I recently ran across an interesting hashtag on Twitter called #YouMayBeCulturallyCaptive that describes Christians who are more influenced by culture and the world around them than Scripture, what @OnceCaptive (a ministry of Probe Ministries) calls “Culturally Captive.”
Christians are not to be conformed to the world but to have our minds transformed through constant mind renewal in the truth (Romans 12:2). Scripture also says that if you are a friend of the world, you are an enemy of God (James 4:4). That means if we are accurately described as “culturally captive”–we have a desperate need to reexamine our Christian lives in light of the Scriptures.
Before I share great tweets from the hashtag, here’s a quick description of what “once captive” means:
WHAT DOES ONCE CAPTIVE MEAN?
WE WERE ALL ONCE CAPTIVE but [God] rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Col 1:13-14
WE MAY BE LIVING AS CAPTIVES STILL! . . .captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world. Col 2:8
INSTEAD, LET US LIVE IN FREEDOM—BEING BOUND TO CHRIST. . . so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith. Col 2:6-7
16 Signs You May Be a Culturally Captive Christian
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you only consume and don’t contribute to your local church
— Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 11, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you think you have the right to decide what is true, what is right, and what is good. — Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 10, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you believe in astrology and check your horoscope, even if you tell yourself “it’s just for fun.”
— Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 10, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you believe God wants you happy, which includes dumping your spouse in order to hook up with another. — Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 10, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf lines from movies dominate your thinking more than lines of Scripture
— Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 10, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you think Satan is an old-fashioned, non-scientific or mythological way of describing evil in the world. — Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 10, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you believe God wants you to live in sin so you can be happy (divorce, materialism, extramarital sex…)
— Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 9, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you believe that acquiring a lot of money and things will ultimately bring satisfaction — Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 9, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you believe that the purpose for marriage is to meet your needs
— Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 9, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you think religion is a private matter & shouldnt impact other areas of your life: work, relationships, family — Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 9, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you think Science and Christianity are in opposition with one another by definition
— Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 9, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you believe that people are not responsible for their own actions — Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 8, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you think there are multiple ways to heaven in addition to Jesus’ death and resurrection.
— Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 8, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you consider the temporal as more important than the eternal in making decisions — Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 8, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf your definition of faith is that “faith is the opposite of reason”
— Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 8, 2014
#YouMayBeCulturallyCaptiveIf you are dependent on some mind-numbing substance — Once Captive (@OnceCaptive) July 8, 2014
What would you add?
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You might be culturally captive if you think more about your pleasure than your holiness.
That’s an important add.
Here’s another: The only “spiritual rest” you take is taking breaks from church attendance, Bible reading, and prayer rather than finding true rest in Christ.