For many years I thought so. In fact, that concept was a very "life-saving-device" to me. The very idea was an anchor to the mind, stabilizing it as much as possible in an interracial, cross-cultural marriage. The idea was, literally, life and mind-saving.
In such a marriage one couldn't fully live out the marriage in only the, let's say, Chinese way, nor only in the western way; there had to be a governing standard. Since both marriage spouses were Christians, that standard was the Christian culture of the Bible.
Then one fine Sunday sermon those "legs" I stood on got violently amputated in one fell swoop! The preacher-of-the-day said there was no such thing as a Christian culture. Devastation of heart and mind ensued. Tears and mourning in silent agony was topped with feelings of betrayal. However was one to survive now!?
Breathe. Catch your breath. Let us now beg to differ with that preacher. Understood is, western culture does NOT equal Christian culture. So what IS it?
Search and learn of the life of Jesus while He was on earth; how He lived and acted towards the common folks. His kindness, goodness, and caring ways stood out in sharp contrast to the general attitudes of the religious leaders of His day.
The Sermon on the Mount was Jesus' "Code of Ethics" (Matthew 5-7). Jesus' sermon is chock full of ways we too can live as Christians and has nothing to do with western culture being forced upon others. (Granted, much of some western culture was once based on Scripture.)God's children are to be imitators of Christ (Ephesians 5:1,2). As we read God's Word intensely and allow the Holy Spirit within us to teach and "guide us into all truth", we may obey Him and so become more like Christ.
This then, is the Christian culture I firmly believe in. I stand upon that with two legs, I might add, that are not artificial limbs.
P.S. For further ways to live according to Christian culture, see the following verses:
Galatians 5: 16-26 Philippians 2:1-18
Ephesians 4:25-32 Colossians 3:1-4
Ephesians 6:10-20 Colossians 4:2-6
Ephesians 5:15-21 2 Peter 1:5-1:, 3:14, 17-18
The book of James
These scratch the surface. The epistles are full of "Christian culture".
The Bible often talks about character to "put off" and then to "put on". That will come with greater Christian living as we genuinely seek to live in a Christ-like manner. The fruit of the Spirit seen in Galatians 5:22-23 is quite a good and challenging place to start as you can see in the following ways.
LOVE~see 1 Corinthians 13-characteristics of love; do we live this?
JOY~see James: consider it pure joy>trials and difficulties; do we let them mold and shape us?
~the joy of the Lord is our strength
~look up other 'joy' verses
PEACE~Jesus is the Prince of Peace; do we bring our burdens and cares to Him?
~Matthew 5:9>Blessed are the peacemakers...are we one?
PATIENCE~The Lord sees one day as a thousand years and visa versa; He is patient, let us imitate Him.
KINDNESS~Be kind one to another;
~Tender-hearted, forgiving one another...do we have the grace to be like that?
GOODNESS~The goodness of the Lord leads to repentance. Do we repent of our wrongs?
~Pure heart (Matthew 5:8)
~Do we do good to others?
FAITHFULNESS~Be steadfast, unmovable
~He faileth not (Zephaniah 3:5)...Oh to be like Him!
GENTLENESS~soft answers
SELF-CONTROL~Let your moderation be known unto all men.
No doubt you can add numerous other ways. May the Lord bless you as you seek to live His way in whichever culture you are from and in whichever culture you live. Amen.
~ERC 2015~
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