When Cultural Identity Replaces Christ
I can’t help but ponder the times we live in. The division of allegiance is stark. This week has felt like a whirlwind of insanity. It once again reminds us of how dehumanizing and polarizing our current culture has become.
Just last night was another display of division—two opposing halftime shows. Both functioned as political statement pieces, both rooted in defiance. This is not a new issue, though it certainly feels highly amplified throughout today’s media. It was presented in such a way that the show you aligned with became a reflection of your cultural identity. What saddens me more is the response I have seen from Christians attempting to justify one over the other.
In moments like these, I look to Jesus. Jesus himself lived amid deep cultural and political division. He lived in a time when people either aligned with Roman government authority or opposed it through protest and, at times, political violence. While the specifics differ, the overarching theme feels eerily similar to modern America.
Jesus had twelve disciples, yet often overlooked is the opposing nature of two of them: Matthew the tax collector and Simon the Zealot. One was a Roman sympathizer; the other was a member of the opposition. We often evaluate the current state of American politics and culture by attempting to assign one side as the protagonist and the other as the antagonist. Yet neither stands upon biblical truth. If Jesus could unite both of these men under His lordship, why do we believe our divisions are justified?
As illustrated by the halftime shows, one could support Bad Bunny’s performance, which centered on embracing the Americas as a unified whole, or the All-American halftime show focused on country roots and performed in English. Yet both contained sexually promiscuous themes—one more explicit in its sin, the other more implicit. The expression of each show is not the same, yet a core truth remains: we often choose to justify the form of sin that aligns with our cultural identity.
Where is your allegiance? What cultural identity are you aligning with? Jesus took two polar-opposite individuals, revealed Himself to them, and unity formed under His lordship. They left behind their former allegiances and followed Christ. Though they continued living within the same society, their focus changed after encountering Him—their perspective fixed on one thing.
No political party serves the interests of God’s kingdom. They serve themselves, ruled by money and power. Yet we fall into the trap of following cultural identity rather than the Savior. We attempt to make our faith fit a pre-constructed mold instead of allowing the Word of God to transform our reality. Christ is not an accessory we add to our values. He redefines them.
Allegiance to Christ alone.
