Postmodernism, Holiness, and Christian Liberties

                 I’d like to conclude this series on postmodern thought by discussing how it relates to the use of Christian liberties and to the idea of holiness. What many find appealing about postmodern author Donald Miller is his free indulgence in a bit of worldliness while professing to be so spiritual, or you might say his ability to make worldliness appear spiritual. He seems to take great pride in using a bit of foul language and feeling free to indulge in a bit of drinking. He’s not one of those stuffy, legalistic, “holier-than-thou” kind of Christians, but is somewhat at home in the world. He boasts, for example, of how at a book-signing a woman approached and thanked him for his books because she likes to “lift the shot glass with her friends” and he gave her the freedom to do so. Thus, we can be Christians without being really different from the world. The appeal of this kind of thinking is nothing new. Even in the Bible times there were those who sought to indulge in what they viewed as freedoms, while failing to recognize the spiritual harm of doing so (e.g., eating meats sacrificed to idols, drinking of wine – 1 Cor 8,10; Rom 14). Paul’s response was that “all things are lawful, but not all things are profitable” (1 Cor 6.12; 10.23). Others saw grace as license to indulge (Gal 5.13; 1 Pet 2.16; Jude 4). Even if it can be argued that indulging in a little alcoholic beverage or the use of crude language are liberties, one must ask just how profitable such behavior is. Some argue that it makes us appear less different, less weird, and therefore makes the Christian life more attractive to the world. It shows we can have fun and be Christians too.

                While I agree that Christians sometimes are a bit too prudish, and that the Christian life has often been presented as a sourpuss killjoy kind of life, we must ask ourselves what it means to be holy. Being a Christian means being different.  The world should see us as weird. Peter says “For the time already past is sufficient for you to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that you do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation, and they malign you” (1 Pet 4.3-4). Notice, by the way, that Peter doesn’t simply speak of drunkenness, but of drinking parties. But the point I wish to make is that our differentness should be surprising to the world. Now, I’m not saying it is necessarily wrong to have a glass of wine or a beer (though there are strong arguments for total abstinence), nor that we should avoid the people of the world and live like monks. Jesus ate with the sinners so much that he was accused of being a drunk (Mt 11.16-19). Though it was a false charge, he must have attended parties where some drinking was going on (Mt 9.10; I’ll not get into the “turning-water-to-wine” issue here). I don’t suggest we act like prudes. I’m simply saying that our lives (and our speech – Eph 5.4) should be dramatically different from the world. That’s what holiness means. It is to be different. And if that means the world hates us for it, then remember that it first hated Jesus (Jn 15.18-19). 

© 2006 Randy Hohf