balance carefully to be always in the culture but not of the culture. Lloyd-Jones reminds us that Jesus Christ is our great teacher: he helps us to balance well. While anthropology and cultural studies have their place, Jesus is our ultimate authority and most helpful resource. Learn to love your neighbor well by learning to live like Christ.